“25 Rosas” made a bittersweet entrance into the Hot Latin Songs chart in 2015, debuting at No. 10 just two weeks after his death. Originally released in 1997 on the album Rumores under the title “Veinticinco Rosas”, the song is a buoyant declaration of unforgotten love. In it, Sebastian, with his signature poetic charm, sends a bouquet to a past flame with the heartfelt plea: “If one day your heart feels cold, remember, woman, that someone loves you.”

Listen to the original song here.

“El Padrino”, a vibrant blend of mariachi and norteña, peaked at No. 4 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart in December 2010. Featured on his 2011 album Huevos Rancheros, the song showcases Sebastian’s fearless take on heartbreak. With accordions, vihuelas and trumpets setting the stage, he delivers a narrative of love lost, confessing his pain while admitting no resentment for the rival who took his place, even humorously referring to himself as “el padrino de cama” (“the godfather of the bed”).

Listen to the song here.

Few songs capture the depth of devotion quite like “Eso y Más”. Featured on Joan Sebastian’s 2006 album Más Allá del Sol, the sweeping ballad tells of a love so profound, the narrator would cross stormy seas, battle dragons and even sacrifice his freedom just to bask in the glory of his beloved’s presence. The song peaked at No. 6 on Hot Latin Songs in 2007, and remains one of Sebastian’s most beautiful declarations of love — a testament to his moniker El Poeta del Pueblo.

The ranchero/pop track, from the album Lo Dijo El Corazón, hit the top 10 in early 2002. It spent 26 weeks on the chart.

Listen to the song here.

Joan Sebastian’s duet with Mexican singer Alberto Vázquez, “Maracas,” was featured on the former artist’s 1988 album Grandes Duetos. Vázquez, a prominent figure from Mexico’s golden age of rock and roll, brought his signature rollicking style to the playful track. The song reached No. 5 on Hot Latin Songs, showcasing the chemistry between two icons.

Listen to the song here.

From the album of the same name, “Más Allá Del Sol” showcased a Joan Sebastian in his prime, this time singing banda. The song spent 35 weeks on the chart, more than any of Sebastian’s other top 10s, peaking at No. 3. The album won regional Mexican album of the year at the 2007 Billboard Latin Music Awards, where Sebastian also received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Two weeks after Joan Sebastian’s passing, “Me Gustas” climbed to No. 3 on Hot Latin Songs in 2015. Originally featured on his seminal 2000 album Secreto de Amor, the romantic track captures the pure bliss of infatuation with Sebastian’s poetic flair: “Me gusta todo, todo me gusta de ti” (“I like everything, everything about you”).

Listen to the song here.

“Oiga” marked Sebastian’s first top 10 hit on the Hot Latin Songs chart in 1986, peaking at No. 4 and staying on the chart for 26 weeks. Sung as a duet with Prisma (Silvia Tapia Alcázar), the pop ballad pairs playful lyrics about fear of love with a proposal to merge her cold with his warmth: “Why don’t we combine your cold with my coat?,” he sings in Spanish. While the song showcased Sebastian’s knack for heartfelt storytelling, Prisma retired from music shortly after.

Listen to the song here.

It took 14 years for Sebastian to hit the top 10 again, this time with the song that would become his biggest hit. “Secreto de Amor” (Love Secret), a song about an illicit lover (“I’m going to change your name, so we can keep our secret,” says the opening line) has become a Latin music standard, covered by singers around the world. The song peaked at No. 3 in 2000 and spent 33 weeks on the chart. Above is not the song’s official video, but it shows Joan Sebastian performing in his most authentic manner: singing live, on a horse, during one of his fabled jaripeos (horse and music shows) in Mexico.

With its country-inspired twang, “Te Irá Mejor Sin Mí” became one of Joan Sebastian’s biggest hits, reaching No. 2 on Hot Latin Songs in 2009. The heartfelt track offers an honest confession to a lover: “I’m not the man you want/ My problem is beauty, and it’s women.” Equal parts tender and self-aware, the song cemented his status as a master of lyrical candor.

Listen to the song here.

“Un Idiota,” a gut-wrenching ballad of regret and unrequited love, connected so deeply with listeners that it peaked at No. 2 on Hot Latin Songs. It’s about a man tormented by self-blame and heartbreak confesses, “Soy un idiota, te perdí, pero te amo“, Sebastian sings (“I’m an idiot, I lost you, but I love you”).