Juan Gabriel - 15 Años Baladas Éxitos [2LP]

Juan Gabriel could pour more heartbreak into a single chorus than most singers manage in a lifetime, and 15 Años Baladas Éxitos gathers his best-loved songs across two LPs.

First compiled in 1987 to mark fifteen years of hits, the collection traces the rise of the Juárez-raised singer and songwriter who became one of the biggest stars in the Spanish-speaking world. He wrote with unusual honesty about love, loss and longing, and he performed with a flamboyance and emotional abandon that broke every rule of the macho ballad tradition. Generations have grown up singing these songs at weddings, parties and late-night gatherings across Mexico and far beyond.

"Querida" is the towering showstopper, a desperate plea wrapped in a melody that refuses to let go. "Siempre en Mi Mente" aches with devotion, while "No Me Vuelvo a Enamorar" delivers wounded resolve with sweeping strings and his unmistakable voice. "El Noa Noa" lightens the mood completely, a joyful, danceable tribute to the Juárez club where his career began.

It is an essential primer on a songwriter whose songs are still sung everywhere from stadiums to family living rooms. Play it loud, sing along without shame, and let El Divo de Juárez do the rest.