Evolución is the sixteenth studio album (fourteenth in Spanish) by the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, released in 1984. It marked the debut of Ricky Martin, who replaced Ricky Meléndez, the last member of the original lineup, as he was approaching 17 years old.[1]
| Evolución | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 25, 1984 | |||
| Genre | Latin pop | |||
| Length | 35:43 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Menudo chronology | ||||
| ||||
Martin was not the first choice to join the group. Raúl Reyes, Ray's brother who worked as a backup singer, was considered for Menudo, as was Tico Santana, another name suggested at the time. However, for unknown reasons, Ricky Martin was ultimately selected. This was also the last album recorded by Ray Reyes as a member of the group.
The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album in 1985. Commercially, it was a success, with an initial run of 700,000 copies in Brazil and a diamond certification after selling one million copies in the country.
New member
editAfter gaining modest fame in Puerto Rico for his work in television commercials, Ricky Martin auditioned to join the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. Although the executives liked his singing and dancing in his first two auditions, Martin was initially rejected because he was too small.[2] On his third audition, his persistence impressed the executives, and in 1984, at the age of 12, he became a member of the group.[3]
A month after joining Menudo, he made his debut performance with the group at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in San Juan.[4] During this performance, he inadvertently disobeyed choreography by walking around the stage when he was supposed to remain still. As a result, he was reprimanded by the band's manager after the show. According to Martin, "The mistake was so significant that from that moment on, I never changed my position when I wasn’t supposed to… That was Menudo’s discipline: you did things the way you were told, or you were no longer part of the group." [5]
Singles
editThe song "Sabes a Chocolate" reached number 1 on the list of the most-played songs on Spanish-language radio stations in Chicago, according to Billboard magazine.[6]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Correio Braziliense | Unfavorable[8] |
In terms of reviews from music critics, the critic from AllMusic rated it only one out of five stars but did not provide any comments about the album.[7]
The critic from Correio Braziliense described the musical production as highly polished but lacking authenticity, comparing the songs to pasteurized products designed to appeal to a broad audience without offering innovation.[8] According to him, despite the talented musicians, the album lacked originality, resulting in a childish and predictable sound.[8]
Awards
editThe album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album in 1985, competing in the same category with María Conchita Alonso (María Conchita), José Feliciano (Como Tú Quieres), José José (Secretos), Johnny (Invítame), and the winner Plácido Domingo (Siempre en Mi Corazón — Always in My Heart).[9][10]
Commercial performance
editIn 1985, Billboard magazine published two differing figures regarding sales ordered by Brazilian stores: first reporting 700,000 copies (on March 13)[8] and later 500,000 copies (on March 23),[11] creating uncertainty about the most reliable figure. According to the Jornal dos Sports on March 28, 1985, after their final performance in São Paulo, the group received a diamond disc for one million copies sold in the country from the hands of the vice president of the Latin-American Division of RCA International.[12]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Lead Vocalist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sabes a Chocolate" | Robby Rosa | 4:31 |
| 2. | "Yo No Fui" | Ray Reyes | 3:31 |
| 3. | "Yo Seré Tu Bailarín" | Charlie Massó | 2:59 |
| 4. | "Parque Del Oeste" | Robby Rosa | 3:51 |
| 5. | "Amor Primero" | Charlie Massó | 3:22 |
| 6. | "Agua De Limón" | Charlie Massó | 4:12 |
| 7. | "No Hay Reflexión" | Roy Rosselló | 2:59 |
| 8. | "Persecución" | Ray Reyes | 3:10 |
| 9. | "Rayo De Luna" | Ricky Martin | 3:42 |
| 10. | "Me Gusta Esa Chica" | Robby Rosa | 3:44 |
Tables
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications and sales
edit| Region | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Diamond[12] | 1,000,000[12] |
References
edit- ^ "Conheça o Menudo, uma proposta diferente". Cidade de Santos (in Portuguese). 6 (268). São Paulo: 22. December 2, 1984. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ Martin, 2010. p. 31
- ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 31–32
- ^ Martin, 2010. p. 33
- ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 33–34
- ^ "Discos más populares en la Unión Americana". La Opinion (in Spanish) (234): 8 (Segunda sección). October 21, 1984. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
- ^ a b "Menudo - Music Biography, Credits and Discography : AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Filho, Renato Cesar (March 13, 1985). "Ainda a febre menudomaniaca". Correio Braziliense (in Portuguese): 25. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ^ "Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences nominees for Grammy..." United Press International. January 10, 1985. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- ^ Fernandez, Enrique (March 23, 1985). "Billboard - Latin Notes". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 58–. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b c Waltinho (March 28, 1985). "Televisão". Jornal dos Sports. 17 (179). Rio de Janeiro: 8. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ "Parada Bizz". Bizz. São Paulo: Editora Abril. September 1985. p. 14.
- ^ Augusto, Edgar (April 17, 1985). "Shorts". Diário do Pará (751). Pará: 8. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Billboard - Top Latin Albums". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 45. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 10, 1984. p. 59. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Special Survey - Hot Latin LPs". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 38. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. October 13, 1984. p. 61. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ Vicente, Eduardo. "Listagens Nopem 1965-1999". Academia.edu. Archived from the original on November 13, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
Book sources
edit- Martin, Ricky (2010). Me. Celebra Hardcover. ISBN 978-0451234155.