Siembra

This is really nice, I dont know that I needed to hear it before I die but its really nice.

Not my usual thing but I still enjoyed it.

‘Plastico’ is so fun I enjoy the ending of *country* ‘présente’ I love how unserious ‘Buscando Guayaba’ is ‘Dime’ is very tropical ‘Siembra’ is absolutely my favourite, I like the moody start

Not my music genre of choice but done well. I enjoyed Maria Lionza. Other than that, I recognized music as good but not my thing.

Well, I tried. I think it’s both the basic speed, the excessive use of the horns, the overall blaring quality of it. I love the drums, but the orchestrations and synchronized horns… it really grates after just a couple tracks. It certainly is well arranged, I just don’t give with it. 3 Boolean: true

Not my genre I think, nothing I disliked listening to but it didn’t really do anything for me. May revisit at some point since so many seemed to enjoy this.

Not the kind of genre I would seek out nornally but liked the grooves and swing of this album

Usually not my kind of music but its kind of fun

Oh! Who could have forgotten the godfathers of modern rock music, the most influential Willie Colon and significant Ruben Blades!! Metallica would have never shocked everybody with their flamenco guitar solos and Dave Grohl's castanets rhythms might have never existed without Willie and Ruben...

Siembra sounds like a party I wasn't invited to but enjoyed through the wall. New York salsa, 1978 — brass, percussion, Rubén Blades singing about politics in Spanish over a rhythm that doesn't stop. Not my world. But it's clearly good at what it does, and it's hard not to move a little. 3/5 — through the wall, and still enjoyable.

Complex percussion rhythms? - ¡presente! Salsa piano sixths? - ¡presente! Lovely spanish vocals? - ¡presente! Great brass section? - ¡presente! I really enjoyed listening. However, for my non-salsa-trained ear, everything started to blend together real soon, forming a nice trip to another world, but lacking any standouts. 3/5 - good

It’s alright the length with that kind of sound can start to be a bit of a grind

Good for the hips, but bit repetitive

Un poco de salsa siempre anima. Pedro Navajas es genial.

Salsa is good wake-up music and even this old Metal-head knows who Ruben Blades is. Would I listen to again? Probably not.

What a vibe, thank god it was a sunny day cause I don’t really think you could listen to this in dark, stormy weather. Made me want to Samba to work. Had to look up who they are - Willie is a famous trombonist and rueben is a famous Puerto Rican singer. Buscando Guayaba made me laugh cause there’s a section where he’s scatting along but it sounds like he’s trying to replicate a guitar. Also did Bad Bunny steal/was inspired by the listing of South American countries cause I reckon Rueben did it first in Plastico.

I joined this app to broaden my listening spectrum and this album is certainly doing that! The world's best selling salsa album has passed me by for the past 62 years. As has the artist. It's interesting listening, bubbling rhythm section and good horn arrangements. I enjoyed Pedro Navaja with its Mac The Knife vibe.

This was super interesting. I didn't know what to expect for the highest selling salsa album of all time. And for it to be from the 70s was shocking. Fun listen. Well crafted. Not sure what more to say though haha.

A vibe but nothing really that I would listen to again.

I was very unfamiliar with this album and it is outside the genres that I normally listen to, but it was pretty good.

Nice bit of Latin rhythm and salsa what’s not to like

Band is so tight!

Loved this for what it was. Very fun, upbeat album. Not my style, but I really appreciated it! 6/10

Yeah very summer vibes definitely glad I gave it a listen

Really fun, upbeat, happy. Feels pretty timely with the World Cup. Has me feelin Jogo Bonito. Not gonna be a regular listen for me but it'll have an occasion. Songs all kind of meshed, each had their own unique thing to happen during it. Liked the drums a lot in Ojos. Rating: 6.7/10

Pleasant enough.

fun samba!

hartstikke leuk maar doet me weinig sorry

라틴풍

I can't dance but it was still enjoyable

It's refreshing to hear something other than rock and jazz, and the music is full of energy and accomplished musicality, but it's a bit too ballroom focussed and big band style for my tastes.

Enjoyable and very listenable. Anymore and it would begin to all blend in to one song.

sounded nice!

Good stuff. Not my thing, but can't hold it against.

NICE

6/10

Not my genre but the songs were catchy!

One listen (limited). Very talented musicians. Love the energy. Though not something I'll return to, this was enjoyable.

leuke muziek

Not my style, but good stuff.

!Que fantástico! Estos canciones están perfecto para bailarme. Cuando escuchar, quiero viajar a Puerto Rico, comer plantanas a lado de la playa y bailar con una chica bonita. Mi canción favorita era Pedro Navaja. Los baterías! Los trupetas! El canción Plástico me sorpresa. Esta música latina y música disco en el mismo tiempo! Me recuerdo de la canción de Aqua, Barbie Girl. No se como agradar, pero me gusta mucho! Este revisión para seis años de Duolingo! Lo siento por errores. Muy blanco soy yo.

