Inside: The best Spanish love songs: A Latin Playlist.

It’s no secret that Spanish is a romantic language– and no, I don’t mean that it’s one of the Romance Languages! Rocket Languages says: 

As one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, Spanish tops off our list as one of the world’s most romantic languages because of its passionate, sensual sound.

I think this is probably true. No wonder Latin music and poetry are famous. And of course, music in Spanish can make your perfect background for Valentine’s Day, or whatever love-is-in-the-air sort of time it may be.

Related: The Tops Spanish Songs of All Time

THE BEST SPANISH LOVE SONGS

Let’s take a tour of our top picks, and don’t forget you can access this list on Spotify too. If I missed one of your favorites, let me know in the comments below!

1. Bésame mucho – Pedro Vargas
2. Te amo – Franco de Vita
3. La cosa mas bella – Eros Ramazzotti
4. Luz de día – Enanitos Verdes
5. Eres tú- Mocedades
6. No se tú – Luis Miguel
7. Si tú no estás aquí – Rosana
8. Amor eterno – Juan Gabriel
9. La playa – La Oreja de Van Gogh
10. Bachata Rosa – Juan Luis Guerra
11. Amor prohibido – Selena Quintanilla
12. Sin miedo a nada – Alex Ubago
13. Rayando el sol – Maná
14. Yo no sé mañana – Luis Enrique
15. Contigo aprendí – Alejandro Fernandez
16. Antología – Shakira
17. Porque nadie sabe – Fonseca
18. Por el amor de una mujer – Julio Iglesias
19. Es por ti – Juanes
20. Por fin – Pablo Alborán
21. Todo cambió – Camila
22. Tiempo de vals – Chayanne
23. Tu amor me hace bien – Marc Anthony
24. Así fue – Isabel Pantoja
25. Mi historia entre tus dedos – Gianluca Grignani
26. No te apartes de mi – Vicentico
27. Cuando me digas si – Richie Ray
28. Despacio – Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee
29. Mi forma de sentir – Pedro Fernandez
30. El perdón – Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias

1. Bésame mucho – Pedro Vargas

Can it get any more classic than Bésame mucho? This is an iconic Spanish love song that belongs on every list of romantic songs. It won the Latin Grammy Award in 2001. Andrea Bocelli performs the the song live in the video. 

“Bésame
 Bésame mucho
 Como si fuera esta noche
 La última vez…”

2. Te amo – Franco de Vita

Of course, Franco de Vita and a song that croons Te amo over and over belong on the top love songs in Spanish list.

“Te amo
Desde el primer momento en que te vi
Y hace tiempo te buscaba
Y ya te imaginaba así…”

3. La cosa más bella– Eros Ramazzotti

Eros Ramazzotti’s iconic voice is unmistakeable, as are the lyrics in this classic:

”¿Cómo comenzamos?, yo no lo sé
 La historia que toca su fin
 Que es ese misterio que no se fue
 Lo llevo aquí dentro de mí…”

4. Luz de día – Enanitos Verdes

“Luz de Día” is a 1991 song by Argentine rock band Los Enanitos Verdes, and one of my personal favorites for most romantic songs in Spanish. It speaks to lost love, and longing for seeing each other again. 

“Puedo ser luz de noche, ser luz de día
 Frenar el mundo por un segundo
 Y que me digas cuanto querías
Que esto pasara una vez más…”

5. Eres tú – Mocedades

Another Latin Grammy winner, “Eres Tú” is a Spanish song by the Basque vocal group Mocedades. It was released in 1973 and became a hit in Spain and Latin America. It represented Spain in the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest, where it placed 2nd. Hopeless romantics will love these lyrics:

“Toda mi esperanza eres tú, eres tú
Como lluvia fresca en mis manos
Como fuerte brisa eres tú, eres tú
Así, así eres tú

Eres tú como el agua de mi fuente
Eres tú el fuego de mi hogar…”

6. NO SÉ TÚ – LUIS MIGUEL

Luis Miguel is one of the most beloved Latin pop singers, and new generations are discovering him in the new Netflix series based on his life and career. Here’s one of his best romantic hits.

“No sé tú
Pero yo te he comenzado a extrañar
En mi almohada no te dejo de pensar
Con las gentes, mis amigos y las calles sin testigos…”

7. Si tú no estás aquí – Rosana

This is the essence of Spanish music: guitar, lilting voice, and deep sentiment. Beautiful. Some songs capture the giddiness of new love; this one holds the depth of that couple who’s been through thick and thin.

“No quiero estar sin ti
 Si tú no estás aquí, me sobra el aire
 No quiero estar así
Si tú no estás, la gente se hace nadie…”

8. Amor eterno – Juan Gabriel

“Amor Eterno” was first recorded in 1979 and has since become one of the most famous ballads in the Spanish-speaking world. Rocío Dúrcal covered this song in her 2013 Latin Grammy Record of the Year, Amor Eterno. The lyrics speak to the loss of someone dearly loved, and deep love for anyone, not just in a romantic sense. 

