nueva cancion
what it is
Nueva Canción (spanish for "new song") was a music movement in Latin America, first developed in Chile and then spread to all south and central America, It combined traditional folk music with a lot of the new music movements of the world, specially rock. The movement was characterized by social messages connected with left-wing philosophy and often progressive lyrics, still some bands focused in non-political songs (like los jaivas). The first-wave died after the different right-wing coups in Latin America, musicians like Mercedes Sosa and Inti Illimani were exiled from their former countries, others tried to live illegally like los jaivas (for a short time), and others like Victor Jara were killed by the state.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make nueva cancion a playlist
turn these 20 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is nueva cancion?
Nueva Canción (spanish for "new song") was a music movement in Latin America, first developed in Chile and then spread to all south and central America, It combined traditional folk music with a lot of the new music movements of the world, specially rock. The movement was characterized by social messages connected with left-wing philosophy and often progressive lyrics, still some bands focused in non-political songs (like los jaivas). The first-wave died after the different right-wing coups in Latin America, musicians like Mercedes Sosa and Inti Illimani were exiled from their former countries, others tried to live illegally like los jaivas (for a short time), and others like Victor Jara were killed by the state.
What are good nueva cancion albums to start with?
Try Hasta la Raíz by Natalia Lafourcade, Las últimas composiciones de Violeta Parra by Violeta Parra, Hecho en casa by Manuel Monestel, and Chile by Various Artists.
Who are some women making nueva cancion?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/nueva-cancion/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making nueva cancion, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20