Ricardo Arjona has carved out a niche for himself as a socially conscious singer-songwriter who puts his heart and soul into every verse. His groundbreaking studio album Historias, released on April 14, 1994 by Sony Music, is a testament to this. 30 years later, the album has not only stood the test of time, but continues to resonate.
Certified four times platinum by the RIAA, the album’s success is undeniable. Historias marked Arjona’s debut on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart, where it reached No. 43. Some of its songs also entered the charts: “Libre” entered both Hot Latin Songs and Latin Pop Airplay, at No. 29 and No. 6, respectively. And “Señora de las Cuatro Décadas” reached No. 39 in Latin Airplay.
With each of his 14 tracks, the imaginative artist paints a vivid portrait of life’s many nuances. Each melody is a chapter and each lyric a character, from the epic tale of a cab driver’s fateful encounter in “Historia de Taxi” to the poignant exploration of the paradox of love in “Te Conozco”. Beneath a fusion of jazzy rock, pop and soulful guitar boleros, the Guatemalan maestro shines as a composer, delving deep into the human experience to reveal profound truths.
In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of this seminal work, the Billboard Latin and Billboard Español team pays tribute to the album that has aged gracefully — much like the protagonist of Arjona’s timeless track, “Señora de las Cuatro Décadas” — by ranking its 14 songs. Here our Historias ranking.
