The Napster Blog

The Chieftains, San Patricio

An ambitious, yet deeply personal collaboration led by The Chieftains—among the foremost proponents of traditional Irish folk—San Patricio tells the story of Saint Patrick's Battalion, a group of Irish soldiers who left the U.S. Army's ranks to fight alongside Mexico during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Joining The Chieftains on the recording are world music maven Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Los Tigres del Norte, Lila Downs, Chavela Vargas, and a host of other excellent roots musicians. Sung in Spanish and English and featuring an impressive array of instruments, this recording seeks not only to commemorate the friendship and mutual understanding of the Irish and Mexican populations during extremely trying times in their respective histories (war in Mexico, the Great Famine in Ireland), but also to serve as an abiding reminder of the power of music to mourn, celebrate, heal, and reveal.

Joe Cuba, El Alcalde del Barrio

We miss Joe Cuba. Since the "Father of Latin Boogaloo" passed away last year, many kind words have been said about the man and his music. Thankfully, the folks at Fania have chimed in as well, putting together the most comprehensive collection of Cuba's work to date. El Alcalde del Barrio ("The Mayor of the Neighborhood") is a worthy retrospective covering all phases of the Latin legend's carrer, from his Latin soul roots to his salsa days. And as a part of the album's marketing campaign, Fania put together a very charming animation (featured below) to give fans a sense of Cuba's career accomplishments and his abiding love of life and music.

Camila, Dejarte de Amar

After their meteoric rise following the release of their 2007 debut album, Todo Cambió, expectations were sky-high for Mexican pop-rock band Camila's follow-up. So far, their fans don't appear to be the least bit disappointed: Dejarte de Amar, released on Feb. 9, debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart, and even bowed at #64 on the Billboard 200. The new album features more of the polished power balladry and close harmonies that made Camila an almost overnight success in Mexico and throughout Latin America. With lead singer and seasoned industry veteran Mario Domm at the helm writing and producing (he's penned hits for Sin Bandera, Reyli Barba and Kalimba), odds are good that Camila's audience will continue to grow.

Artist 180: Willie Colón

Many of our favorite artists have experimented with new styles, new directions, and occasionally, even a whole new persona. With "Artist 180," we'll be taking a look at some some of these shifts and comparing the before and after.

Willie Colón: The "Gangster" Years
One of the most respected—and as his album artwork from the time would have you believe, feared—Latin artists of all time, Willie Colón emerged in late-1960s NYC and helped shape the emerging music known as salsa. Beginning with his 1967 debut, El Malo ("The Bad Guy"), and continuing with The Hustler, Cosa Nuestra ("Cosa Nostra"), La Gran Fuga ("The Big Break"), and culminating with The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, he sought to portray himself and his collaborators as tough-as-nails criminals cowing the world of Latin music with their hard-edged salsa. Gangster rappers might thank him for being among the first to popularize underworld-themed album art. 1973's Crime Pays (pictured) shows Colón's gangster sensibility at its artistic height.

Willie Colón: The "Golden" Years
Yes, this is actually the same Willie Colón who, just a few years earlier, held a gun to some guy's head on the cover of 1973's Lo Mato ("I'll Kill Him"). 1980's Doble Energia ("Double Energy," pictured), like Crime Pays above, shows Colón sharing a ride with a buddy, but in a decidedly different way. What's especially funny is that this album is no less packed with legitimate dancefloor burners than any of his previous releases, though the production is perhaps a little slicker and the overall sound bigger thanks to Ismael Miranda's touch. Clearly, though, Colón here entered a different phase, having decided on a friendlier visual approach. Fortunately for fans, though, the radical shift in image didn't carry through directly to the music.

Latin Music Today: Winter 2010 (Napster Playlist)

Winter weather keeping you down? Napster's "Latin Music Today: Winter 2010" playlist will heat things up with the sheer magnitude of its star power. Aventura, the reigning kings of bachata, lead things off with "Dile Al Amor," another chart-topping cut off their #1 album, The Last. Colombian dynamo Shakira sings "Lo Hecho Esta Hecho," the Spanish-language version of her current radio hit, "Did It Again." Tejano/Norteño powerhouse group Intocable notch another success with the folksy "Hay Ojitos." Reggaeton super duo Wisin & Yandel continue reeling off an impressive string of irresistible dancefloor beats, this time with "Te Siento." And ranchera/pop crossover darling Alejandro Fernandez croons on "Se Me Va La Voz," a sweet ballad off his ambitious double album, Dos Mundos (previously covered in more detail here). These and many more top Latin artists are here to keep you company until the clouds part and blue skies return.

Salsa Classics: The '90s (Napster Playlist)

The '90s saw the rise of a new generation of salseros—some very much in the mold of the classic, pioneering artists of the '70, others versatile enough to straddle the worlds of Latin tropical music and crossover Anglo pop. Napster's "Salsa Classics: The '90s" playlist brings together the traditional and the modern, and even a touch of the novel. Without a doubt, the biggest star to emerge in the decade was Marc Anthony, who secured his credentials as an impeccable salsa vocalist ("Nadie Come Ella") before jumping into mainstream American pop. Another artist with a similar career path, India, dazzled fans with her vocal range and power ("Vivir Lo Nuestro") before branching out into pop and dance music. Meanwhile, Gilberto Santa Rosa kept the flame of traditional salsa burning bright ("No Quiero Na' Regala'o"), while the dacade's quirkiest salsa act, the all-Japanese Orquesta de la Luz, proved that the style's infectious rhythms were truly global in reach ("Salsa Caliente del Japon"). These and other sensational artists will make you want to get on your feet and dance—and that's what this music's all about.

