Who are the most famous Spanish singers right now? A list of the top 15
Music is an art form that uses sound and rhythm to express emotions and ideas. It is frequently regarded as a universal language capable of bringing people from all over the world together. Spanish music is no exception, as it contains some of the best sensations to hit the masses. You might find yourself humming to these tunes even if you don't understand the language. Discover some of the most famous Spanish singers who have dominated the genre thus far.
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Famous Spanish singers have had a significant impact on the genre. It could be through massive record sales or receiving recognition for their work. But, regardless of what makes these singers popular, they have earned their places on the list of the most popular Hispanic musicians.
Who are the most famous Spanish singers?
Hispanic or Latino musicians are those who release songs in Spanish. These artists do not have to be from Spain or Latin America because the genre has grown to include artists from South America, Europe and Africa. So, who is the most famous Spanish singer?
1. Vicente García
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Vicente Garca is one of the famous Spanish singers from the Dominican Republic. The musician is renowned for fusing traditional Dominican rhythms with modern pop and rock.
Vicente is also well-known for his live performances, which frequently combine traditional instruments with modern technology. He has received numerous honours and has been nominated for a Latin Grammy.
Vicente began his career in the early 2000s and had several albums to his credit, including A La Mar and Candela. Some of his hit songs include Bachata en Kingston, Dulcito e Coco, Carmesí and Candela.
2. Enrique Iglesias
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Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler is among this generation's most famous Spanish singers. According to Billboard, Enrique is the greatest Latin musician of all time, having sold over 70 million records worldwide.
Enrique Iglesias was born in Madrid on 8 May 1975 and is 47 years old in 2023. His parents are Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, Filipina socialite, and magazine journalist Isabel Preysler.
Enrique has had a stellar career spanning more than 26 years in which he has achieved five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two number ones. The musician also has 27 number-one songs on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and 24 on the Latin Pop Airplay chart.
3. Celia Cruz
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Also known as the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz is among the famous Spanish singers that died. In a career of over 55 years, Celia brought vivacity to her stage performances that energised both the audience and the music.
Cruz was born on 21 October 1925 in Havana, Cuba, where she started singing and enrolled in music school in the late 1940s. She then joined La Sonora Matancera, a well-known Cuban orchestra, in 1950.
Celia and most of her orchestra members immigrated from Cuba to the United States during a Mexico tour in 1960. She became a US citizen in 1961, and Fidel Castro, enraged by her defection, barred her from returning to Cuba.
According to Havana Music Tours, Celia Cruz made over 75 records, 23 of which went gold and won multiple Grammy and Latin awards.
4. Gloria Estefan
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Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born in Havana, Cuba, on 1 September 1957 and is 65 years old as of 2023. Gloria is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and one of VH1 and Billboard's Top 100 artists of all time.
According to Official Charts, Estefan is one of the best-selling female singers of all time and the second best-selling female Latin artist in history. The Latin musician's record sales exceed 100 million worldwide.
5. José Carreras
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There is no better name in the history of Spanish opera singers than Jose Carreras. He is a Spanish operatic tenor best known for his roles in operas by Donizetti, Verdi, and Puccini.
Jose Carreras was born on 5 December 1946 in Sants, a working-class neighbourhood of Barcelona. According to Britannica, Jose made his operatic debut as Trujamán in Manuel de Falla's El retablo de Maese Pedro at 11.
Jose rose to prominence as one of the Three Tenors, alongside Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, in a series of significant concerts from 1990 to 2003. He had a career that included over 60 roles in the world's leading opera houses and on numerous recordings.
6. José José
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José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz, better known by his stage name José José, was a Mexican singer and actor. He was born on 17 February 1948, in Calavera, Azcapotzalco, Mexico City, and died on 28 September 2019, in Homestead, Florida, USA, at 71.
Jose was born into a musical family and began playing the guitar and singing in serenades in his early teens. Later, he sang and played bass and double bass in a jazz and bossa nova trio.
Jose had a successful 49-year career with several Grammy nominations. He sold over 250 million albums and brought a renewed sense of chivalry and a polished sheen to contemporary Latin music in the 1970s and 1980s.
7. Juanes
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Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez, better known as Juanes, is a Colombian musician and former member of the rock band Ekhymosis. His solo debut album Fjate Bien won three Latin Grammy Awards in 2000. Juanes has had a stellar career and is now a solo artist with more than 15 million albums sold worldwide.
Juanes was born on 9 August 1972 in Carolina del Principe, Antioquia, Colombia, and is 50 years old in 2023. According to the Economist, the musician grew up in Medellín during the reign of drug lord Pablo Escobar.