Hippe zomerse bars in oververhitte steden met nen Mojito...

Good vibe for a hot day

At first I was surprised to hear the disco flourishes in the opening track, but then I looked and saw that the album is from 1978. Wikipedia says this was the best-selling album in the history of salsa music. I've never explored salsa music but it is pleasant as background music. I have difficulty getting into music with non-English lyrics. Was Biggie's Ready to Die album cover an homage to this cover? This is difficult for me to rate. It was pleasant enough to listen to as background music, but it is a genre I have next to no interest in and would probably never listen to by choice. I think on the 5-point scale I would give this a 2.5, but how to decide between 2 and 3? It will probably come down to what mood I'm in tomorrow.

Makes me want a cocktail on a beach

Not my favorite kind of music, but pleasant. Excellent musicianship and arrangements. I could do without the strings on the title track.

Enjoyable stuff!

This was cool and it was fun, but I really don't see how it lands on this list. If I were at my favorite taco joint, I don't think I could tell you the difference between this music and anything else that was playing. Giving it a 3 cause I respect it, but probably wouldn't listen to it again.

Quite a lot of fun! Not my usual thing but enjoyable

Listening to this on a sunny day has made me much more well disposed to it - if it was British Grey outside I would feel insulted, I think. The spoken bits and vocalisations are really fun. Charmed by the inexplicable babies. Pedro Navaja was a good time. I may be wrong but it sounds like they had fun making it which for me goes a long way - the Mamma Mia principle.

I am willing to accept that this is considered the pinnacle of salsa by some, but that being the case the natural conclusion is that I'll never love salsa

Interesting mix of South American vibes and funk vibes. Faded into background music a bit after a bit though.

spoczko, bardzo dobry w swoim gatunku,

Had never heard of this before nor knew the actor was a musician in the 70s. Pretty good stuff

I liked this a whole lot, this might be another case of missing the cultural and lingual context required to fully appreciate it though.

Siembra is a salsa album with a lot of flair and heart. It flows smoothly from song to song, and has some great arrangements. While salsa is not really my thing, I can see why this is popular.

a shame i dont know the words im vibing with this maria lioza sooo hardd

A refreshing and upbeat listen. Enjoyed this.

3½

Very danceable and overall a good time. Its meant to get you to move and it succeeds pretty well in that aspect.

Best selling salsa album ever - interesting! The first minute sounds like disco, but then yeah, all salsa. I enjoy it, but I'm not sure it's a genre I'll go back to a lot. High 3.

It’s good but I suppose belongs here as it is apparently the biggest selling samba album. So. Ok.

Oh a nice change. Love this kind of music!

Heerlijke latin. Gaat mij na 4 nummers wel vervelen maar ik hoor er ook nog veel samples in van platen van nu. Gewoon lekker zo even luisteren

Nice enough, not at all something I would have come across. Probably won't be going back.

It was definitely a samba album. Upbeat, fun, good background noise. Not something I'd intentionally put on.

You can’t come to me with the opening bass line and prevent me from dancing. Seriously that opening bass slaps so hard. Overall, I think I just like Spanish music because this was a fun album. There are little kicks throughout that keep me interested.

3/5 Good. Not something I would listen to.

Ah man, listening to salsa at a desk at work is not really doing it for me. You gotta be in a bar or restaurant or club or something to really get into this one. It's a good album but not really what I'm gonna go seek out. But I can't deny it's catchy and you just want to have a drink and dance to it. It's a 3/5 for me. Hit me up with this again on a Saturday night with drinks and dancing, though, and we'll talk....

I have a hard time following the lyrics in Spanish but good stuff 3.5/5

Great vibes throughout the album. Salsa music isn't something I listen to a lot (shocking I know) but the catchiness of the rhythms can't be denied. A fun album with songs that kind of got lost in the background as I was listening and walking.

Easier to listen to with my dancing shoes on!

Good stuff. Sounds like an early Bad Bunny. Heard part of his halftime show was to honor Willie Colon.

It was an ok listen but one I likely won’t be coming back to.

I don’t know how to salsa but I sure want to! Fun album, catchy tunes, impossible not to move to

Fun album Standout songs: Plastico Maria Lionza

Ålreit dette. Likte når han sang ping pong ping pong. Ble litt mye av det samme i lengden.

Not bad, as far as ethnic music goes.

fav song: pedro navaja i dont enjoy his singing voice i fear & the songs can be quite similar but it IS a vibe 😛 i wish you could do half stars bc id give this 3 1/2

It was good, definitely can see why it is influential on Latin music. Ecuador PRESENTE !!!!!!

Pleasant salsa music from these Latin guys. Maybe it would be more impressive if I knew Spanish. The internet claims this is the best selling salsa album of all time. Not quite to the four-star level.

Finally: Spanish! I'm too tired to appreciate it. But I liked it OK.

3.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/willie-colon-and-ruben-blades/siembra/ Definitely not my music, but for something that is definitely not my music, it kinda slaps! Was really expecting to like it less. Awful cover tho, why the babies?!

