Starting with the success of Gloria Estefan and her Miami Sound Machine in the ’80s, these artists broke down barriers singing in Spanish and English —and played starring roles in the Latin Music Explosion that made them a household name around the world.
1985
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Led by Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound Machine scores a huge hit with the single “Conga” from their album Primitive Love, which brings Latin rhythms to the mainstream U.S. market. The song hits No. 10 on Billboard, the first of many that the Cuban American singer and her band would enjoy —and would pave the way for what was yet to come.
1995
Selena Quintanilla’s fifth album, Dreaming of You, goes on sale just four months after her tragic death. It fulfills her crossover dreams, moving past the borders of her genre. With singles like “I Could Fall in Love” and “Dreaming of You,” the posthumous release tops the Billboard 200. In 2017, the Guinness Book of World Records certified the sale of 3.5 million copies of the work, which secures the Queen of Tex-Mex’s place among the immortals.
1999
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Ricky Martin’s performance at the 41st Latin GRAMMY Awards, held at LA’s Shrine Auditorium, is the spark that lights a brewing Latin Music Explosion. The Puerto Rican star brings music royalty like Madonna and Sting to their feet with his performance of “La copa de la vida,” a song that had been the FIFA World Cup anthem the previous year in France. A month after his GRAMMY appearance, Ricky drops his single “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” which sets sales records and circles the planet. The rest is history.
1999
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After garnering attention for her big-screen portrayal of Selena Quintanilla,Jennifer López explodes on the music scene with her single “If You Had My Love,” which becomes one of the year’s bestselling songs. Then came her album On the 6, named after the subway line that runs from Manhattan to the Bronx, where she grew up. Her song “Waiting for Tonight” spins the globe and ultimately transforms Jenny from the Block into J.Lo, Megastar.
1999
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The same month that Jennifer López drops On the 6, another Latin star erupts onto the mainstream. Spanish-born Enrique Iglesias, who had made his singing debut four years earlier, comes in strong with “Bailamos,” a song that Will Smith includes in the film soundtrack of Wild Wild West. The single sells more than 5 million copies and tops of Billboard’s Hot 100 list.
2000
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A legend since the ’60s, Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana joins the Latin wave washing over the U.S. with his album Supernatural, which takes home eight awards at this year’s Latin GRAMMYs. “Smooth” is one of the year’s top singles, and the album ultimately sells more than 30 million copies.
2000
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Marc Anthony becomes the first artist to win Latin GRAMMYs for best song, recording and performance this year. The first Latin GRAMMY gala take place in LA’s Staples Center, marking Latin music’s arrival to the big time. The salsero also releases his first English-language album, Marc Anthony, which featured hits like “I Need to Know” and “You Sang to Me.”
2001
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After hits Pies descalzos and ¿Dónde están los ladrones?, Shakira jumped feet first into singing in English with Laundry Service. It becomes a huge hit thanks to songs like “Whenever, Wherever” and catapults the Colombian singer to astronomical heights. “’Laundry Service’ absolutely marked a before and an after,” the artist told Variety three years ago. “My life would not have been like this at all if I hadn’t made that leap.”
2004
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Daddy Yankee sets the world on fire with his single “Gasolina,” from his third studio album, Barrio fino. The Puerto Rican artist’s catchy tune breaks down borders, becoming a global ambassador for reggaetón and foreshadowing the genre’s dominance in later years. In 2005, it makes history as the first reggaetón song to be nominated for a Latin GRAMMY.
2009
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After a lot of hard work and four albums, Pitbull finally hits the big time with his song “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” from his album REbelution, which makes it to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. From then on, he’s Mr. Worldwide, selling out concerts around world, performing at the Super Bowl halftime show and racking up one dance hit after another. ¡Dale!
2014
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He had already tasted success as a member of Aventura but, after going solo,Romeo Santos reaches global artist status taking bachata to the four corners of the Earth. This year, he shows the strength of his fanbase by filling New York’s Yankee Stadium two nights in a row, a record.
2017
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Luis Fonsi’s career reaches the stratosphere with his single “Despacito,” a song that fuses his pop sensibilities with Daddy Yankee’s reggaetón flair. It’s the year’s most-downloaded song in the U.S., breaking records on YouTube, especially after he records a version with Justin Bieber. And just like that, the life of this Puerto Rican singer-songwriter is forever transformed.
2019
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Anyone who didn’t already know Rosalía quickly found out who she was when the Catalan artist graced the cover of the New York Times Sunday Magazine, which explored her flamenco roots and how she brought new life to the genre. An icon thanks to her music and unique style, la Motomami has been collecting awards ever since, including two GRAMMYs and 12 Latin GRAMMYs.
2020
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Four years after quitting his job bagging groceries in his native Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny becomes Spotify’s most-played artist worldwide. He would repeat the feat in 2021 and 2022, losing his crown last year to singer Taylor Swift. His fourth album, El último tour del mundo, dropped in December and became the first Spanish-language CD to top the Billboard 200 albums list. Latin music’s dominance in the industry is now undeniable.
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