Massively popular in his native Dominican Republic, Juan Luis Guerra has achieved crossover success worldwide with his sophisticated mix of tropical dance styles. After attending the prestigious Berklee School of Music, he returned home and formed vocal harmony group 440 that earned a reputation for sophisticated arrangements and precision tuning. He later added elements of the traditional ballad style known as "bachata," mixing it with rapid Merengue rhythms propelled by a two-headed drum called a "tambora." By incorporating African harmony and Caribbean melodies into a mix replete with saxophones, electric guitars, percussion and keyboards, he has produced a compelling hybrid of contemporary Latin music over his lengthy career. Revered for his lyricism, he has been known to drive people to tears and outrage politicians with his social commentary. By the 1990s, Guerra was cranking out global hits and expanding his musical range to include African guitar and Haitian rhythms, all the while maintaining his musical integrity. - RLEAVER

With his long hair and boyish good looks, Elvis Crespo has captured the tropical music crown with his multiplatinum "Suavemente" (Smoothly) in 1998. A Nuyorican (Puerto Rican born in N.Y.C.) who chooses to sing Merengue (which originates from the Dominican Republic), Crespo represents the new urban Latino who has transformed a traditional folk rhythm into a new, hip style. As the lead singer of the teen group Grupo Mania, Crespo was a Latino pop star by age twenty-two. Several years later he ventured off on his own, just as the tropical music scene was achieving unprecedented crossover success. His smooth, natural voice lends itself well to his catchy original compositions. A constant presence on Spanish-language television (often performing before large crowds of ecstatic Latina girls) this Latin Elvis will continue to dance across the tropical charts. - Robert Leaver

Like many great singers, Puerto Rico's Olga Tanon had identified her profession by the age of four; her story since is one of struggle and determination. After vanquishing a painful shyness that made public performance almost impossible, Tanon's 1992 solo debut went gold, thanks in no small part to her powerful, husky vocal delivery and good looks. Tanon's second album went double platinum, and she hasn't looked back since. She's earned a slew of awards, including Billboard, Grammy, and Latin Grammy nods, and gained a fan base that extends from Latin America to the U.S. and Europe. Fans dubbed Tanon the Queen of Merengue in 1994, but her repertoire is diverse, encompassing ballads, salsa, rock and pretty much anything that catches her fancy. She's worked with top-notch songwriters in the Latin Pop world, recording an album of ballads penned by Marco Antonio Solis and singing songs by Rudy Perez, among others. Versatile and sweet without being saccharine, she is also, naturally, the pride of Puerto Rico: the Puerto Rican Senate even dubbed November 9th "La Dia de Olga Tanon." - Sarah Bardeen

Latin Pop star Gisselle rocks dance parties with her throaty vocal delivery and a potent mix of electronic dance beats, Merengue and Salsa. This versatile vocalist handles ballads and rave-ups with equal finesse.

Fulanito emerge from the DJ/dance culture in Latin New York City, blending House beats, rap sentiment and the Caribbean flavors of Dominican music. Hugely popular with young Latinos, they represent a new generation crossing musical borders with the requisite gear and dance moves. - RLEAVER

This Dominican band is known for romantic bachata music, but they also venture into the fast lane with Merengue. Guitar arpeggios and bongo riffs circle each other while chorus vocals answer the pleadings of the lead vocalist. - RLEAVER

Proyecto Uno started as a straight-ahead Merengue band, but gradually they absorbed the urban dance sounds of New York City, including House and Salsa. Guest singers include bilingual rappers, Dancehall reggae growlers and freestyle vocalists, who have all helped them cross over to mainstream dance enthusiasts. - RLEAVER

This prefab Dominican merengue group may not please purists with their hyper-driven dance music, but they've lit up clubs across Central America and the Caribbean. Part of their charm stems from their rampant plundering of other styles: hip-hop, reggae, and meren-house, for starters. In fact, they're best described as a tropical pop group whose main aim is to please. - Sarah Bardeen

Born in New York to a Dominican father and a Puerto Rican mother, Anthony Santos fell in love with bachata music before he'd even hit puberty. He developed into a strong composer and singer; besides his solo work, Santos has been loaning his talents to Caribbean's first bachata boy band, Aventura, for nearly a decade. - SBARDEEN

