Other forms: bachatas
Bachata is a rhythmic style of music that originated in the Dominican Republic. Its signature sound is driven by melodic guitar and sharp percussion, featuring bongos and a handheld metal scraper known as a güira.
Bachata is derived from Caribbean Spanish, and the word itself literally means "a party" or "a good time." This musical genre is inseparable from its dance counterpart; the term describes the music genre, a song in the genre, and the dance performed to the music. Dating back to the 1950s, bachata evolved from a localized folk tradition into a global phenomenon in the 1990s.