| Long before the American boy bands came to | | | | airplane that once belonged to US President |
| the music scene and gained worldwide followers, | | | | Richard Nixon. This made history and raises the |
| there was Menudo, a popular Puerto Rican boy | | | | pride of Puerto Rico flag for Menudo was the first |
| band. Menudo was started in the year 1977 by | | | | ever boy band which flies using their own private |
| Edgardo Diaz together with his cousins who | | | | plane. |
| happened to be brothers in real life as well, Carlo | | | | Menudo also gained a fan base in European |
| and Oscar Melendez and Nefty and Fernando | | | | countries such as Spain. There was even a |
| Sallaberry. The band used to perform around | | | | medical term coined "Menuditis" which refers to |
| Puerto Rico's shopping malls and fiestas. Their first | | | | woman who is in need of medical attention after |
| hit was "Eran Los Fantasmas" and they landed a | | | | attending a Meduno concert. This term is |
| television show with Telemundo Canal 2 that airs | | | | compared to Beatle's "Beatlemania." |
| every Saturday night. | | | | In 1984, Ricky Melendez retired from Menudo |
| It was in 1980 when Menudo's singing career | | | | after eight years to give way to a new and |
| reaches its highest peak. This time, Sallaberry and | | | | younger singer Ricky Martin, who became a |
| Melendez brothers were replaced by Johnny | | | | famous solo singer. With new members Roy |
| Lozada, Rene Farrait, Miguel Cancel, and Xavier | | | | Rosello, Ray Reyes, Raymond Acevedo, Roby |
| Serbia. Menudo was very famous in Latin America | | | | Rosa, the group produced hit songs like |
| countries like Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Argentina, | | | | Indianapolis, Tu Sabes A Chocolate, and Like a |
| Mexico, and Panama. It was also this time that | | | | Cannonball which was used in a Hollywood movie |
| Edgardo Diaz was able to purchase a Cessna jet | | | | Cannonball Run 2. |