''Vuelve'' () is the fourth studio album by Puerto Rican singer
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography spanning ...
.
Sony Discos
Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC (often referred to as Sony Music Latin) is a record label owned by Sony Music. The label focuses on artists of Latin music.
History
In 1979, CBS Records (now Columbia Records) ended its partnership with ...
and
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
released it on February 12, 1998. Martin worked with producers
KC Porter
Karl Cameron Porter, known as ''K.C'' (born June 27, 1962), is an American record producer, singer-songwriter, arranger and composer, winner of six Grammy Awards and two Latin Grammy Awards. Porter has worked on more than 40 albums with sales in ...
,
Robi Draco Rosa
Draco Cornelius Rosa Suárez (; born Robert Edward Rosa Suárez, June 27, 1969), also known as Draco Rosa, Robi Draco Rosa or simply Robi or Draco, is a Puerto Rican singer, musician, songwriter and entrepreneur.
Rosa originally garnered fame ...
, and
Desmond Child
John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known professionally as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and producer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008.
His hits as a songwriter include Kiss's "I Was Made for Lovi ...
to create the album. Following the worldwide success of the song "
María" from his previous album, ''
A Medio Vivir
''A Medio Vivir'' ( en, Half Living) is the third studio album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released by Sony Music and Columbia on September 12, 1995 (US).
Commercial performance
The album has sold over three million copies, worldw ...
'' () (1995), Martin returned to the studio and began recording material while on tour. ''Vuelve'' is a
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
record with
Latin dance
Latin dance is a general label, and a term in partner dance competition jargon. It refers to types of ballroom dance and folk dance that mainly originated in Latin America.
The category of Latin dances in the international dancesport competi ...
numbers and
pop ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. Cu ...
s. "María" caught the attention of
FIFA
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
, who asked Martin to write an
anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
for the
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup was the 16th FIFA World Cup, the football world championship for men's national teams. The finals tournament was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. The country was chosen as the host nation by FIFA for the ...
being held in France. Martin subsequently recorded "
La Copa de la Vida
"The Cup of Life" (Spanish: "La Copa de la Vida") is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his fourth studio album, '' Vuelve'' (1998). Martin created the song after FIFA requested of him an anthem. The song was written by Lui ...
", composed by Porter, Rosa, and Desmond Child for the World Cup.
Critics' reviews of the album were generally positive; they praised its uptempo tracks and its production, though some criticized it for containing too many ballads. Martin received several accolades, including the
Best Latin Pop Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the Latin pop genre. Honors i ...
at the
41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999. ''Vuelve'' debuted at number one on the US
''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums chart and peaked at number forty on the
''Billboard'' 200. Martin's performance of "La Copa de la Vida" on the Grammy Awards show was credited for boosting the album's sales. Certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), it sold more than 888,000 copies in the United States, standing as the
10th best-selling Latin album in the country. ''Vuelve'' reached number one in Norway, Portugal, and Spain, as well as the top 10 in seven other countries, including Australia and Italy. As of 2008, the album had sold over six million copies worldwide.
''Vuelve'' spawned six singles: its title track, "
Vuelve", "La Copa de la Vida", "
La Bomba", "
Perdido Sin Ti", "
Por Arriba, Por Abajo", and "
Casi un Bolero". "Vuelve" and "Perdido Sin Ti" both reached number one on the
''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs in the US while "La Copa de la Vida" became an international hit in both Europe and South America. For promotion, Martin embarked on the worldwide Vuelve tour performing in Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico, South America, and the United States.
Background and recording
In 1995,
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography spanning ...
released his third studio album, ''
A Medio Vivir
''A Medio Vivir'' ( en, Half Living) is the third studio album by the Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, released by Sony Music and Columbia on September 12, 1995 (US).
Commercial performance
The album has sold over three million copies, worldw ...
''. On it, he shifted from his traditional
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
-style compositions to a riskier fusion of music focused on traditional
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
sounds, epitomized by the song "
María". Taken aback by the starkly different musical style, his
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
executives felt the song would ruin Martin's career. Despite this, "María" was chosen as the album's second
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
and became a breakthrough success, reaching number one in France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Finland, Italy, Turkey, and the whole of South America.
As of 2014, ''A Medio Vivir'' has sold over three million copies worldwide.
"María" caught the attention of
FIFA
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
. They contacted Martin in the middle of his tour and asked him to write an
anthem
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...
for the
1998 World Cup; Martin subsequently recorded "
La Copa de la Vida
"The Cup of Life" (Spanish: "La Copa de la Vida") is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin for his fourth studio album, '' Vuelve'' (1998). Martin created the song after FIFA requested of him an anthem. The song was written by Lui ...
