Picking up a song to dance to may be easier than learning the dance itself, but you need to pick the one that really gets you in the mood. This rule is all the more important when it comes to salsa, where you need to use every muscle in your body exactly according to the rhythm.
Picked up from the Cubans in the 50s, salsa music rapidly became a global phenomenon. Although Cuban music is still ‘Cuban’, the music that goes with salsa dance originated in New York and was adopted from the Cubans. Salsa originated as a blend of Afro-Cuban and European culture and has won millions of hearts all over the world. Each salsa dance move is one of a kind and many people are showing an inclination towards learning it. So, if you are one such beginner and want to know what are the best salsa songs, look no further than this list.
Top 10 Salsa Songs of All Time
- La Vida Es Un Carnaval – Celia Cruz
- Che Che Cole – Willie Colón
- Pedro Navaja – Rubén Blades
- No Me Acostumbro – Rey Ruiz
- Lluvia – Eddie Santiago
- Vagabundo – El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
- Brujeria (Salsa Mix) – El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
- La Cura – Frankie Ruiz
- Lloraras – Oscar D’ Leon
- Me Tienes Loco – Ismael Rivera
Best Salsa Songs for Beginners
- Barranquillero Arrebatao – Fruko Y Sus Tesos
- Oiga, Mire, Vea – Grupo Niche
- Micaela – La Sonora Carruseles
- Compositor Confundido – Ibrahim Ferrer
- No Sabes Como Duele – Marc Anthony
- Mambo De Cuco – Poncho Sanchez
- Campiña – Afro-Cuban Jazz Project
- Juliana – Cuco Valoy
- Melao de Caña – Oscar D’Leon
- Rumbn Meln – Joey Pastrana
Most Popular Salsa Songs for Parties
- la salsa nunca se acaba – Susie Hansen
- Rico Guaguanco – Chivirico Davila
- Nieve con Sal – Frankie Morales
- Perdóname – Gilberto Santa Rosa
- Baila Me – Gipsy Kings
- Ahora Quien – Marc Anthony
- Yamulemau – Joe Arroyo
- Bem, Bem, Maria – Gipsy Kings
- Bamboleo – Gipsy Kings
- Dimelo – Marc Anthony
Best Fast Salsa Songs
- El Plastico – Rubén Blades
- Arrepentida – Orquesta Adoloscentes
- Bembelecua – Celia Cruz
- Soy el rey – Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez
- La salsa la traigo yo – La Sonora Carruseles
- Al son de los cueros – La Sonora Carruseles
- Mujer Latina – Thalia
- Oye – Gloria Estefan
- Conga – Gloria Estefan
- Muñeca – Son Boricua
Other Great Salsa Songs
- Abuelita – Hector Lavoe Y Willie Colón
- Acabo De Llegar – Alex Leon
- A Comer Chicharron – Charanga Cubana
- Adelante Siempre – Ray Barretto
- A El – Oscar D’Leon
- Africando – Africando
- African Salsa – Papa Fall
- Borinquen – La Sonora Poncena
- Borrachito – Santiago Ceron
- Botaron La Pelota – Willie Rosario
- Canto Al Amor – La Sonora Poncena
- Canto A Mi Tierra – Los Niches
- Cao Cao Mani Picao – Celia Cruz
- Cappuccino – La Sonora Poncena
- Cara De Niño – Jerry Rivera
- El Sopon – Orquesta La Unica
- El Swing – Andy Montanez
- El Swing De Fruko – Fruko Y Sus Tesos
- Haitian Lady – Poncho Sanchez
- Hazme Sentir – Erick
- Hay Cranio – Tito Rodriguez
- Hechicera – Oscar D’ Leon
- Tiburon – Rubén Blades Y Willie Colón
- Tumba – Linda Leyda
- El yerberito – Celia Cruz Y la Sonora Matancera
- Congo bongo – Larry Harlow
- Dime porque – Ismael Rivera
- El rey del mambo – Tito Puente
- Como un huracan – Willie Colón Y Rubén Blades
- Esta cobardia – Frankie Ruiz
- Todo empezo – Eddie Santiago
- Mala Mujer – La Sonora Matancera
- Mi bajo y yo – Oscar D’ Leon
- Juliana – Cuco Valoy
- Me gustas – Anthony Cruz
- 25 rosas – Paquito Guzman
- La rueda – La Solucion
- Casi te envidio – Andy Montanez
- Dile – Victor Manuelle
- La boda de ella – Bobby Valentin
- El piro de farra – Johnny Pacheco
- Condename a tu amor – Tito Rojas
- Calle luna calle sol – Hector Lavoe Y Willie Colón
- Primoroso cantar – Johnny Pacheco
- Viernes social – Cano Estremera
- Mi media mitad – Rey Ruiz
- El padre Antonio – Rubén Blades
- Señora ley – El Conjunto Clasico
- Pida Me La – Gipsy Kings
- Un Siglo Sin Ti – Chayanne
- No Me Ames – Jennifer Lopez feat. Marc Anthony
- Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) – Gipsy Kings
- Torero – Chayanne
- Vamonos pal monte – Eddie Palmieri
- Sonido Bestial – Richie Ray Y Bobby Cruz
- El Nazareno – Ismael Rivera
- Rebelión – Joe Arroyo
- Siempre sere guajiro – Henry Fiol Y Saoco
- Caballo viejo – Roberto Torres
- Senor sereno – Larry Harlow Y Ismael Miranda
- El Cantante – Hector Lavoe
- Salome – Cheo Feliciano
- Devorame otra vez – Lalo Rodriguez
- Regreso – Conjunto Clasico
- Jibaro soy – Raphy Leavitt Y la Selecta
- La rueda – Orquesta la Solucion
- Desnudate mujer – Frankie Ruiz
- Vivir lo nuestro – Marc Anthony Y la India
- Aguanile – La Fania All Star
- Es que no sabes querer – Willie Rosario
- Yo soy la salsa – Richie Ray Y Bobby Cruz
- Es mi Veracruz – Papaito
- Gitana – Willie Colón
- Quitate de la via perico – Ismael Rivera
- El agua de clavelito – Johnny Pacheco
- Tu me quemas – Eddie Santiago
- Anacaona – Fania All Stars
- Nadie es eterno – Tito Rojas
- Hagamos lo que dice el corazon – Grupo Niche
- El panuelito – Ismael Rivera
If you listen to the music played in Cuba in the 1950s, you’ll find a striking similarity to the New York salsa music in the 1980s, and even today. The artists and the performance may change, but the tried and true music is still the same.