3.5 - good album

Really nice. A shame I don‘t speak spanish. Fav: Plástico

Sei lá, é bom e importante para os latino americanos que falam espanhol, mas não caiu muito no meu gosto.

good music from america (america=continet, not usa 😂😂) 3.4/5

I liked it all in all. I was hoping that there would be more disco elements, but that was limited to a few songs.

It's a cool dance album, well produced. All the players and the singer are great. But I will admit not knowing enough about this genre that I can't distinguish the differences from this and any other good Latin dance album.

Gonna need some chips for all this salsa

Some lovely tunes. Nice time. But I couldn't just listen to this on it's own with nothing else to do yaknow. It's background music to me because there's not enough highs and lows. But it is nice stuff.

Not my stuff but it’s fine.

Fun samba music

Best salsa album (so far). Would enjoy this in the right setting. Lyrics lost on me. Will be my go to for salsa if I remember the name - and if I ever feel the need for salsa.

Didn't quite hold me all the way through but did like some elements - the disco opening and it,'s PanAmerican theme, the West Side Story nods of Pedro Navaja..

Definitely my favourite salsa album of all time. Also the only salsa album I’ve ever listened to. A strong candidate for the graveyard slot at the mythical cafe Kelvinos

Part of me wants to give someone an undeserved fourth star after all of these mediocrities, but, on balance, this seems like a classic "three."

Algo entretenido

Interesting world music/jazz but would not listen again.

Opening bars gave me Saturday Night Fever vibe but gladly moved on quickly from that. Musical style and sound similar to The Cat Empire, fun, lively and entertaining even given I did not undetstand a word of lyrics.

High 3. Suspect it would be higher if I was more into salsa. It feels like this has inspired lots that we hear in TV and film today.

J'ai besoin de vacances. Trop clean. J'aime mieux quand les horns font sauter les preamps.

Nice

I liked the scat singing at the end of the second song, but mostly this sets a good vibe, but becomes boring toward the end of listening

For music I have no history with and really no understanding of, it's pretty good. Little bit of disco mixed in with the salsa. And then there's my standard complaint of most songs sounds very similar, but I'm sure that comes from my lack of understanding of the style.

Funky, but not for me.

First spanish playlist and I can understand how this inspired

Comfy, but like a lot of these albums doesn't stand out to me. It's almost too standard, even though it essentially set it.

(4/7) definitely a change of pace, but still too weird for easy listening, and not a lot of variety

I wish my DuoLingo lessons had these words! I enjoyed the Latin music styles, even though I couldn’t understand the lyrics.

I enjoyed this. If you like afro-cuban music check out Orchestra Aragon. This album is a little more modern and doesn’t include flute. Nice to have on in the background.

Its fine. Nothing I would personally listen to but it’s good. 6.6/10

Un album que se seinte, transmite mucho

Funky latin beat.

I didn’t understand it because I don’t speak Spanish. However I could tell bey the music that it’s conveying a fun and sly tone. Loved the mix, could pick an instrument and hear it clearly.

Pretty enjoyable. Something very different with a good rhythm

I appreciated the energy of the music. The roll call of the Latin American countries and territories reminded me of Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show.

Don't mind me, just dancing at my desk. I will say, it's easier to have a classic album when it's only 9 songs. I can appreciate the musicianship, but I'm a songwriting guy, so not speaking Spanish puts a limit on my appreciation. Hard for me to place into context.

I liked this

Latin music. Was enjoyable even though I spoke no Spanish

primeiro album de salsa da minha vida

A solid 7/10. I know this is a classic, and I really respect the genre and the musicianship… but it’s just not my style. You can tell how good they are, everything is well done, and there’s a lot of personality in it. It just doesn’t fully click with me. I get the impact, I respect it… just wouldn’t come back to it that often.

This was fun. That opening track definitely influenced Bad Bunny’s Superbowl show.

This thing is fun as hell.

7/10

Nice to listen to a salsa album. RIP Willie Colón, but guy's brain was eaten out by some worms the last decade with those tweets. This is really all Ruben Blades' work and its crazy how this guy was also on the Walking Dead.

Very cool, enjoyable listen. However, not nearly as memorable as what I have heard listening to Tito Puente. Furthermore, I would just like to add that I hate this silly label 'salsa', reminds me of 'world' music, why don't we call irish folk music 'potato' music, how idiotic is that. Probably 3 stars

Their second album. Latin / Salsa / Cha Cha. It was kind of a fun albim. It was good. This genre of music is outside my usual tastes. Glad to have heard it though.

Surprisingly good for an album entirely in spanish

Cool album, but I really have no standard of salsa music so not sure how to rate it.

