Pop culture in Puerto Rico

Pop culture in Puerto Rico, it can be said, has been historically affected both by the political changes the island has gone through, and by the changes in popular culture around the world.

1950s

 * Salsa music's popularity grows large.
 * The San Juan Casino becomes the favorite social meeting place and dance hall.
 * comedian Ramón Rivero (a.k.a. Diplo) takes on a dramatic role in one of the first true Puerto Rican films, Los Peloteros.

1960s

 * The Spanish flamenco singer Lola Flores causes a sensation.
 * British music invasion: many Puerto Ricans begin to listen to rock. Musical acts popular in Puerto Rico during that era: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Tom Jones
 * The Vietnam War breaks out and music with a social theme hit the airwaves in the late 60's.
 * La Nueva Ola: Singers such as Lucecita Benítez, Chucho Avellanet, Lissette, Charlie Robles, and others become teen sensations in Puerto Rico.
 * Cuban singer La Lupe brings her show to San Juan.
 * Lucecita Benítez wins the Festival de la Canción Latina in Mexico, (1969) with the song Génesis, by Puerto Rican composer, Guillermo Venegas Lloveras.

1970s

 * Miss Puerto Rico, Marisol Malaret, wins the Miss Universe pageant.
 * The beginning of the teenager Spanish language rock groups era: La Pandilla is a very popular group in Puerto Rico, and their manager, Edgardo Díaz, forms Menudo in 1976.
 * Luis Vigoreaux becomes one of the most popular figures of Puerto Rican television
 * Yolandita Monge becomes the teen sensation of the decade.
 * Tommy Muñiz's Los García is Puerto Rico's most popular television show.
 * Telenovelas such as Cristina Bazan with Johanna Rosaly, gain popularity in Puerto Rico.
 * The disco era begins: popular musical acts of that time in Puerto Rico: The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Diana Ross, The Village People.
 * Nydia Caro was the first Puerto Rican singer to win the International OTI Festival in Mexico, and was the first Latin singer to hit a disco song on the radio and at discothèques, Este Amor Entre Tu y Yo
 * Iris Chacón is the leading vedette of Puerto Rico.
 * Brendita wins Codazo award for best child artist in Puerto Rico.
 * La Mini Ola moves from WAPA TV to WRIK Rikavision

1980s
In 1988 Boricua Giannina Braschi first published "El imperio de los sueños" (Empire of Dreams), the postmodern poetry classic inspired by the Puerto Rican Day Parade.
 * Menudo becomes a worldwide sensation, hitting record sales in many countries around the world. Soon, many other teen bands try to imitate Menudo's success.
 * Los Chicos become Menudo's top competitors. Female groups like Las Cheris and Monedas aim to become the "female version" of Menudo.
 * Many meeting places like restaurants, bars and entertainment have the "Viernes Social" (Social Friday) which planned activities right after 5pm.
 * Deborah Carthy Deu becomes the second Miss Puerto Rico to win the Miss Universe crown.
 * Neon's Discotheque in San Juan becomes a popular dance club.
 * Popular TV showman Luis Vigoreaux is murdered in 1983. Actress Lydia Echevarría is accused and jailed for the murder of Vigoreaux.
 * Television show A Millon obtains the biggest ratings in Puerto Rican television history.
 * In 1984 Lou Briel reached popularity with the song: "Yo puedo" ("I Can"), an inspirational song about perseverance.
 * Latin American and Puerto Rican films begin fading away from local theaters. Most theaters in the island show only Hollywood releases with subtitles. Fine Arts Cinema opens in Santurce showing international films and art movies.
 * Juliana's and Isadora are popular hotel dance clubs.
 * TV shows produced in Mexico like El Chavo del Ocho and El Chapulín Colorado became top rated shows and gained a huge following.
 * Mexican and Venezuelan soap operas become popular during daytime TV while Puerto Rican soap operas are shown in primetime with big ratings.
 * The festivities of San Sebastián in the historic city of San Juan become popular.
 * Pop rock gains popularity in the early 80s, Heavy metal music in the middle 80s and rap in the late 80s. English musical acts popular during the 80s that visited the island included: Rock legends KISS, Duran Duran, Boy George and Culture Club, Def Leppard, Judas Priest; other acts like Ruben DJ, LL Cool J and Vico C were popular.
 * Many international singers from other Hispanic countries, such as José Luis Rodríguez, Celia Cruz, Juan Gabriel and Juan Luis Guerra, among others continued to visit Puerto Rico. Locals José Nogueras, Glenn Monroig, Lou Briel, Yolandita Monge, and Chayanne also enjoy success in Puerto Rico. Chayanne becomes an international teen-idol.