Alejandro Fernández, "Se Me Va La Voz"

Alejandro Fernández has been one of Mexico's most popular artists for almost two decades, earning a huge following in the Americas early in his career by singing traditional rancheras, then branching out to mainstream Latin pop and securing an impressive international fanbase. In honor of this musical duality, Fernandez released a double album—really two simultaneously-released albums covering different styles and markets—at the end of 2009: Dos Mundos: Tradición and Dos Mundos: Evolución, an unprecedented move in Latin music. Each album represents one half of the artist's musical DNA.

Tradición ("Tradition") is a regional Mexican record that reinforces Fernandez's already impeccable credentials as a ranchera star. The son of iconic Mexican singer Vicente Fernández, Alejandro has taken a keen interest in not only maintaining the musical traditions of his beloved Mexico, but also encouraging their evolution, bringing a pop sensibility to the native form. Teaming up with noted singer/songwriter/producer Joan Sebastian could have counted as a bit of a gamble, given that Sebastian had recently produced Vicente's album Para Siempre, and Alejandro probably wanted to avoid recording a whole set that sounded too much like his dad's latest work. But Tradición manages to sound very different indeed, and the collaboration has proven very savvy.

Evolución ("Evolution") is a Latin pop album that includes some regional Mexican influences, befitting the artist's straddling and blending of two genres—and indeed, two worlds (hence the title of the albums, Dos Mundos). What's interesting, though by no means surprising given the circumstances, is that each album was launched with its own single. "Se Me Va La Voz" is the first single off Evolución, and in what appears to be an effort to give his fans a taste of his musical talents from every possible stylistic angle, the song has been released in three (so far) different versions: Latin pop, bachata and urban. The bachata mix features Dominican vocalist Hector Acosta "El Torito," the frontman for the popular tropical group Los Toros Band, while the urban mix features sees Fernandez teaming up with reggaeton superstar Tito "El Bambino."

After releasing this torrent of new music covering so many styles, it will be interesting to see in which direction Alejandro Fernández chooses to head next. Could an English-language crossover album be in the cards? Whatever his next stop, the talented Mexican tenor will probably handle it with typical aplomb.

Best of 2009: Latin (Napster Playlist)

For a roundup of some of the year's biggest Latin hits, check out Napster's "Best of 2009: Latin" playlist. It's an intoxicating mix of reggaeton, Regional Mexican, pop, tropical, and alternative music that will please everyone from kids to abuelitas. Included are chart-toppers by veteran artists (Vicente Fernández, Joan Sebastian), dance-floor favorites (Wisin & Yandel, Pitbull, Shakira), heartfelt ballads (Ricardo Arjona, Tommy Torres, Jesse & Joy), tasty pop (Fanny Lu, Paulina Rubio), songs of love and loss (Banda El Recodo, El Trono de Mexico, German Montero), crossover hits (Nelly Furtado), all-out rockers (La 5a Estacion) Great for experiencing Latin music's many flavors.

Shakira, She Wolf

Let's face it: you'll never mistake a Shakira album for anyone else in pop today—who else would howl like a wolf in the middle of a pop song? This unique Latin superstar clearly has a global outlook that shines through in her music, and her latest English-language album, She Wolf, is no exception. In what will likely be considered one of the best pop releases of the year, she blends her Latin roots with disco-pop and rock to create an individualized sound that rises above many of the slickly produced pop albums of today. From lead single "She Wolf" to the indie-rock guitar sound of "Mon Amour," the album is fun, catchy, and fresh. Co-written and produced by The Neptunes' Pharrell Williams, it includes guest spots from the likes of Wyclef Jean, Kid Cudi, and Lil' Wayne, which help add a little edge to the pop. And Shakira's Latin fans will be pleased to find that Spanish-language versions of "Why Wait," "Did It Again," and "She Wolf" have been added to the U.S. release. This is a really infectious album, and we're guessing that all pop fans are going to enjoy She Wolf's bite.

Award-Nominated Latin Artists: 2009

Napster's "Award-Nominated Latin Artists: 2009" playlist was made in honor of musicians nominated for awards such as the Latin Grammys, which were handed out in a ceremony on Nov. 5. As it turns out, many of the eventual winners made the list. Puerto Rican alternative hip-hop super-duo Calle 13 walked away with the most—and most prestigious—hardware, winning every award for which they were nominated, including Album of the Year and Best Urban Music Album (Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo, which we wrote about previously), Record of the Year and Best Alternative Song ("No Hay Nadie Como Tú"), and Best Short-Form Music Video ("La Perla," featuring the great Rubén Blades). Other winners on the playlist include Luis Fonsi (Song of the Year, "Aquí Estoy Yo"), Alexander Acha (Best New Artist), Vicente Fernández (Best Ranchero Album, Primera Fila), Laura Pausini (Best Female Pop Album, Primavera Anticipada), and Wisin & Yandel (Best Urban Song, "Abusadora").