We often get requests for tango music from our new students, and we noticed that when you search for “tango” on Spotify, you get playlists that have nothing to do with tango.
That can be quite misleading if you just started and don’t yet know how to recognize authentic tango music.
To be clear, you do find a lot of tango on Spotify and other platforms. However, you can only find it by searching for the names of specific tango orchestras.
Here are the names of those orchestras, along with some of our favorite songs. You can then explore each orchestra further on Spotify. YouTube, or Apple Music.
Tango music from contemporary tango orchestras
While this is 100% tango, these are contemporary orchestras you rarely hear in local milongas, but you could hear more at festivals and other international events.
Tango DJs mostly play the classics from a century ago. Most dancers want to hear familiar songs. That leads to the same pieces being played again and again, which then become the familiar songs for newcomers in a never-ending cycle.
However, that is slowly changing. New generations of dancers and DJs appreciate newer music. Like any fashion, this will probably change with time, but slowly.
So, why start our playlist with these orchestras?
We usually play these songs in our class, and we have noticed that our students like them more than older music. So, if you just started tango, start here. You will have plenty of time to hear the music listed in the next sections when you go dancing.
- Orquesta Típica Misteriosa: Quién sos, E.G.B.
- Fabio Hager Sexteto: Irrealidad, Ausencia infinita
- Orquesta Típica Andariega: Creep
- Orquesta Romantica Milonguera: Yesterday
- Forever Tango: Tzigane tango
- Color Tango: Primavera portena
- Orquesta Típica Pichuco: Para lucirse, Tema otonal
- Orquesta Típica Messiez: De Vidrio, Mazovia
The five major tango orchestras of the golden age
When it comes to classic tango music, many orchestras have come and gone, and we can’t cover them all in this article. However, if you listen to the five major golden age tango orchestras, you cannot go wrong.
These are considered to be the defining orchestras of tango, and you will hear them very often. You will likely hear all five of them in the same evening.
They are:
- Carlos di Sarli
- Osvaldo Fresedo
- Juan D’Arienzo
- Anibal Troilo
- Osvaldo Pugliese
These orchestras all played in what is known as the golden age of tango from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s. They kept recording well after, with some going into the 1970s, but many DJs play only their golden-age songs.
They produced many pieces, with many great and good songs, but also plenty of mediocre music. If you want a comprehensive list, you can find a database of titles (but not playable music) at tango.info.
Each orchestra evolved, and so did the recording technology. Usually, tango DJs select songs from the same period, mainly with the same singer, so all the pieces will feel similar for the dancers.
You will hear stark differences between orchestras and even between songs from the same orchestras recorded in different periods. We recommend sampling them all to get a general idea and find your favorites.
Carlos Di Sarli
Di Sarli’s music is usually slow and romantic. Some early songs are more rhythmic, but in our opinion, they are not worth mentioning, and few DJs play them.
Di Sarli’s most popular songs are from the 1940s. Examples include: Lloran las campanas and Tú, el cielo, y tú with Alberto Podestá, or Solamente ella and No esperaba verte más with Jorge Durán.
In the 1950s, Di Sarli’s music slowed down and became more luxurious. Examples include A la luz del candil and Tormenta with Mario Pomar, Destino de flor with Roberto Florio, or No mataras with Oscar Serpa.
Some instrumental songs are often played in tango classes, e.g., Una fija, Bahia Blanca, and Indio manso.
Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo’s music is dreamier, with a Hollywood feel. It is said he was hired specifically to write music that was less sad than other orchestras.
Most of the music from Fresedo that you will hear is from the 1930s and 1940s. Examples include Sollozos and Isla de Capri with Roberto Ray, or Buscandote and Cuartito azul with Ricardo Ruiz.
Rarer, but in my opinion better, is the music with Oscar Serpa, like Te llama mi violin and Cristal.
Fresedo’s music from the 1950s is, in my opinion great, but rarely played. Examples include Perdóname with Hector Pacheco and Vamos cariñito with Carlos Barrio.
Juan D’Arienzo
The music of Juan D’Arienzo is the “rock and roll of tango”. His music is fast and rhythmic, and he was named “El rey del compas” (The king of rhythm).
D’Arienzo’s hit pieces are also from the 1930s and 1940s. Examples are La Bruja and Pensalo Bien with Alberto Echagüe, Charamusca, or El Tigre Millan with Alberto Reynal.
But D’Arienzo’s music does not stop in the 1940s. Popular songs from the 1950s you will often hear are El Puntazo and Yapeyu.
D’Arienzo was a prolific director and recorded many great songs (and many not-so-great ones, but luckily you won’t hear those).
Occasionally, you will hear music from the 1960s, like El ultimo café, and even the 1970s, like Mi dolor and Este es el rey. But that depends on the DJ. So, while you will undoubtedly hear his early music, the later one is played less often.
Anibal Troilo
The music of Aníbal Troilo has some early rhythmic pieces and becomes increasingly dramatic over time (and thus harder to dance to).
You will often hear pieces from the early 1940s like En esta tarde gris and El bulin de la calle Ayacucho with Francisco Fiorentino, or Cachirulo and Guapeando. While Troilo is my favorite orchestra, I do not like his music from this period. But it’s undeniable that many DJs play it.
Much better, in my opinion, is Troilo’s music from the second half of the 1940s, like Mi tango triste and Cotorrita de la suerte with Alberto Marino. The latter has the best violin solo in a tango song.
But even better is the music from the late 1950s and 1960s, like Melancolico and La bordona, or Quien lo habria de pensar and Desencuentro with Roberto Rufino. You might hear this music towards the end of the night, but that depends on the DJ and the audience.
Osvaldo Pugliese
You will usually hear music by Osvaldo Pugliese from his later period. It is also quite dramatic, so it is hard to dance like Troilo’s late music.
But you are more likely to hear one Pugliese tanda in a night, again towards the end of the night, than a late Troilo. Some DJs reserve Pugliese for the last tanda of the night.
Pugliese’s music is dramatic regardless of the period. Starting in the 1940s, popular songs like Corrientes y Esmeralda and El sueno del pibe with Roberto Chanel.
In the 1950s, we find pieces like Cascabelito and Porque la quise tanto with Jorge Maciel.
In the 1960s, Pugliese also had many popular pieces like A Evaristo Carriego and Don Agustín Bardi.