Love listening to the best salsa music or best salsa songs from Hector Lavoe, Rey Ruiz or El Grupo Niche while dancing with your mate. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about when you need the salsa download. I started to appreciate salsa dance music more as I got older. Although, I would listen to it on the radio, tv and clubs I never really bought the cd’s but I really liked it.
When a great salsa group would play in a club, I never really took notice. I was more interested in meeting people and just having fun. My friends who were deeply into the best salsa music would rush to the stage to catch a better glimpse of their performances. I would usually be in the back with a drink. They knew all about great salsa dance music, Cumbia, Mambo, Cha cha cha and so on. They would explain it to me sometimes but back than I had my mind on other things but I always loved music.
Thinking about it, I got to see many live performances and listened to great music. Living in North Jersey and only 12 minutes from NYC, these groups were easily accessible. There were great opportunities to not only watch them play but also to get to know them. From the best meringue songs to the best bachata songs but I never took an advantage of it. My friends did, they basically met everyone and would sit and talk to them in the club or restaurant.
I remember we went to see Marc Anthony perform at a club in Jersey City and during his break time he sat by the bar right next to my brother. They talk the breeze for about 10 minutes. He was basically unhappy with the direction his management was taking him. It worked out eventually because now he plays concerts. It was awesome watching him perform close and live. My brother credits himself for the success of Marc Anthony’s career and whenever he sees him on tv he says, “There’s my boy.”
I saw Marc Anthony two other times in a NY club. Although there were so many he was one of the few performers I specifically went to see.
Now, I pay attention to other artists.
I like listening to Hector Lavoe, too. A former room-mate of mine was in a salsa band and every Sunday they would rehearse for hours. They played a compilation of salsa hits. Gran Combo, Eddie Palmieri, Grupo Niche, Johnny Pacheco and the top salsa songs. Interesting, I appreciated their musical talent but even than I wasn’t too interested. Basically, I listened to anything around me. They would always play salsa dance music for events and for a salsa dance party. Eventually, they broke up and everyone went their own way.
The songs are vast and beautiful. Since I speak spanglish, it would be difficult to understand the words if the song were fast and I didn’t understand it’s meaning. Now, I ask for the names of the artists and salsa bands and what is the meaning of the song.
Hector Lavoe’s Juanito Alimana is a deep story and if you listen to it closely, you can see how it reflects the state of certain troubled places in our country. El Preso is another top salsa song which tells about a man’s loneliness in prison. I listened and danced to it for many years and never knew what it was expressing. All the time I was hearing the greatest salsa songs and never realized it. It’s good to listen.
Check out these out for great salsa music and all types of latin songs.
The Top 40 Salsa Dance Songs of All Time
1. Vamonos Pal Monte Eddie Palmieri
2. Aqui El Que Baila Gana Fania All Stars
3. Que Bueno Baila Usted Oscar D’Leon
4. Ran Kan Kan Tito Puente
5. Tanga Mario Bauzá
6. Como Quiera Machito
7. Lloraras Oscar D’Leon
8. Quiembara Celia Cruz y Johnny Pacheco
9. La Rebelión Joe Arroyo
10. Bandolera Ray Baretto
11. Tributo Al Jeffe Melcochita
12. Arsenio Larry Harlow
13. Palo Pa Rumba Eddie Palmieri
14. Bembelequa Celia Cruz
15. La Paella Jose Alberto “El Canario”
16. Dejame Sonar Tito Puente
17. Asi Se Goza Isidro Infante
18. El Cantante Hector Lavoe
19. Maquina Landera Ismael Rivera y Cortijo
20. Babarabatiri Beny Moré y Perez Prado Orchestra
21. El Menu El Gran Combo
22. Timbalero Tito Puente
23. El Escencia Del Guaguancó Johnny Pacheco
24. Yay Boy Africando
25. Tributo Al Bravo Jose Alberto “El Canario”
26. Hong Kong Mambo Tito Puente
27. Muneca Eddie Palmieri
28. Aqua De Clavelito Johnny Pacheco
29. La Receta Johnny Polanco y Conjunto Amistad
30. Azucar Los Van Van
31. Santo Militar y Montuno Isidro Infante
32. Descarga Willie Villegas
33. Cao Cao Mani Picao Vicentico Valdez with Tito Puente
34. Idilio Willie Colón
35. Prende El Fogon La Sonora Poncena
36. Persona Ideal Los Adolescentes
37. Etnia Grupo Niche
38. Medias Negras Willie Chirino
39. No Me Acostumbro Rey Ruiz
40. Esa Mujer Tony Vega