Grupo Mania's 2001 release, Mania 2050, opens with a bit of Breakbeat fancy, but don't be fooled. When this Puerto Rican brother band gets going, they rock the hardcore Merengue their fans demand. This is where heartthrob Elvis Crespo got his start, but the Serrano brothers don't suffer without him. After Crespo left in 1995, the band saw their 1998 release, Dinastia, nominated for a Grammy. This is essential Caribbean dance music: high, bright horns punctuate unbelievably tight grooves, and the harmonized backing supports an unstoppable, understandably hoarse lead singer. - Sarah Bardeen

Singing humorous and lustful songs in Spanish with the occasional English phrase, this very popular Merengue band energizes the tradition with heavier beats and an attitude that stems from contemporary urban culture. When Oro Solido (Solid Gold) shout "Mambo!" the saxophones spark a rhythmic burst. - RLEAVER

Strictly for the dancers. This tropical Merengue hip shaker rolls forward relentlessly, horns swaggering while the suave singer inspires the chorus, raising the temperature on the dance floor. - RLEAVER

A Puerto Rican singer who prefers Merengue to Salsa, Manny Manuel sings a light pop version of tropical dance music. Keyboards and saxophones are prominent, as are the women who sing backup and dance in his elaborate stage show. - RLEAVER

A gruff male vocalist growls as tinkly keyboards race through a Merengue rhythm grounded in a steady thump. - RLEAVER

These four Dominican singers are known for their electrifying dance routines and slick vocal performance. They're backed by a relentless Merengue rhythm section and swinging saxophone riffs. - Robert Leaver

This saccharin-voiced tenor started his career with protege Juan Luis Guerra. His mixture of romantic Latin ballads and fast-paced pop Merengue scorchers has sent him to the top of the tropical music charts. - RLEAVER

A legendary figure in the Dominican Republic, Luis Segura has been singing his sad bachata songs with plucky guitar arpeggios for many years. A slower cousin to Merengue, bachata has been retooled by contemporary artists like Juan Luis Guerra. - RLEAVER

Led by the singer Pablo Martinez, Parada Joven are best known for their romantic merengue style. They even slow it down to perform a few bachata songs now and then. - SBARDEEN

The brothers Rosario have a storied career as one of the longest-running merengue bands in the business. The group originated in 1978 in the Dominican Republic under the direction of pianist and musical director Pepe Rosario. When Pepe passed away soon after the group formed, the 14-piece orchestra was thrown into disarray for several years. They ultimately reunited and recorded again, and the 1980s saw a run of hits that began to garner the group an international reputation. The band issued greatest hits collections in the early '90s, and that might have been the end of the story. It wasn't. Los Hermonos Rosario have continued to chart into the 21st century thanks to an updated image and the high-quality musicianship that comes with over two decades of musical experience. Marked by strong ensemble singing and seamless orchestration, this is one war-horse that still isn't showing its age. - SBARDEEN

For more than two decades, Esteban has been a familiar voice on the Merengue dancefloors of New York, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Suave vocals work an urgent beat as cascading keyboard melodies and saxophones step in. - RLEAVER

Approaching 140 beats per minute, this Merengue band sound like a Dominican version of Alvin & the Chipmunks. Saxophones, keyboards, bass and percussion manage to stay in sync with one another, and the vocal harmonies fit like tight leather. - RLEAVER

Assembled to record versions of popular Merengue songs, this group play nothing but hits in their "Ultimate Merengue Party." A revolving door of singers competently perform over the generic, fast tempo accented by a brass ensemble. - RLEAVER

This Merengue group hail from Medellin, Colombia, but their idea of partying has nothing to do with white powder. Rhythms scrape forward, propelled by brawny brass and flirtatious vocals. - RLEAVER

As if their rhythms are set to the pitter-patter of runaway horses, the young men of Rokabanda sing and strut like young stallions in tropical heat. Their group vocals -- and no doubt their dance routines -- betray their underlying sense of whimsy. - RLEAVER