" () composed by
KC Porter
Karl Cameron Porter, known as ''K.C'' (born June 27, 1962), is an American record producer, singer-songwriter, arranger and composer, winner of six Grammy Awards and two Latin Grammy Awards. Porter has worked on more than 40 albums with sales in ...
,
Desmond Child
John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known professionally as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and producer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008.
His hits as a songwriter include Kiss's "I Was Made for Lovi ...
, and fellow ex-member of
Menudo Robi Draco Rosa
Draco Cornelius Rosa Suárez (; born Robert Edward Rosa Suárez, June 27, 1969), also known as Draco Rosa, Robi Draco Rosa or simply Robi or Draco, is a Puerto Rican singer, musician, songwriter and entrepreneur.
Rosa originally garnered fame ...
.
According to the vice president of marketing at Sony Music Europe, Richard Ogden, FIFA chose Martin because he "exemplified all of the ideals that organizers of the famed football (soccer) tournament wanted us to try to embody in music".
While on tour in 1997, Martin returned to the studio and began recording material for his fourth studio album. He said the experience of touring and recording at the same time was "brutal and incredibly intense".
On December 7, 1997, Martin confirmed he was completing his next project and that the album would be released in February of the following year. He worked on the album with producers Porter and Rosa, and recorded it in studios across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Spain.
The album's title, ''Vuelve'', was announced on January 25, 1998. In an interview with
CNN en Español
CNN en Español is a Pan-American Spanish-language news channel, owned by CNN Global, a news division for Warner Bros. Discovery. It was launched on pay television, on 17 March 1997.
History CNN en Español before 1997
In 1988, CNN began produc ...
, he emphasized it was going to "reaffirm the internationalization of my career and I know that it will help me a lot to destroy the stereotypes that may exist with my culture".
Composition and lyrics
''Vuelve'' is a Latin album composed of 14 songs, consisting mainly of "red-hot"
Latin dance
Latin dance is a general label, and a term in partner dance competition jargon. It refers to types of ballroom dance and folk dance that mainly originated in Latin America.
The category of Latin dances in the international dancesport competi ...
numbers and "melodramatic"
pop ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. Cu ...
s.
The uptempo tracks "Lola, Lola" and "
La Bomba" () mix the musical styles of
salsa
Salsa most often refers to:
* Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments
* Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music
* Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music
Salsa or SALSA may also refer to:
...
and
rumba
The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated music styles. Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for "party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th century it was used to denote the complex of secular music styles known as Cuban rumba. ...
with
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
,
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
, and
pop.
On "
Por Arriba, Por Abajo" (), Martin asks the saints to have his love interest dance with him. It is a
samba
Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...
-influenced track, accompanied by African chants and "wicked horn blasts".
"La Bomba" is influenced by the Puerto Rican dance
of the same name; its lyrics discuss how the singer gets drunk from the rhythm.
The song features Cuban musician
Paquito Hechavarría
Paquito Hechavarría (21 February 1939 – 27 September 2012) was a Cuban pianist. Hechavarría built his career in Cuba by playing in some of the most popular orchestras, including Conjunto Casino, Orquesta Riverside and Los Armónicos. However, ...
on the piano.
"Lola, Lola" is an uptempo number, on which the singer sings about the women he desires.
The title track, penned by Venezuelan singer-songwriter
Franco De Vita
Franco Atilio De Vita De Vito (born January 23, 1954, in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan Latin Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter. His first album as a solo artist garnered three Spanish-language hits in Venezuela. He signed with the C ...
,
is a "sultry" love song with a
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
chorus and includes the narrator pleading with Martin's love interest to return as she gives meaning to his life.
In a 2007 interview with Estudio Billboard, De Vita recalled he had been writing the song for 10 years when Martin asked him to compose a track for the album. "
Corazonado" () and "
Perdido Sin Ti" () are ballads with "aching, slower-paced narratives", with the latter track being a "bedroom staple with a dreamy hook and a simmering feel".
"
Casi un Bolero" () is a
bolero
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...
about an artist "
sessed with his own broken heart and threatening to die if his lover does not return". An instrumental version of the song was recorded for ''Vuelve'', which serves as the closing track.
"Hagamos el Amor" () is an orchestrated ballad with a
string arrangement and a "brooding" piano".
"La Copa de la Vida", the official theme for the 1998 World Cup, is a samba song featuring various instruments including bells, whistles, horns, trumpets, and percussion. On the song, Martin declares life is a competition where one has to "dream to be the champ".
"Así es la Vida" () is as "openly pop as it is romantic" and includes a chorus in the background.
