Creative industries

Music

Authenticity and diversity are the hallmarks of Uruguayan music

Uruguayan music has an extraordinary richness and diversity of styles, reflecting the values of a receptive and culturally restless population. At a regional level it is recognized for the poetics and depth of its lyrics, as well as for the singularity and quality of its compositions. These aspects mark the musical imprint of a country whose identity genres are candombe, murga, tango and folklore.

The experimental vocation that identifies Uruguay and is manifested in all aspects of society throughout its history, is also reflected in music through the fusion with international genres such as rock, electronic, hip hop or tropical music.

Uruguay's 45-day Carnival, the longest in the world, represents a regional musical phenomenon with its typical murgas and the classic Llamadas de Negros and Lubolos, which pay homage to the African roots so present in the country's music.

Uruguay also has an effervescent jazz scene, with open-air festivals, mainly in the summer months, which have become classics for the genre.

Argentina leads the list of countries that consume the most Uruguayan music abroad, followed by Chile, Germany, Spain, Mexico and Peru.

Infrastructure

Uruguay has venues of international standard for all kinds of shows as well as highly qualified personnel for the production and execution of highly complex shows.

• Antel Arena
• Stadiums
• Mobile scenarios
• Assembly and disassembly

Outstanding cases in the international scene

• La Cumparsita with lyrics and music by Uruguayan Gerardo Matos Rodríguez, is the most widely spread tango worldwide and has more than 2,500 recorded versions. As of the Law Nº 16.905 approved in 1998 by the Uruguayan Legislative Power it became the Popular and Cultural Hymn of Uruguay.
• Jorge Drexler is the first Uruguayan artist to receive an Oscar (2005) for the song "Al otro lado del río" from the movie The Motorcycle Diaries (spanish: Diarios de motocicleta). This was also the first song in Spanish to win this award.
• Uruguayan rock, represented by bands such as NTVG, La Vela Puerca and El Cuarteto de Nos, positioned itself in the international market after notorious successes in Argentina, which spread to other countries in the region and then reached the European continent.