Rock music in Puerto Rico: Difference between revisions

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Rock in Puerto Rico has been a product of direct and indirect influence from both American rock, and its fusion with other genres. Throughout history, the genre has suffered ups and downs having a significant peak in the 90s.

Here's a breakdown of how rock evolved in the island through the decades.

50s and 60s

The 50s mark the introduction of the genre in the island. With the Elvis Presley hype in the USA, some of it reached the island. Puerto Rican Alfred D. Herger started bringing rock acts into the island motivating the local audience to embrace it. This input, and Herger's tutelage, ignited some young artists to start a movement that was labeled as "La Nueva Ola" (The New Wave). This movement included artists like:

Chucho Avellanet
Lissette, and others.

Herger also led several television night shows where he showcased rock music from the island and the USA.

Late 60s and 70s

In the mid to late 60s, several Puerto Rican bands started surfacing with some mainstream success. Most of these performed in English. Some of these were:

The Teen Sounds
The Sonsets (IN MEMORY OF MUSICAL DIRECTOR: JUAN REYES (KAKO)
The Night Walkers
Abram Shoo
The Living End
X-5
The Stokes
The Challengers
The Thunders
The Telstars
The We Know You
The Cromagnons

In the early 70s, other bands like Bandolero, and La Banda del K-rajo had some underground success. In the late 70's another number of bands immerged from San Juan area bars like Shannan's Pub and Donna Face. The most popular bands at this time where Taíno, Pelican in Flight;Spoiler;Albatross;East Side Band;and many more that i can't remember their names. Call Shannan's Pub for info.

At the same time, a movement of Nova trova musicians was growing in the island led by singers like Roy Brown and Noel Hernández. During this time, the local radio station AlfaRock starts broadcasting rock music in the island.

The 80s

With the arrival of stations like MTV, American rock reached the island. However, surging Rock en Español bands from Mexico, Argentina and Spain are rarely heard of.

Most of the local bands still used English as their language. Some of the bands that surfaced through this decade were:

Apocalips
The MD’s
Island
Pelican In Flight
Top Banana

However, there were still a few bands that preferred to sing in Spanish like: Virus, Kantares and Belaris.

Artists of other genres like Menudo, Wilkins and Glenn Monroig started fusing their music (pop/ballads) with rock.

This decade also started the ongoing "battle" between "cocolos" (people that listened salsa) and "rockeros".

The introduction of new wave and europop in the USA started the surging of similar bands like Words Four Two, No You Turn, NeoEngland, and Nirvana (not the Kurt Cobain band).

A local heavy metal band called Mattador started gaining some heavy exposure outside of the island, getting critical success in the USA and Japan. Also, in 1988, a pop-rock band called Top Banana was signed by national label CBS.

The 90s

During this decade, rock music reached its peak in the island. Rock en Español fully reached the island, and artists like Miguel Mateos, Charly García, Hombres G and others were heard in radio stations.

The above-mentioned band, Mattador, released the first instance of their album Save Us From Ourselves with guitarist Ramón Ortiz, who would later go on to play with Puya. The band even opened the Iron Maiden concert at the island.

In 1994, former Menudo singer, Robi Rosa releases his first solo album, and Mattador re-releases their album, this time with Tito Rodríguez (now with Sol D'Menta) as guitarist.

This decade sparked the biggest spurt of local bands. Some of the most popular were:

These bands started to enjoy great success presenting to huge crowds at their concerts. Sol D'Menta was even signed to an international label.

In 1996, Fiel A La Vega released its eponymous debut album reaching gold status becoming a phenomenon in the island due to their acceptance. Their success forced the local media to open more space for the rock scene in the island. The band continued their success with another gold album with their second album, and selling out four shows at the Centro de Bellas Artes, and later selling out the Roberto Clemente Coliseum.

Other bands like Puya and La Secta Allstar have reached similar success.

2000s

Despite a decline on the overall acceptance of rock music, other bands surged with moderate success like Vivanativa, even presenting themselves at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum.

La Secta Allstar is possibly the most successful rock band in Puerto Rico, selling over 225,000 copies from their last album "Consejo" and reaching double gold. Since their debut in puertorican charts in 1998, La Secta allstar was the first band to be nominated for an American Grammy in 2005. In 2006 the band won a Billboard award in the "Best Alternative/Rock Band" category.

Other bands that surged during this decade were:

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 This decade sparked the biggest spurt of local bands. Some of the most popular were:
-* [[Alarma]]
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 * [[Cuentas Claras (Manolo Mongil)]]
 * [[El Manjar de los Dioses]]