Martin recorded two
cover
Cover or covers may refer to:
Packaging
* Another name for a lid
* Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package
* Album cover, the front of the packaging
* Book cover or magazine cover
** Book design
** Back cover copy, part of co ...
songs in Spanish for the album: "
Marcia Baila
"Marcia Baïla" is a 1984 song recorded by the French duo Les Rita Mitsouko. It was the third single from their first album, ''Rita Mitsouko'', and was released in April of that year. Dedicated to a dancer with the band who died in 1981, this so ...
" () and "
Gracias por Pensar en Mi
"Gracias por Pensar en Mi" (English: "Thank You for Thinking of Me") is the third single from Ricky Martin's first live album, ''MTV Unplugged'' (2006). Released on March 20, 2007, it was originally included on Martin's 1998 album '' Vuelve''. "Gr ...
" ().
Les Rita Mitsouko
Les Rita Mitsouko (, translation: ''The Rita Mitsukos'') were a French pop rock group formed by Fred Chichin and Catherine Ringer. The duo first performed as Rita Mitsouko at Gibus Club in Paris in 1980. They went on to become one of the most a ...
originally performed "Marcia Baila", and was a success in France in the 1980s.
"Gracias por Pensar en Mi" is an adaptation of "A Via Lactea" () by
Legião Urbana
Legião Urbana (Portuguese for Urban Legion) was a Brazilian rock band formed in 1982 in Brasília, Distrito Federal. The band primarily consisted of Renato Russo (vocals, bass and keyboards), Dado Villa-Lobos (guitar) and Marcelo Bonfá (d ...
from their album ''
A Tempestade ou O Livro dos Dias'' (1996).
Renato Russo
Renato Russo (born Renato Manfredini, Jr., March 27, 1960 – October 11, 1996) was a Brazilian singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the alternative rock band Legião Urbana. A Brazilian film depicting his life and career was rele ...
had written it months before he died of
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
. The narrator for "Gracias por Pensar en Mi is a person close to dying.
''Vuelve'' also features the song "No Importa la Distancia", the Spanish-language version of "
Go the Distance
"Go the Distance" is a song from Disney's 1997 animated feature film, ''Hercules''. It was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, and originally recorded by American actor Roger Bart in his film role as the singing voice of He ...
" by
Michael Bolton
Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998. (born February 26, 1953), known professio ...
from the movie ''
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
''. It was released as a single for the Latin American edition of the
''Hercules'' soundtrack in 1997 and peaked at number 10 on the
Latin Pop Airplay
Latin Pop Airplay (also referred to as Latin Pop Songs) is a record chart published on ''Billboard'' magazine and a subchart of the Latin Airplay chart. The chart focuses on Latin pop music, namely Spanish-language pop music. It was established b ...
chart.
Singles
![Franco De Vita en concierto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Franco_De_Vita_en_concierto.jpg)
The title track was released as the album's first single on January 26, 1998. It was his first number-one song on the
''Billboard'' Hot Latin Songs chart in the US.
The song became a top five hit in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Panama, and on Mexico's ballads chart.
It reached number one in Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala,
Honduras,
Nicaragua,
Peru, and Venezuela. The track was the theme song for the Mexican telenovela ''
Sin ti'' (1997). "La Copa de la Vida" was released as the second single on March 9, 1998.
The song grew to be an international success, appearing on the charts in more than 60 countries,
and reaching number one in 30 countries, including Australia, Belgium (Wallonia), Costa Rica,
El Salvador,
France, Germany, Italy,
Panama,
Spain, Nicaragua,
Sweden, Switzerland, Venezuela, as well as topping the
European Hot 100 Singles
The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and '' Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately ...
chart.
It peaked at number two in Norway, as well as on the ballads chart in Mexico, and the Hot Latin Songs chart in the US.
The song has been ranked as the best World Cup anthem of all-time by multiple publications.
The third single from ''Vuelve'', "La Bomba", was released on June 16, 1998; it reached number five in Spain, number 27 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, and ranked on several charts in Europe and Australia.
The album's fourth single, "Perdido Sin Ti", was released on August 18, 1998, and became Martin's second number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
"Por Arriba, Por Abajo", was the fifth single to be released from ''Vuelve'' on November 3, 1998; it reached number 13 in Spain and number 33 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
The album's final single, "Casi un Bolero", was launched on December 21, 1998. "Corazonado" was released as a
promotional single
A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
in the US and peaked at number 20 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
Music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
s were filmed for "Vuelve", "La Copa de la Vida", "La Bomba", "Perdido Sin Ti", and "Por Arriba, Por Abajo".
