{
  "slug": "joao-gilberto",
  "name": "João Gilberto",
  "description": "João Gilberto appears 3 times in our Bossa Nova list, placing as high as No. 1. Hand-curated, with a reason for every pick.",
  "updated": "2026-08-30",
  "url": "https://waxonia.com/artist/joao-gilberto/",
  "appearanceCount": 3,
  "distinctRecordings": 3,
  "years": {
    "first": 1958,
    "last": 1960
  },
  "highestPlacing": {
    "rank": 1,
    "list": "Bossa Nova"
  },
  "appearsOn": [
    {
      "kind": "genre",
      "slug": "bossa-nova",
      "name": "Bossa Nova",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/bossa-nova/",
      "entries": 3
    }
  ],
  "tracks": [
    {
      "trackKey": "joao-gilberto--chega-de-saudade",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/joao-gilberto--chega-de-saudade/",
      "title": "Chega de Saudade",
      "year": 1958,
      "label": "Odeon",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "The record everyone agrees started it. Gilberto's guitar and voice sit so far back in the mix that the engineers thought something was wrong, and Brazilian music changed in two and a half minutes.",
      "alsoOn": [],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Jo%C3%A3o%20Gilberto%20Chega%20de%20Saudade",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=kMQFLcyoXm0",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 1,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "bossa-nova",
        "name": "Bossa Nova",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/bossa-nova/"
      },
      "artist": "João Gilberto"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "joao-gilberto--desafinado",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/joao-gilberto--desafinado/",
      "title": "Desafinado",
      "year": 1959,
      "label": "Odeon",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "A song about singing out of tune, which is a defence of the whole style against the critics who said exactly that. Jobim's joke, delivered deadpan.",
      "alsoOn": [],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Jo%C3%A3o%20Gilberto%20Desafinado",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rhq53sCfRU",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 3,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "bossa-nova",
        "name": "Bossa Nova",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/bossa-nova/"
      },
      "artist": "João Gilberto"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "joao-gilberto--samba-de-uma-nota-so",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/joao-gilberto--samba-de-uma-nota-so/",
      "title": "Samba de Uma Nota Só",
      "year": 1960,
      "label": "Odeon",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "One note, held while the chords move underneath it. Jobim demonstrating that the harmony was always doing the work, and doing it as a pop single.",
      "alsoOn": [],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Jo%C3%A3o%20Gilberto%20Samba%20de%20Uma%20Nota%20S%C3%B3",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=AcgoxJ9mUp8",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 7,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "bossa-nova",
        "name": "Bossa Nova",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/bossa-nova/"
      },
      "artist": "João Gilberto"
    }
  ],
  "curates": null
}