Plena

Plena is a vibrant Puerto Rican folk genre known as the 'newspaper of the barrios.' It features driving percussion, accordion melodies, and call-and-response vocals, serving as a medium for narrative storytelling, social commentary, satire, and local news.

Origin: Puerto Rico, specifically the urban barrios of San Juan and Ponce.

Era: Early 20th century (1900s–1930s origins), peaked 1920s–1940s, continues in traditional and contemporary revival forms.