Top 100 Salsa Dance Songs – A Dancer’s Perspective (Part I)
When it comes to pleasing dancers, you must play the top 100 salsa dance songs. But what are they and who decides what are the 100 best songs to dance salsa?
That’s a question that many salsa DJs have asked themselves when trying to play the top 100 salsa dance songs for their audience. There is such a wide variety of styles, velocities, singers and songs that it makes choosing a full hand (or even the one to be played next) a dilemma. However, a good DJ always finds a way to please the majority. On the other hand, a rookie DJ, who doesn’t have the skill level, the knowledge or has never been a real one, dances with the meaning of the song and the music, salsa … well, a disaster is an understatement.
There have been times when I’ve had a PARTICULARLY rough day and I’m so stressed out! I go to salsa clubs, hoping to hear some of the top 100 salsa dance songs that will transform my stress into joy. Some DJs, from the first note / beat, simply manage to perform true miracles, playing songs that are not only fun to listen to, but also exciting to dance to. The blood begins to circulate, and yet there is a chill down the spine. Your feet start to move … and no matter how aware people are watching you, you can’t help but move your feet (and lose yourself in that rhythm!).
Then there are those DJs who don’t understand the music or the words, much less the meaning or feeling of the songs. The kind of DJ who plays the same songs over and over, even in the same sequence, every time they DJ at an event / club. Or worse yet, the kind that looks like they just stopped at the local Starbucks, saw a salsa CD between the Frank Sinatra and Yoga Relaxation Jazz CDs and decided … “sounds good, I’ll play it all night.”
As an “Old Style” salsa dancer, who understands what the singer sings (and his “soneos” [improvisations]), those things just make my salsa joy dial turn all the way, almost all the way down, as disappointment sets in, yearning to hear any of the top 100 salsa dance songs instead.
What you will find below is a list I have compiled of the top 100 salsa dance songs being played by DJs around the world. It is a compilation of the most common songs found on the DJ website and articles from around the world. I spent 2 months researching, asking questions and listening to each song to prove its validity (it started as a list of 500; but I have pulled out all the Cha-cha and some meringues that were sneaking in). I also broke the list to 5 lists of the 100 best salsa dance songs. PLEASE NOTE that there are many more than these Top 100 Salsa Dance Songs; These are just THE ones that DJs around the world have chosen (to post, at least), based on my research; plus some of my own, which I play when I’m DJing. Also, they are in alphabetical order and NOT in order of popularity or ability to dance. If you’d like to submit YOUR best songs for consideration on this list, please leave us a comment with your suggestions.
Here are the top 100 salsa dance songs …
| Name | Artist | Album | Duration |
| 1-800- Love me | Luisito Rosario | Rumba Del Barrio | 4:06 |
| 1-800-Wants Me (Remix) | Luisito Rosario | Rumba Del Barrio | 5:02 |
| In Bailar Pa ‘Inside | La Solucion Orchestra | Pa ‘Dancing | 4:23 |
| In Cali | Classic Set | Congratulations | 3: 16 |
