Miami is where much of the Latin music business works, records and celebrates. The major labels were running their Latin divisions out of the city by the 1990s, Billboard's Latin Music Week regularly lands in Miami Beach, and a crowd that sings along in Spanish from the first song makes Miami a stop most Latin tours plan around.
Salsa and reggaeton on I-4
Central Florida is home to one of the largest Puerto Rican communities in the country, centered on Orlando and Kissimmee, so salsa orchestras and reggaeton stars often book Orlando as well as Miami. Tampa's Latin roots run deeper still, back to the Cuban and Spanish cigar workers who settled Ybor City in the 1880s.
Regional Mexican and tropical
Banda, mariachi and corridos have deep roots in farmworking towns like Homestead and Immokalee, and regional Mexican tours play arenas, fairgrounds and casino stages from South Florida to the Gulf coast. Bachata, merengue and cumbia keep club nights and theater dates busy around the state.
Every March, Calle Ocho closes out Carnaval Miami with a free street festival on Southwest 8th Street in Little Havana, stage after stage of salsa, reggaeton and bachata.
For a local view, open Miami, Orlando or Fort Myers, whose region takes in Immokalee. The crossover stars who sing in both languages often land on pop too.
