The history of Latin American music is full of amazing artists. These composers, singers, and musicians are renowned worldwide, from classical to contemporary. When it comes to the most famous Latin artists, you will find some big names on these lists. With many artists now on the world stage, here is a look at some of the best Latin artists in history. By researching the topic, you will discover that Latin music is not limited to one or two genres.
1. Bad Bunny
Benito Antonio MartÃnez Ocasio, better known by his stage name Bad Bunny, is a Puerto-Rican rapper. He was born in 1994 and is a rising star in Latin music. Bad Bunny released “Soy Peor,” which he performed live at the 2017 Latin Grammy Awards. The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and has over 1 million views on YouTube. In 2018, Bad Bunny released his first album, “X100PRE”. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and sold 30,000 copies in its first week. H rose to popularity with his song Diles in 2016, his first single song.
2. J Balvin
José lvaro Osorio BalvÃn, better known as J Balvin, is a Colombian reggaeton singer and songwriter. His songs have topped various music charts like the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Latin Songs, and even the Latin Airplay chart. He has collaborated with famous singers, including Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, and more. One of his best-known singles, “Mi Gente,” went to number one for ten weeks in 2017 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. J Balvin was born on May 7, 1985, in Colombia. He later moved to the United States, where he lived in New York and Oklahoma.
3. Camila Cabello
Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao, better known as Camila Cabello, is a Cuban-American singer and songwriter born on March 3, 1997. She is best known for her hit songs “Havana,” “Never Be the Same,” and “Senorita.” The song “Havana” instrumental version was the first song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Besides her recording career, Camila is an actress and a model. She starred in Cinderella, a musical film directed by Kay Canon. She was a member of the group fifth harmony before establishing herself as a solo artist. In 2018, Camila released her first solo album, “Camila,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 600,000 copies in its first week.
4.Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler, known professionally as Enrique Iglesias, is a Spanish singer-songwriter and actor. Born on May 8, 1975, he started his singing career in Spain in the mid-1990s. The Fonovisa record label was the first to release his songs in the United States. He then signed a deal with Universal Music Group and released Spanish albums. Enrique Iglesias has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has 15 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. He was featured in Billboard magazine as the 14th most successful male dance artist of all time.
5. Maluma
Maluma is a Latin American singer and songwriter. Juan Luis Londoño Arias, better known by his stage name Maluma, was born on January 28, 1994, in Colombia. He was raised in Medellin. He started singing as a child and recording songs from sixteen. He has released albums under different labels, such as Sony Music. One of his biggest hits is “Felices los 4” with Shakira, which peaked at number one on the U.S Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. He won a Latin Grammy award and two Latin American Music Awards. Aside from his music career, he is also a television actor and model.
6. Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and record producer. She was born on February 2, 1977, in Barranquilla, Colombia. Shakira has a catalog of 145 songs and 39 albums, of which 36 are number-one hits. Her songs have sold over 150 million copies worldwide, and her albums have sold over 80 million records labeling her as the most successful female artist. Some of her best songs include “Beautiful lier” and “Hips Don’t Lie.” She is famous for her belly dancing skills. During the 2010 world cup, Shakira wrote and sang a song for the South African team called Waka Waka (This Time for Africa). The song became an international hit which peaked at number one in 25 countries.
7. Ricky Martin
The king of Latin Pop is one of the best-selling Latin artists. Born on December 24, 1971, Enrique MartÃn Morales, known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a singer and actor. He started with a band called Los Chicos and then as part of Menudo. Ricky Martin’s first single, released in 1991, gained popularity in Latin America and the United States. He has sold over 60 million albums worldwide from his first two albums, namely Ricky Martin in 1991 and the Me Amaras in 1993.
8. Selena
Selena Quintanilla Pérez, better known by her stage name Selena, was an American singer with a leading role in Tejano music. She was the most successful female Hispanic performer of the 1990s, selling over 18 million records. She released Entre a Mi Mundo in 1992, becoming the number one billboard chart for the next eight months. Her album “Dreaming of You” posthumously became a number-one hit. Born on April 16, 1971, her life was cut short when she was murdered by Yolanda SaldÃvar, her former manager, in 1995. She died at the age of 23.
9. Gloria Estefan
Gloria MarÃa Milagrosa Fajardo GarcÃa, known professionally as Gloria Estefan, is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and businesswoman. She is most notable for being part of the all-female band Miami Sound Machine. She released her first solo album in 1985. One of the songs she later recorded was “Conga,” which became one of her top ten hits in the United States and worldwide, winning the Tokyo Music Festival. Born on September 1, 1957, Gloria is married to Emilio Estefan, with whom she has a son and a son.
10. Daddy Yankee
Ramón Luis Ayala RodrÃguez was born on the 3rd of February in 1976. He is a Puerto Rican singer known by his stage name Daddy Yankee which was given to him by a friend. His hit song “Gasolina” was released in 2004 and peaked at number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart. It remained there for eleven consecutive weeks breaking the record for most weeks atop the Hot Latin Tracks chart. Daddy Yankee has sold over 30 million albums worldwide from his first four studio albums and has been nominated for various awards, including Grammys and Billboard awards. In 2017 he partnered with Luis Fonsi and released the Despacito song, which became the number one watched son on Youtube.
Conclusion
Most of these artists have not only become successful, but they are also still at the top of their game by releasing album after album, which is one of the reasons why they are in the top ten based on albums sold. Of all the singers and songwriters mentioned above, Shakira has gone through the most different labels and producers, which has helped her gain popularity. She is also very versatile as she has done singing, acting, dancing, and more, making her act stand out from other singers and shows.
