The 10 Most Popular Salsa Songs That Are Perfect for Learning Spanish
Popular salsa songs are always a good way to bring energy to your day! Music is food for the soul, and salsa music is no exception.
Salsa is one of the most popular genres in Latin America due to its unique rhythm. It’s often part of birthdays, graduations, and other social events.
Read this post to discover 10 popular salsa songs that will help you practice and learn Spanish. Let’s get started!
What is Salsa?
Before getting to the songs, you need to know what salsa music is. Salsa is a musical form based on Afro-Cuban music that incorporates elements from other Latin styles. Although it began in the 1960s, it gained popularity in the 1970s.
The history of salsa began in New York City and gradually spread to Latin America, especially Mexico. Puerto Ricans and Cubans created new salsa songs and the genre has become a keystone of Latin American culture.
It’s not only great for enjoying the rhythm, but also for learning Spanish words, phrases, and colloquial expressions. This is why it’s perfect to get to know the Latin American culture.
10 Popular Salsa Songs for Spanish Learners
Here, you’ll find 10 super popular salsa songs to help you practice your Spanish listening, pronunciation, and comprehension. This list is organized by popularity (number of views). However, they’re all popular salsa songs that are loved by millions!
1. La gozadera – Gente de Zona (2015)
One of the most popular salsa songs of all time, La Gozadera is a tropical song with salsa spice! It’s about a party that’s about to happen in Latin America, so the singers invite all Latin countries to be part of it.
This song was essential in social events in 2015. It’s still great for learning Latin American countries in Spanish!
2. Vivir mi vida – Marc Anthony (2013)
This Marc Anthony hit has become one of the most popular salsa songs of the century! It’s about how he wants to live his life to the fullest, forget about his worries, laugh, and of course, dance!
Life’s not always easy, but in this song you’ll get inspired to think about happiness instead of suffering, while enjoying the amazing rhythm of salsa music. Plus, the official video of this song has a monologue at the beginning, which is super helpful to practice your Spanish.
3. Flor pálida – Marc Anthony (2013)
Marc Anthony never fails to surprise us. This one’s also a popular salsa song of the last decade. Here, he sings about promising to always love, respect, and support his beloved so they can be together forever.
It’s an ideal option to practice your Spanish because it isn’t as fast as other salsa songs, so it’s easier to follow the lyrics and learn new vocabulary words!
4. Tu amor me hace bien – Marc Anthony (2004)
Marc Anthony is clearly the king of popular salsa songs in the 21st century. This tune is about how he thinks the love of a woman is good for him in every sense. He loves every part of her and every experience with her, since her love sweetens his life and makes him better.
Again, Marc Anthony articulates clearly, and it’s easy to understand what he’s saying. For more, check out 10 Marc Anthony Songs for Your Spanish Listening Practice and Pleasure!
5. Si tú me besas – Víctor Manuelle (2011)
This romantic salsa song has traveled the whole world! Víctor Manuelle sings about what would happen if the woman of his dreams gives him a sweet and special kiss. He wonders how spectacular and sensational it would be to have her in his life.
We’ve covered popular salsa songs from the past 20 years, but what about the classics? Let’s travel back in time and discover the “oldies but goodies” of salsa music!
6. La vida es un carnaval – Celia Cruz (1998)
Legendary Afro-Cubana Celia Cruz sings about how life is like a carnival. It’s beautiful, so we shouldn’t cry about our sorrows but rather enjoy every moment we have. She says life’s better while singing, so she invites everyone to do it with her.
This was one of the most popular salsa songs back in the day. It’s splendid for practicing your Spanish, since Celia Cruz uses everyday words. This one’s a must listen!
7. Dile a ella – Víctor Manuelle (1997)
This was one of the most popular salsa songs in the 90s. In it, Victor Manuelle asks his beloved’s best friend to tell her that he’ll always love and remember their special time together.
With this song, you’ll be able to discover Spanish vocabulary and practice it while enjoying the beauty of salsa rhythm.
8. Periódico de ayer – Héctor Lavoe (1976)
This one’s a classic! Héctor Lavoe sings a heartbreaking salsa song, making an analogy of how the love of a woman is like yesterday’s newspaper. He says no one else wants to read anything that has to do with her.
It’s great to practice Spanish, since it’s a slower salsa song, making it easier to understand the lyrics.
9. Tu cariñito – Puerto Rican Power (1999)
This list wouldn’t be complete without this song! Its classic salsa spice will make you want to dance all day! It’s about how the singer’s looking for his beloved around the world because he can’t live another second without her. He wants to tell her how much he loves her and that he can’t live his life without her in it.
This 22-year-old song is still one of the most popular salsa songs nowadays. If you go to a social event in Latin America, you’re likely to hear it. It’s one of my personal favorites.
10. La temperatura – Lebron Brothers (1970)
Last but not least, this classic salsa song is about how the singer wants to make a woman fall in love with him because he’s in love and crazy about her.
Keep Listening to Salsa and Learning Spanish!
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