"They were dancing, drinking wine, making love!” - Charles Xavier

Fun! Salsa can sound pretty samey after awhile, but this stayed decently fresh. I’ll keep this in mind when my wife and I eventually make good on our plans to learn to dance, but until then, I don’t see myself putting this on just to listen to. 7/10 Quite Likeable

Lovely vibrant music - on the basis I’m not a dancer it makes pleasant background music

Not the kind of music I am used to listen to, but I gotta say some parts are fun and they get stuck in your head. I recognize the quality although it's not what I am looking for. 3,4/5.

Good numbers, new genre

Sounds great, but not a genre I’ve developed an appreciation for.

Modelo/Salsa/Beaches

This was surprisingly fun to listen to while mowing the lawn. 3.5

Not something I would have listened to otherwise, but I didn’t hate it.

Сальса, чорт забирай)))

Really enjoyed this and would absolutely listen to it again, but not seek it out. Listened to it on a train trip back from a long day of work and it hit the right spot. 3.5 stars

Not my normal listen, but it was fun

sympa, pas boring pr de la salsa pendant 42 minutes : 3.5+/5

First impressions. This is EXACTLY the music that plays in a spanish themed restaurant and I would not be able to distinguish what the difference to a generic spanish sounding music would be. I don't dislike it but I don't have enough knowledge of music of this type to be able to separate it from generic "spanish sounding music". I don't hate it though.

Pretty enjoyable! Great instrumentation and good vocals. Language barrier means I can't appreciate the lyrics but that's a limitation from my side :D Highlight was "Buscando Guayaba" for me. Going to go with a high 3 purely because I don't think I'll be seeking out listening to this album again.

I've never listened to salsa music before this and this was a damn good intro. The beats never got boring and the instrumentation in the background of each track was super varied. Enjoyable but I won't be coming back 3

I apologise for hating on salsa because this was pretty fun 🕺💃

一曲の合間が分からん アルバムでひとまとまりになっている

Suits a sunny summer day, fun

Similar to a number of albums, I enjoyed it but don't know enough about the genre to properly rate it

Ich wörd 3.5 gä wenni chönnt

Very iconic album in latin music. Most of the songs are hits that permeate through culture. This is the sort of album that I expected to watch in this list. 8/10 [KEEP]

Like this, but 2 hrs 33 min is a lot to ask. Sounds all the same.

En 1978, alors que le monde entier succombait aux fièvres du samedi soir et que le punk commençait déjà à se mordre la queue, Willie Colón et Rubén Blades sortaient Siembra. Siembra, c’est le disque qui a tout changé pour le label Fania. C’est l’album de salsa le plus vendu de l’histoire, rien que ça. Rubén Blades, le cerveau littéraire, et Willie Colón, le tromboniste prodige et producteur visionnaire, ont décidé d'injecter du cerveau dans les hanches. Ils ont transformé la musique de danse en une tribune sociale, politique et poétique. Sur le papier, c’est fascinant, c’est la « salsa consciente ». Mais dans mes enceintes, c’est une autre paire de manches. J'ai commencé l'écoute avec une réelle curiosité. On ne peut pas avoir travaillé en radio indépendante et dans un shop de disques pendant l'âge d'or des années 90 sans avoir une certaine ouverture d'esprit. Mais voilà, il y a une limite physiologique à mon endurance au trombone et aux percussions ensoleillées. Les trois premiers titres passent plutôt bien. On sent la maîtrise, le groove est impeccable, et la voix de Blades a cette élégance naturelle qui impose le respect. On est loin de la soupe commerciale ; il y a une vraie profondeur, une orchestration riche, presque cinématographique par moments. C'est l'album qui contient "Pedro Navaja", une épopée de sept minutes qui revisite l'histoire de "Mack the Knife" dans les rues de New York. C'est du grand art narratif. Mais arrivé au quatrième morceau, le syndrome de la saturation commence à pointer son nez. Trop de salsa tue la salsa. C’est une musique qui demande une énergie constante, une sorte d’euphorie rythmique qui finit par m’épuiser. L’album est brillant, techniquement irréprochable et historiquement capital. Colón et Blades ont réussi à faire de la salsa une musique de réflexion sans perdre le rythme. Mais pour mes oreilles de post-punk désabusé, c’est un marathon dans une fête foraine. C’est très bon, mais trois titres, c’est ma dose maximale. Au-delà, je cherche désespérément le bouton « stop » pour retourner à mes ambiances industrielles et à mes guitares saturées. Note : 3 sur 5. Un chef-d'œuvre du genre, sans aucun doute, mais un genre qui, à haute dose, finit par me donner des envies de silence monacal.

The lyrics were fun, but the style of music gets a bit too samey-samey after a bit for my taste.

I dig it! Not necessarily something I'd think to reach for, so I'm glad it was curated via this list. Good vibes, talented musicians.

"During its time, it was the best-selling salsa record in history (..) Siembra" remains one of the most original and influential works in that genre." - ayyy, jeg hyggede og dansede lidt

enjoyed more than expected

💃

Good but not my bag

Nice. I think I lined track 2 the most

3.5

I don't feel I know enough about samba to say anything meaningful here, but this was groovy + fun + i like it :)

Citou todo mundo menos o Brasil na primeira música 😭🤣 Pelo visto eles também não nos acham latinos…

A fine dollop of NY salsa that seems tuned into the disco scene of '78. Just a bit too repetitive for my tastes but an album I had never heard before and probably never would without this project. Worth a listen.

