20 Iconic Songs that are Built Into the Fabric of Our Culture

Juanga may not be returning, as recently rumored, but he will forever be alive in our hearts, and through his amazing music. “Querida” is probably the Mexicano’s most well-known and best-loved songs. You may not even know all the words, but chances are, you know when to yell out, “querida!”

Selena Quintanilla Perez has become an icon, larger-than-life, and impossible to forget. We keep her memory alive, and are constantly jamming out to all of Selena’s hits. 1992’s “Como la flor” is probably the song that first comes to people’s mind when thinking of the legend.

Richard Valenzuela, who Anglicized his stage name to Ritchie Valens, took a big risk when he decided to record and release a rock version of the Mexican folk song, “La Bamba.” But it helped to make him a star, and spawn the genres of Chicano and Latin rock. This is another jam you probably know, word for word.

La Reina de la Salsa was larger than life, and her music was part of the Latinx soundtrack to our lives. “Guantanamera,” which is a song of Cuban pride and love, originated from a poem by Jose Martí. Although many artists, including Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, and The Sandpipers have covered the song, it will always and forever be tied to Cubana Celia Cruz.

Shakira’s career can be categorized using her hair colors. There are those of you, who may have listened to Shak when she only sang in Spanish, had more of a rock edge, and sported her naturally black hair. When crossed over, her hair became blonde. She released songs in both English and Spanish, and featured more of a pop sound. In between those two moments, when she became a bigger star outside of her native Colombia, she sported red hair. Whatever hair hue you happened upon Shakira’s music, “Suerte,” which has its English version in “Whenever, Wherever,” was a major hit, spending 14 weeks at #1.

You can’t have a Latinx list of classic songs we all know without including some great, iconic tropical music. In 1990, Dominicano Juan Luis Guerra gave us a song that still has the ability to get us out of our seats to dance like crazy, with the hit, “La Bilirrubina.” We’re not apologizing for you know having this song in your head. The jam helped Guerra to win the Grammy for Best Tropical Album.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Mexican or not, Vicente Fernandez is a legend. His voice will make you want to cry in a glass of tequila, and remember all your failed romances. The Mexicano powerhouse has so many hits, it was hard to narrow it down to just one we all know, but “Volver, volver” is at the top. This is another classic, where you may not know all the lyrics, but yell your heart out when it’s time to say “volllllverrrrr!”

“Suavemente” is the merengue song that refuses to die. And we don’t want it to. The Elvis Crespo hit literally over 20 years old, and still has the ability to crop up everywhere, making everyone lose their sh*t. We’d like to see someone who doesn’t instantly dance to it when it comes on. This was the essential song at every quinceañera, a wedding, and other family party.

Ok, every song can be upbeat on this list. Life is about the ups and downs, and its accompanying soundtrack should match accordingly. Son by Four’s “A Puro Dolor” is a song which appeared on a lot Spanish “classic songs” lists. The Puerto Rican salsa group released a salsa version of the song, but it’s the sad yet beautiful ballad version that have us all in our feels.

You can’t have salsa music, without including the legendary Puerto Rican, Hector Lavoe. His song, “El Cantante,” is one of his best-known and loved classics. It talks about the business of being an entertainer and showing a facade, even though there may be pain underneath it. “El Cantante” is also the name of a biopic on Lavoe’s life, starring then-couple Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez.

It’s very likely you’ve heard the song “Besame Mucho.” How could you have not? The 1940 song, written by Mexicana Consuelo  Velazquez — who was 16-years-old at the time — has been interpreted countless times, by artists including The Beatles, Trio Los Panchos, Andrea Bocelli, Cesaria Evora, and Pedro Vargas. In fact, the love song is said to be “the most sung and recorded Mexican song in the world.”

With its mix of rock, reggae, Latin, ska, and other influences, Mana’s sound helped make the Mexican band one of the biggest in the world. The song “Oye Mi Amor” is life. The infectious jam was released in 1992, and appears on their hit album, ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños?

Who knew that this childhood song that we’ve sung endless times (and has been covered almost as much), and is basically about a cockroach with missing legs, has political ties? The Spanish song, which was adopted into Mexican culture, has had its lyrics changed around, according to who is singing it (remember the marijuana version?). Before and during the Mexican Revolution, the verses spoke on political conflict and life during war.

When you watch the YouTube video of Jose Jose’s live performance of “El Triste” in 1970, where “El Principe de la Cancion” introduces the song (and makes himself a star in the process), you will see one of the best live performances of all time. There is so much talent and emotion in the song, that you get why it was one of the classics that mamas and abuelitas knew, loved, and played on repeat.

You have to love a song with a dual life. One that is a major hit, that gets a different treatment, and becomes legendary all over again on its own. Such is the case with “Oye Como Va.” It started as a Tito Puente jam in 1962, in a cha-cha-cha style. Nine years later, in 1971, Santana took the song, and gave it the Latin rock treatment. Both versions are well-loved by Latinxs, and both versions are essential to the Latinx experience.

Covered by several different artists, including Luciano Pavarotti, Enrique Iglesias, Ana Gabriel, and Carmen Costa, “Cielito Lindo” is an iconic Mexican song, composed way back in 1882, by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés. “Ay, ay, ay, ay, cantas y no llores” are lyrics which millions of Latinxs have sung in their lives.

Facts: it’s not the holidays until you hear Puerto Rican Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad.” Thanks to this hit song (released almost 50 years ago, it was #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this year), countless people who don’t usually speak Spanish know how to say “Merry Christmas.” Sure, Feliciano has had plenty of hits, but “Feliz Navidad,” which was released in 1970, will always have a special place in the hearts of most, if not all, Latinxs (and the rest of the world). It just reminds us of home, the holidays, and family.

With its soothing bossa nova and jazz sound, “Garota de Ipanema,” or “The Girl from Ipanema” is Brazilian music that swept the rest of the world. It was composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim, and written by Vinicius de Moraes; the song (which won 1965 Grammy for Record of the Year) has been sung by several artists, including Astrud Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Bassey, The Supremes, and Peggy.

You may not recognize the name of the song, or the words, but you have most likely heard the melody of the Argentinian “La Cumparsita.” It is considered the most popular tango song of all time, and is often the song used when you see tango dancing in shows, cartoons, films, and more. The iconic King of Tango, Carlos Gardel, recorded a version of “La Cumparsita” with lyrics.

When Colombian singer and actor Carlos Vives decided to pay homage to the traditional vallenato music of Valledupar, his career skyrocketed with one song. “La Gota Fria,” was released in 1993, and became the get-up-and-dance song for all Colombian parties. The jam, is in fact, a cover of the 1938 song of the same name, by Emiliano Zuleta.