The Rise of Spanish-Language Music and Spain’s Strategic Response
Spain has long been known for its rich cultural heritage, but in recent years, the influence of Spanish-language music has grown significantly on the global stage. This soft power effect has not only elevated the prestige of the Spanish language but also enhanced Spain’s international image. Recognizing this, the Cervantes Institute and Spain’s Culture Ministry have taken decisive steps to support and promote Spanish music both domestically and internationally.
The Cervantes Institute, the largest public institution dedicated to promoting Spanish language and literature globally, has now approved the creation of a new structure focused specifically on music composed or produced in Spanish. This initiative, called “Music by Spain,” aims to strengthen the country’s presence in the international music scene while emphasizing the unique contributions of Spanish artists.
A Collaborative Approach to Promote Spanish Music
“Music by Spain” will be supported by several key organizations, including the Es_Música Federation, Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), AECID (the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), the Cervantes Institute itself, and the Culture Ministry led by Ernest Urtasun. The ministry has pledged annual funding of 100,000 euros to support the work of this new Export Office.
The office will focus on several key areas to boost the international visibility of Spanish music. These include organizing trade fairs, exploring new strategic markets, and conducting trade missions. According to the Cervantes press release, one of the primary functions of the office will be to help Spanish music professionals access international markets, taking into account the diverse range of genres, formats, and business models within the industry.
A New Era for the Spanish Music Industry
Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun emphasized that this initiative marks a significant shift for the Spanish music industry. He stated that the new tools will bring together information, support, and market intelligence, enabling better coordination between institutions, companies, and artists on the global stage. Most importantly, these tools will democratize access to international opportunities, particularly for those who need it most.
The initiative will also involve producing analyses of international trends, markets, and opportunities. It will disseminate information about various programs, calls for participation, markets, fairs, and networks relevant to the music industry.
Centralizing Data on Spanish-Language Music
Raquel Caleya, Director of Culture at the Cervantes Institute, highlighted that work is already underway to develop a tool—a global map of Spanish-language music—that will centralize data on the consumption of Spanish-language music. Until now, this data has been controlled by private companies that produce such reports.
This move is part of a broader effort to ensure transparency and accessibility of information for all stakeholders in the Spanish music industry.
The Global Impact of Spanish-Language Music
The growth of Spanish-language music has been nothing short of remarkable. In the United States alone, the world’s largest entertainment market with 1.5 trillion streams, Spanish-language music (with 120.9 billion plays) came close to surpassing country music (122.5 billion) according to Luminate’s final 2025 report.
Another report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for 2023 showed that Spanish was the language of 21% of the 500 most streamed songs on Spotify, trailing only English (75%) but outpacing other major languages like Korean, Hindi, Arabic, and Portuguese.
On YouTube, Spanish-language songs accounted for 21% of the 100 most listened-to tracks worldwide, and 7% of the 30 most viewed video clips in the platform’s history, with a total of 13 billion views.
Conclusion
As Spanish-language music continues to gain momentum, Spain’s strategic initiatives are poised to play a crucial role in sustaining and expanding this global phenomenon. Through collaboration, innovation, and a focus on international markets, “Music by Spain” represents a bold step forward for the country’s cultural and artistic ambitions.
