The decade of the 1980s was known for the most diverse music ever made, from electronic music to rap and rock. Latin music, on the other hand, became more popular during this time as well. The 80s were filled with Latin pop stars who dominated the airwaves and won over many fans from all over the world.
Here are some of the most popular Latin songs that were released in the 1980s:
“La Bamba” (1987) by Los Lobos
One of the top classic Latin songs is La Bamba. It’s very likely you have heard about Los Lobos, the band that came from Los Angeles. The band was actually born and raised in Mexico. But after that, they started playing in the United States, and they sang a lot of their songs in the English language. It is simply about how you can dance la bamba, which is a couple’s dance that makes for a fun, enjoyable time for everyone.
This short song explains some of the most important details of Mexican culture. The song is often performed in Mexican weddings. While the first official song that was recorded in 1939 still lives, it was arguably Los Lobos’ version that forever made the song a staple in music.
People who were in the 80s loved this song because it was previously a classic. It was a very popular Spanish song that many native Spanish speakers were aware of, and everybody mostly heard it played at lots of social events. People who grew up loved this song so much that later, when they became adults, they played it for their children.
“Isabel” (1984) by Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel is a famous singer who has played a very important role in the history of Latin America. He is also the author of this amazingly great Spanish song. Within the song, the man is singing about going insane because of a woman named Isabel. He is constantly asking her to come back to him because he mourns her absence. Isabel is considered his dream, and he’s lost without her.
You will find the rhythm and melody of this song to be enchanting. You are able to dance along while doing so. On many occasions, people would play the song while they were at social gatherings and partying. And of course, the girls liked this song, because Luis Miguel was known as a heartthrob. The song became very famous, and virtually everyone could cite the lyrics like the back of their hands.
“Querida” (1984) by Juan Gabriel
This is the song that has become the signature song of Latin music’s melodramatic virtuoso. “Querida” has Juan Gabriel in the zone. He appears sensitive but still manly, as well as flamboyant but somewhat brass.
The melody of Juanga combines Sinatra-style pop and orchestral composition backbeats that remind you of the Beatles, which all combine into a desperate sound. The repetition of lines in the chorus adds another layer of intensity to the story of this loveless Romeo, which ends in a dramatic finale. The music of Juan Gabriel can be described as Mexico’s version of Elvis and Prince.
