Spain Launches “Music by Spain” to Amplify Global Reach of Spanish-Language Music
Spain is making a significant move to capitalise on the burgeoning global influence of its music, much like the soft power it has already seen from Spanish-language music over the past decade. The Cervantes Institute, in conjunction with Spain’s Ministry of Culture, has officially launched a new initiative aimed at bolstering the international presence of music composed and produced in the Spanish language, with a distinct focus on Spanish artists and their work.
This new venture, christened “Music by Spain,” is designed to mirror the success seen in promoting the Spanish language and literature on a global scale. It will be a collaborative effort, receiving backing from key organisations including the Es_Música Federation, Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), and AECID, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation. The Cervantes Institute itself and the Ministry of Culture, under the leadership of Ernest Urtasun, will also play pivotal roles. The Ministry has committed to supporting the operational costs of this new Export Office with an annual funding allocation of €100,000.
Strategic Pillars for Global Music Export
The “Music by Spain” office will operate across several key areas, all geared towards supporting and strengthening the international profile of Spanish music. These strategic pillars include:
- Participation in Trade Fairs: Engaging in major international music industry events to showcase Spanish talent and connect with global buyers and industry professionals.
- Identification of New Strategic Markets: Conducting in-depth research to pinpoint emerging markets with high potential for Spanish music consumption and growth.
- Organisation of Trade Missions: Facilitating targeted expeditions to key international territories to foster direct relationships and explore business opportunities for Spanish artists and their representatives.
Empowering Artists and Industry Professionals
As explained in a press release from the Cervantes Institute, a core function of “Music by Spain” will be to “facilitate access for music professionals in Spain to international markets, taking into account the diversity of genres, formats and business models in the sector.” This means providing practical support and resources to navigate the complexities of the global music landscape.
Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun highlighted the transformative potential of this initiative, stating that it represents a “step change for the industry.” He emphasised that the tools and support provided by “Music by Spain” will “bring together information, support and market intelligence, making it possible to better coordinate the efforts of institutions, companies and artists on the global stage.” Crucially, Urtasun added that these are “tools that democratise access to international opportunities, especially for those who need it most.”
Data-Driven Insights and Market Intelligence
A significant aspect of the public sector-led initiative will be the production of comprehensive analyses of international trends, markets, and emerging opportunities. This will involve disseminating vital information on various programmes, calls for applications, relevant markets, industry fairs, and professional networks that are of interest to the music sector.
Raquel Caleya, the Cervantes Institute’s Director of Culture, revealed that work is already underway to develop a crucial resource: a global map of Spanish-language music. This innovative tool aims to centralise data on the consumption of music in Spanish, a domain that has historically been dominated by private companies that produce such reports. By consolidating this information, Spain seeks to provide a more accessible and comprehensive understanding of the global reach of its musical output.
The Undeniable Momentum of Spanish-Language Music
The global surge in popularity of Spanish-language music is well-documented. In the United States alone, the world’s largest entertainment market, which boasts an impressive 1.5 trillion streams, Spanish-language music is making significant inroads. According to Luminate’s final 2025 report, a key provider of cultural consumption data, Spanish-language music garnered 120.9 billion plays, coming remarkably close to overtaking country music (122.5 billion plays).
Further evidence of this linguistic dominance comes from IFPI’s (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) annual report for 2023. This report indicates that Spanish was the language of 21% of the 500 most streamed songs on Spotify globally. While English remains the dominant language at 75%, Spanish significantly outpaces other demographically important languages such as Korean, Hindi, Arabic, and Portuguese.
The trend is mirrored on YouTube, where 21% of the 100 most listened-to tracks worldwide are in Spanish. Furthermore, 7% of the 30 most-viewed music video clips in the platform’s entire history are in Spanish, collectively amassing a staggering 13 billion views. These figures underscore the immense and growing global appetite for music in Spanish, a phenomenon that “Music by Spain” is poised to strategically amplify.
