Costa Ricans love music and love to dance. As in many Latin American countries salsa, merengue and cumbia are very popular. San Jose in the Central Valley has a vibrant nightlife where the younger urban youth prefers pop, rock-n-roll but also hip hop and the Latin version of it reggaeton. Being a metropolitan area of more than 2 million inhabitants it may come as no surprise that San Jose offers any thinkable genre of music bar. From Beatles, Doors, disco and jazz to sophistic piano bars targeting the many tourists visiting Costa Rica’s capital. For Costa Ricans it is very common to go to their local bar where live artists perform songs that everybody sings along until the small hours of the night. Traditionally Mexican music has been an influence going back to the 19th century and still popular with the older audience. On the Nicoya peninsula in the province of Guanacaste still exists a strong folk tradition, which musical roots can be traced back to Pre-Colombian times. The indigenous tribe of the Burucas still perform their traditional music and dances on festivals, depicting their struggle against the Spanish invaders centuries ago. On the other side of the country on the Pacific coast the Afro-Caribbean influences are evident. Rumba, calypso and reggae are very popular. Limon has a carnival where pulsating drum beats are produced by a drum band accompanied by a group of sensual dancers. These so called comparsas are popular from Cuba all the way down to South America. Cleverly tapping into the market segment of wellness , souvenir shops offer a choice of new-age music combined with the sounds of Costa Rica’s exuberant nature. When you are looking for some famous Costa Rican bands, the most famous is Editus, the classical schooled winner of a Grammy Award, which performs a mix of jazz and easy listening. Malpais is another one, offering an interesting mix of folk, latin, rock and jazz. The fame of both bands go way over the borders of Costa Rica. When your rental car is equipped with a radio you can enjoy a wide range of radio stations, as long as you stay in the metropolitan area. Mexican rancheros, salsa, jazz, classical music, hardcore hip-hop and reggeaton, middle of the road 70’s and 80’s hits, club music and alternative, every genre has it’s own station. Yearly there are a number of prestigious music festivals, from folkloristic, classical to jazz music. But despite all the different genres that are available nothing better than some good Latin music makes every Costa Rican, young or old move.