Bachata is a genre of music that originated in the Dominican Republic in the 20th century. It contains elements of European mainly Spanish music , indigenous Taino and African musical elements, representing the cultural diversity of the Dominican population. In the s bachata's instrumentation changed from nylon string Spanish guitar and maracas of traditional bachata to the electric steel string and guira of modern bachata. Bachata further transformed in the 21st century with the creation of urban bachata styles by bands such as Monchy y Alexandra and Aventura.
The original term used to name the genre was amargue "bitterness", "bitter music" , until the mood-neutral term bachata became popular. Bachata originates from the pan- Latin American style called bolero and son.
The genre mixed these and the troubadour singing tradition common in Latin America and later, from the mids, merengue. The segunda serves the purpose of adding syncopation to the music. Bachata groups mainly play a straightforward style of bolero lead guitar instrumentation using arpeggiated repetitive chords is a distinctive characteristic of bachata , but when they change to merengue-based bachata, the percussionist will switch from bongo to a tambora drum.
Bachata arose in the poor and working class areas of the country. During the s and early s, while bachata was known as amargue music, it was seen as music of the lower class by middle-upper-class Dominicans. The genre's popularity rose in the s and early s when the rhythm began to reach the mainstream media. During much of its history, bachata music was disregarded by middle-upperclass Dominican society and associated with rural underdevelopment and crime.
As recently as the s, bachata was considered too vulgar, crude and musically rustic to be broadcast on television or radio in the Dominican Republic. Although the first official bachata song was released in , bachata music had already existed informally in el campo here refers to the rural areas of the country , the rural or countryside parts of the Dominican Republic where it originated.