“Amor eterno 
E inolvidable
Tarde o temprano estaré contigo
Para seguir amándonos…”

9. La playa – La oreja de Van Gogh

This was one of the first songs I learned as a young Spanish speaker. Rosas is another good pick from the group, but I still love this one!

“Te voy a escribir la canción más bonita del mundo
 Voy a capturar nuestra historia en tan solo un segundo
 Un día verás que este loco de poco se olvida
Por mucho que pasen los años de largo en su vida…”

10. Bachata rosa – Juan Luis Guerra

Here are some good Spanish love lyrics, bachata-style (and incidentally, what we danced to at our wedding!).

“Ay, ay ay ay, amor
 Yo soy satélite y tú eres mi sol
 Un universo de agua mineral
 Un espacio de luz
Que solo llenas tu, ay amor…”

11. Amor prohibido – Selena Quintanilla

Just as the song’s title suggests, these lyrics are all about forbidden love and breaking down barriers in the face of adversity. The song became one of Selene’s biggest hits and is considered one of the most successful Spanish-language songs of all time.

 songs title

“Que importa que dira
Tambien la sociedad
Aqui solo importa nuestro amor
Te quiero…”

12. Sin Miedo a nada – Alex Ubago

“Sin Miedo a Nada” is from Spanish singer-songwriter Alex Ubago, in 2005. The song’s message is about being brave in the face of love and living life without fear. 

“Me muero por conocerte, saber qué es lo que piensas
 Abrir todas tus puertas y vencer esas tormentas que nos quieran abatir
 Centrar en tus ojos mi mirada, cantar contigo al alba
 Besarnos hasta desgastarnos nuestros labios
 Y ver en tu rostro cada día crecer esa semilla
 Crear, soñar, dejar todo surgir
Aparcando el miedo a sufrir…”

13. Rayando el sol – Maná

I love Maná, so this romantic song in Spanish is one of my personal favorites. Anytime a crowd hears Rayando el Sol, it’s impossible not to sing along!

“Rayando el sol, desesperación
 Es más fácil llegar al sol que a tu corazón
 Y yo me muero por ti, viviendo sin ti
 Y no aguanto, me duele tanto estar así
Rayando el sol…”

14. Yo no sé mañana – Luis Enrique

More lighthearted than most on this list, Yo No Sé Mañana is an upbeat Spanish love song salsa that speaks to the uncertainty of new love. 

“Yo no sé mañana
Yo no sé mañana
Si estaremos juntos
Si se acaba el mundo…”

15. Contigo aprendí – Alejandro Fernández

“Contigo Aprendí” was released in 1996 by Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández.The melody is both romantic and nostalgic, and the song’s powerful lyrics and passionate delivery have made it a popular choice for concerts, parties, and other events.

“Contigo aprendí
 A ver la luz del otro lado de la luna
 Contigo aprendí
Que tu presencia no la cambio por ninguna…”

16. Antología– Shakira

It’s hard to beat Shakira’s old classics. This one, she says, was written at age 16 and captures her original sound and romantic song-writing skills.

“Para amarte
 Necesito una razón
 Y es difícil creer
Que no exista una más que este amor…”

17. Porque nade sabe – Fonse ft. Nahuel Pennisi

This one might be too new to include, but it has quickly become one of my favorite Fonseca songs. The poetic lyrics and melody are so good I made room for it on this list of more classic tunes.

“Porque nadie sabe lo que tú me has dado
 Porque yo no olvido que nunca dudaste de mí
 Y eres mi vida, sin ti no sería
 Y hoy eres la misma
Y así como eres te voy a querer…”

18. Por el amor de una mujer – Julio Iglesias

The song is a tango-style ballad, in which the singer expresses his love for a woman and the sacrifices he is willing to make for her. The lyrics were written by the Spanish songwriter Manuel Alejandro, and the music was composed by Iglesias himself. 

“Por el amor de una mujer
 Jugué con fuego sin saber
 Que era yo quien me quemaba…”

19. Es por ti – Juanes

Colombian singer-songwriter Juanes is another iconic Latin singer and Es por ti is one of his best love songs. The song became a hit in Latin America and the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. The lyrics of “Es por Ti” express the singer’s longing for a lost love, and the song has been interpreted as a love letter to his homeland, Colombia. Es por ti  helped to establish Juanes as a successful artist in the Latin music scene. I love this live version.

“Y es por ti
 Que late mi corazón
Y es por ti
 Que brillan mis ojos hoy
Y es por ti
 Que he vuelto a hablar de amor
Y es por ti
Que calma mi dolor…”

20. Por fin – Pablo Alborán y BEBE

Spanish singer-songwriter Pablo Alborán released this song in 2011. The song features Alborán’s emotive vocals and guitar playing, and helped launched his international recognition. 