Pleasant

This was actually enjoyable. I don’t know if it’s a 4 star album for me but close.

Do you know why salsa is so popular? Because people like to say "salsa".

Don't know a lot about salsa but this was pretty fun

I liked it and get why it was on the list. Disco-y

it was fine, it went a little long

Pretty good! Fun

Too grey in Wales for salsa.

JAJAJAJAJJA esta enorme !

i misjudged it at first but it’s very danceable and the rhythm is nice !!

Lively, interesting. Made me smile. 3.5 on the 3 side

It was ok. Reminded me of eating at Chi-Chi’s in the early 90’s.

Interesting. Enjoyable. there's better latin music. 3 *

I went into this album totally blind with no context for what I was about to hear. Apparently it's the #1 salsa album ever and somehow I have never heard of it, which is why I'm doing this list in the first place. I find it really hard to rate albums from genres I'm totally unfamiliar with, and even harder to rate albums that aren't in English since I'm missing a huge part of the album's appeal, so take my rating with a grain of salt. I enjoyed listening to this album on a purely sonic level but feel like I'd enjoy it more if I was fluent in Spanish. That's my fault and not any fault of the album though.

Not for me but the music was good

Fav: plastico 3:5

Nice bit of Panamanian music

Reuben Blades? Ah good reeeeeeeeeeeal good.

Tror snøen smeltet litt fortere av dette. Sterk 3'er

Ikke ofte jeg hører på musikk fra Panama og Puerto Rico. Ikke ofte jeg hører på samba heller. Og det kommer ikke til å forandre seg.

Next.

Quite fun

this isn't where i parked my car, but good classic "salsa"

Thank god, finally a change of scene from all the annoying samey-sounding overrated as shit boring rock music on here. That "i like to live in America" caught me off guard XD. Song I liked: maria lionza

A funky little album here, packs a punch - enjoyed it

I mean...yeah. Fine.

Each track is a journey, with shifts in rhythm and melody. Super fun.

Love the vibe

Disco salsa! Solid listen, definitely enjoyed it.

Day 3 — Willie Colón & Rubén Blades — Siembra (1978) Listened: Feb 25, 2026 Genre: Salsa / Latin Soul Vibe: Fun, Latin dancing, energetic Highlights: • Plástico • Pedro Navaja • María Lionza Impression: I enjoyed it for not having listened to Salsa music much. Rating: 2.8/5 Keep songs? Yes Revisit album? Probably

First track was giving me Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime vibes

I know that I enjoyed listening to it and appreciated it - but it didn't stick with me after it was over. Will revisit and see if the feeling stays.

I liked it, but it won't make it into the rotation.

Willie Colón died today. I'm going to interpret this selection as a purposeful tribute, not a coincidence.

Not super familiar with the genre beyond it being a stable at a local kebab van (very culturally confusing place) but as an introduction this was nice. I like how the vocals swim over the instruments, which are very good too. The first track was too long for what it did in my opinion and I was worried the rest of the album would follow that structure but it didn’t.

Salsa music tends be a very full sounding musically with the horns, piano, various bongos, drums & bass. That bass on the opening on Plastico was awesome, also the bass on Maria Lionza. The music tends to blend together but that's OK. I still enjoyed the fun music even if I don't speak much Spanish. I caught certain words, here & there. Plastico is a pretty straightforward song even with the language barrier. I will probably never listen to this again but I'm still glad I was exposed to this. The album cover is weird to me. The babies are just weird. It also looks like it could've been made in any Era but the drawings around the babies look like its from the late 60s. It's an odd contrast to my brain. 3

Maybe it's just the day, but this album didn't connect for me. I didn't find that there was anything outstanding or new happening here.

Fine.

Some essential salsa. 3.5/5

Didn’t give it a great listen but what I heard was lovely

Not had bags of time to listen ti this but what an authentic latin record !!! Doesn’t get any better

Love some Latin music and this is a really great listen. One downside is I would say Spanish is much less sexy when you understand it...

A solid combination of music -- vocals, instruments and arrangement -- made this album an enjoyable listen even if not indispensable.

The music is fun. I can't comment on the lyrics. It sounds like it'd be great at a party.

A Cuban holiday soundtrack in mid February in the UK… why not. Not a bad album

I don’t know if my old review saved, but I was skeptical of this album at first. I had just finished watching a Fela Kuti live preformance, so my standards were pretty high for big band outfits and communal song writing. I started cooking Shakshuka for lunch and the later half of the album started growing on me, particularly track 5 or 6

This is really good stuff. Wouldn't listen to it all the time but certainly when the mood hits. I was a bit worried, the first 30 seconds, because I thought it was gonna be very disco heavy, but it isn't! Great sound. Salsa's not my every day jam but worth a listen for sure.

