Ricky Martin [1999]

1	Livin' La Vida Loca 4:03
2	Spanish Eyes 4:05
3	She's All I Ever Had 4:55
4	Shake Your Bon-Bon 3:12
5	Be Careful (Cuidado con Mi Corazón) / Madonna 4:04
6	I Am Made Of You 4:39
7	Love You For A Day 3:46
8	Private Emotion / Meja 4:02
9	The Cup Of Life Spanglish Radio Edit / Edit 4:39
10	You Stay With Me 4:12
11	Livin' La Vida Loca Spanish Version 4:04
12	I Count The Minutes 4:18
13	Bella (She's All I Ever Had) 4:56
14	María Spanglish Radio Edit / Edit 7:06

Barnes & Noble

When self-styled media prophets predicted Latin music would be the Next Big Thing, one had only to look as far as 1999's MTV awards, when Ricky Martin shook his bon-bon and the pop world shuddered to a halt. The ex-Menudo member's first English-language solo album went on to sell more than 35 million copies and it's easy to see why. Ricky Martin is rife with songs that were destined to appeal to classic rock and adult contemporary fans, from guitar-laden power ballads like "She's All I Ever Had" and "I Am Made for You" to the electronica-kissed "Be Careful (Cuidado Con Mi Corazon)," a duet with Madonna. The boisterous surf-ska of "Livin' La Vida Loca," was an inescapable radio smash and a Grammy champion, rendering salsa as easily digestible as Buster Poindexter's "Hot, Hot, Hot" made soca, while Spanglish radio edits of international hits "Maria" and "The Cup of Life" are similarly accessible. Maybe this isn't your abuelitos' idea of Latin music, but its potent mix of dead-on marketing, sexy packaging, and unshakable pop smarts opened the door for Latino stars from Marc Anthony to Jennifer Lopez, which made listening to the radio a little more loca for everyone. And that's a good thing. Elysa Gardner

All Music Guide

It was just a matter of time before Ricky Martin broke into the pop mainstream. By the end of the '90s, he was no longer the kid that used to be in Menudo or the General Hospital heartthrob -- he was a genuine star, ready to bust out of the Latin pop ghetto. His dynamic performance at the 1999 Grammys stole the show, announcing his presence to middle America -- and conveniently paving the way for the May release of Ricky Martin, his second eponymous album but first English-language record. Like most records that are crafted to sell an artist to a larger audience -- think Celine Dion's Falling Into You -- Ricky Martin is a big, bold album with something to please everyone, from his longtime Latin fans to housewives with a weakness for dramatic ballads. Reportedly two years in the making, the album never makes a wrong move, balancing infectious dance-pop with immaculately crafted power ballads, mid-tempo pop, straight-ahead rockers, and, of course, the inevitable cameos: Madonna on "Be Careful (Cuidado con Mi Corazón)" and Meja on "Private Emotion." Since each track has been so carefully constructed to stand on its own (most likely as a single), the album plays as a series of moments, some more thrilling than others. Although there is inarguably some filler cluttering the record -- and although the production sounds weirdly dated, with tracks like "I Count the Minutes" and "She's All I Ever Had" sounding for all the world as if they were cut in 1985 -- most of the moments work and the opening quartet ("Livin' la Vida Loca," "Spanish Eyes," "She's All I Ever Had," and the irresistibly stupid "Shake Your Bon-Bon") is positively intoxicating. If the rest of the album doesn't live up to the opening salvo, Martin does carry the day with his fine voice and undeniable charisma -- even when the songs aren't distinctive, he brings them alive. And that's the sign of a true star. Stephen Thomas Erlewine