Spanish music is so varied that your net book will be overflowing, as one form of music no longer typifies Spain.

Perhaps some classical guitar music? Spain is the home of the guitar, and there is a classical guitar tradition that goes back hundreds of years. You can start with recordings by Andres Segovia. For traditional flamenco, listen to Carlos Montoya. These artists are among the best the world has ever known.
Even though the Gipsy Kings are technically from Paris, their sound captures the essence of Spanish Gipsy street music.
A bit of trivia - the '60's pop hit 'Black is Black' by Los Hombres was one of the very few Spanish recordings to make the top 10 in the USA.

If you are going to Barcelona you should track down Catalan music.

Here's some very mellow Catalan music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDu-8G1Mai8

Or maybe you'd like Sangtrait

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koVgFVMXVFY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3F_Ax2WsBM&feature=related

My friend amsdon had a very fine thread on the topic "Música Española: getting to know Spain through her music" with many great entries. Enjoy!: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/msica-espaola-getting-to-know-spain-through-her-music.cfm

A couple of obvious highlights though: the flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía is one of the finest guitarists in the world in any genre. Here in 1976 with one of his singnature works, Entre dos Aguas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oyhlad64-s

Miguel Poveda from Barcelona is the most succesfull flamenco singer on the current scene. Here in the copla "A ciegas" from Pedro Almodóvars movie "Los abrazos rotoz" (Broken Embraces): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3CJiJX-qLE

I first heard this in the film Brassed Off:


Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquis of the Gardens of Aranjuez (November 22, 1901 – July 6, 1999), commonly known as Joaquín Rodrigo, was a composer and a virtuoso pianist. Despite being nearly blind from an early age, he achieved great success. Rodrigo's music counts among some of the most popular of the 20th century, particularly his Concierto de Aranjuez, considered one of the pinnacles of the Spanish music and guitar concerto repertoire.

Rodrigo would be my 1st choice.

What kinds of music do you want, popular or classical?

for classical, the best guitar concertos IMO are those by Rodrigo (Rodrigo has some other good orchestral works, I'm not as found of his solo piano works), Villa-Lobos (who also has some chamber music I quite like and works for other instruments, as well as solo guitar) and Castelnuovo-Tesdesco.
De Falla has some interesting orchestral and piano works, and Granados and Albeniz are considered some of the better Spanish composers.

For classical guitar soloists (performers), I like Sharon Isbin as well as Romero and Bream and Manuel Barrueco (he is Cuban but plays the great Spanish composers).

for solo piano composers, I like Ponce (who also has guitar music) and Mompou. They are really mellow, if that's what you want.

Some suggested recordings:

http://www.amazon.com/Rodrigo-Complete-Concertos-Concierto-Aranjuez/dp/B00000I94F/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820765&sr=1-5&keywords=rodrigo+aranjuez

http://www.amazon.com/Rodrigo-Concierto-Aranjuez-Villa-Lobos-Concerto/dp/B00069KFKK/ref=sr_1_9?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820765&sr=1-9&keywords=rodrigo+aranjuez

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Guitar-Concertos-John-Williams/dp/B0000026P7/ref=sr_1_6?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820885&sr=1-6&keywords=concerto+castelnuovo

http://www.amazon.com/Rodrigo-Concierto-Aranjuez-Mario-Castelnuovo-Tedesco/dp/B0000013XA/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820995&sr=1-4&keywords=concerto+castelnuovo+rodrigo

http://www.amazon.com/Road-Sun-Romances-Guitar-Sharon/dp/B000002SRW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347820560&sr=8-1&keywords=sharon+isbin+latin+romances

http://www.amazon.com/Granados-Albeniz-Music-Spain-Julian/dp/B000003FG6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820644&sr=1-1&keywords=bream+granados

http://www.amazon.com/Years-Guitar-Masterpieces-Johann-Sebastian/dp/B000001K62/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820674&sr=1-1&keywords=manuel+barrueco+vox

http://www.amazon.com/Ponce-Guitar-Music-Vol-1/dp/B000009OM5/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820712&sr=1-1&keywords=ponce+holzman

http://www.amazon.com/Mompou-Variations-Dialogues-Paisages-Preludes/dp/B000002ZZP/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347820598&sr=1-2&keywords=hough+mompou

Paulina is pop music. That's a whole other genre I don't know as much about. YOu might try Miguel Bose, he is very popular. http://www.amazon.com/Lo-Mejor-De-Miguel-Bose/dp/B00001SICI/ref=ntt_mus_dp_dpt_4

Carmen is an opera written by a Frenchman, Bizet and was first presented in Paris. It isn't really Spanish, although might get you in that mood.

