17 Spanglish Songs You Must Add To Your Playlist

*Updated January 2024.

If you are Hispanic or Latino, you know the term Spanglish because, at one point or another, you have spoken it or have heard songs using it. In this article, we recommend 17 Spanglish songs you must add to your playlist right now.

What Is Spanglish?

The term Spanglish comes from the words “Spanish” and “English”, which are combined to form this hybrid language, mostly spoken in the United States. It is a mix of both languages, with the majority of its vocabulary coming from Spanish. With the introduction of Spanglish, it is now also a linguistic phenomenon. Because many people in the United States are bilingual, speaking in both Spanish and English, has become very natural, but repudiated by immigrants who want to preserve the Spanish language. A common misconception about Spanglish is that it’s just a combination of words from both languages without any meaning behind them, but this isn’t true. It can be used as a way to get across ideas in one language while being able to understand what’s being said in the other.

For many of us Latinos, using informal Spanglish allows us to express ourselves uniquely in both idioms. This language is not only used in conversation but in popular culture. You can hear it in many Latin music songs, TV shows, and movies. Spanish music has been evolving linguistically for years in the US. The collaboration of American artists and Spanish-language artists and the United States English-language influence across Latin America has made the creation of Spanglish an inevitable result. Spanglish songs are often sung in Spanish but with English lyrics. The lyrics can be about love or other topics that relate to life in America or Latin America. Spanglish songs are a good example of how this language can be used to express unique, experienced emotions in music.

The Popularity of Spanglish Songs

The popularity of Spanglish songs has increased tremendously in recent years, but artists like Ritchie Valens (La Bamba), Julio Iglesias, Carlos Santana (Oye Como Va) Jose Feliciano, Jon Secada, and Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine have incorporated Spanglish in songs or live performances. Today, for example, many Spanglish songs have been written by the likes of Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi and Justin Bieber, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Natti Natasha, Becky G, Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello, Nicky Jam, J Balvin, Cardi B, and Bad Bunny, to mention a few. Even singer Chris Brown got into the action.

One thing is for sure, no culture is pure. As the years go on, humans look to migrate to new homes and incorporate new skills from different cultures into their own. This mixture of backgrounds and identities has given rise to a phenomenon called Spanglish, not only seen in the U.S. but also in Latin America and other parts of the world. This true marvel is not only heard in everyday conversations, but it also has a strong presence in music.

In celebration of this impure blend of societies, I have gathered some of the best Spanglish tunes – not those that have one word in English and Spanish and the rest in the other language, but those that take the time to use both predominantly.

Here Are The 17 Best Spanglish Songs For Your Playlist

Alejandro Sanz and Alicia Keys – “Looking For Paradise” 

“Looking for Paradise” is a song by Alejandro Sanz that features Alicia Keys. It was released as the lead single from his eighth studio album, “Paraíso Express”. The collaboration between these two singers marked the first time they worked together on a song, and the music video of their live performance in Madrid was also magical. The catchy song debuted at number 10 on the Latin charts and ultimately rose to number 4. This made Keys the first African-American of non-Hispanic origin with a number-one song on any of Billboard’s three main Latin charts.

Frankie J – “Obsesion (No Es Amor)” 

Based on the self-titled massive hit song from Bachata pop group Aventura, Frankie J flipped it in 2005 when he remixed the catchy tune with Baby Bash. The song had an immediate impact on bilingual Latino music fans looking for artists that represented their evolving tastes in language from their Latin artists. This great song reached number 3 on both the US and Latin Billboard charts.

Rihanna and David Bisbal – “Hate That I Love You”

In 2008, this powerhouse collaboration provided fans with a Spanglish version, “Odio Amarte,” which they went crazy for. The song’s lyrics express the power of love, with influences from American folk music. In Spain’s Spanish culture, the song reached the top 50 on their charts due to the riff between the new appeal of Spanish lyrics and English lyrics.

J Balvin, Willy William ft. Beyoncé – “Mi Gente”

Mi Gente, the global phenomenon hit got a remix version with Beyoncé which was released in September 2017. It ended up being number 3 on the US Billboard 100 and number 2 on the Latin charts. Beyoncé donated all proceeds from sales of her song ‘Mi Gente’ to hurricane relief charities.

Janet Jackson and Daddy Yankee – “Made For Now” 

The song “Made For Now” is about love, unity, and the world coming together. It’s a cultural, Afrocentric song with Latino inspiration. The song peaked at number 88 and was at number 36 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It also topped the US Dance Club Songs chart, becoming Janet Jackson’s 20th number-one single and Daddy Yankee’s first.