“Para tu amor no hay despedidas
 Para tu amor yo solo tengo eternidad
 Y para tu amor que me ilumina
 Tengo una luna, un arco iris y un clavel…”

21. Todo cambió – Camila

Todo cambióreleased in 2005 as the lead single from her debut album “Todo Cambio”. The song is a pop ballad in which Camila sings about a love that has ended and the changes that it has brought to her life.

“It’s time to change
 Es tiempo de cambiar
 It’s time to change
 Es tiempo de saber pedir perdón
 Es tiempo de cambiar
 En la mente de todos
El odio por amor…”

22. Tiempo de vals– Chayanne

One of the most-played songs at quinceañeras, Tiempo de Vals is a version of the famous waltz song by Argentine composer Ástor Piazzolla, reinterpreted by Puerto Rican singer Chayanne. 

“Bésame en tiempo de Vals
 Un, dos, tres, un, dos, tres, sin parar de bailar
 Haz que este tiempo de Vals
Un, dos, tres, un, dos, tres, no termine jamás…”

23. Tu amor me hace bien – Marc Antony

 “Tu Amor Me Hace Bien” became one of Marc Anthony’s biggest hits and helped establish him as one of the leading Latin pop singers of his generation. Vivir mi vida is another huge success from Marc Antony, but this is a more romantic song.

“Bien tu amor me hace bien
 Tu amor me desarma
 Ay! Tu amor me controla
 Me endulza, me encanta
 Pero bien tu amor me hace bien
 Tu amor me desarma
 Ay! Tu amor me controla
Me vence, me amarra…”

24. Así fue – Isabel Pantoja

The song is a romantic ballad that showcases Spanish singer Isabel Pantoja’s powerful voice, released in 1992.  The lyrics express the feeling of heartbreak and the memory of a lost love. 

“Soy honesta con él y contigo
 A él lo quiero y a ti te he olvidado
 Si tú quieres
 Seremos amigos
 Yo te ayudo a olvidar el pasado
 No te aferres
 No te aferres
 A un imposible
 Ya no te hagas
 Ni me hagas más daño…”

25. Mi historia entre tus dedos – Gianluca Grignani

Though Grignani is an Italian singer, this ballad is sung in Spanish. The lyrics describe the idea that the singer’s life story is intertwined with that of his lover

“Hay una cosa que yo no te he dicho aún
 Que mis problemas, ¿sabes qué?, se llaman “tú”
 Solo por eso, tú me ves hacerme el duro
Para sentirme un poquito más seguro…”

26. No te apartes de mí – Vicentico

This is a classic of Argentine rock and I love the emotional duet here.

“Todo amor que yo espere de la vida , Lo he encontrado solo en ti…”

27. Cuando me digas sí – Richie Ray, Bobby Cruz, Miki Vimari

This bolero will bring back all the feels of Latin love music.

“El campo real
 El manantial
 Yo te daré amor, cuando me digas si
 Cuando me digas sí…”

28. Despacito – Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee

This sensual Reggaeton was released in January 2017 and quickly became a global hit, reaching #1 on the charts in over 50 countries and holding the record for most weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs. It was a massive commercial success, breaking several records for streaming and sales, and became the first Spanish-language song to reach over 4 billion views on YouTube. 

“Pasito a pasito, suave, suavecito
Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito
Y es que esa belleza es un rompecabezas
Pero, pa’ montarlo, aquí tengo la pieza…”

29. Mi forma de sentir – Pedro Fernández

Remember the best of romantic Mexican pop ballads with this gorgeous song about the feeling of love and being known by someone. It was released in 2000, from Mexican singer Pedro Fernández. 

“Solo tú
 Solo tú que conoces mi forma de sentir
 Mi forma de reír
Y hasta mi forma de llorar…”

30. El perdón – Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias 

“El Perdón” was a huge success in 2015, from Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Nicky Jam and Colombian singer Enrique Iglesias. The official music video made it popular as well, as the singer is watching his first love get married and telling her to forgive him and return to be together instead. 

“Yo sé que él te parece mejor,
pero yo estoy en tu corazón,
y por eso pido perdón.

Es que yo sin ti, y tú sin mí,
dime quién puede ser feliz,
esto no me gusta, esto no me gusta…”

Still looking for more Spanish love songs, both recent hits and classics?

Here’s a list of honorary mentions:

1. Mi persona favorita – Alejandro Sanz, Camila Cabello

2. El amor de mi vida – Ricky Martin

3. Si nos dejan – José Alfredo Jiménez

4. Nada valgo sin tu amor – Juanes

5. Mi razón de ser – Banda MS

6. De una vez – Selena Gomez

7. Ley de Newton – Beatriz Luengo, Jesús Navarro

8. Ayer – Gloria Estefan

9. Dile al amor – Aventura

10. Esto es vida – Draco Rosa

What songs did I miss? Let me know in the comments below!