Unlike Valentine’s Day celebrated on Feb. 14 in the U.S., Colombia waits until the third Saturday of September to celebrate “día del amor y la amistad” (or day of love and friendship). Culled from our editors’ playlists, Billboard has put together a list of 25 personal love songs. And what better day to share the love than on Colombia’s Valentine’s Day?
The list of songs features classics (old and new) that have soundtracked multigenerational Latin households for decades. And, in terms of genre, the list runs the gamut, so it’s safe to say that there’s something for every Latin music lover.
Among the songs is Ricky Martin’s ultra-romantic ’90s anthem “El Amor De Mi Vida,” which he released just after his time with the boy band Menudo. The track chronicles the first love and peaked at No. 8 on Hot Latin Songs.
Then there’s Carla Morrison’s “Disfruto” from the early 2010s, which showcases her knack for emitting raw emotion in her songs. The lyrics also tug at your heart not only because they’re so raw, but because Morrison injects pathos into her delivery. Also on our list is Gustavo Cerati’s “Cactus,” one of the Argentine rock star’s greatest love songs. His vivid lyrical imagery binds nature with a vast, eternal love in this swelling musical anthem.
If you’re a regional Mexican fan, we’ve got you covered. While it was hard to choose just one from Banda MS’ repertoire, the group’s banda anthem “Mi Razón de Ser” is included. It’s the type of song with achingly beautiful lyrics that you’ll want to serenade your amor with.
Be prepared to cry (or propose) as you listen to the 25 canciones románticas, arranged in alphabetical order, that made our list.