Ruben Blades

This classic album belongs in every salsa-lovers collection. The release gave Ruben Blades and Willie Colon more international presence than they'd ever enjoyed -- and not just because it was an incredible dance record. It is, but Siembra is as lyrically dense and meaningful as it is musically passionate. Songs like "Plastico," "Pedro Navaja" and the magnum opus "Siembra" are infused with socially conscious lyrics, simultaneously satirizing and uplifting Latinos, while "Buscando Guayaba" promises pure pleasure with its gorgeously executed son montuno and double entendres.