thumb|Marcos Iván Vilchez Ruiz known as Daz Zuvr, guitarist and vocalist of the band TheVeilers ([[Alternative rock and baroque pop).]]
thumb|[[Chepito Areas|José "Chepito" Areas, the most recognized percussionist of the band Santana.]]
thumb|The composer [[Carlos Mejía Godoy, one of the main representatives of Nicaraguan traditional music.]]
thumb|[[Hernaldo Zúñiga, singer-songwriter of romantic ballads.]]
thumb|The singer-songwriter [[Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, one of the leading exponents of testimonial song or nueva canción in Nicaragua.]]
thumb|[[Tony Meléndez, singer and guitarist, Catholic motivational speaker.]]
thumb|[[Luis Enrique (singer)|Luis Enrique, a Nicaraguan singer-songwriter of salsa romántica.]]
{| class="toccolours" cellpadding="3" style="float:right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; width: 20em;"
!style="text-align:center;background:#dfdfef;" colspan="2" |Music of Nicaragua Topics
|-
|Palo de Mayo
|Indigenous
|Jazz
|-
|Punta
|Reggaetón
|Cumbia
|-
|Pop
|Rock
|Hip-Hop
|-
|Marimba
|Heavy metal
|Classical
|-
|Folklorico
|Merengue
|Salsa
|-
|Reggae
|Soca
|Calypso
|-
|Bachata
|Bongos
|Garifuna
|-
!style="text-align:center;background:#dfdfef;" colspan=2|Timeline and Samples
|-
!style="text-align:center;background:#dfdfef;" colspan="2"|Central American music
|-
|style="font-size:smaller; text-align: center;" colspan="2"|Belize - Costa Rica - El Salvador - Guatemala - Honduras - Nicaragua - Panama
|}
The Music of Nicaragua contains a mixture of European, Indigenous, and African influences. Occasionally, it also rarely features Asian and Arab musical influences as well as from other countries of Hispanic and Latino origin. Musical instruments include the marimba and others that are common across Central America. Pop music includes performers from all around the world including Nicaraguans, Cubans, Brazilians, Mexicans, Panamanians, as well as those from Europe and the United States.
Nicaraguans enjoy their local artist's music but also enjoy music from around the world. They enjoy the Dominican Republic's bachata and merengue, Jamaica's reggae, Puerto Rico's salsa and reggaeton and Colombia's Cumbia among other genres including pop. Among the younger crowds, heavy metal and rock have become very popular.
Styles of music
Nicaraguan music is a mixture of different cultures from indigenous tribes, European conquerors, and slaves. Styles of music vary throughout the different regions in the country. In the Caribbean coast music with African and indigenous influence are heard, in the Pacific coast the music is considered to be a mixture of the indigenous and Spanish culture and in the North/Central region of Nicaragua the music has more of a European flavor, this is because of the significant wave of Europeans, mostly Germans, that live in the region. European influenced dances like the polka and Mazurka are also danced in this region.
Contemporary music
The country's music scene has shown a growing development toward alternative rhythms and heavier genres, driven by emerging creators. In the alternative rock and metal scene is Daz Zuvr, whose work incorporates elements of gothic metal, nu metal, and alternative rock. Zuvr is also the founder of the band TheVeilers, serving as its guitarist; this project focuses on alternative rock with orchestral nuances and baroque pop. Composer Honnie Larz collaborates in this same vein, who co-wrote and performed the track "Waiting", released in collaboration with the band.
On the other hand, the rap and hip-hop scene includes Marotarap, whose compositions are characterized by social critique. Similarly, projects such as Rigoazulado, Chico Cometa, and Ceci Ceci fit within the indie pop and soul genres, characterized by a primary use of string instruments and slow-tempo compositions.
References
[CAMPOS FONSECA, Susan: "Historia compensatoria y Filosofía: Un caso centroamericano", en BABAB, Nº33, verano, España, 2008, ISSN · 1575-9385. Disponible en: http://www.babab.com/no33/susan_campos.php]