GLORIA ESTEFAN AND MIAMI SOUND MACHINE

80S SONGS AND ALBUMS

By Mark Nobes, chief editor

Since the 1970s, the Queen of latin pop, Gloria Estefan, has sold over 100 million records, including releases with the band Miami Sound Machine. The Cuban born singer-songwriter is in the top 100 of best-selling music artists with over 90 million albums sold worldwide.

Gloria's real name is Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan. Yes, well you can see why she shortened it for her musical career!

Gloria Estefan Smash Hits poster 1989

Studio album Discography

(with Miami Sound Machine)

1978 Miami Sound Machine  -
1979 Imported  -
1980 MSN  -
1981 Otra Vez  -
1982 Rio  -
1984 A Toda Maquina  -
1984 Eyes Of Innocence  -
1985 Primitive Love  -
1987 Let It Loose/Anything For You  #1
1989 Cuts Both Ways  #1

UK album chart peak positions shown

Dr. Beat (see video playlist above) was the lead single from the 1984 album Eyes Of Innocence and reached #6 in the UK. However, in the U.S. the song wasn't as popular and failed to chart, although it did reach #15 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart.

A further two singles were released from the album but they were both flops. Prisoner Of Love only reached #98 in the U.S. and didn't chart in the UK. I Need A Man failed to chart even in any of the dance charts.

Eyes Of Innocence was the first album to be commercially successful for Gloria Estefan and her band, and this is mainly due to the songs being sung in English and not Spanish as on previous albums. However, the album wasn't successful in America, although, the next album release Primitive Love reached #23 on the Billboard 200.

Once Gloria Estefan had established herself as a major artist, she felt brave enough to release a solo album sung in the  Spanish language in 1993. Entitled Mi Tierra, the album was a huge success, achieving multi-platinum sales in many countries, including Spain.

Mylo used the Dr. Beat song to create his own hit in 2005 entitled Doctor Pressure.
Dr. Beat vinyl single - Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan
Eyes Of Innocence LP - Miami Sound Machine

PRIMITIVE LOVE (ALBUM)

In terms of commercial success, this was a breakthrough album for Gloria and the band, achieving 3x Platinum sales in the US. However, the first album to enter the UK album charts was the next release, Let It Loose.
Primitive Love vinyl LP - Miami Sound Machine

BAD BOY (1985)

This was my favourite track on the Primitive Love album and it was released as the second single, reaching #'16 here in the UK and #8 in America. The song featured in the opening titles of the movie Three Men And A Baby. There were two videos released, and the one above is the second one which features the cast of the musical Cats.
Bad Boy Japanese 7

LET IT LOOSE (ALBUM)

The penultimate album by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine (1987) was re-released as Anything For You in Europe, UK and Australia in 1988. This is one of my favourite album sleeves and Gloria looks particularly ravishing!

Gloria Estefan Let It Loose album

RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU (1987)

Rhythm is Gonna Get You was the first single taken from Let It Loose and reached No.16 in the UK (after being re-issued in 1988) and No.5 in the U.S in 1987. The song featured in the movie Stakeout, a crime comedy starring Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez.
Rhythm Is Gonna Get You UK 7

1-2-3 (1988)

This upbeat tune was released as the last single from the successful Let It Loose album. The song became a big summer hit during 1988, reaching #3 in America and #9 here in Great Britain. However, by the time the song was released as a single, the co-writer Kiki Garcia had left Miami Sound Machine.
123 7

CUTS BOTH WAYS (ALBUM)

This was the final album Gloria Estefan recorded with Miami Sound Machine, and there could be no better time to release it than at the end of the eighties. 

The album features a varied and interesting mix of song styles and Gloria sings them all enthusiastically. Miami Sound Machine are on top form,too.

Five tracks were released as singles; Don't Wanna Lose You, Get On Your Feet, Here We Go, Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice) and the title track which was the only release not to make it into the UK Top 40.  
Cuts Both Ways vinyl album sleeve - Gloria Estefan

DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU (1989)

This beautiful love song was released during the summer of 1989 as the lead single from the album Cuts Both Ways, and reached #6 in the UK and topped the Billboard Hot 100. The video featured in the playlist is the official version.
Don't Wanna Lose You 7 inch vinyl sleeve - Gloria Estefan

GET ON YOUR FEET (1989)

The second single to be lifted from Cuts Both Ways was released on Sept 30th 1989 in the UK and US, but wasn't released until 1990 across europe. The single was made available in five formats including a cassette single (remember those?) and reached #11 in the US and #23 in the UK.
Get On Your Feet single sleeve - Gloria Estefan

HERE WE ARE (1989)

This popular ballad was released as the third single from the album Cuts Both Ways (during 1990 outside of the U.S.) However, the track was released during 1989 in the U.S. and UK. The UK CD Maxi-Single features a live version of Dr. Beat.

OYI MI CANTO (HEAR MY VOICE) (1989)

Also lifted from Cuts Both Ways, this single was released on Sept 14th 1989 in the UK and April 7th 1990 in the US. It was also made available on a UK limited edition maxi single. The video won International Viewer's Choice Award at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Oye Mi Canto (Hear My Voice) single sleeve - Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan People Magazine Cover

Gloria Estefan - Anything For You

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