For some of the best music from the Basque country:

Kepa Junkea - Latin Grammy winner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seoloq5tF7I&list=UURvxamHOy7z-lxLwzaveReQ&index=22&feature=plcp

Felipe Urgarte playing one of the oldest forms of music - Txalaparta
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlJtA_7ClIA&list=UURvxamHOy7z-lxLwzaveReQ&index=13&feature=plcp

Here's an article that should help sort the differences for you about Spain's history and the position of Catalan culture in it, and what role Barcelona has played in modern European culture (it is Barcelona you are going to, right?)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jun/19/spanish-music-sounds-europe

(Some of these answers strike me as telling somebody from barcelona who is on their way to Texas to listen to American music like George Gershwin. The culture of Barcelona is as distinct as Texan culture.

Paco de Lucia. WONDERFUL guitarist

Wow! So many replies. I'm listening to the recommendations and liking what I hear. Thanks so much, everyone!

Although I'm going to Barcelona I don't want to limit my music to Catalan but do want Spanish music. I was checking what my libraries offered and it was mostly Hispanic music and very loud and it all sounded alike. This is a new area for me.

I'm getting in the mood for Barcelona!!

Robert - the Kepa Junkea video is blocked in the US.

adrienne,
Suspiros de España (Yearn for Spain) is a well-known 'pasodoble'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msVNrdivax0

Spanish zarzuela performed at the Jarvis Conservatory, Napa, California
http://www.youtube.com/user/jarvisconservatory?feature=watch

adrienne, Strange, I'm currently in the States and just watched it.

You can listen to some of his singles on his website: http://www.kepajunkera.com/2_singles.html

Robert - the message I get is: "This video contains content from EMI who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds".

Interesting! I get the same message when I tried to download it on the iPhone, but not my computer. It could be I own the recording and it's on the computer, but it's also loaded into the phone.

okay, but do be aware that more than a million Catalonians took the streets of Barcelona a few days to demand independence from Spain.

<< okay, but do be aware that more than a million Catalonians took the streets of Barcelona a few days to demand independence from Spain. >>

What does that mean? Does it have something to do with Spanish music? Were they singing while demonstrating?

Of course they were singing and demonstrating at the same time. It's part of the culture!

And it's very Spanish to demand independence from Spain...

I think vespacurves was just answering the OP's question.
I also get a bit irritated when people think that oompah music is "German music".

adrienne,

I don't know why you are going to Barcelona, and there are lots of ways to enjoy Barcelona without knowing its people's current ideas or its history. I'm not being snarky when I say that. Most people go to Barcelona and Spain without ever thinking of listening to music from that part of Europe. They still have a great time eating tapas, looking at Gaudi

You can have a great time in Barcelona without understanding why the Catalan people are so proud of their own music. The single greatest piece of architecture in Barcelona is actually the Palace of Music (Palau de la Musica). I hope you will see it, but I am thinking it might mean more to you when you do if you have listened to Catalan music and understood how Catalans feel about it.

One very strong aspect of Catalan history and even today's Catalonian nationalism as viewed in Barcelona is that Catalan culture is beautiful because it has been such a cosmopolitan culture. So you will also hear Spanish music in Barcelona (as well as American music), so download what you like to listen to.

Of course I know the great diversity of Spanish music, just as diverse as the country itself and part of the numerous claims of cultural and political independence across the country.

When it comes to flamenco, which many foreigners think of as "the" Spanish music, genuine flamenco is a minor thing in Spain today. Partly because of the shallow and tourist oriented "nacionalflamencquismo" of the Franco regime (which can account for much of the flamenco image both abroad and within Spain), and partly because of the widespread predjudices towards the South/Andalucía in general and gitanos in particular.

