Leonardo Paniagua – Chiquitita

Leonardo Paniagua had one of the softest voices in 1970s bachata, and this album shows the romantic, polished side of the genre before it went electric. The guitar plays a supporting role here, picking delicate figures around a singer who never pushes. Choose it if you want bachata as tender ballad music, a useful contrast with the rougher records that follow on this list.