Menudo is a studio album by the Puerto Rican boy bandMenudo, released in 1985 by RCA Records.[1] The tracklist includes seven original songs, along with three tracks from the album Evolución translated into English.[2]
The tracklist features four songs produced by Howie Rice, who also worked on the Break Out album by the Pointer Sisters, earning a Grammy Awards nomination.[3] It was overseen by the group’s founder and manager, Edgardo Diaz, alongside producers Carlos Villa and Alejandro Monroy, who collaborated with Rice and Mary Lynne Pagan.[3]
The album was part of RCA's strategy to capture the American market, specifically targeting that audience.[2] However, it was also released in Brazil and other Latin American countries, albeit with limited promotion, hindering its success in the charts.[2]
Background
This was the third self-titled album by the group; the first was in 1981, also titled Fuego.[4] The second was the group’s 17th album, also released in 1985, featuring members Charlie Massó, Roy Rosselló, Robby Rosa, Ricky Martin, and new member Raymond Acevedo.[4] Raymond replaced Ray Reyes after Reyes left due to repeated conflicts between his father and the group’s manager. According to Ray’s brother, Raúl Reyes, his departure had long been anticipated.
Promotion
The album's promotion included a U.S. tour sponsored by Pepsi, which featured live performances by the band—a notable departure from their previous reliance on playback.[5] The tour began in New York City and included stops in cities such as Philadelphia, San Francisco (California), San Diego, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Corpus Christi (Texas), Chicago, and Miami.[5]
In 1986, RCA released the tour on VHS.[6] All songs from the album, except "Transformation," were included in this video album.[7] In 2002, Image Entertainment re-released the work on DVD, omitting a few tracks from a medley of hits.[8]
Singles
"Hold Me" was released as the lead single, with Robby Rosa on lead vocals. On Billboard music charts, it appeared on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, reaching positions 62 and 61, respectively.[9] On Cash Box magazine’s Top 100, it peaked at number 61.[10]
Regarding critical reception, Suzette Fernandez of Billboard magazine stated: "The English-language track introduced a new generation of members and a bright synth-pop sound, accompanied by an impossibly catchy chorus, making it a perfect fit for mid-'80s American pop."[11] Jason Lipshutz, also from Billboard, remarked: "A joyful declaration of love: Menudo comes bouncing and twirling in the music video for 'Hold Me,' and the song has been making listeners want to do the same for decades."[12] In 2018, Billboard ranked the song 53rd on its list of "The 100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time."[11] In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it 40th on its list of "The 75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time."[13]
"Please Be Good To Me" was released as the second single, peaking at number 104 on the BillboardBubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[14]
Regarding music critics, the reviews were unfavorable.
Paulo Pestana, from the newspaper Correio Braziliense, stated that the album features a standardized sound, similar to what is played on American FM radio, resulting in a more "balanced" outcome compared to the group's previous works.[2] However, he criticized the sound for being overly homogenized and lacking authenticity, noting that the group adopted a standardized sound to appeal to a broader market but failed to introduce any significant innovations.[2] He compared the musical aesthetic to that of Brazilian artists such as Rita Lee and Moraes Moreira, arguing that this approach results in something predictable and "risk-free." [2]
Tom Ford, from the U.S. newspaper Toledo Blade, wrote that the album might appeal to a younger audience, such as those who watch Saturday morning cartoons, but anyone over the age of 14 would likely be put off by the group's visual style.[15] He described the songs as "synthetic, danceable, upbeat, and entirely devoid of impact or substance."[15]
^Video Explosion (Media notes). Menudo. United States: RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video. 1986. 60614.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Video Explosion (Media notes). Menudo. United States: Image Entertainment, Lightyear Entertainment. 2002. ID1485LYDVD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
