Music of El Salvador

The music of El Salvador refers to the Music of the Republic of El Salvador and is encompassed in the wider Latin American musical traditions.

During the colonial period, El Salvador's music began to be influenced by various ethnic groups involved in the colonization process.

• Music instruments that are present in El Salvador are Native American Pan-Indianism instruments such as Native American flute and drums. El Salvador has an American indigenous population which includes the Lenca, Pipil and Mayan people.

• European colonizers brought instruments, like the guitar, pedal steel guitar, fanfare trumpet and piano.

• When African slaves were brought to El Salvador, they introduced instruments like the xylophone, güira, conga drums and mbira.

• A sizeable Arab migration that arrived into El Salvador in late 19th and early 20th century, from mainly Lebanese people and Palestinian Salvadorans brought Arab instruments like oud, ney, goblet drum and qanun (instrument).

• Roman Catholic religious contemporary Catholic liturgical music instrument such as tubular bells, pipe organ, and glass harmonica are also present.

Modern Salvadoran indigenous music is inspired by ambient music, soundscape, ambient synthesizer, and space music, while Salvadoran Roman Catholic music is influenced by monastery chorus Latin choir Gregorian chant music. This music includes religious songs (mostly Roman Catholic) used to celebrate Christmas and other holidays, especially feast days of the saints with tubular bell chimes. Satirical and rural lyrical themes are common and played with xylophone.

Popular styles in modern El Salvador include Salvadoran cumbia, rock and native Mesoamerican Indigenous music which historically have had a long and large significance and impact to modern El Salvador music styles.