Aventura was formed in 1994 by a group of teenage boys living in the Bronx, NY. They were like the thousands of teenagers who get together to make music in their parents' den or garage. They liked the music of their contemporaries, leaning towards R&B, hip hop and reggaeton. But, with roots in the music of the Dominican Republic, they also grew up listening to bachata, the indigenous Dominican genre that's known as the "music of sorrow or bitterness".

The Band Members:

• Anthony "Romeo" Santos: lead singer, composer 
  Lead singer Anthony "Romeo" Santos was born on July 12, 1981 in the Bronx, NY. His mother was Puerto Rican, his father Dominican. Anthony is also the featured composer of the group.
  
  
• Lenny Santos: guitarist, producer/arranger 
  Also native to the Bronx, Lenny Santos was born October 24, 1979, to Dominican parents. Lenny is the musical producer/arranger of the group.
  

• Henry Santos Jeter: singer, composer 
  Henry was born December 15, 1979 in Moca, Dominican Republic. His family moved to New York when he was 14 and he is Anthony Santos' cousin.
  
  
• Max "Mikie" Santos: bass, guitar 
  Max was born in the Bronx in 1982 and is the brother of Lenny Santos. Max is the rock/rap proponent in the group and sang the rap rifts on Aventura's albums.

Los Teenagers: The Santos boys started making music together while attending South Bronx High School. Their band's name was "Los Teenagers' and they performed for local events and competed against other local teenage bands.

Grupo Aventura: In 1999, the band was signed by BMG under their new name, Grupo Aventura. Their debut album was Generation Next, using an outside producer for the first time. This was the big era of 'boy bands' and there was some pressure to model themselves on successful groups like the Back Street Boys, but Grupo Aventura stood firm in defining their own style and retaining the bachata elements that were the foundation of their music.

We Broke The Rules: Generation Next really didn't garner much attention outside of their New York/Dominican fanbase. But their 2002 album We Broke The Rules surprised everyone when the album's break-out single, "Obsesion", became a smash hit, earning Anthony Santos the distinction of becoming the first Hispanic composer to earn an ASCAP award in the American market.

Aventura's continued to grow with their next albums and mobbed concert tours. In 2007, K.O.B. Live was nominated for a Latin Grammy as the 'Best Contemporary Tropical Album'. On the road to success, Aventura encountered much resistance from New York's bachata loving audiences who did not want their favorite music sullied with the sounds of modern hip hop and r&b. An audience holding firm to what they saw as 'traditional' music is ironic. Bachata was the bad boy of music in the Dominican Republic; bachata icon Luis Vargas talks about sneaking out to perform bachata while he was young - the form just wasn't considered acceptable.

Today, holding fast to the music they loved and the fusions they created, Aventura has the enthusiastic approval of not just New York's Dominican population, but has gained a large international following.

The word ‘bachata’ has gone through many transitions, meaning different things at different periods of Dominican history. It started out as just a word designating traditional guitar music, although in the 1960s it was used to label romantic guitar music. A ‘bachata’ was also a generic label for gatherings that took place at informal Sunday afternoon parties where guitar-based groups would play for casual recreation. It was also music that played a large role in entertainment in cabarets (which were actually brothels) and it is only recently that the stigma attached to word has been lessened.

Music of Bitterness: With the death of Rafael Trujillo in 1961, the music – then often called ‘bolero compensino,’ made its way to the capital of Santo Domingo along with a multitude of countryside compensinos that had been living in squalor during the dictator’s reign.

There the music changed from romantic boleros to stories about jealousy, rivalry, fights, poverty and life led in the barrios. It’s not surprising that bachata is equated to the Dominican version of the blues; with lyrics that reflected such dire and troubled lives, bachata became known as the music of bitterness or sorrow.

Jose Manuel Calderon: The first recognized bachata singles (“Barracho de Amor” and “Que Sera De Mi”) were recorded by Jose Calderon in 1961 although it was a decade before the word became commonly attached to a musical genre. In the 1960s, merengue continued to reign supreme in the Dominican Republic and ‘bachateros’ had no reliable outlet in higher social circles nor in the media. It was still embarrassing to be caught listening to bachata and musicians attracted to the genre would often sneak out at night to perform in clubs and bars where bachata was popular.

Modern Bachata: Modern bachata can be dated to sometime in the 1980s. At the time, bachateros were singing lyrics full of sexual innuendo and double entendre. In fact, bachata’s first superstar, Blas Duran, was king of this type of lyric. Duran simplified the music, making it easier for dancers and added electric guitar to his song “Consejo A Las Mujeres” in 1987. The tune became a huge hit, paving the road to bachata’s acceptance by a much wider segment of the population.

