Alvin M. Keeling 
Whenever a new phenomenon appears in pop culture, people are betting on how long it will last or how quickly it will be forgotten. If it is a musical group made up of attractive young performers, their popularity with teenagers is often attributed to these qualities. For many people, it’s hard to recognize that music connects with people just because it’s fun and brings out emotions. This is the case of the Mexican group RBD, made up of singers and actors Anahí, Dulce María, Maite Perroni, Christian Chávez, Alfonso Herrera and Christopher von Uckerman.
At the height of their popularity, boosted by the telenovela Rebel (2004-2006), their music goes beyond the borders of their country of origin. RBD has toured throughout Latin America, the United States and even Europe, and has recorded music in Spanish, Portuguese and English. Even after the show ended, the band stayed together, releasing original music and performing until 2008.
From the start fashion trends, inspiring a generation of Brazilians to learn Spanish, representing Mexico around the world and inspiring several Latin artists such as Danna paola and Anitta, RBD’s impact is undeniable. And it stays: in 2021, Netflix announced a reboot of Rebel and revealed a new version of his iconic theme song.ana
Nostalgia, of course, plays a huge role in how so many people still love RBD music, almost 20 years after its release and especially since their catalog returned to streaming platforms this year. But that does not detract from the merits of these songs. Catchy, cheerful and often dramatic, RBD’s music hits all the right places that make teen idols and beloved pop stars. From singles to album clippings, here are 15 of our favorite RBD songs.
15. “Para Olvidarte de Mi”
What could be more appropriate for a farewell than a song about an unforgettable love? “Para Olvidarte de Mí” is just that song. After revealing that they would not be making music together in 2008, RBD released one last album in 2009 and said goodbye to their fans in the most passionate way: “Uno de estos días (…) / Volverá de nuevo la melancolía / Para darte la noticia / De que no me has olvidado todavía. It’s as if they knew that, years later, their fans would be just a “Y soy rebelde” away from countless nostalgic feelings.
14. “Futuro Ex Novio”
The combination of the voices and personalities of the six members was the magic of RBD. But they also had songs performed by units, some only by the three women and some only by the three men. “Futuro Ex Novio” is performed by Christopher, Alfonso and Christian, singing a one night stand with a woman who leaves them heartbroken. The men of RBD display a vibrant dynamic, as the voices of Christopher and Alfonso contrast with the highs of Christian.
13. “Quando O Amor Acaba”
The enormous popularity of RBD in Brazil led them to record an entire album with Portuguese versions of their songs. “Quando O Amor Acaba” is the version of “Cuando el Amor Se Acaba” and a good solo performance by RBD’s sweetest singer, Maite. The track was one of the best received by Brazilian fans, who praised the singer’s Portuguese pronunciation.
12. “I want to be the rain”
RBD Rebels (2006) featured English versions of their hits, as well as original songs for which RBD had a team of prominent American songwriters and producers. “I Wanna Be the Rain”, for example, was written by Diane Warren, who has written for pop music legends, from Mariah Carey to Whitney Houston, from Lady Gaga to Rihanna). The harmonization of the RBD members really shines in this powerful ballad.
11. “Ser o Parecer”
After registering Rebel completed in 2006, RBD stayed together and recorded the album Celestial. Although they adopted different visuals, with outfits inspired by street wanderers, the music still had the same sweet feel of their early works. “Ser o Parecer” continued RBD’s pop-rock brand, with lyrics about platonic love.
10. “I want to play”
In 2006, reggaeton was nowhere as popular as it is today, although Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” was a hit in 2004. For their English debut, RBD relied on reggaeton for songs like ” Wanna Play ”and made the genre popular with many audiences. not familiar with it. To match the sexy rhythms and melodies, their lyrics and choreography for “Wanna Play” were also spicier and filled with plenty of double meanings. RBD performed the song during the 2007 Miss Universe pageant, held in Mexico.
9. “Inalcanzable”
RBD can put you in your feelings when they sing about unrequited love. Their words were always so intense and shameless in the way they mentioned impossible love or death for love. “Inalcanzable” is one of RBD’s most touching songs of this genre.
8. “Aun Hay Algo”
One of RebelThe opening song for ‘during its second season was cutie “Aún Hay Algo”. The song is about a relationship that comes and goes, hinting at the romantic intrigue between the couples on the show. “Aún Hay Algo” has that magical feel of a lot of RBD’s love songs, with lyrics like “Se dio un amor que puede hacer milagros.
7. “Ensename”
Mía, Roberta and Lupita may not have been friends in the early episodes of Rebel, but the actresses who interpret them form a powerful trio on stage. The three women have unique voices that complement each other very well: Anahi’s was hoarse, Maite’s was delicate, and Dulce’s was sweet and high-pitched. The sweet and reggae-pop “Enséname” is one of their best times together.
6. “El Mundo Detrás”
RBD’s 2007 album Empezar Desde Cero presents some of the group’s most mature songs, such as “No Digas Nada” and “El Mundo Detrás”. The latter is a solo by Dulce María, with a beautiful arrangement of violins. Dulce’s unique voice has always made a difference in RBD, even when it harmonized with the other members. But in “El Mundo Detrás” her voice is the main star.
5. “Solo Quédate In Silencio”
Many of RBD’s songs incorporated some sort of dialogue between female and male members. It was a way of mixing their different types of voices into their songs and incorporating a bit of the romantic tension of the characters the members played on the show. “Sólo Quédate En Silencio” is one of those sentimental love songs: “Sólo quédate en silencio / Cinco minutos / (…) Te daré el último beso.
4. “Extraña Sensación”
The groovy “Extraña Sensación” is, possibly, the unconventional song ever released by RBD, for their standards. That’s why it stands out so much in their discography. This is another facet of RBD’s musicality and presents them as a band that could very well have been successful even without the show to support them.
3. “Trás De Mi”
In their second studio album, Nuestro Amor, RBD ventured into lyrical themes beyond romance. “Tras De Mí”, for example, is a song about leaving childhood memories behind. The song made for epic performances, like the acoustic one that opens the RBDs Living in hollywood concert, and one at 2006 Latin Grammy Awards, where Christian surprised fans by singing his verse in the same tone as Anahi’s.
2. “Rebel”
The beginning of everything. The anthem of a whole generation. “Rebelde” was the opening song of the namesake show in its first season, but the chorus line “Y soy rebelde” has never ceased to be associated with RBD. To this day, when the song starts playing, the first guitar chords are enough to bring back fond memories for fans of the series and the band.
1. “Salvame”
RBD’s love songs were generally dramatic, but none were more than “Sálvame”. It’s RBD’s definitive angst song, and it’s iconic for more than one reason: it has extremely depressing melodies and lyrics (“Sobrevivo por pura ansiedad”); and its music video features the band performing in cowboy hats in the snow, with Anahí, Dulce María and Maite even wearing bikinis under winter coats. “Sálvame” was also one of the most anticipated moments of RBD concerts, as Anahí delivered her most theatrical performance.
