The
music of Latin America refers to music originating from
Latin America, namely the
Romance-speaking countries and territories of the Americas and the Caribbean south of the United States. Latin American music also incorporates
African music from slaves who were transported to the Americas by European settlers as well as music from the
indigenous peoples of the Americas. Due to its highly syncretic nature, Latin American music encompasses a wide variety of styles, including influential genres such as
son,
rumba,
salsa,
merengue,
tango,
samba and
bossa nova. During the 20th century many styles were influenced by the
music of the United States giving rise to genres such as
Latin pop,
rock,
jazz and
reggaeton.