It was inevitable, with it’s proximity, that Argentina was going to be subject to the American rock ‘n roll phenomenon and it took hold quickly. Garage bands sprang up everywhere, but then it diverged.

Argentina’s large European influx brought with it tastes and developments from the other side of the world and cultural divergence with the States began. Garage in South America began to shape what became punk in the USA much later on while more local styles - tango and cumbia - also had their effects on the scene.

And then of course, you have years of military rule. The popular music scene went underground and, out of sight, began to morph again. Out of it came a wave of prog and punk - bands such as Sui Generis at the forefront of the former and Sumo the latter - influenced by British movements in the same directions. When the Falklands were invaded, the import of British music waned and these scenes, again, grew quite separate to the way it did elsewhere.

After democracy was restored, bands like Attaque 77 were at the forefront of a new wave and that spawned into various sub-genres; some going to hard rock way - doing these assignments for IBWM shows what global popularity thrash metal has - and some more to what we’d know as indie pop and post punk and taking influence from ska and reggae.

What we’ve compiled here is a broad-brush look at the Buenos Aires scene from the 1960s through to the modern day. We urge you to look deeper at Argentina’s music scene and South America more broadly. It’s a veritable treasure trove.

Track listing:

1. Los Violadores - 1-2 Ultraviolento
2. Ricardo Cometa - Vereda Libre
3. Lío Domínguez - Inexpertos
4. Panchita La Pistolera - Casino
5. Tirman Kid - The Black Cell
6. Kill West - Out To The Stars
7. Billy Bond y La Pesada Del Rock & Roll - La Maldita Máquina De Matar
8. Todos Tus Muertos - Pulso
9. Reynols - Pero Un Crita Catala
10. Mujercitas Terror - La Secta Olvidada
11. Uno x Uno - Canción Para Mi Muerte
12. Olfa Meocorde - Hey Hey Hey
13. Alan Courtis - Agent Remolacha
14. Companero Asma - En La Torre De Londres
15. José Unidos - Alto Valle
16. Chillan Las Bestias - Hasta El Hueso
17. Mueran Humanos - Un Lugar Ideal
18. Rosario Bléfari - Fuego
19. Los Alamos - Devorados Por El Fuego
20. Victoria Mil - Bien Equivocado
21. No Lo Soporto - No Sé
22. El Mato A Un Policia Motorizado - Terrorismo En La Copa Del Mundo
23. Illya Kuryaki & The Valderramas - Helicópteros
24. King Africa - Salta 2000
25. Almendra - Hermano Perro
26. Attaque 77 - Cartonero
27. Deny - Toulouse
28. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - El Genio Del Dub
29. Las Manos De Filippi - Hongo X Hongo
30. Hacia Dos Veranos - Maleficio
31. Pescado Rabioso - Blues De Cris
32. Los Abuelos De La Nada - La Formula Del Exito
33. Manal - Casa Con Diez Pinos
34. Memphis La Blusera - El Trepador
35. Los Natas - Paranoid
36. Soda Stereo - De Música Ligera
37. Suéter - Vacaciones
38. Sui Generis - Estación
39. Vox Dei - Harley Davidson
40. Color Humano - Cosas Rústicas
41. Massacre - Punk Is Dead
42. Intoxicados - Reggae Para Los Amigos
43. Callate Mark - Enlace
44. Sumo - Estallando Desde El Océano
45. Fidel Nadal - International Love
46. Karamelo Santo - Guerrillero
47. Los Cafres - Hombre Simple
48. Los Pericos - Everybody Be Cool
49. Ararat - Nicotina y Destruccion

By John Dobson.