Wikipedia

Evolución (Menudo album)

Evolución is the sixteenth studio album (fourteenth in Spanish) by the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, released in 1984. It marked the debut of Ricky Martin, who replaced Ricky Meléndez, the last member of the original lineup, as he was approaching 17 years old.[1]

Evolución
Studio album by
Menudo
ReleasedAugust 25, 1984
GenreLatin pop
Length35:43
LabelRCA
Menudo chronology
Mania
(1984) 		Evolución
(1984) 		Menudo
(1985)

Martin was not the first choice to join the group. Raúl Reyes, Ray's brother who worked as a backup singer, was considered for Menudo, as was Tico Santana, another name suggested at the time. However, for unknown reasons, Ricky Martin was ultimately selected. This was also the last album recorded by Ray Reyes as a member of the group.

The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album in 1985. Commercially, it was a success, with an initial run of 700,000 copies in Brazil and a diamond certification after selling one million copies in the country.

New member

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After gaining modest fame in Puerto Rico for his work in television commercials, Ricky Martin auditioned to join the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. Although the executives liked his singing and dancing in his first two auditions, Martin was initially rejected because he was too small.[2] On his third audition, his persistence impressed the executives, and in 1984, at the age of 12, he became a member of the group.[3]

A month after joining Menudo, he made his debut performance with the group at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in San Juan.[4] During this performance, he inadvertently disobeyed choreography by walking around the stage when he was supposed to remain still. As a result, he was reprimanded by the band's manager after the show. According to Martin, "The mistake was so significant that from that moment on, I never changed my position when I wasn’t supposed to… That was Menudo’s discipline: you did things the way you were told, or you were no longer part of the group."[5]

Singles

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The song "Sabes a Chocolate" reached number 1 on the list of the most-played songs on Spanish-language radio stations in Chicago, according to Billboard magazine.[6]

Tour in Brazil

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Taking advantage of the group's success in Brazil, the Menudo brand was launched, promoted by the advertising company Via Brasil in partnership with Padosa American Inc.[7] The brand aimed to market over 200 products, including school supplies and promotional gifts.[7] The marketing strategy included a contract for 12 shows in major cities and the possibility of advertising deals, provided the "clean" image of Menudo was respected.[7] The tour began on February 26, 1985, in Belém do Pará.[8]

The concert at Arruda Stadium in Recife brought together around 60,000 people on March 1, 1985. Tickets, initially sold for Cr$8,000 for the stands, reached Cr$9,000 through scalpers.[8] The event's structure included differentiated areas such as seated sections, open-floor areas, and stands.[8] More than 200 soldiers and six vehicles were deployed at Guararapes Airport but failed to prevent disturbances caused by fans who broke gates, forcing the group to use the military airport exit. The concert was criticized for the use of lip sync.[8][9]

In Santos, 25,000 fans welcomed the quintet at Vila Belmiro Stadium at 8:45 PM after a four-hour delay caused by bad weather that affected the entire state, forcing the group to travel by bus to Sorocaba and later to Santo André before reaching the concert venue.[10] Despite logistical problems, such as a shortened concert in Sorocaba (40 minutes) and the absence of sound and lighting technicians, the production managed to maintain the quality of the show, which was considered a success with 25,000 attendees.[10]

The SBT broadcast special daily bulletins about Menudo's activities in Brazil, aired at 2:45 PM, 7:45 PM, and 10:15 PM.[11] Additionally, live concert snippets were featured on TV shows like Clube do Bolinha (Band) and Programa Barros de Alencar (Record).[11]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [12]
Correio BrazilienseUnfavorable[13]

In terms of reviews from music critics, the critic from AllMusic rated it only one out of five stars but did not provide any comments about the album.[12]

The critic from Correio Braziliense described the musical production as highly polished but lacking authenticity, comparing the songs to pasteurized products designed to appeal to a broad audience without offering innovation.[13] According to him, despite the talented musicians, the album lacked originality, resulting in a childish and predictable sound.[13]