Good salsa--not usually my jam (or condiment) but this gave me some moves. Top tracks: "Plástico," "Ojos," "Buscando Guayaba"

--Plástico...cool, funky opener --Buscando Guayaba...straightforward salsa --Pedro Navaja...did I hear a West Side Story reference? --María Lionza...the middle section is especially good --Ojos...more fun but it's starting to meld together now --Dime...chunky salsa --Siembra...this one feels a little more epic. some nice orchestration here

Objectively good music but it's just not for me. The album cover is also tragic.

After a minute-long funky disco fakeout, this turns into a danceable jam of jazzy samba. As a big fan of interesting percussion, there's a lot to like here. Songs effortlessly move from one idea to the next, accented by big horns. While there are clear verses and choruses, there are also some jammy parts. As free as it sounds though, it never really lets loose into something truly amazing. And all of the songs are mostly the same tempo and energy level, which makes things blur together a bit by the end. Still, this is a ton of fun, even if it's not something I'll be dying to hear again soon.

I liked this album I listened to this while making carne asada for dinner (coincidentally). I like to think some of the spirit of this album transferred to the meal, because it was a pretty good batch. This is fun music, like for a big party. I checked out some of the translations for the lyrics, and it does have some heavier subject matter, but mostly songs about love and life. Just good music without many aspirations to be much more that than (which is so refreshing.) Jazzy, upbeat, and holds up to multiple playthroughs. 3.75/5

Not really one for me. I don't hate it, but nothing here really interests me. I guess I learnt I don't really like salsa music

Interesting listening to this post 2026 Super Bowl with Bas Bunny. Vibes are solid and fun, while not a huge fan usually and going off mostly vibes, this feels likes walking through ybor later at night and hearing the doors open from the various clubs.

Pretty solid. First track listing South American countries might have been inspiration for Bad Bunny's Super Bowl listing of Americas? Kinda fun for a listen.

A nice wee curveball for a Monday morning. Can’t say I’ve heard a lot of salsa music in my day but this was pleasant, well recorded and just the right duration. Excellent brass throughout, lovely arrangements. Can’t imagine I’ll listen to it again but it started my week with a bit of class.

387/1089 - This is definitely salsa music.

so nice, really like it

Not my type of music, but I thought it was good.

before: never heard this before, expecting Latin Disco, we'll see... after: ...as expected lol. pleasant and lively enough, although not something I'll be listening to again. if I spoke the language I'd probably like it even more

It was fun, but it’s hard to fully enjoy songs without understanding the words

Certainly is Samba

Enjoyable listen

Loved Siembra

Groovy! If i could speak spanish i’d probably adore this but the language barrier is a thing so i have to just rate it pretty good.

fun samba album

3 1/2 Stars: I didn't understand a lick of it, but it's a good time. Honestly, I was hoping for something a little louder, a little more vibrant, a little spicier. This is Salsa afterall. Still, I'm not mad finding my way to this.

TLDR: I appreciated this listen upon closer inspection. This was a quick and easy listen. If I had a single dancing bone in my body I may have appreciated it more, but alas I do not. I appreciated the West Side Story reference in Pedro Navaja and the little I was able to recognize from the Spanish lyrics. Took the time for a second listen and lyrics translation and got a lot more out of the album, most notably the lyrics of Plastico and Pedro Navaja. The style of Maria Lionza was also a standout for me.

Sons latinos, orchestre avec beaucoup de cuivre (trompettes, saxo). Willie colon a permis de rendre le trombone écouté par le public via ses musiques et ruben blades. Colon a été un artiste latino avec une réelle influence. Cet album est frais a écouter lorsque l’on invite a la maison, pas si redondant même pour un album latino. Album marquant pour la salsa (adopté par les étudiants pour les luttes de paix et les fiertés latines)

This is bordering on 4 stars, however I find that I just wasn't quite getting into the songs as much as I thought I would.

Don't know the difference between salsa and samba, but when I ever find myself in a situation in which I have to bring "the sauce" in a very Latin American sense, I will remember this album.

Probably a good album of this genre, I just don't care for this genre. 3 stars or C-.

Colorful Carnival dancing, I can’t tell it’s good or not

Salsa isn’t something really listen to, as I’m sure is the case for most here. From what I read, this is a peak of the genre. I enjoyed it, but it certainly didn’t light a fire to become the turning point in my salsa journey. I can say that the rhythms are infectious - the percussive polyrhythms, fluid but punchy bass, piano serving as a melodic and rhythmic supporting the back. The songs are well arranged, performed, and sung. Despite all that, only about half the songs really landed for me. This is one where understanding the lyrics might help my appreciation grow, as what I’ve seen seems interesting. Perhaps one to give a few more tries, as more familiarity with salsa may enhance my enjoyment (or not).

Best-selling salsa of all time, original and inventive All song hits

Didn't understand most of the words, but at least it had swing!

