Gloria Estefan

While nowhere near as classic as her first one, Gloria's overlooked 2001 compilation 'Greatest Hits Volume II' is proof she was able to keep producing great songs following her biggest era and corresponding first Greatest Hits album. Not many artists can justify having two completely separate Greatest Hits albums with unique content from two different eras - in the Beatles/Queen etc. mould - and as most of the songs are lesser-known it's somewhat more refreshing to listen to than the first Greatest Hits! As far as I know they're all the single/radio versions too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Hits_Vol._II_(Gloria_Estefan_album)
 
While nowhere near as classic as her first one, Gloria's overlooked 2001 compilation 'Greatest Hits Volume II' is proof she was able to keep producing great songs following her biggest era and corresponding first Greatest Hits album. Not many artists can justify having two completely separate Greatest Hits albums with unique content from two different eras - in the Beatles/Queen etc. mould - and as most of the songs are lesser-known it's somewhat more refreshing to listen to than the first Greatest Hits! As far as I know they're all the single/radio versions too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Hits_Vol._II_(Gloria_Estefan_album)

I was kind of shocked it did so badly, but then her peak in the UK had really passed by 1995...let alone 2001.
 
'Everlasting Love' still got done dirty on Greatest Hits II (it says 'Video Version' on the tracklisting but once again it's the album version!). Although it's a nice surprise that they used the Tony Moran mix of 'I'm Not Giving You Up' on there, which is epic.

It's not as essential as the 1992 Greatest Hits because it records the period after her pop peak (a bit like Madonna's GHV2 compared to The Immaculate Collection), but it's still a reasonable listen. I might even go so far as to say that I prefer 'Y-Tu-Conga' to the original version.
 
'Everlasting Love' still got done dirty on Greatest Hits II (it says 'Video Version' on the tracklisting but once again it's the album version!).

I'm sure my version of 'Greatest Hits Volume II' has the much fuller single/video version of 'Everlasting Love', as opposed to the one on the 'Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me' album. It's one of the reasons I particularly like GHII.
 
I might even go so far as to say that I prefer 'Y-Tu-Conga' to the original version.

I do, too. It needed to be reinvented.

I remember Gloria did a "Live by request" concert on an American TV station. When Conga came up, she... literally sang five seconds of it. Literally, "come on baby, do the conga". End.

Brilliant.
 
I'm shocked by how many of her songs i recognise. I think Gloria must have been one of the many female artists my Mum had on repeat as I grew up. It's how I got into Cher, Madonna, Tina Turner and Celine Dion.

She was destined to be the Mother of a gay son,a role she was born to do really.
 
Inde
I think it’s often forgotten how huge she was in the UK for a while. In 1989 she had both the 4th and 5th best selling albums of the year (Anything For You and Cuts Both Ways).

Indeed. Two million sellers in a year was pretty good going.

I guess the accident in 1990 unavoidably slowed her commerical momentum down. I didn't think Into the Light was really strong enough or had enough killer singles to keep her at that level, and then there were so many niche albums (Mi Tierra, Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me, Abriendo Puertas) that by the time Destiny came out, she'd kind of lost her mainstream pop audience.

That said, while you probably wouldn't name her automatically as an A-list diva, her sales have been pretty good overall. In terms of albums, she's comfortably outsold, say, Janet Jackson in the UK.
 
I guess the accident in 1990 unavoidably slowed her commerical momentum down. I didn't think Into the Light was really strong enough or had enough killer singles to keep her at that level, and then there were so many niche albums (Mi Tierra, Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me, Abriendo Puertas) that by the time Destiny came out, she'd kind of lost her mainstream pop audience.

Exactly this, I think. Plus the "Greatest Hits" curse! That compilation sold very well in 1992/93.
 
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Where's the best place to start with Gloria for a new fan?

Greatest Hits Vol. I (1992) - With all her peak hits from 80s - early 90s.

Greatest Hits Vol. II (2001) - With all her peak hits from the 90s.

gloria! (1998) - The album is a pop 90s dance experience. The singles mixes are really great of this entire era. After you can try also "Miss Little Havana" (2011).

Cuts Both Ways (1989) / Anything For You (1988) - One of her two most remembered albums from her solo career, specially in the UK.

Mi Tierra (1993) - Her Spanish multimillion album sold worldwide.

Into The Light (1991) - Bit out-dated but great gems like "Sex In The 90s", "Seal Our Fate" or "Can't Forget You". The live version of this album on tour was super.

Destiny (1996) / Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me (1994) / Unwrapped (2004) - Amazing well-produced albums with great songs. "Reach" was one of those moments in her career in 1996-1997.

Abriendo Puertas (1995) - Spanish christmas album with lots of Latin culture influences.

Caribbean Soul (2001) / 90 Millas (2007) - Till this point you like her spanish songs, you're going to love this albums.

The Standards (2013) / Brazil 305 (2020) - Deserves a listen to hear mature Gloria's voice and production.

Bonus: Tony Moran, Love To Infinity, 70s Moment Medley, Junior Vasquez, Pablo Flores, Shep Pettibone, David Morales and Gold Metal remixes.
 
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