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Twenty years ago today (June 3), Shakira dropped her sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, via Epic Records — the follow-up to her debut English-language LP, Laundry Service, released in 2001.
After a successful debut in the English market with tracks such as “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes,” the Colombian superstar returned to singing in her native language for Fijación Oral, where she reeled in producers such as Gustavo Cerati, Lester Méndez, Luis Fernando Ochoa, and José “Gocho” Torres.
Home to 10 tracks — including singles “La Tortura” (2005), “No” (2005), “Día de Enero” (2006), “La Pared” (2006), and “Las de la Intuición” (2007) — the set debuted at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums for 17 weeks, marking her fourth champ then (she has scored seven No. 1s to date). It also debuted at No. 1 on Top Latin Pop Albums, where it dominated for 25 weeks between 2005-06, and at No. 4 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
Fijación Oral also gave fans the timeless collaboration with Alejandro Sanz, “La Tortura.” The pop urban-tinted track, with dancehall and acoustic elements, peaked at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs chart dated June 4, 2005, and ruled for 25 weeks. It was also the only track from the album that entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The album was followed by Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, released in November 2005, where the global hit “Hips Don’t Lie” in collaboration with Wyclef Jean, lives. Vol. 1 is home to 10 Spanish-language songs and Vol. 2 to 10 English-language ones.
“The idea of making a double project was never planned or premeditated, it just happened,” Shak previously shared in an interview with MTV. “I found myself writing 60 songs and put myself on the mission of selecting my favorite ones, which happened to be 20.”
Below, Billboard editors rank all 10 songs on Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, from worst to best.
