Flamenco is perhaps the best-known musical export from Spain. Originating from the part of the country known as Andalusia, it first began to gain notoriety in the late 18th century. Like many other Spanish musical genres, flamenco goes hand in hand with the dance of the same name. The music is made up of complex yet passionate rhythms, using hand claps, stomping feet and small percussion instruments such as cajons. While this genre originally revolved around the voice, flamenco-style classical guitar, with its elaborate finger-picking, has become its most recognizable aspect.
Gypsies have had a large cultural impact on Spain, especially musically--none more than on the genre known as "gypsy rumba." While the earliest origins of rumba can be traced back to Cuba, the gypsy version has its own, unique style. The gypsy rumba first began to gain popularity in Spain in the mid-19th century, specifically in the Catalonia area of the country. As with flamenco, strummed classical guitars are prevalent; however, the tempo is considerably slower and the beats follow a simpler, Latin-style pattern, making the songs more adaptable to pop music.
Jota is the traditional style of music and dance of both Aragon and Castile in northern Spain. It has a very distinct, upbeat waltz rhythm that allows for energetic and sometimes acrobatic dance accompaniment, often involving several people at once. Unlike flamenco and gypsy rumba, which are mostly carried by classical guitar, jota is often played using a number of instruments, including bandurrias, lutes and even bagpipes. In the Spanish opera "Carmen," the opening to the fourth act, Aragonaise, is written in the jota style of music.
Basque radical rock (aka "rock radical Vasco") is the Spanish version of punk-rock music specific to the Basque country. This area of Spain has long been at the heart of wars and struggles, and much of this tension is released through various art forms. Although bands still play this style of music, the heyday of Basque radical rock was in the early 1980s. This style of punk is similar to that of the Sex Pistols or the Ramones, but with post civil war tensions still prevalent, it is mostly defined by the politically based protest lyrics.