A. Guttmann
Research Lead covering media
Music in Latin America - statistics & facts
Latin America is famous for the vibrance and diversity of its music. For decades, stars like Pedro Infante (1917-1957), Celia Cruz (1925-2003), Yma Sumac (1922-2008), Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), Carlos Gardel (1890-1935), Violeta Parra (1917-1967), and many others have been reflecting the clash of cultures that resulted in a dynamic market both in terms of production and consumption. Throughout most of the second half of the 2010s, the recorded music segment reported double-digit growth rates in Latin America. At the end of the decade – already under the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak – the region reported the highest increase in revenue in the music industry worldwide. The expansion was not homogeneous across the subcontinent, however. Altogether, its two largest markets, Brazil and Mexico, accounted for about two-thirds of the revenue of the recorded music sector in Latin America in 2020.
The beat of one's own drum
The region is home to a plethora of original rhythms and scenes. From salsa to samba, from rumba to reggaeton, dozens of subgenres challenge any attempt of classifying consumers' likings. The vague label of Latin music was – perhaps unsurprisingly – the favorite genre among internet users surveyed in Latin America in early 2021. In most countries, at least one-third of respondents expressed a preference for that option. The exception was Brazil, where Latin music ranked last, below genres like classical and electronic music. The results of another online survey, carried out later that year, indicated that Brazilians' top three music genres were sertanejo (the local equivalent to country music), pop, and gospel. Meanwhile, digital music listeners surveyed in Mexico in 2021 selected pop and rock as their favorites. This suggests that the leading Latin American markets each follow their own trends and leave some stereotypes behind.Music streaming: a fierce competition
YouTube dominated the music streaming segment in Latin America as of the beginning of 2021, with Spotify holding a solid second place. No other platform held a market share above 15 percent in any of the region's markets. With more than 300 million users spread across the six largest Latin American economies – Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru – YouTube has the upper hand. In most countries, at least two-thirds of internet users reported accessing Alphabet Inc.'s service to stream music. Still, the number of Spotify monthly active users (MAUs) in Latin America constantly grew throughout 2021. At the end of the year, it surpassed 85 million, reaching an all-time high. The competition for the ears and hearts of Latin American consumers continues.