I appreciated something different and new to me, but it didn't really grab me.

Tror sgu det er på listen fordi det er det mest solgte salsa album nogensinde. Det var sjovt at høre det der major lazer havde sampled i sådan et album. Synes også disco delen i starten af albummet var grineren at have med, det tror jeg helt sikkert jeg vil bruge i et sæt. Tror det går godt til at mixe med noget andet. Tror jeg har en dårlig dag i dag, så føler det er mega uretfærdigt at rate noget. Jeg synes ikke det gjorde det store indtryk på mig, det er god salsa musik og sjovt at lytte til. Men jeg ved ikke om jeg har sat mig ind i teksterne nok eller historien omkring musikken. Det er NEw york salsa som er sådan lidt mere urbant og klubbet. Det er altså det som afspejler sig i lyden af swing og hornsektioner. Det er salsa dura som er mere råt og agressivt. Sangene handler om at leve i byen og miljøet som kan arbejde mod én. Salsa er sgu hyggeligt og sjovt at lytte til, men ved aldrig om det er en "niche" som jeg ender med at dykke ned i. Det håber jeg på en eller anden måde, for så betyder det virkelig jeg har bevæget mig i en anden retning.

This Album was a little disappointing, I’ve actually enjoyed what I’ve heard of other language music, but this was a let down. It is in AOTYs top 500 and the highest rated salsa album I believe but it’s just not my genre. Album Rating: 62/100

picks:plástico, pedro navaja

it's 3.5

Salsa.

good!! I dont think ive actually listened to salsa music on my own so I didnt fully know what to expect. every song in the album was different enough from each other to make the entire album enjoyable. made me want to dance and drink a cocktail. all this considered, there are other genres I prefer so I most likely wont listen to the entire album again 6/10

Not bad, but like very Spanish-style music.

This one was a test of my limited Spanish skills! Great Latin vibes. I felt a bit out of context listening to this in a drizzly UK suburb in January, but it was full of life and a fun listen. I find it interesting how relentlessly upbeat the music is, juxtaposing lines like "Dime cómo me arranco pa siempre el inmenso dolor" with wiggle and a smile. For some reason I always feel like samba works best as music to cook to... I might have fajitas tonight.

Some good jams here, but I have no business reviewing this album. I just have no context for this genre. I'll bet this would be tons of fun to hear in a smoky nightclub somewhere much further south of where I am right now.

Not bad at all, although I’m not sure it quite hit the mark as well as it could have.

Funky Jazz

this was very fun! I think that, as a white and uncultured boy, I cannot unlock the full potential of this album, but the instrumentals are so fun and the backing vocals are wonderful

Pretty cool, not as good as the Cuban album from a while back though. A bit too much of the same thing over and over

I enjoyed this quite a bit on my first listen and then slightly less on my second but it’s still very good and the occasional abrupt genre shifts were enough to keep me excited.

Im positive that I’ve flipped past this in the used bin at a record store before, and I should’ve given it a go — Latin jazz is great. Lots of life, love the Latin country roll call, fuck ICE.

This was a really good album. The Spanish wasn’t to bad to understand either and on relisten I could probably pick some words out get a gist of what’s going on. The one song I think was asking when a lady he liked was going to move on from her grief which is kinda wild.

Soothing and smooth.

Gute Sache kann man mal laufen lassen

Very fun!! enjoyed this listen

3.4 I appreciate a bit of samba, but never knowingly put it on. First two songs were really good, although after that I struggled to enjoy it as much. Always reminds me of cruising down the streets of Vice City as a 14yo with Espantoso playing.

Not my vibe but interesting AF, might one day listen to it again with translation

Was a fun listen, will I listen to more, or explore more, unclear

The first notes start and immediately I know I'll be in for a treat. Sadly later the songs became a bit less soul and more salsa, though still thoroughly enjoyable. Probably won't put it up again but a fun listen. 7/10

i feel bonita

Very fun. Definitely reminded me I need to learn more about Blades’ music career. I was dropping my daughter at school after winter break, so it was the perfect record to get her ready for Spanish class.

Good album to put on as your entrance music when you join a Zoom meeting

Very enjoyable Latin/samba music, could definitely see myself putting it on again. Going with three stars because there’s no standouts or individual songs I’d revisit by itself

Awesome background music, have listened a few times already but honestly no single track sticks in memory.

Coming out of the gate hot with that funky bassline....this is music that everyone can like. I was expecting a bit more genre shifting after that hot start, but it went to pretty straight salsa/Latin music. Very enjoyable and fits a very specific mood.

Completely new artist for me. Enjoyable if not memorable

When an artist's Spotify bio begins with a quote from the International Trombone Association you know you're in for something different--I don't typically listen to trombone-heavy music. And all I can say is, yes, it was something I wouldn't typically listen to and it was pleasantly fine.

