Home · Artists · Ricardo Arjona

🇬🇹 Guatemala · 1985–present

Ricardo Arjona

If there's one thing that defines Ricardo Arjona it's his way of telling stories from the everyday, but taking it to a place where the personal becomes universal. His music doesn't stay on the surface: each song seems written from direct observation, whether of a street scene in Guatemala City or a dialogue that only he manages to turn into melody. It's not the typical catchy Latin pop; there's something more in his sound, a mix of ballads with touches of rock and even Cuban music, which makes his themes sound fresh even decades later. What's most interesting is how he balances the intimate with the social: from heartbreak in “Taxi Story” to political criticism in “Strongman”, there's always a detail that invites you to listen closely.

His career wasn't a linear path. After recording Let Me Tell You That I Love You in 1985 and feeling it wasn't what he was looking for, he left music for a time to teach in elementary schools. But five years later, he returned with Jesus, Verb Not Noun, an album that changed everything: in some Central American countries, it became the best-selling album in local history, though internationally he was still unknown. By then, he had already tried his luck in Buenos Aires between 1986 and 1988, singing in bars on Florida Street and even tangos, something he himself described as “putting his feet on the ground” after his first brush with fame. That journey, and his participation in the OTI Festival in 1988 with “With a Star”, were key moments that helped him understand that music could be more than a hobby.

latin latin pop latin ballad singer-songwriter 1960s

6 Albums

96 Songs

410K Listeners/mo

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Most played on DoReSol

Essential songs

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Fuiste Tú (Part. Gaby Moreno)

Del otro lado del sol

Te conozco

Del otro lado del sol

Piel de consumo

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

3:15 05

Aquí estoy

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

3:47 06

Historia

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

4:14 07

Gitano urbano

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

5:15 08

Libre

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

3:29 09

Desde la Calle 33

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

5:00 10

Qué voy hacer conmigo

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

3:48

6 album|s · 1991 — 2025

Full discography

2025 ★ Essential

SECO

12 song|s · latin

1996 ★ Essential

Si el norte fuera el sur

12 song|s · latin

1994 ★ Essential

Historias

14 song|s · latin

1992 ★ Essential

Quién Dijo Ayer

32 song|s · latin

1992 ★ Essential

Animal nocturno

15 song|s · latin

1991 ★ Essential

Del otro lado del sol

10 song|s · latin

Details, awards, members and more

More about Ricardo Arjona

Biography

With Nocturnal Animal in 1993, Arjona found his place on the map. It wasn't just another album: it was the one that brought him international fame, with tracks like “If the North Were the South” and “Wetback” resonating across all of Latin America. But what's curious is that, even after selling millions, he remained a songwriter who prefers details over grand gestures. For example, “Help Me, Freud” isn't just a song about psychology; it's lyrics that play with the language of science to talk about something as human as confusion. And in Inside (2005), he proved he could reinvent himself without losing his essence, blending pop rock with more organic arrangements. What he does isn't follow trends; it's creating a sound that, as he himself has said, “didn't exist before.”

The numbers confirm it: four of his albums reached the top spot on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, and several others on the Billboard 200. But beyond the records, there's something few mention: his side as a teacher. Before becoming a star, he taught in elementary schools, and on one occasion, a report from the Ministry of Education highlighted that his students outperformed the average in achievement. Perhaps that's why his lyrics sound so clear: because he himself knows how to explain things without losing depth. And though he's won a Grammy, a Latin Grammy, and even two Silver Seagulls in Viña del Mar, what really matters is how his songs continue to sound like an open diary for anyone willing to read between the lines.

Details

Born: 19 Jan 1964
Country: 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Genre: latin

Awards and honors

Latin Grammy

Record labels

PolyGram (1985–1989) Sony Music (1991–2008) Warner Latina (2008–2011) Metamorfosis (2011–present)

Links

Official site Wikipedia

The full catalog on DoReSol

All songs

La mujer que no soñé

Del otro lado del sol · 1991

3:10 12

Señora de las cuatro décadas

Quién Dijo Ayer

Tú

Quién Dijo Ayer

Jesús verbo no sustantivo

Quién Dijo Ayer

Historia de taxi

Quién Dijo Ayer

Mujeres

Quién Dijo Ayer

Tu reputación

Quién Dijo Ayer

Animal nocturno

Quién Dijo Ayer

Realmente no estoy tan solo

Quién Dijo Ayer

Se Nos Muere El Amor - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

5:21 21

Se Nos Muere el Amor

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:07 22

Historia de taxi

Animal nocturno · 1992

6:46 23

Quién

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:17 24

Dime Que No

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:25 25

Te conozco

Animal nocturno · 1992

4:11 26

Dime Que No - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:24 27

Si el Norte Fuera el Sur

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:55 28

Jesús verbo no sustantivo

Animal nocturno · 1992

6:49 29

Tú

Animal nocturno · 1992

4:30 30

Quiero

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:53 31

Te Conozco

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:09 32

Señora de las cuatro décadas

Animal nocturno · 1992

5:06 33

Si el Norte Fuera el Sur - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:32 34

Te Conozco - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:29 35

Tarde (Sin Daños a Terceros)

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:16 36

Ella y él

Animal nocturno · 1992

6:14 37

Espantapájaros

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:00 38

Mujeres

Animal nocturno · 1992

3:28 39

A Ti

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:49 40

Historia de Taxi - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

6:01 41

Tu reputación

Animal nocturno · 1992

4:50 42

Quién diría

Animal nocturno · 1992

3:55 43

Tarde (Sin Daños A Terceros) - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:15 44

Mujeres - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:38 45

Noticiero

Animal nocturno · 1992

5:31 46

A Ti - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:48 47

Del otro lado del sol

Animal nocturno · 1992

4:44 48

Tu Reputación - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:19 49

Primera vez

Animal nocturno · 1992

3:49 50

Cuándo - Versión Pop

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:19 51

Señora de las Cuatro Décadas - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:24 52

Realmente no estoy tan solo

Animal nocturno · 1992

3:54 53

Jesús Verbo No Sustantivo - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

6:54 54

Amor de tele

Animal nocturno · 1992

3:19 55

Cuándo - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:45 56

Animal nocturno

Animal nocturno · 1992

3:53 57

Realmente No Estoy Tan Solo - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

4:17 58

Animal Nocturno - New Version

Quién Dijo Ayer · 1992

3:40 59

Amor de tele

Historias

Si Yo Fuera

Historias · 1994

4:28 61

Señora de Las Cuatro Décadas

Historias · 1994

5:06 62

Casa de Locos

Historias · 1994

3:00 63

Historia de Taxi

Historias · 1994

6:45 64

La Noche Te Trae Sorpresas

Historias · 1994

4:11 65

Te Conozco

Historias · 1994

4:12 66

Historia Del Portero

Historias · 1994

5:12 67

Realmente No Estoy Tan Solo

Historias · 1994

3:53 68

Del Otro Lado Del Sol

Historias · 1994

4:45 69

Me Están Jodiendo La Vida

Historias · 1994

4:30 70

Ayúdame Freud

Historias · 1994

6:43 71

Libre

Historias · 1994

3:31 72

Chicos de Plástico

Historias · 1994

4:15 73

Ella y él

Si el norte fuera el sur

Noticiero

Si el norte fuera el sur

Se nos muere el amor