Apparently Coronavirus-Inspired Music Is a Thing

Virus Outbreak Comic Con. Strange times and strange reactions to coronavirus.

By Marcelo Baez

April 1, 2020

“These are certainly strange times. Stranger even is the fact that a lot of the coronavirus-themed songs are Spanish-sung party tracks.”

A month ago, one journalist was shocked because over 65 coronavirus themed songs had been published on Spotify. The top song was actually a cumbia by Mister Cumbia, which still holds the first spot. It has been popular on social media before anybody was taking the no-longer-comical disease seriously.

But now there’s even more coronavirus-themed songs. So many, in fact, that I had to wait a few seconds for my typically fast internet to finish loading the hundreds of results. Some of the results weren’t even songs. Many were short, um, podcasts, I guess one can call them — although they appear to be strange, short rants by even stranger people.

RELATED: Listen Up, It’s OK to Grieve Your Pre-Coronavirus Life

I’m not passing judgment on anyone, of course. These are certainly strange times. Stranger even is the fact that a lot of the coronavirus-themed songs are Spanish-sung party tracks. Cumbia — various types of cumbia, actually — reggaeton, dembow, salsa, merengue, rancheras, mariachi, children’s lullabies, and even a couple of emo songs.

One song, by Rodrigo Santesteban, an acoustic upbeat number, is especially dark and funny. He sings about running out of pigeons to eat, being left by his gal-pal — which Rodrigo paints as a good thing because he’ll have more provisions to himself — and going blind because of his, well, kinda gross plan to repopulate the earth.

RELATED: How Latino Stars Are Reaching Their Fans— Even During A Pandemic

But poking nervous fun at ourselves, and the tragedies we’re going through is unequivocally Latin American. We have party songs for everything from the Chupacabras to Swine flu.

You curious about these ‘rona-themed tracks? Don’t worry about sifting through hundreds of songs on Spotify. I put together a playlist with the best — or possibly worst — stuff.

Marcelo Baez is our video host at The Americano. To get the latest commentary in music and culture, check out our channel.