1990s

 * Politically inspired music groups such as Fiel a la Vega surface.
 * Daddy Yankee was first involved in music in the early 1990s alongside Playero DJ, a pioneer of reggaeton music
 * Maná and Los Enanitos Verdes are some of the international groups that become famous in Puerto Rico.
 * Merengue becomes the most popular music style in the dance halls and in the radio. Olga Tañon, Grupomania and many others become international exports of this music genre.
 * Dayanara Torres becomes the third Puerto Rican to be crowned Miss Universe, with her 1993 win in Mexico City.
 * Rappers such as Big Pun, Ivy Queen, Don Chezina and others also enjoy success.
 * Giannina Braschi in 1998 becomes Figura del Momento when her Spanglish novel YO-YO BOING! wins the PEN Open Book Award and accolades from Insituto de Cultura.
 * In 1995, Voces en Función was the first television singing contest and variety show for young people in decades to be aired weekly, broadcast by WIPR-TV, WIPM-TV and the Internet Red, hosted by Lou Briel. In 1999 wins the Quijote Award, as the best musical on TV.
 * Such television shows as Mira Que Tvo and Sunshine Logrono's El Club de Sunshine become viewer favorites.
 * Pop acts such as the Spice Girls, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Backstreet Boys, and KISS gain popularity in Puerto Rico along with Alejandra Guzmán, Ricardo Montaner, Laura Pausini, and Shakira.
 * Former Menudo member Ricky Martin becomes famous worldwide; his songs "Livin' la Vida Loca", "Maria" and "The Cup of Life", among others, making it to the top of the charts in many countries.
 * El Reencuentro, a reunion of former Menudo members Rene Farrait, Johnny Lozada, Charlie Masso, Miguel Cancel, Ricky Meléndez and Ray Reyes, begins with only one concert at Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, and expands that single date into a worldwide tour.

2000s

 * Teenage Spanish pop/rock makes a comeback, and singers such as Belinda Peregrin and Melody enjoy large success in Puerto Rico.
 * Reggaeton becomes a popular music genre among young people, with artists such as Daddy Yankee and Don Omar crossing over to U.S. markets.
 * Dreuxilla Divine becomes the first Puerto Rican female impersonator, to host a daily talk show in Televicentro alongside journalist Milly Cangiano, called Sacando Chispa.
 * José Miguel Agrelot dies at the age of 77, in January 2004. His death had been preceded by a few weeks by that of popular Ponce mayor Rafael Cordero.
 * Concert comeback of many 70s and 80s performers such as Van Halen, Chicago, Scorpions, Elton John among others.
 * Denise Quiñones becomes the fourth Puerto Rican to win Miss Universe by annexing the crown in 2001.
 * In 2006, Zuleyka Rivera becomes the fifth Puerto Rican to win Miss Universe.

2010s

 * Celebrated Puerto Rican author Giannina Braschi publishes her first novel written in English entitled "United States of Banana" (2011), which is launched world-wide through the Fortune 500 company Amazon.
 * Miguel Cotto, who debuted during the previous decade, is one of Puerto Rico's most popular boxers during the decade.
 * Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro is a popular Puerto Rican writer during the decade.