El Problema

"El Problema" ("The Problem") is a Latin pop song written, produced and performed by Guatemalan Grammy Award winner singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona. It was released as the lead single from his ninth studio album, Santo Pecado (2002). It is also recognized as one of Ricardo Arjona's signature songs.

This article is about the Ricardo Arjona song. For the Morgenshtern and Timati song, see El Problemá (song). For the Alfredo Olivas song, see Alfredo Olivas.

"El Problema"
Single by Ricardo Arjona
from the album Santo Pecado
Released14 October 2002 (2002-10-14)[1]
Recorded2002
GenreLatin pop
Length5:31 (Album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)Ricardo Arjona
Producer(s)
  • Ricardo Arjona
  • Carlos Cabral Junior
Ricardo Arjona singles chronology
"A Cara o Cruz"
(2001)		 "El Problema"
(2002)		 "Minutos"
(2003)

Critically and commercially successful, the song became a hit by the singer, staying at No.1 for eight consecutive weeks at the Billboard Hot Latin Songs and twelve weeks at No.1 on the Latin Pop Songs chart, both being the most by any of his singles to date.

Reception

On the success of the song, Arjona commented that "it is an accident that happens, and you doesn't now how it is about. I thought 'El Problema' wasn't a song that could sound on radio and it happened."[2] Mario Tarradell from The Dallas Morning News commented that "filled with lengthy verses and a gospellike chorus, the cut hardly sounds like your usual drive-time fodder."[3]

Music video

The music video for "El Problema" was filmed between November 16 and 18, 2002 in Barcelona, Spain. The video features the singer chasing a woman throughout the city to finally find her at the La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona's biggest church, in which he is arrested by the police and sent to prison.

Track listing
Digital Download
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."El Problema"Ricardo Arjona5:31

Chart performance

"El Problema" became a huge commercial success for Arjona. The song debuted at No.27 on the Billboard Latin Songs chart the week ending November 2, 2002.[4] The following week it jumped to No.11, receiving the "Greatest Gainer" honor for that week.[5] On the week ending November 16, "El Problema" jumped to No.9,[6] thus becoming Arjona's third song to reach the top 10, after "Desnuda" and "Cuando", both of which reached No.1 in 2000.[7] The week ending December 7, 2002, "El Problema" reached No.1 on the chart, and stayed there for eight consecutive weeks. On the Latin Pop Songs chart, it debuted at No.17 on the week ending November 2, 2002,[8] and reached No.1 on the week ending November 30.[9] The song stayed at No.1 for nine consecutive weeks. It is, to date, the longest-running number-one single by the Guatemalan singer on both charts.

Release history
Country Date Format Label
United Kingdom[16] October 2002 CD single Sony Music
United States[17] January 19, 2010 Digital download (re-release)

References
  1. "Empieza su 'problema' en la radio". El Norte (in Spanish). October 15, 2002. p. 2.
  2. Ricardo Arjona, El Problema. AccesMyLibrary.com. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  3. "Ricardo Arjona continues to make well-crafted music without worrying about sales or awards". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved on April 30, 2012.
  4. "Top Latin Songs of the week". Billboard. Nielsen Soundscan. Retrieved on April 30, 2012.
  5. "Top Latin Songs of the week". Billboard. Nielsen Soundscan. Retrieved on April 30, 2012.
  6. "Top Latin Songs of the week". Billboard. Nielsen Soundscan. Retrieved on April 30, 2012.
  7. "Ricardo Arjona Album & Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved on April 30, 2012.
  8. "Latin Pop Songs of the week". Billboard. Nielsen Soundscan. Retrieved on April 30, 2012.
  9. "Latin Pop Songs of the week". Billboard. Nielsen Soundscan. Retrieved on April 30, 2012.
  10. "Ricardo Arjona Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard.
  11. "Ricardo Arjona Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  12. "The Year in Music 2003: Latin". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 115 (52): YE-67. December 27, 2003. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  13. "2003 Year End Charts". Billboard. December 27, 2003. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
  14. "2009 Decade End Charts". Billboard. December 27, 2009. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
  15. "2009 Decade End Charts". Billboard. December 27, 2009. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
  16. "El Problema (US Import): Ricardo Arjona". Amazon.com. Retrieved on May 1, 2012.
  17. "El Problema: Ricardo Arjona". Amazon.com. Retrieved on May 1, 2012.
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