Awards

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The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album in 1985, competing in the same category with María Conchita Alonso (María Conchita), José Feliciano (Como Tú Quieres), José José (Secretos), Johnny (Invítame), and the winner Plácido Domingo (Siempre en Mi Corazón — Always in My Heart).[14][15]

Commercial performance

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In 1985, Billboard magazine published two differing figures regarding sales ordered by Brazilian stores: first reporting 700,000 copies (on March 13)[13] and later 500,000 copies (on March 23),[16] creating uncertainty about the most reliable figure. According to the Jornal dos Sports on March 28, 1985, after their final performance in São Paulo, the group received a diamond disc for one million copies sold in the country from the hands of the vice president of the Latin-American Division of RCA International.[17]

Track listing

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No.TitleLead VocalistLength
1."Sabes a Chocolate"Robby Rosa4:31
2."Yo No Fui"Ray Reyes3:31
3."Yo Seré Tu Bailarín"Charlie Massó2:59
4."Parque Del Oeste"Robby Rosa3:51
5."Amor Primero"Charlie Massó3:22
6."Agua De Limón"Charlie Massó4:12
7."No Hay Reflexión"Roy Rosselló2:59
8."Persecución"Ray Reyes3:10
9."Rayo De Luna"Ricky Martin3:42
10."Me Gusta Esa Chica"Robby Rosa3:44

Tables

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Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Sales
Brazil Diamond[17] 1,000,000[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Conheça o Menudo, uma proposta diferente". Cidade de Santos (in Portuguese). 6 (268). São Paulo: 22. December 2, 1984. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  2. ^ Martin, 2010. p. 31
  3. ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 31–32
  4. ^ Martin, 2010. p. 33
  5. ^ Martin, 2010. pp. 33–34
  6. ^ "Discos más populares en la Unión Americana". La Opinion (in Spanish) (234): 8 (Segunda sección). October 21, 1984. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "Via Brasil launches the Menudo brand in the country". Jornal do Brasil (254A ed.). Rio de Janeiro. December 18, 1984. p. 24 (Caderno 1). Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Bento, Emannuel (August 29, 2020). "35 years ago, Menudo caused a frenzy in Recife with the first big show at Arruda". Diário de Pernambuco (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  9. ^ "Six more galaxies". Jornal do Commercio (121 ed.). Rio de Janeiro. March 2, 1985. p. 12. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Goianos await a frenzy in Menudo's farewell". Cidade de Santos (6,373 ed.). São Paulo. March 18, 1985. p. 12. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Goianos await Menudo". Cidade de Santos (6,360 ed.). São Paulo. March 5, 1985. p. 17. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Menudo - Music Biography, Credits and Discography : AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d Filho, Renato Cesar (March 13, 1985). "Ainda a febre menudomaniaca". Correio Braziliense (in Portuguese): 25. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  14. ^ "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  15. ^ "Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences nominees for Grammy..." United Press International. January 10, 1985. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  16. ^ Fernandez, Enrique (March 23, 1985). "Billboard - Latin Notes". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 58–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  17. ^ a b c Waltinho (March 28, 1985). "Televisão". Jornal dos Sports. 17 (179). Rio de Janeiro: 8. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  18. ^ "Parada Bizz". Bizz. São Paulo: Editora Abril. September 1985. p. 14.
  19. ^ Augusto, Edgar (April 17, 1985). "Shorts". Diário do Pará (751). Pará: 8. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c "Billboard - Top Latin Albums". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 45. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 10, 1984. p. 59. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  21. ^ "Billboard Special Survey - Hot Latin LPs". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 38. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. October 13, 1984. p. 61. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  22. ^ Vicente, Eduardo. "Listagens Nopem 1965-1999". Academia.edu. Archived from the original on November 13, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.

Book sources

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