The best flamenco singers can only hope to sell a few thousand copies of their recordings, but the closely associated and much more accessible copla song style is widely popular also in other parts of Spain as well as in Latin America, making the copla stars national celebrities in Spain. Thus many of the flamenco singers also do their copla recordings. Fabulous Miguel Poveda's (from Barcelona) "Coplas del querer" being one of the most recent and successfull examples. He sold to gold and platina in Spain within a few months and was nominated for the 2009 Latin Grammy.

For those of us who loves flamenco, there is nevertheless no doubt that Poveda is ten times better when singing "the real deal", that is flamenco. And the greatest flamenco singers, guitarists and dancers, despite flamenco being a relatively marinal phenomenon, draws a very knowledgeable, dedicated and passionate crowd all over Spain. Despite the obvious Andalucian origins and roots, Madrid is arguably the flamenco capital of the world today, and also in Barcelona there is a very much alive and kicking flamenco culture. Even up in the North coast, theaters fill when the greatest flamenco performers visit.

And perhaps not so strange: Flamenco is the most powerful cultural expression of this unique mix of Christian, Jewish, Moslem and Gitano culture that makes Spain - with all its diversity - so special.

Here's the trailer to director Carlos Saura's state of the art movie "Flamenco, flamenco" from 2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg2-8Ipvz4

Just as a P.S., and slightly off topic:
When you eventually get to Barcelona, it does not hurt to check the local paper or ask your hotel concierge about music events in the city. Besides the big ones like BAM which (I think) always coincides with La Mercè there are often a multitude of smaller events or festivals in the neighborhoods. It can be fun to go there and just listen (usually for free) while having a drink or two.

Just a curiosity, there is a kind of popular music developed in Barcelona in the 1950s: the "rumba catalana". Nothing to do with the traditional Catalan music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_rumba

Thanks again everyone!

Cowboy - how about zither music as defining the German culture LOL! Or is that Austrian more than German?

My friend who is going with me is in charge of finding an evening music event. She's more musical than I am but also knows nothing about Spanish music. We'll also check with the TI as we'll be in an apartment.

vespa - I'm going to Barcelona for the architecture and the Palau de la Musica (and the Hospital) are among my top sights as they are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

I love traveling because I learn new things. I never thought to differentiate between Catalan and Spanish although I did know that there was a difference in the language and culture.

kimhe - thanks for the info on flaminco which I always thought was more dancing than singing. When I think of music from Spain I think of guitar music rather than flaminco.

adrienne,
Flamenco is very much guitar music. The essential part of flamenco is singing, then comes the guitar and dance is the "least important" part of the three basic elements of the art form.

The greatest Spanish guitar player is without doubt the flamenco genious Paco de Lucía, one of the finest guitarists in the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paco_de_Luc%C3%ADa
In action recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZpZ89Lftv4

Vicente Amigo is one of several other brillant flamenco guitarists: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPaPOH-cDxc

And if you want a flamenco song hit, I can't think of anything better than Camarón de la Isla's "Leyenda del tiempo" from 1979. Changed the flamenco scene forever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJLdA5TVpAM

Revulgo,
Rumba catalana originated precisely in the Barcelona gitano flamenco community, and is unthinkable without the old port city Barcelona's close connection to the Carribean and Latin America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDpIBfEmf6Q&feature=related

And I'm very much looking forward to a Spanish guitar concert in Palau de la Música in Barcelona in a few weeks!

<My friend who is going with me is in charge of finding an evening music event>

You could of course find a lot of things happening in small venues - could easily be the most memorable if you're at the right place at the right time - but you should definitely check out the program at Palau de la Musica on your dates. Lots of chances for mellow Spanish or Catalan music: http://www.palaumusica.org/

What does this mean? I can't see the schedule for April but can see the schedule for other months (March, May, etc.).

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you should check out Roxanna she has a wonderful voice. She sings "Para Siempre" and other wonderful songs. Check her out!

Here's the link to the her video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqVqG2m3DNc

Thanks, Carmen!