Ricky Martin – “Livin’ la Vida Loca”

Written by Robi Draco Rosa and performed by Ricky Martin, Livin’ la Vida Loca is often credited as the song that allowed Latin artists to break through to English-speaking markets at the beginning of the aughts. The song was the lead track from Martin’s fifth studio album and English-language debut. The electric tune is so crucial in American music history, that without it, the Latin pop explosion of the 2000s would have never happened.

Billie Eilish, ROSALÍA – “Lo Vas A Olvidar”

If you are a fan of the TV show Euphoria, then most likely you have heard “Lo Vas a Olvidar”. It is an American-Spanish collaboration between two major artists, Billie Eilish and Rosalía which was released in May 2021. The track is an inventive and creative song that combines elements of art pop. The lyrics are mostly sung in Spanish with nature sounds and atmospheric synths. The song has racked up over 67 million views on Billie’s YouTube channel and the music industry has supported them. It seems like the perfect song for the duo who have stated in the press how much of a good time they had together composing it.

Leslie Grace – “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” 

“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” is an original song recorded by The Shirelles in 1960 and the remake set the singing career of Leslie Grace ablaze making her the youngest female artist to peak at No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical songs and Latin Airplay.

Prince Royce – “Stand By Me”

The “Stand By Me” Spanglish cover version is a classic 60s RnB by Ben E. King and in 2010 Royce made sure that every Latino in the U.S. knew it thanks to his Spanglish rendition. So whether you know just Spanish, English, or both, this is a song everyone can sing along to. Catch his memorable performance at the Latin Grammys in 2010.

Carlos Vives – “Carito”

Back in 2001, Colombian singer Carlos Vives made us go wild with his Spanglish “Carito.” The song tells the story of his love for his English teacher to whom he can’t confess his feelings because of the language barrier. This danceable vallenato is undoubtedly one for the ages.

The Clash – “Should I Stay or Should I Go”

For how many years have you rocked out to “Should I Stay or Should I Go” and never realized that the background mumble was actually Spanish?! This 1982 No. 1 hit by the English punk rock band, The Clash, is one of the most unexpected Spanglish songs of the bunch, but just for that, one of my favorites. “I’m singing all the Spanish verses on that, and I even helped translate them,” said Texas musician and friend of the band Joe Ely during a 2012 interview with Songfacts. “I translated them into Tex-Mex and Strummer kind of knew Castilian Spanish because he grew up in Spain in his early life. And a Puerto Rican engineer (Eddie Garcia) added a little flavor to it.”

Romeo Santos – “Promise”

In 2011, Santos also decided to add a little RnB flavor to his bachata by bringing in one of the biggest names in the modern era, Usher. In 2011, he released “Promise” as the second single for his solo debut album, “Formula, Vol. 1,” and made even non-bachata lovers fall in love with the genre.

Sie7e – So What”

In 2013, the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Sie7e sent out his positive message through the Spanglish tune “So What,” which tells us to simply be optimistic even with our day-to-day problems. Unfortunately, you probably haven’t heard this song since because it wasn’t widely promoted, but I’m telling you, this Latin-reggae-funk fusion is pretty addictive and just the perfect feel-good song.

Pitbull – “I Know You Want Me”

In 2009, Pitbull came charging with “I Know You Want Me,” which made the singer an international hit. Although the video leaves something to be desired, it’s fair to note that this is one of the songs that fully embodies the essence of what Spanglish is – not only the mixture of two languages but also of different cultures – because it’s a remix of the Brazilian song “75, Street Brazil” by Nicola Fasano and Pat Rich, which originally sampled “Street Player” by Chicago, which is a remake of “Street Player” by Rufus and Chaka Khan.  

Mellow Man Ace – Mentirosa

Back in 1990, Cuban-born rapper Mellow Man Ace took hip-hop to the next level with “Mentirosa” a true Spanglish hit, and the second track of his debut album, “Escape From Havana.”

Molotov – Frijolero

Of course, if we’re talking Spanglish, political issues are also part of the context, and thanks to the Mexican rock band Molotov, important issues are brought to light. In 2003 they came out with “Frijolero” a racially charged song about the Mexico-U.S. border. That year, the song won a Latin Grammy for Best Video.

Los Lonely Boys – “Heaven”

In 2004, the American Chicano rock trio had all of us asking: “How far is heaven?” with their Spanglish hit, “Heaven.” This Grammy award-winning tune is an infectious and unpretentious groove that not only mixes languages but visually shows the blend of Mexican and American cultures.

Conclusion: The Future of Spanglish Music

The future of Spanglish music is still in the making. It is a genre that is only now being recognized as a credible form of music. it has yet to be seen but we can assume that it will continue to grow with new artists coming up with new styles and sounds every day.

What did you think of our picks, is there another song you would add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.