Marketing
Release
Sony Music
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
released ''Vuelve'' in Puerto Rico on February 12, 1998. Martin was on hand for the album's launch. It was released on the same day in the United States, February 24 in Spain, and the following month across the rest of Europe and Southeast Asia. To promote ''Vuelve'' in Asian markets, Sony Music Asia released a promo
CD containing three versions of "María", and "The Cup of Life" (the English-language version of "La Copa de la Vida").
Sony Music Japan launched the album in the label's native country on March 25, 1998, to coincide with Martin's advertisement campaign for
Suzuki
is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
.
The European edition of ''Vuelve'' includes the
Spanglish
Spanglish (a portmanteau of the words "Spanish" and "English") is any language variety (such as a contact dialect, hybrid language, pidgin, or creole language) that results from conversationally combining Spanish and English. The term is mos ...
radio edit of "La Copa de la Vida" while the Australian adds the radio edit of "María" as well; neither features the instrumental rendition of "Casi un Bolero". The Japanese release includes the three aforementioned tracks. For the Asian market, the album includes two more remixes of "La Copa de la Vida" in addition to a remix of "La Bomba", the Spanglish rendition of "Casi un Bolero" and Martin's previously-recorded songs "
Corazón" (), "
Dónde Estarás
"Dónde Estarás" (English: "Where Could You Be") is a song by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin released as the only promotional single from his third studio album, ''A Medio Vivir'' (1995) on November 20, 1997.Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo
"Te Extraño, Te Olvido, Te Amo" () is a song performed by Puerto Rican-American recording artist Ricky Martin for his third studio album, ''A Medio Vivir'' (1995). The song was written by Carlos Lara, while the production was handled by K.C. P ...
" (). Martin advertised ''Vuelve'' on ''
Siempre en Domingo
''Siempre en Domingo'' (translated ''Always on Sunday'') is a Mexican variety show created and hosted by Raúl Velasco. The show aired on Televisa from December 14, 1969 until April 19, 1998 when Velasco retired.
''Siempre en Domingo'' became one ...
'' in Mexico and ''
Hey Hey It's Saturday
''Hey Hey It's Saturday'' was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 28 years on the Nine Network from 9 October 1971 to 20 November 1999, with a recess in 1978. Its host throughout its entire ...
'' in Australia.
Live performances
To further promote ''Vuelve'', Martin embarked on the worldwide Vuelve Tour; he performed in Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico, South America, and the United States. The day after releasing the album, Martin held two sold-out concerts at the 30,000-seat
Hiram Bithorn Stadium
Hiram Bithorn Stadium (Spanish: Estadio Hiram Bithorn) is a baseball park in San Juan, Puerto Rico, built in 1962 and designed by Puerto Rican architect Pedro Miranda. It is operated by the municipal government of the city of San Juan. Its name ho ...
in Puerto Rico on February 13 and 14, 1998, respectively.
In South America, he performed in Argentina,
Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. His shows in Venezuela and Peru were held as
benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate hu ...
s, the former as part of "A Venezuela Without Drugs" campaign, and the latter for the Foundation for Children of Peru . Martin also participated in the second annual "Festival Presidente de Música Latino" in the Dominican Republic on June 26, 1997, where he had top billing for the event. In Asia, he toured in India, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore. A concert was planned for Indonesia in May of the same year but was cancelled because of
anti-government rioting. In the US, he performed at the
Miami Arena
Miami Arena was an indoor arena located in Miami, Florida. The venue served as the home of the NBA's Miami Heat, and the NHL's Florida Panthers. From 1988 until 1999, it also was the indoor arena for the Miami Hurricanes.
History
Completed in ...
in Miami, the
Arrowhead Pond in Los Angeles, and
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
in New York. His sold-out performance at the Arrowhead Pond grossed over $446,805 which landed it at number 10 on the Boxscore chart on November 7, 1998. For this achievement, the concert's promoter, the
Nederlander Organization, presented Martin with the Estrella del Pond Award. His show at Madison Square Garden grossed $632,180 placing it second on the Boxscore chart of November 10.
A 14-piece band accompanied Martin during his tour, which included four backup vocalists alongside percussion and brass sections.
His hour-and-45 minute show consisted of 17 tracks of uptempo numbers and ballads from ''Vuelve'' and his earlier career.
Aside from the tour, Martin sang "The Cup of Life" live at the
1998 FIFA World Cup Final in France, on the halftime show at the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
-
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
game at the
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca () is a multi-purpose stadium located in Mexico City. It is the official home of football clubs Club América and Cruz Azul as well as the Mexico national football team. The stadium sits at an altitude of above sea level. Wit ...
in Mexico City, and the 1999 Grammy Awards.
