The founder of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Rafael Ithier, has died, but the legacy of the salsa orchestra as one of the most recognized in Latin America will live on through dozens of hits — from 1975’s “Un Verano en Nueva York,” which has found new life through Bad Bunny, to “Me Liberé” and “Se Nos Perdió el Amor.”
Founded in 1962 by Ithier, who was for many years the pianist and musical director of the orchestra, El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico was born out of the breakup of Rafael Cortijo y su Combo, with some members of the disbanded group brought together by Gema Records for a recording. Since then, they have made generations dance to classics such as “Ámame,” “Brujería,” “Falsaría,” “Hojas Blancas,” “Gotas de Lluvia,” “La Muerte,” “Se Me Fue,” “La Fiesta de Pilito,” “El Menú,” “No Hay Cama Pa’ Tanta Gente,” “Julia,” “Y No Hago Más Na’,” and many more!
On Billboard‘s Tropical Airplay chart alone, they’ve placed 41 songs — the second-highest number for a group since the ranking launched in 1994 (behind Grupo Manía’s 50 entries). Of those, 15 reached the top 10, and two hit No. 1: “Me Liberé,” which gave the group its longest leadership on the chart with three weeks at the top in 2001, and “Se Nos Perdió el Amor” the following year.
Among other achievements, they had 22 songs on Hot Latin Songs between 1986 and 2005, two of which reached the top 10: “Cúpido” and “Ámame,” which peaked at No. 8 in 1988 and 1989, respectively. They also have 10 entries on Top Latin Albums, five of which reached the top 10, with Salsa: Un Homenaje a El Gran Combo earning them their best position in 2010 at No. 3.
Nicknamed the “University of Salsa,” the group also holds several Billboard records: most entries for a group on the Top Tropical Albums chart, with 22; most top 10s on the same chart for a group, with 19; and most No. 1s on Top Tropical Albums for a group, with a total of 10. Additionally, their album Y Su Pueblo held the record for most weeks at No. 1 on Top Tropical Albums for a group since its debut in 1985 until December 1992, with 16 weeks at the top.
Below, enjoy all the songs by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico that have entered the top 10 of the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart, listed in chronological order. And long live salsa music!
“Amor de Playa”
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}Peak Position: No. 5
Peak Date: June 24, 1995
Weeks on the Chart: 9
“No Digas Que No”
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}Peak Position: No. 4
Peak Date: Sept. 23, 1995
Weeks on the Chart: 8
“Chica de Mis Sueños”
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}Peak Position: No. 10
Peak Dare: January 27, 1996
Weeks on the Chart: 4
“Así Logramos Nuestro Amor”
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}Peak Position: No. 8
Peak Date: Aug. 3, 1996
Weeks on the Chart: 6
“Los Primerizos”
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}Peak Position: No. 4
Peak Date: Oct. 12, 1996
Weeks on the Chart: 8
“Me Liberé”
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}Peak Position: No. 1 (three weeks)
Peak Date: Aug. 18, 2001
Weeks on the Chart: 27
“Se Nos Perdió el Amor”
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}Peak Position: No. 1 (one week)
Peak Date: June 21, 2003
Weeks on the Chart: 35
“Mi Gorda Bonita”
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}Peak Position: No. 7
Peak Dare: Oct. 30, 2004
Weeks on the Chart: 10
“El Matrimonio”
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}Peak Position: No. 5
Peak Date: January 29, 2005
Weeks on the Chart: 17
“No Hay Manera”
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}Peak Position: No. 5
Peak Date: Dec. 2, 2006
Weeks on the Chart: 20
“Arroz con Habichuela”
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}Peak Position: No. 3
Peak Date: March 24, 2007
Weeks on the Chart: 26
“Si La Ves Por Ahí”
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}Peak Position: No. 6
Peak Date: July 21, 2007
Weeks on the Chart: 19
“Sin Salsa No Hay Paraíso”
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}Peak Position: No. 6
Peak Date: 8 de mayo de 2010
Weeks on the Chart: 21
“Ojos Chinos”
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}Peak Position: No. 8
Peak Date: Nov. 24, 2012
Weeks on the Chart: 7
“No Hay”
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}Peak Position: No. 10
Peak Date: Dec. 4, 2021
Weeks on the Chart: 8
