- Ricky Martin · 1999
- A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition) · 2015
- Vente Pa' Ca (feat. Maluma) - Single · 2016
- Vuelve · 1998
- El Último Adiós - EP · 2001
- Sound Loaded · 2000
- Fiebre (feat. Wisin & Yandel) - Single · 2018
- Vente Pa' Ca (feat. A-Lin) - Single · 2017
- Canción Bonita - Single · 2021
- El Regreso del Sobreviviente (Deluxe Edition) · 2014
- A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal - Single · 2022
- 11:11 · 2019
Essential Albums
- Filled with smoldering ballads, intimate production, and openhearted sincerity, Ricky Martin’s 10th solo album is pure class. The singer can still deliver the kind of beat-driven smash that made him an international superstar, like the hard-grooving opener, “Adiós,” or Yotuel-assisted "La Mordidita.” But A Quien Quiera Escuchar is all about graceful, organic arrangements and Martin’s arresting sincerity. Acoustic guitars, swaying percussion, and jazz trumpet add glowing atmosphere to ballads like "Disparo al Corazón,” “Nada,” and "Mátame Otra Vez.”
- Ricky Martin’s first Spanish-language album since 1998’s massive <I>Vuelve</I> salutes the Puerto Rican crooner’s roots while flaunting his pop savvy. The serpentine verses of “Jaleo” open up into a booming chorus; “Juramento” frames Martin’s voice in runaway drums and insistent strings. The ballads go all in, too: “Nadie Más Que Tú,” which Martin co-wrote, is awash in lush orchestration and gentle guitars; “Si Tú Te Vas,” penned by Colombian superstar Juanes, combines the breezy rhythms of mid-’00s soft pop with a soaring vocal.
- Ricky Martin’s first English-language album hit the stores in 1999 amidst feverish expectation, and his challenge was to win new fans without alienating his enormous Latin music base. He pulled it off by emphasizing his personal charisma and brash energy, turning Ricky Martin into a mini-review of Latin pop/modern rock show-stoppers that play up different aspects of the singer’s persona. On the ballad side, there are tunes like “Spanish Eyes,” a sultry number draping Martin’s vocals in rich strings. “Be Careful (Cuidado Con Mi Corazon),” a duet with Madonna, achieves similar results with luminous electronica production. More conventional ballads like “She’s All I Ever Had” and “Private Emotion” are adequate if not outstanding, but the real excitement in this album comes from the upbeat tracks, particularly the sassy (if silly) “Shake Your Bon-Bon” and the irresistibly over-the-top “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” In these sweat-drenched numbers, Martin flirts and seduces in joyful thrall to the beat, and you forget that Ricky Martin is a carefully-crafted project designed to please a world-wide audience. You simply surrender to this gifted singer’s undeniable charm.
- Starting with his breakout stint in Menudo, Ricky Martin was one of the bright lights of Latin pop. But 1998’s <I>Vuelve</I> shot him into the stratosphere, and with good reason: Bon-bon shakers like the brassy “Lola, Lola” and weepy ballads like “Perdído Sin Tí” showcase Martin’s overwhelming charisma and robust voice. Standouts like the passionate title track and the galloping World Cup anthem “La Copa de la Vída” became Latin-pop standards almost instantly and cemented Martin’s place in the constellation of Latin greats.
- 1999
Artist Playlists
- He's the global face of crossover Latin pop.
- The evolution of one of Latin pop's princes.
- The Latin pop icon shows a very different side to his Spanish-speaking fans.
More To Hear
- No, we aren't talking about “Livin’ La Vida Loca.”
- “Livin’ la Vida Loca” conquered pop 25 years ago.
- The Latin pop icon on coming out.
- The singer talks his latest single “Cántalo."
About Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin has been one of Latin pop’s leading ambassadors since the '80s when he started out as a member of the boy band Menudo, bringing Puerto Rican pop all over the globe. Born Enrique Martín Morales in San Juan in 1971, Martin gained renown as an actor and singer after leaving the group in 1989, and his 1998 album Vuelve was a worldwide sensation, with the swaying title track and the rousing World Cup anthem “La Copa de la Vida” showing off his grown-man tenor. His eponymous 1999 English-language debut cemented his megastardom, with the giddy chart-topper “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and the swooning Madonna duet “Be Careful” proving he was a major player. In the years since, he’s balanced his A-list status as an actor, philanthropist, and advocate for Puerto Rico with his musical curiosity, collaborating with next-generation artists like Bad Bunny and Maluma on cutting-edge tracks and tugging at listeners’ heartstrings on ballads like “Tal Vez” and “Falta Amor”—all while celebrating the legacy and future of Latin pop. “I remember in 1999, when ‘Livin’ la Vida Loca’ came out, everybody said, ‘Oh, my God! The Latin explosion—boom!’” Martin told Apple Music. “Thank you, thank you very much… but it’s been there for a while.”
- FROM
- San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States
- BORN
- December 24, 1971
- GENRE
- Pop