''Billboard'''s John Lannert criticized Martin's presentation in Puerto Rico for the uneven number of slow-tempo and
dance
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
numbers as well as the awkward pauses when he changed outfits off-stage.
The ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' critic Ernesto Lechner felt that Martin "showcased his slick, masterfully composed pop material" at his show at the Arrowhead Pond but remarked that the singer "might have served himself and his fans better by performing a handful of nights at a more intimate venue than the Pond".
Critical reception
''Vuelve'' was met with generally favorable reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
with the uptempo tracks receiving with the most positive reactions.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's Jose F. Promis complimented Martin over how it "effectively balances" dance tracks and ballads. He cited "La Copa de la Vida" as the main highlight but preferred the original version on the album to the English-language adaption. He also lauded the other dance numbers from the record.
John Lannert of ''Billboard'' magazine compared ''Vuelve'' to ''A Medio Vivir'' as a "like-minded package of meaty, bitter-sweet romantic ballads and chest-pumping, upbeat numbers". He felt the uptempo songs had the potential to be a hit.
Vilma Maldonado of ''
The Monitor'' praised the record as "creative history" and its production as "seamless" and mentioned that "La Copa de la Copa" stands out the most.
Writing for ''
Vista
Vista usually refers to a distant view.
Vista may also refer to:
Software
*Windows Vista, the line of Microsoft Windows client operating systems released in 2006 and 2007
* VistA, (Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture) ...
'' magazine, Carmen Teresa Roiz described the record as a metamorphosis for Martin; she regarded it as the culmination of his music career in "all his splendor".
In the ''
San Antonio Express-News'', Ramiro Burr remarked Martin "took careful notes" following the success of "Maria" as ''Vuelve'' "continues in that same party fever vein but with more intensity".
Burr complimented Porter for being able to maintain the "right balance between the gorgeous
R&B drive of the horn and high-energy pop rhythms" on the production and commented that the ballads "serve only as breaks from dancing".
David Wild of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' touted the record's "extremely polished and infectious
Latin pop
Latin pop (in Spanish and in Portuguese: Pop latino) is a pop music subgenre that is a fusion of US–style music production with Latin music genres from anywhere in Latin America and Spain. Originating in Spanish-speaking musicians, Latin po ...
that's immediately accessible even to dogged English-speaking types".
The ''
Miami Herald
The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a List of communities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, city in western Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the M ...
'' editor
Leila Cobo
Leila Cobo is a Colombian journalist, writer, novelist, pianist and television show host. She is noted for her coverage of Latin music for ''Billboard'' where she is currently the Chief Content Officer for Latin Music and Español, overseeing the ...
wrote a positive review of ''Vuelve''; she called the album a "collection of ''baila''-able tunes interspersed with catchy pop ballads and felt the arrangements make it "stand above the often heavily synthesized Latin pop fray".
For ''
The Dallas Morning News
''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ''Galvesto ...
'', Mario Tarradell complimented the singer for "showing a refreshing flair for diversity". He regarded the dance tunes "Lola, Lola", "La Bomba", and "Marcia Baila" as the best tracks on the album.
Critics, however, were divided on the ballads. Promis found some of them forgettable, particularly on the second half of the record.
Maldonado found the title track found the hook on the title track to be "instant and unforgettable" a sentiment shared by Roiz whereas Cobo criticized it as one of the weakest songs from the album and felt its choruses were "irritating" as they overshadowed Martin's voice.
Burr's only complaint about ''Vuelve'' was the inclusion of "No Importa la Distancia", describing it as "sappy" which Tarradell similarly expressed as an "unwelcome dose of sugary pap".
Tarradell also opined that the ballads "fell into excess" and called the instrumental version of "Casi un Bolero" an "overkill" although he praised "Vuelve" and "Perdido Sin Ti".
The ''Los Angeles Times'' Lechner commended Martin's vocal ability on the album to "handle both ballads and up-tempo tunes" and cited the title track would make the album "most likely survive the test of time".
In addition, he admired "Hagamos el Amor" for its "sly use of the orchestral passages, passionate delivery, and an overall mood that belongs only to an album by a real artist" despite recognizing the title of the song.
Richard Torres of ''
Newsday
''Newsday'' is an American daily newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI", and f ...
'', writing a positive review of ''Vuelve'', was more receptive of the ballads. He complimented Martin's "soulful
falsetto
''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave.
It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...
" on "Corazonado", the "sweetness" of "Perdido Sin Ti", and the "gospel-ish intensity" on the title track.