8. Julio Iglesias
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Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva is a Spanish singer, songwriter, and former professional footballer. According to Best Selling Albums, the musician is recognised among the world's most commercially successful Spanish singers.
Julio's successful career has seen the star rank among the top Latin musicians. He has sold over 200 million records worldwide (in 14 languages) over his 55-year career.
Iglesias has received numerous music industry awards. They include the Grammy, Latin Grammy, World Music Award, Billboard Music Award, American Music Award, and Lo Nuestro Award.
9. Luis Fonsi
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If you were around in 2017, you might remember one of Luis Fonsi's most popular singles, Despacito. His song featured Daddy Yankee and was among the biggest hits that year.
So, who is Luis Fonsi? He is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter born on 15 April 1978 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. According to Facts Snippet, the singer has received numerous awards, including the Latin American Music Award and the Latin Grammy Award.
His notable songs include Llegaste Tú, Despacito, Échame la Culpa and Que Quieres De Mi.
10. Luis Miguel
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Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri is a Puerto Rican-born Mexican singer known as El Sol de México (The Sun of Mexico). The singer has performed in various genres and styles, including pop songs, ballads, boleros, tangos, jazz, big band, and mariachi.
Despite only recording in Spanish, Miguel was among the top Latin artists in the 1990s. According to All Music, he has sold approximately 60 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
11. Marc Anthony
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Marc Anthony has two Grammy Awards and six Latin Grammy Awards. According to IMDb, he has sold over 12 million albums worldwide and is best known for his Latin salsa numbers and ballads.
Marco Antonio Muiz was born in New York City on 16 September 1968 and is of Puerto Rican descent. He is 54 years old as of 2023, and his zodiac sign is Virgo.
Among Marc Anthony's hit songs are Vivir Mi Vida, Tu Amor Me Hace Bien, and You Sang to Me.
12. Pitbull
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When discussing the best Spanish pop singers, who better to mention than Pitbull? The performer is an American rapper and businessman who began recording reggaeton, Latin hip-hop, and "crunk" in the early 2000s.
Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Christian Pérez, was born to Cuban immigrants in Miami, Florida, on 15 January 1981.
According to All Music, Pitbull has put out eleven studio albums, four compilations, one soundtrack, and four official mixtapes. His notable hits include Gasolina, Timber, I Know You Want Me and Feel This Moment.
13. Ricky Martin
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Enrique "Ricky" Martin Morales is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with a discography that includes Latin pop, pop, dance, reggaeton, and salsa.
Ricky was a member of the renowned group Menudo when he was younger and has also worked as an actor and a solo performer. According to Billboard, Ricky is also known for igniting the 1990s Latin music explosion, gaining worldwide fame with hits Livin' La Vida Loca and La Copa de la Vida.
14. Selena
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Selena Quintanilla Pérez, known as the "Queen of Tejano music," was a Tejano singer from the United States. Her contributions to music and fashion helped her establish herself as one of the most well-known Mexican-American entertainers of the late twentieth century.
According to Billboard, Selena revolutionised the genre by fusing her Mexican heritage with daring new sounds. Unfortunately, at 23, Selena was tragically shot and killed on 31 March 1995 by the former leader of her fan club.
Nevertheless, despite her death, the singer continues to make history, giving Tejano music mainstream success. Selena has achieved five No. 1 singles on the Hot Latin Tracks chart of Billboard and a Billboard 200 No. 1 with her final studio album, Dreaming of You.
15. Shakira
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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, better known as Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. The singer was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia, and is 45 years old in 2023.
According to The Richest, Shakira is the best-selling Colombian artist of all time, with over 80 million albums sold worldwide. As of 2023, the musician remains relevant after releasing a diss track directed at her ex-husband Gerald Pique.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the most famous Spanish singer? According to Latinos En Music, Enrique Iglesias is the current generation's most successful Latino singer. On the other hand, his father, Julio Iglesias, is widely regarded as a Latin music legend.
- Who are famous Latino singers? Some famous Latino singers include Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin, Santana, Selena, Enrique Iglesias, Carlos Santana, Julio Iglesias, and Marc Anthony.
- Who is the most famous male Spanish singer? According to U Discover Music, Enrique Iglesias is known as The King Of Latin Pop, having sold over 180 million records in his career.
- Who is the most famous female Spanish singer right now? Shakira is currently one of the world's most famous female Latina singers.
- Who are some famous Hispanic singers? Some well-known performers include Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ricky Martin, and Gloria Estefan.
Famous Spanish singers include Enrique Iglesias, Carlos Santana, and Shakira Isabel Mebarak. If you want to get into Latin music, sampling the stars mentioned above albums is an excellent place to start. These celebrities have distinguished themselves by contributing to the niche and releasing hits that have broken through the genre's barrier.
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