| To The | Oscar D’León | Successes Of With Criticism | 3:47 |
| A Hit Of Folklore | Niche Group | A Hit Of Folklore | 4: 59 |
| In Gozar | José Alberto “The Canary” | I dream of you | 3: 34 |
| When they call me I go | Candido Fabre | 4:30 |
| When They Call Me I’ll Go | José Alberto “The Canary” | On time | 5:11 |
| In Memory Of The Dead | Fruko and Sus Tesos | 4:22 |
| For Me It Smells | Mulenze Orchestra | Salsa Fiesta! 4:11 |
| To My Father-in-Law (Don Pedrito) | Various artists | Stellar Collection Of Hard Sauce | 3:55 |
| Acere Bongo | Typical 73 | 4:36 |
| Warn my opponent | Mandinga Group | Back to the 70s | 4:13 |
| Aguzate | Louie Ramirez- Ray De La Paz | Classy Taste | 6:06 |
| Hot Ajiaco | Eddie Palmieri | Mozambique | 5:38 |
| The Love | Alex leon | Caleta sauce | 5:06 |
| Street Love | The Latino Brothers | The best of the Latino brothers | 4:51 |
| Sinful repentance | Willie Rosario | Back to the future / 40th Anniversary | 4:31 |
| Repent | Broadway Orchestra | Salsa Fiesta! 4:01 |
| Repent | Ray Barretto | At its best | 5:14 |
| Rice With Butter | Oscar D’Leon | With La Dimension Latina | 4:00 |
so I like you chubby cesar nicolas | the best of the best | 4:00 |
| That’s how I am (That’s how I am) | Larry Harlow | So Am I | 5:42 |
| So You Don’t Want Anyone | Typical 73 | 3: 52 |
| Strike Again | Joe Cuba Sextette | Cooking The Salsa | 3: 25 |
| Atízame El Fogón | Willie Rosario | Oro Salsero – 20 Successes | 5:07 |
| Daring | REY RODRIGUEZ | In The Sound Of Today Vol 1 | 4:38 |
| Even if you cry to me | Raphy Leavitt | Oro Salsero 20 Exitos Vol 2 | 4:52 |
| Ave Maria Lola | Sonora Carruseles | Heavy sauce | 4:08 |
| Notify My Contrary | Tobacco and Rum Orchestra | Real Sauce | 7:14 |
| Ay Caray | Adalberto Santiago | Popeye The Sailor | 5:31 |
| sugar Pa Un Amargao | Oscar D’Leon | With La Dimension Latina | 2: 54 |
| Babaila | Soneros del Barrio | Following The Tradition | 4:41 |
| Babarabatiri | Tito Puente | Live at Birdland-Dancemania ’98 | 8:29 |
| Dance That Dance | José “The Canary” Alberto | Cristal Series: Greatest Hits | 4:48 |
| Prohibit Prohibit | Joe Arroyo | Greatest Hits, vol. 2 | 3: 12 |
| Flag (a flag) | Larry Harlow | So Am I | 5: 36 |
| Shoulder bag | Hector Lavoe | Comedy | 9:34 |
| Bar And Drinks | Various artists | Salsakidd Sauce Mix | 4:17 |
| Black Quarter | Sensual 990 | Ultra Mix The Best Of Tropical Dance Salsa | 5:34 |
| Barrunto | Willie Colon | The Big Break – La Gran Fuga | 5:37 |
| Bembelequa | Celia Cruz | Unrepeatable | 4:55 |
| Gypsy Kiss | Colombia Sings You Ii | Colombia Sing to You II | 5:14 |
| Beunaventura Has Ricura | Guayacan Orchestra | Guayacan Y Del Bueno | 5:19 |
| Black and White | Joe Arroyo | 20th anniversary | 5:03 |
| Lying Mouth | Andy Montañez | Salsero Gold | 4:44 |
| Boricua Rumbero Salsero | adalberto santiago | fat sauce | 4:05 |
| Bravo Rumbero | Alfredo Naranjo and El Guajeo | At 6 Is The Appointment | 3: 28 |
| Buena Ventura and Caney | Niche Group | History Music, vol. 1 | 6:19 |
| Buenaventura The Time Has Come | Huber Angel | Enjoy me | 4:18 |
| Find The Rhythm | Willie Rosario | Oro Salsero – 20 Successes | 5:35 |
| Looking for a love | Orq. Matecana / Orq. Guayacan | Battle Series | 4:22 |
| I am looking for Yours | Fania All-Stars | Fania All-Stars “Live” June 11, 1994 | 7:01 |
| I am looking to forget you | Willie Rosario | Back to the future / 40th Anniversary | 4:35 |