Accolades
At the
10th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards in 1998, ''Vuelve'' received a nomination for
Pop Album of the Year, but lost to ''
Me Estoy Enamorando'' by
Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández Abarca (; born 24 April 1971) is a Mexican singer.
Nicknamed as El Potrillo by the media and his fans, he has sold over 20 million records worldwide, making him one of the most successful Hispanic music artists. He is the ...
.
At the
41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999, Martin won the
Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for releasing albums in the Latin pop genre. Honors i ...
for ''Vuelve''. At the 1999
''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards, it won Pop Album of the Year by a Male Artist, and El Premio de la Gente for Male Pop Artist or Group and Album of the Year at the Ritmo Latino Music Awards in the same year. In 2015, the album was listed among ''Billboard''s 50 Essential Latin Albums of the 50 Past Years. An editor opined, "Pop and dance beats never sounded so good."
Commercial performance
In the US, ''Vuelve'' debuted atop the
''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums the week of February 28, 1998, succeeding ''Me Estoy Enamorando''. The album spent 26 weeks in this position. ''Billboard''s Lannert credited its success on
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...
weekend sales.
On the US ''Billboard'' 200, ''Vuelve'' debuted at number 81.
A year after its release, sales of ''Vuelve'' climbed after Martin's performance of "La Copa de la Vida" at the Grammy Awards. The album ended 1998 as the second best-selling Latin album (after ''Me Estoy Enamorando''), and the best-selling Latin record the following year in the US.
His rendition, along with anticipation of Martin's first
English-language album, helped the former to peak at number 40 on the ''Billboard'' 200.
According to
Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
, ''Vuelve'' has sold over 888,000 copies in the US, making it the
10th best-selling Latin album in the country .
It was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for shipping over 1,000,000 units.
In Canada, ''Vuelve'' reached number three on the ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
'' chart and number 11 on the
Canadian Albums Charts; it was certified double platinum for shipping 200,000 copies in Canada.
Over 1.5 million copies of the album have been shipped in Latin America.
''Vuelve'' has been certified triple platinum in both Argentina and Mexico, and platinum in the respective countries of Peru and Uruguay.
''Vuelve'' debuted atop the
Spanish Albums Chart on the March 4, 1998, issue.
It was certified six-times platinum by the Productores de Música de España (PROMUSICAE), shipment of over 600,000 copies in Spain.
The album also peaked at number one on the
Portuguese Albums Chart
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
,
and received a platinum certification from
Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa
The Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa (AFP; English: ''Portuguese Phonographic Association'') is the recording industry association of the major labels in Portugal. Created in 1989, it succeeded GPPFV (Portuguese group of producers of Phonogra ...
(AFP) denoting shipments of over 40,000 copies in Portugal.
''Vuelve'' debuted at number 34 on the
Norwegian Albums Chart
VG-lista is a Norwegian record chart. It is presented weekly in the newspaper '' VG''. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continents around the world. The data are collected by Nie ...
. In its fifth week on the chart, it peaked at number one and stayed on the top for three consecutive weeks.
It became Martin's first number-one album in Norway,
and was certified gold by
International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Norway for selling over 25,000 copies in the country.
In Sweden, ''Vuelve'' debuted at number 29 on the
albums chart
A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include re ...
on April 10, 1998. After fluctuating on the chart for 17 weeks, on July 31, 1998, it reached its peak at number two.
The album was certified platinum by the
Swedish Recording Industry Association
Grammofonleverantörernas förening (GLF), or the Swedish Recording Industry Association in English, is an organization representing the music recording industry of Sweden. It has compiled and published the official record charts for the Swedish mu ...
(GLF), denoting shipments in Sweden of over 80,000 copies.
It received a platinum certification from the IFPI signifying sales of 1,000,000 copies in Europe,
and as of 2006, over 2.1 million copies have been shipped in the region.
In Southeast Asia, ''Vuelve'' was certified gold in Singapore and platinum in Indonesia, Taiwan, and Thailand.
In Malaysia, the record reached number three on the albums chart, while it peaked at number 19 on Japan's
Oricon Albums Chart, and was certified gold in both countries.
In Turkey, ''Vuelve'' certified sextuple platinum for sales of 180,000 copies, making it the
best-selling album in the country by an international solo artist.
''Vuelve'' shipped over one million copies in Asia and had sold over six million copies worldwide by 2008.
Track listing
Personnel
Credits for ''Vuelve'' adapted from AllMusic and the album liner notes.
Recording and mixing locations
*
Ocean Way Recording
Ocean Way Recording was a series of recording studios established by recording engineer and producer Allen Sides with locations in Los Angeles, California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Saint Barthélemy. Ocean Way Recording no longer operates record ...
