“Macarena” made Los del Río a US one-hit wonder after its dance remix became a global hit. The Spanish duo first released the song in 1993, but the Bayside Boys remix turned it into a worldwide phenomenon in 1996.
The remix topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks, making it one of the longest-running number-one songs of the 1990s. Its accompanying dance was widely performed at parties, sporting events, and public celebrations, helping the song cross language and age barriers.
Los del Río were Antonio Romero Monge and Rafael Ruiz Perdigones. The song’s title refers to Macarena, a female name, and the original recording was in Spanish. Some listeners confuse the song with other Latin dance hits such as “Mambo No. 5,” but “Macarena” is specifically associated with its choreographed side-to-side dance.