Bachata Turns To Romance: By the 1990s, bachata evolved the way music is prone to evolve, mutating and fusing with other genres. In the case of bachata, fusion occurred most often with the country’s dominant genre, merengue.

It was artists like Anthony Santos and Luis Vargas that, during this decade, focused bachata’s themes to the romantic, so much so that by the 1990s the genre dealt almost exclusively with love, most often unrequited or disappointed love.

Monchy & Alexandra: Even with the gradual gentrification of bachata, no one outside of a Dominican population was listening to the music. It took the duo of Monchy & Alexandra to raise international awareness of the music. Monchy (Ramon Rijo) and Alexandra (Alexandra Cabrera de la Cruz) started singing together in 1998 and their complimentary voices together with some clever pop-style arrangements made their albums and international tours huge hits. In the process, it opened the door to an appreciation of bachata by non-Donimican Latinos. (The duo broke up - 9/08).

Bachata in New York: Bachata originally reached the level of popularity that it enjoys today in New York rather than in the Dominican Republic, embraced by a Dominica migrant population that was less class conscious and eager to embrace the music of home. Influenced by rock, R&B and modern popular genres, bachata remains a dominantly romantic music.

Aventura: The group that is currently holding sway over the hearts and minds of bachata lovers is Aventura from the Bronx. Even with the addition of some urban elements, their music remains firmly in the realm of traditional bachata and is helping to win more and more Latin music fans to this distinctive Dominican musical tradition. 

If you're interested in a first-hand examination of the history of bachata, told by the artists that were instrumental to the genre's rise to international prominence, Luis Vargas' Santo Domingo Blues is a film not to be missed. 

The current popularity of Latin Urban music is quite significant. In fact, this genre includes some of the most famous Latin music artists and performers around the world. Artists such as Calle 13, Daddy Yankee, Ana Tijoux, and Wisin y Yandel belong to this music style. Let's take a look at some of the most influential Latin Urban stars.

Mala Rodriguez: Spanish singer La Mala Rodriguez became the first female artist to receive the Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Song. She owes that trophy to her hit song "No Pidas Perdon" included in the album Dirty Bailarina. Her style is mainly defined by Hip-Hop sounds.

Orishas: Orishas brought something totally different to Latin music producing amazing tracks that combined Rap and Hip-Hop with traditional Cuban rhythms in a very innovative way, which was quite different from Puerto Rican Reggaeton. If you are looking for a classic Latin Urban music album, you better get your hands on Orisha's A Lo Cubano.

Romeo Santos: Before moving into a solo career, Romeo Santos had reached the top of the world as a lead singer of the Bachata boy band sensation Aventura. Although his music falls into the grounds of Bachata, Romeo Santos is also an artist that belongs to the Urban field thanks to the Latin Pop and R&B sounds he has incorporated into his latest songs. His single "Promise," featuring Usher, is a good example of the Urban appeal Romeo Santos is building around his music.

Tego Calderon: Tego Calderon is one of the most iconic artists of Reggaeton music. He is one of the artists that has remained loyal to the original sound of Reggaeton. His debut album El Abayarde created a music star out of this Puerto Rican artist. Some of his best songs include "Pa' Que Retozen," "Metele Sazon" and "Punto Y Aparte".

Tito El Bambino: Since the late 1990s, Tito El Bambino has been defining the sounds of Reggaeton and Latin Urban music. Before moving into a solo career, Tito El Bambino produced various hits while he was a member of the duo Hector Y Tito. After the duo experience, Tito El Bambino has produced new music that combines Reggaeton with other genres including Latin Pop and Merengue. His hit song "Llueve El Amor" reflects the new influences Tito El Bambino has brought to his Urban style.

Chino y Nacho: With their music, Chino y Nacho are also shaping the sounds of the Latin Urban genre. This Venezuelan duo combines a romantic style with all kinds of rhythms ranging from Reggaeton and Rap to Salsa and Merengue. Their single "Niña Bonita" was the breaking point that launched this duo to the international scene.

Ana Tijoux: Chilean rapper Anita Tijoux is one of the most interesting stars of the Latin Urban field. Her music is defined by the sounds of Hip-Hop and her elegant rapping flow. Her album La Bala consolidated this singer as a leading star in the Urban and Latin Alternatice fields.