, Los Angeles
* Worldbeat Recording,
Calabasas
*
Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Studios is an American film and entertainment studio, and is the Studios Content segment of the Walt Disney Company. Based mainly at the namesake studio lot in Burbank, California, the studio is best known for its multifacete ...
,
Burbank
*
Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios is a recording studio in North Miami, Florida, founded in 1958 by musician Mack Emerman. Hundreds of gold, platinum, and diamond singles and albums have been recorded, mixed or mastered at Criteria, for many notable artists and ...
, Miami
* South Beach Studios, Miami
* Centlemania Club Studio, Miami
* Rumbo Recorders,
Canoga Park
Canoga Park is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Before the Mexican–American War, the district was part of a rancho, and after the American victory it was converted into wheat farms and t ...
* LAFX Studios,
North Hollywood
North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...
* After Hours Studios, Miami
* The Bunny Hop Studios,
Studio City
Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 1927, ...
* O'Henry Studios, Burbank
* Circle House Studios, Miami
*
Capitol Studios,
Hollywood
* Eurosonic Studios, Madrid
*
Studio 56, Hollywood
* Alpha Recording Studios, Puerto Rico
* Tone King Studios, Hollywood
Musicians and technical
* Michael Aarvold – mixing assistant
* Andy Abaz – tres
* Luis Aguino – percussion (Brazilian), trumpet
* Josie Aiello – background vocals
* Mike Ainsworth – mixing assistant
* Rusty Anderson – acoustic guitar
* Jonathan Antin – stylist
* Iris Aponte – project coordinator
* Karla Aponte – composer
* Carmit Bachar – background vocals
* Steve Bartek – orchestration
* John Beasley – piano
* Marcelo Berestovoy – acoustic guitar
* Curt Bisquera – drums
* Phillipe Bourgués – acoustic guitar
* Chris Brooke – mixing assistant
* Robbie Buchanan – keyboards, piano
* Ed Calle – Metales
* Kari Cameron – bass
* Karl Cameron – engineer
* David Campbell – orchestration
* Chris Carroll – mixing assistant
* Teresa Cassin – assistant engineer
* Gloria Cheng – piano
* Fred Chichin – composer
*
Desmond Child
John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known professionally as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and producer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008.
His hits as a songwriter include Kiss's "I Was Made for Lovi ...
– arranger, composer, producer
* Steve Churchyard – engineer
* Tony Concepcion – trumpet, flugel horn
* Luis Conte – percussion
* Ricardo Cordero – background vocals
* Joseph Lito Cortés – acoustic guitar, background vocals
* Orion Crawford – arranger, orchestration
* Franco De Vita – composer
* David Dominguez – assistant engineer
* G.B. Dorsey – background vocals
* Bruce Dukov – concertmaster
* Charles Dye – engineer, mixing
* Luis Enrique – percussion
* Luis Gómez Escolar – composer, Spanish adaptation
* Benny Faccone – engineer, mixing
* Kenneth Faulk – Metales
* Robert Fernandez – engineer
* Jesus "Chuy" Flores – engineer
* Marco Flores – composer
* Humberto Gatica – mixing
* Jim Gilstrap – background vocals
* Francisco Manuel – palmas
* Ruiz Gómez – palmas
* Rich Gomez – acoustic guitar
* Jules Gondar – engineer
* Paul Gordon – assistant engineer
* Reggie Hamilton – bass
* Katrina Harper – background vocals
* Paquito Hechavarria – piano
* Femio Hernández – engineer
* Leo Herrera – mixing assistant
* Bunny Hull – background vocals
* Matt Hyde – engineer
* Ingram – background vocals
* Ethan James – Hurdy Gurdy
* Jorge M. Jaramillo – assistant Engineer
* Brian Jenkins – engineer
* Mortonette Jenkins – background vocals
* Marlena Jeter – background vocals
* Maxine Jeter – background vocals
* Jo Ann Kane – copyist
* John Karpowich – engineer
* Todd Keller – mixing assistant
* Erik Kerly – French horn
* Scott Kieklak – assistant engineer
* John Kricker – trombone
* Michael Landau – electric guitar
* Cesar Lemos – arranger, composer
* Gene Lo Assistant – engineer
* Manny López – guitar
* Renato López – composer
* John Lowson – engineer
* Ángel "Angie" Machado – Brazilian percussion
*
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography spanning ...