| Horny | Fruko and Sus Tesos | Fruko Y Sus Tesos – Power Salsa | 4:57 |
| Cali De Rumba | Fruko and Sus Tesos | Fruko Y Sus Tesos – Power Salsa | 5: 26 |
| Cali Flamenca Mix | Melcochita | My Best Successes | 6: 21 |
| calla ox | Héctor “tempo” Alomar | the best of the best | 5:13 |
| Mayoral Bell | Jose Mangual Jr. | 5:15 |
| Singing | Los Niches | Great Successes | 4:29 |
| Singing It Was | Cuco Valoy | Sonero | 4:18 |
| Song Abacua | Ray Barretto | At its best | 8:17 |
| Capullito De Azucena | Oscar D’Leon | The Panquelero | 4:32 |
| Carnival | Joe Arroyo | And the Truth | 5:06 |
| Punish her | Cesar Nicolas | The Best of the Best | 4:10 |
| Celebrating | The Puerto Rican | Puerto Rican Orchestra: 20th Anniversary | 5:02 |
| Celia | José Alberto “The Canary” | On time | 6:00 |
| Chimpun Callao | Macondo Orchestra | Ultra Mix The Best Of Tropical Dance Salsa | 3: 43 |
| As It Is Possible | Louie Ramírez | Louie Ramirez and Super Banda | 5:04 |
| How I Sing It | Harlem Spanish Orchestra | Across 110th Street | 4:32 |
| How to forget you | Oscar D’León | 4:01 |
| Companion De Camino | Raphy Leavitt | Oro Salsero 20 Exitos – VOL 1 | 4:04 |
| Steel Heart | Cuco Valoy | Sonero | 4:14 |
| When I See You | Mandinga Group | Back to the 70s | 4:08 |
| When I See You | Translation Spanish | Across 110th Street | 4:50 |
| Guitar Body | Various | This Is Real Sauce! 5:32 |
| Guilty | GALE GROUP | Latin Essence | 4:17 |
| Cumaná | Valentin Valdez Drinks From The Salsa | 4:17 |
| For One Time Enjoying | La Sonora Carruseles | Once Enjoying | 5:17 |
| Download ’73 | Typical 73 | 4: 53 |
| Total Download | Maraca | Latin Village Salsa (Mixed by DJ Mauri) | 6:00 |
| Returns My Joy | Willie Rosario | More Rhythm | 4:10 |
| Let yourself be loved | José Alberto “The Canary” | Wounded | 5:11 |
| I say | Niche Group | History Music, vol. 1 | 4: 58 |
| Tell me yes | Antonio Cartagena | Tell me yes | 4:25 |
| Tell me yes | Gilberto Santa Rosa Tres Con Cache | 4:19 |
| Tell me if I arrive on time | Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco | Tremendous Cache | 3: 51 |
| Dynamite | Fania All-Stars | Commitment | 4:50 |
| Pain And Love | Ismael Miranda and Orq. Harlow | Make Way | 3: 57 |
| Dolores | Cano Estremera | Opera Ecuajey | 4:26 |
| Dominican Soy | Raulín Rosendo | Dominican For The World | 4: 54 |
| Don Toribio | Mandinga Group | Back to the 70s | 4:26 |
| Two Friends | Domingo Quiñones | Big hits | 4:00 |
| Throwing Pa’Lante | Oscar D’León | The Cachumbambe | 3: 57 |
| The Apartment | Willie Rosario | Back to the future / 40th Anniversary | 4:19 |
| The Famous Artist | Roberto Blades | 5:51 |
| The Ace of Rumba | Jose Alberto “The Canary” | Return to the Mambo: Tribute to Machito | 4:48 |
| The Dancer of the Avenue | Sonora Carruseles | With All The Irons | 4:11 |
| The padlock and the key | Tito Allen | The Untouchable | 4:34 |
Don’t get me wrong, there are multiple opinions on what the “100 best salsa dancing songs” are and are not. But there are quite a few selections that are considered THE 100 best salsa dance songs around the world. In Los Angeles and in New York, in Italy and South Korea, in Puerto Rico and Venezuela, in Colombia or Panama … these songs will fill the dance floors and keep the salseros (and salseras) happy and dancing until the end! tiredness!