Pitbull: Pitbull is one of today's most popular Latin Urban music artists. This Cuban-American rapper has consolidated a unique style that combines Rap, Dance and Latin Pop music. Recently, he has produced various hit singles alongside stars like Shakira ("Rabiosa"), Enrique Iglesias ("I Like It") and Marc Anthony ("Rain Over Me").

Daddy Yankee: This Puerto Rican artist has created a whole brand around himself. Daddy Yankee is, in fact, one of the most influential Latin Urban music artists today. Although his sound was mostly Reggaeton at the beginning, his latest works have been influenced by other rhythms such as Dance music and Merengue. Hit songs by Daddy Yankee include "Lo Que Paso, Paso," "La Despedida" and "Gasolina," one of the best Reggaeton songs of all time.

Wisin y Yandel: Wisin Y Yandel are the most popular duo in Latin Urban music. These Puerto Rican artists gained worldwide exposure with their album P'al Mundo, which included hit songs like "Rakata," and "Noche De Sexo". Although their style is mainly defined by Reggaeton, the duo has also borrowed influences from Hip-Hop.

Calle 13: If there is one name that defines Latin Urban music in a perfect way, that name is Calle 13. Since the release of their hit album Residente o Visitante, this Puerto Rican duo has dominated the Urban genre for the past five years. That production included "Atrevete te te," one of the most popular songs of the Latin Urban music scene. Calle 13's album Entren Los Que Quieran received 10 nominations for the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards. Their music combines Reggaeton with various music styles.

Don Omar: Don Omar gained worldwide fame as a Reggaeton superstar right from his very first album The Last Don. Since then, this Puerto Rican artist has been constantly producing hit after hit. Despite being influenced mostly by Reggaeton, Don Omar has also became an innovative artists whose music includes all kinds of rhythms. The video of his hit single "Danza Kuduro" has become the most watched video for an artist in Spanish language in YouTube.

Bachata songs may be the 'music of bitterness,' but they're also the music of romance -- well, usually unsuccessful romance. It is a fitting backdrop to those moments when you are feeling hopeless and blue but the music is often so pretty that it somehow is never depressing.

Here's a playlist of some of my favorite bachata songs. Feel free to sing along!

1. Hector Acosta - "Me Voy": Hector Acosta left the popular Los Toros Band in 2006 to form his own orchestra, a move that gained him an even larger following. The first album of this venture, 2006's Sigo Siendo Yo, generated the fan favorites "Me Voy" and "Primavera Azul." "Me Voy" featuring Anthony "Romeo' Santos from Aventura, also appeared on 2008's Mitad Mitad. 

2. Einllo - "Te Buscaria": Einllo is a Dominican/Puerto Rican singer, currently from New York via New Jersey. He's primarily a salsa singer although this bachata appeared on his debut album, Eternamente.

3. Aventura - "Mi Corazoncito": Currently the biggest name in urban bachata, Aventura has had over 20 hits emerge from their six studio albums. "Mi Corazoncito" was the big winner during the 2008 awards season takng home 'best song' at Premio Lo Nuestro, Billboard Latin Music and ASCAP Latin Music awards. 

4. Yoskar Sarante - "No Tengo Suerte En El Amor": A well-known name among bachateros, Yoskar Sarante is involved with nueva bachata, sometimes called 'bachateo' which is a mix of reggaeton and bachata. Whether a track is Dominican reggaeton, bachata or bachateo, the themes are almost always romantic.

5. Angel Y Khriz - "Carita De Angel" (Version Bachata): Although Angel & Khriz are billed as a reggaeton duo from the Luny Tunes stable of artists, their reggaeton is from the Dominican Republic which means there's lots of musical mixture with other music from their home island and they often perform the same tune in different styles. This is the bachata version of "Carita de Angel." 


6. Monchy & Alexandra - "No Es Una Novela": Dominican Monchy & Alexandra have almost single-handedly (or double-handedly) brought bachata to the top of the charts -- well, at least they were the first because Aventura has taken over the #1 spot. There were a lot of disappointed fans when the duo broke up in 2008. "No Es Una Novela" is arguably their biggest hit but it just never seems to get old, no matter how often its played on the airwaves. 

7. Alex Bueno - "Agarrense de las Manos": Dominican singer/guitarist Alex Bueno has been recording Dominican music since 1979. He's fought personal demons and drug problems during some of those years but his voice and music remain pure and popular. 

8. Daniel Moncion - "Decidi": The songs of Daniel Moncion have been performed by some of the most popular bachateros icluding Frank Reyes, Monchy & Alexandra and Alex Bueno. "Culpable" was the big hit from Moncion's sophmore album Decidi but I like this one better.