– primary artist, Spanish adaptation, background vocals
* Peter McCabe – engineer
* Ángelo Medina – associate producer
* Alan Menken – composer
* Dwight Mikkelsen – copyist
* Lee Moore – stylist
* June Murakawa – mixing assistant
* Kristle Murden – background vocals
* Kieran Murray – assistant engineer
* René Juan De La Cruz Napoli – graphic design
* Rick Nelson – background vocals
* Carlos Nieto – engineer
* Meia Noite – Brazilian percussion
* Rafael Padilla – percussion
* Rik Pekkonen – engineer
* Tony Peluso – mixing
* Archie Peña – arranger, percussion
* Phil Perry – background vocals
* Stella Petrova – background vocals
* Darryl Phinnessee – background vocals
* Alberto Pinto – assistant engineer
* Jeff Poe – engineer
* Javier Pontón – composer
* Mike Porcaro – bass
*
KC Porter
Karl Cameron Porter, known as ''K.C'' (born June 27, 1962), is an American record producer, singer-songwriter, arranger and composer, winner of six Grammy Awards and two Latin Grammy Awards. Porter has worked on more than 40 albums with sales in ...
– arranger, composer, multiple instruments, electric piano, producer, programming
* Luis Quine – mixing assistant
* Leo Quintero – cuatro
* John "J.R." Robinson – drums
* Lázaro Rodriguez – guitar
* Angelina Rosa – background vocals
* Héctor Iván Rosa – engineer
*
Robi Rosa
Draco Cornelius Rosa Suárez (; born Robert Edward Rosa Suárez, June 27, 1969), also known as Draco Rosa, Robi Draco Rosa or simply Robi or Draco, is a Puerto Rican singer, musician, songwriter and entrepreneur.
Rosa originally garnered fame ...
– arranger, background vocals, bass programming, composer, engineer, palmas, piano, producer
* Juan Rosario – assistant engineer
* Keith Rose – engineer
* William Ross – orchestration
* Bob Rothstein – mixing assistant
* Renato Russo – composer
* Iris Salazar – assistant engineer
* Rafa Sardina – assistant engineer
* Jeffrey Shannon – assistant engineer
* Jackie Simley – background vocals
* Bill Smith – assistant engineer
* Travis Smith – mixing assistant
* Rafael Solano – percussion
* Luis Fernándea Soria – engineer
* Stephanie Spruill – background vocals
* Lance Staedler – photography
* Ramón Stagnaro – acoustic guitar
* Ted Stein – engineer
* Neil Stubenhaus – bass
* Sarah Sykes – project coordinator
* Dana Taboe – trombrone
* Michael Thompson – guitar
* Francisco "Pancho" Tomaselli – assistant engineer
* Carmen Twillie – background vocals
* Robert Valdez – assistant engineer
* Camilo Valencia – arranger
* Jose Luis Vega – background vocals
* Danny Vicari – engineer
* Esteban Villanueva – engineer, project coordinator
* Luis Felipe Villanueva – assistant engineer
* Randy Waldman – piano
* Julia Waters – background vocals
* Oren Waters – background vocals
* Peter Yussi Wenger – acoustic guitar
* John West – background vocals
* Doc Wiley – engineer
* Maxine Willard Waters – background vocals
* Juan Vincente Zambrano – arranger, keyboards, programming
* David Zippel – composer
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications and sales
Release history
See also
*
1998 in Latin music
*
List of best-selling albums in Turkey
The following is an independently list of best-selling albums in Turkey. This list can contain any types of album, including studio albums, extended plays, greatest hits, compilations, various artists, soundtracks and remixes. The figures given d ...
*
List of best-selling Latin albums
This is a list of the world's best-selling Latin albums of recorded music. "Latin music" has different meanings in the music industry. For example, the Latin music market in the United States defines Latin music as any release sung mostly in Sp ...
*
List of best-selling Latin albums in the United States
Since July 1993, ''Billboard'' has published the best-selling Latin albums in the United States on the Top Latin Albums chart. Latin music is defined by ''Billboard'' and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as a music release wi ...
*
List of number-one ''Billboard'' Top Latin Albums from the 1990s
*
List of number-one ''Billboard'' Latin Pop Albums from the 1990s
*
List of number-one singles of 1998 (Spain)
This is a list of the Spanish PROMUSICAE Top 20 Singles number-ones of 1998.
Chart history
See also
*1998 in music
* List of number-one hits (Spain)
References
{{Spanish number-one hits
1998
1998 was designated as the ''Internation ...
References
{{Authority control
1998 albums
Ricky Martin albums
Albums produced by Draco Rosa
Spanish-language albums
Albums produced by Desmond Child
Sony Discos albums
Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album
Albums produced by K. C. Porter