This is a fun one, apparently one of the best selling samba records of all time. The music is great and the musicianship is top notch. That said, and I've said it before, I don't understand sitting around and listening to dance music. I suppose I could have gotten up and samba’ed. Anyway, it's very good but I’ll probably never listen again

This was great - super enjoyable. Really nice instrumentation on this album. A solid 3.5 for me.

Am I hearing this right? Something that's not in English? An album that's not American or British? Robert sweetie, are you fine? Were you having a fever? Was the day you added this the day you found out the world has more than two countries? You took a geography lesson by mistake? Even now, he doesn't pick something that does anything outstanding. This album is fine, but that's about it. I could name 10 Latin albums that should've been on this list but aren't. I'm not part of this culture at all, but this is the type of music that plays at weddings at the request of the drunk unmarried uncle in my country, so I doubt it's THAT exciting for Latinos either.

Funky and fun, it’s maybe a little bit cheesy in a way though? A bit soft jazzy at times, lil something from a restaurant in then 70s in America? It’s very easy listening though, you wouldn’t turn it off, and it gets you tapping your feet.

I respect the very talented musicianship and singing on display here, but the music doesn’t speak to me. I found too many small aspects that were featured in the songs to be distracting.

Salsa music is just so pleasant and I will probably never listen to any of it outside of being forced to

Enjoyed this, nice bass and instrumentation, nothing extremely special but a nice listen

Authentic salsa music had me moving round the office.

Generally don’t care about salsa but this one wasn’t too bad.

Not my thing genre-wise, but it was very joyful and fun. Love the reference to West Side Story's America in one of them too.

I was not previously familiar with the artist or the album. This is a disco-influenced salsa album. It is catchy and makes me want to dance. This is not music I would typically listen to but I enjoyed it for what it was. I could see listening to it again if I was in the mood.

Pretty good

A good album. Some of the songs blended together a bit, and it fell on it's face in the last moments, but not bad overall. 3/5

Album cover is a classic. Listened once and enjoyed. Feel like a good album to have in your back pocket for just the right dinner party. Could go down a storm in the right setting. But I've never hosted a dinner party.

High 3 first minute of first track takes us in an exciting disco samba direction. sadly moved to straight samba for the rest. nothing wrong with that but disco samba would of been fun

Don't even know how to rate this. From the little I understood, Willie and Rubén attempted to unite Latin America with salsa. Pretty fun tbh

Bait and switch with the disco bass at the beginning of this record is wacky. The rest is fun salsa from actor/musician/activist Rubén Blades and arranger/musician/band leader Willie Colón and their band. In case you didn't read the wiki article, this is the best-selling salsa record ever. I haven't ever deliberately listened to any other salsa records because I'm slightly allergic to congas and bongos, but this one is pretty OK. I would recommend this album if it was the only salsa record you hear before you die.

Really enjoyed this. Will revisit.

Ehhhhh. I want a margarita now but that might just be because it's mid December and I'm craving summer.

Well, I judged this album by its name and turns out I wasn't wrong. Salsa isn't really my jam unless the food type. But dude does have a great voice.

Fun

Makes you want to dance, as much Latin music does.

Vibes het album! Benieuwd of ik dit een heel album trek, doet me meteen een beetje denken aan de Buena Vista Social Club waar ik heel lekker op ga! Ho ho ho eens even, vind ik daar zowaar het originele sampletje van Bumaye?!?!? Ik dacht al die tijd dat de Typhoon versie de orginele was, maar blijkbaar zit er een nóg ouder sampletje achter. Besef me nu ook wel hoe dom het is om dat te denken, maar goed. Moet wel even benadrukken dat, hoewel ik het best wel lekkere muziek vind, het wel echt achtergrond muziek is. Als ik andere albums vaak standaard 13 in een dozijn rock heb genoemd dan noem ikdit toch wel een beetje 13 in een dozijn salsa. Is dat omdat dit dé standaard is voor salsa? Beetje zoals de Beatles dat voor rock zijn? Dat kan, daar weet ik dan weer niets vanaf. Wat ik wel weet? Dit is een zomers, vibey album. Ik denk dat als het lekkerder weer was geweest dat ik dit meer had kunnen waarderen dan nu helaas. Voor nu; prima album, niet heel bijzonder maar leuk dat er eens een genre in staat dat we nog niet echt gehad hebben. FAVO: Plástico, Pedro Navaja, Maria Lionza

får en att röra på höfterna och det känns som minimum, men också typ att det inte går att önska sig mer. det gör ett bra jobb med vad det försöker, men är inte speciellt ambitiöst.

¡Sixten! ¡Presente! Tänk att sitta i skymningen på en strandbar på Kuba och spela backgammon med nån kommunistgubbe samtidigt som detta spelas i bakgrunden. Dröm.

Brukar störa mig på latin men jag har haft jävligt roligt med den här jäveln.

Vissa stunder vill jag ge en tvåa och andra en fyra. Landar på en stark trea. Skulle behövt marinera mig en vecka i salsa för att kunna göra en bedömning.