9. Erick Escobar - "Secreto de Amor": "Secreto de Amor" is a ballad that was originally written by Joan Sebastian. It lends itself well to the bachata format and is sung here by Erick Escobar. 

10. Domenic Marte - "Yo Me Equivoca": Another Dominican/Puerto Rican musician from the East Coast (Lawrence, MA), Dominic Marte composes much of his own music. His 2004 debut album Intimamente earned him an "Artist of the Year' nomination at both the 2005 Premio Lo Nuestro and Billboard Latin Music awards.

The famous Miami rapper Pitbull will take some of his best dance songs to the show that the Marlins have prepared to celebrate their franchise rebranding. On November 11, the day the Florida Marlins will officially become the Miami Marlins, the popular MLB team will unveil its new logo and uniform. Both events, the unveiling ceremony and Pitbull's concert, will be held at Miami's new ballpark.

Pitbull is one of the top Latin Urban artists and the owner of popular hit songs such as "Give Me Everything" and "Rain Over Me," two singles that are currently placed on the top 10 of Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart. The rebranding event will take place one day after the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, the biggest Latin music event of the year where the Cuban-American rapper is competing for two awards in the Urban category.

Some of today's most popular artists and hits in Latin music belong to the so-called Urban genre. Although this music category is still largely related to Reggaeton and Hip-Hop, there is a new wave of sounds that is departing from the classic Reggaeton of the early 2000s.

Modern Latin Urban music is defined by a new crossover style that combines Reggaeton and Hip-Hop with other genres such as Latin Pop, Dance, Salsa, and Merengue.

The Origins of Reggaeton

Reggaeton was born by itself as a crossover style influenced by Reggae, Rap, Hip-Hop, and Caribbean genres such as Salsa, Merengue, Soca, and Puerto Rican Bomba. Pioneers of this genre include artists like Rap singer Vico C from Puerto Rico and Panamanian Reggae icon El General.

Many people, in fact, considered El General as the absolute Father of Reggaeton. His music, which initially was treated as Jamaican dancehall music, became known as Reggae in Espanol or Reggaeton because of the combination of Reggae beats with Spanish language lyrics. Throughout the 1990s, El General became a sensation thanks to songs like "Muevelo," "Tu Pum Pum," and "Rica Y Apretadita".

Reggaeton Fever

The music of Vico C and El General left a good foundation for a new generation of artist influenced by the beats of Rap and Hip-Hop. This generation flourished in the 2000s with the works of people like Tego Calderon, Don Omar and Daddy Yankee. These artists were among the most influential names of the Reggaeton fever that captured the world during that decade. Some of the best Reggaeton songs of that time included singles like Don Omar's "Dile" and Daddy Yankee's worldwide hit "Gasolina".

From Reggaeton to Urban Music

Towards the end of the 2000s, Reggaeton was moving into a new direction. Some of the artists who helped define the Reggaeton fever started to incorporate new sounds to the classic Reggaeton beat. These artists as well as newcomers in the field, brought all kinds of musical influences to their productions. From Rap and Hip-Hop to Salsa and Merengue, it was evident that there was a new kind of music that needed to be placed in a bigger world than that of Reggaeton.

At the beginning, it was not easy to categorize this emerging phenomenon. However, the term Urban soon became the favorite word to deal with this kind of music. This evolution was, in fact, acknowledge by the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards. That year, the ceremony honored Calle 13 with the first ever Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Song.

Since then, Latin Urban music has grown into a very popular genre within Latin music. Although this genre is still closely related to Reggaeton and Hip-Hop, Urban music has become the perfect word to define the music of artists like Calle 13, Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, Chino y Nacho and Don Omar, among others.

What Is Latin Urban Music?

Trying to define Latin Urban music is like trying to define Latin music: It is almost impossible. However, we can say that Latin Urban music is still largely defined by Reggaeton, Hip-Hop, and Rap. Probably the best way to get a feeling for this genre is by taking a look at some of the songs that belong to it. The following are some of the most popular hits of Latin Urban Music:

• "Danza Kuduro" - Don Omar
• "La Despedida" - Daddy Yankee
• "Atrevete te te" - Calle 13
• "Niña Bonita" - Chino y Nacho
• "No Pidas Perdon" - Mala Rodriguez
• "Give Me Everything" - Pitbull
• "Estoy Enamorado" - Wisin y Yandel
• "Hay Un Son" - Orishas
• "Mi Cama Huele A Ti" - Tito El Bambino
• "La Vida Es Asi" - Ivy Queen