19 music experts from around Latin America – including beehype’s contributor in Peru – created an impressive list of the region’s outstanding albums from the last century.
As an enthusiastic person in projects that involve covering Latin America, a little over three years ago, I accepted an invitation to meet people from other parts of the Americas on a digital platform. The first message I read was from Chilean journalist Cristofer Rodríguez, who said: “I created a WhatsApp group to start talking about Latin American albums.”
Days later, Venezuelan journalist Mercedes Sanz writes: “If it’s Latin America, Spain wouldn’t be included, but Brazil would. I wouldn’t base it so much on successful albums, though they would be included, but rather on albums that have contributed.”
Minutes later, Mexican journalist José Juan Zapata says: “The concrete idea is to start with a first project that will be the 500 albums of Latin America… it would be in digital format, on a website.” Fourteen months later, José Juan himself said: “What if we aim to reach 600?”
Some of these messages describe just a small part of the monumental task undertaken by 19 people from Chile, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.
Over a period of three years, we created Los 600 de Latinoamérica – a list that could cover, as an introduction, 600 albums that are part of Latin American musical history. To reach these results, we went through many proposals made by me and the rest of the journalists who formed the project.
The result is a numerical list that reviews all Latin American countries, including the United States, covering genres such as bolero, canción melódica, cumbia, salsa, samba, among others, and includes music recorded over more than 100 years. This level of extension makes it a unique reference medium for anyone who wants to delve into the discography of Latin American music.
The focus of the project is to celebrate Latin identity and its musical history, and it has mostly received positive reactions from the public, who appreciate the representation of Latin American music in such an exhaustive format. However, the organizers acknowledge that the list is also subject to criticism and debate, which they consider a valuable part of the process.
The first ten albums on the “600 Discos de Latinoamérica” list are as follows:
1. “Siembra” (1978) – Willie Colón & Rubén Blades (United States/Panama): This album is considered a classic of the salsa genre, with iconic songs addressing social and political themes.
2. “Las últimas composiciones” (1966) – Violeta Parra (Chile): An emblematic work of Chilean folk music, reflecting Violeta Parra’s emotional commitment to the song movement.
3. “Re” (1994) – Café Tacvba (Mexico): This album is a reference point for Latin American rock, standing out for centralizing Mexican styles and sounds, which went from unsettling purists to becoming a classic.
4. “Al final de este viaje…” (1978) – Silvio Rodríguez (Cuba): A fundamental album of the Cuban nueva trova, full of poetic lyricism and political perspective.
5. “Construção” (1971) – Chico Buarque (Brazil): An MPB album that explores complex themes like urban life and political oppression, under meticulous production.
6. “Clics modernos” (1983) – Charly García (Argentina): Considered one of the most influential albums in Spanish-language rock, with a sound indebted to samples and synthesizers.
7. “Chega de saudade” (1959) – João Gilberto (Brazil): This album is one of the cornerstones of bossa nova, known for its rhythmic innovation and smooth vocal style.
8. “Son con guaguancó” (1966) – Celia Cruz (Cuba): An album that showcases Celia Cruz’s powerful voice and her influence on the Afro-Caribbean music genre.
9. “Juan Gabriel en el Palacio de Bellas Artes” (1990) – Juan Gabriel (Mexico): A live recording that captures the energy and talent of the iconic Mexican singer and songwriter.
10. “Dónde están los ladrones?” (1998) – Shakira (Colombia): A pop-rock album that catapulted Shakira to international recognition, with lyrics that resonated with young women at the end of the 20th century.
The entire list is available at www.600discoslatam.com.
