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Bachata
The Dominican Republic's guitar music
Bachata is the guitar-led popular music of the Dominican Republic — romantic, syncopated and built around a distinctive lead guitar line. Once dismissed as music of the rural poor, it is now danced worldwide.
Origin & history
Bachata grew in the Dominican Republic through the middle of the twentieth century out of bolero and other guitar traditions of the region, long treated as disreputable by Dominican radio.
It moved into the mainstream in the later twentieth century and then internationally, carried both by Dominican artists at home and by the diaspora in New York.
Notable artists
Juan Luis Guerra
Dominican musician whose work brought bachata wide international attention.
Romeo Santos
Dominican-American singer central to bachata's modern, diaspora-shaped era.
Where it lives
Where these artists come from
149 Bachata artists are on TimTim.Live, and 142 of them have a public hometown. Here is where they come from.
Countries
- Dominican Republic76
- United States34
- Colombia6
- Puerto Rico4
- Chile3
- Cuba3
- Spain3
- Ecuador2
- Guatemala2
- Italy2
- Argentina1
- Brazil1
Cities and places
- Bronx County, United States7
- The Bronx, United States7
- New York City, United States6
- Santiago de los Caballeros (district), Dominican Republic6
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic6
- Santiago de los Caballeros (city), Dominican Republic5
- Santo Domingo Province, Dominican Republic4
- Brooklyn, United States3
- Monte Cristi Province, Dominican Republic3
- Espaillat Province, Dominican Republic2
- La Vega, Dominican Republic2
- Agrigento, Italy1
Some of the artists
- Adriana BottinaPalmira
- Andy AguileraHavana
- AventuraBronx County
- Bachata HeightzNew York City
- Chanel TerreroHavana
- Chichí Peralta o Lewis MendozaSanto Domingo
- Daniel MonciónSantiago de los Caballeros
- Daniel SantacruzNew Jersey
- Frank ReyesTenares
- Frenesí OrquestaColombia
- GenovevaPimentel
- It’s DynamiteNorristown
- Jalil LopezNewark
- Juan Luis GuerraSanto Domingo
- Karlos RoséDominican Republic
- Leslie GraceThe Bronx
- LirowMiami
- Luys BienDominican Republic
- Prince RoyceThe Bronx
- ProphexDominican Republic
- Ralphy DreamzBrooklyn
- Ramón TorresSalvaleón de Higüey
- Romeo SantosBronx County
- Rommel HunterPeru
Questions & Answers
What is bachata?+
Bachata is the guitar-led romantic popular music of the Dominican Republic, with a distinctive syncopated lead guitar and a partner dance of the same name.
Where is bachata from?+
The Dominican Republic.
Is bachata the same as merengue?+
No. Both are Dominican, but merengue is faster and horn- or accordion-led, while bachata is slower, guitar-led and romantic in subject.
