20 most famous Hispanic singers creating waves in the music industry today
Hispanic music has a long and diversified history, embracing genres and styles from around the Spanish-speaking world. Various Hispanic musicians have risen to prominence, attaining global recognition and acclaim for their outstanding talents. Discover the most famous Hispanic singers in the world now.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Most famous Hispanic singers
- 1. Selena
- 2. Gloria Estefan
- 3. Julio Iglesias
- 4. Marc Anthony
- 5. Ricky Martin
- 6. Juanes
- 7. Jennifer Lopez
- 8. Daddy Yankee
- 9. Thalía
- 10. Shakira
- 11. Carlos Santana
- 12. Romeo Santos
- 13. Enrique Iglesias
- 14. Marta Sánchez
- 15. Pitbull
- 16. Luis Miguel
- 17. Willie Colón
- 18. Paulina Rubio
- 19. Olga Tañón
- 20. Natalia Lafourcade
- Why is Hispanic music so popular?
- What do they call Hispanic music?
- Who is the most famous Hispanic singer?
We ranked the most famous Hispanic singers based on various criteria, including vocal quality and performance, global impact and recognition, and cultural influence and legacy. We used data from multiple online music-related sources. Please note that the singers are presented in no particular order.
Most famous Hispanic singers
Since the 1940s, Hispanic musicians of many genres have made an indelible impression in the entertainment industry. Their talent has captured Latin-American audiences, leading many English speakers to learn Spanish music.
Singer | Grammy Awards and studio albums |
Selena | 1 Grammy Award, 11 albums |
Gloria Estefan | 3 Grammys, 14 albums |
Julio Iglesias | 1 Grammy Award, 60 albums |
Marc Anthony | 4 Grammys, 13 albums |
Ricky Martin | 2 Grammys, 10 albums |
Juanes | 4 Grammys, 10 albums |
Jennifer Lopez | 0 Grammys, nine albums |
Daddy Yankee | 0 Grammys, eight albums |
Thalía | 0 Grammys, 21 albums |
Shakira | 3 Grammys, 12 albums |
Carlos Santana | 10 Grammys, seven albums |
Romeo Santos | 0 Grammys, five albums |
Enrique Iglesias | 1 Grammy Award, 11 albums |
Marta Sánchez | 0 Grammys, nine albums |
Pitbull | 1 Grammy Award, 12 albums |
Luis Miguel | 6 Grammys, 21 albums |
Willie Colón | 0 Grammys, 30 albums |
Paulina Rubio | 0 Grammys, 11 albums |
Olga Tañón | 2 Grammys, 14 albums |
Natalia Lafourcade | 4 Grammys, 10 albums |
1. Selena

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- Full name: Selena Quintanilla-Pérez
- Born: 16 April 1971
- Died: 31 March 1995
- Genres: Tejano, Tex-Mex cumbia, Latin pop
Selena was one of the most famous Hispanic singers from Texas. She was known as the "Queen of Tejano Music," making her one of the most recognised Mexican-American performers of the late twentieth century. In 2020, Billboard magazine ranked her third among the "Greatest Latino Artists of All Time", based on both the Latin songs and Latin album charts.
2. Gloria Estefan

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- Full name: Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan
- Born: 1 September 1957
- Genres: Latin pop, dance-pop, tropical
Gloria Estefan is a famous actress, singer, and entrepreneur of Cuban heritage. She has a Presidential Medal of Freedom and eight Grammy Awards and has been voted one of VH1 and Billboard's top 100 performers. Gloria's album sales have surpassed 100 million globally, placing her among the best-selling female vocalists ever.
3. Julio Iglesias

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- Full name: Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva
- Born: 23 September 1943
- Genres: Latin, Latin pop, dance-pop, adult contemporary
Julio Iglesias is one of the most famous Hispanic male singers. He is a retired professional football player, Spanish musician, and songwriter. Julio is regarded as the world's most lucrative Spanish singer and one of the best-selling musicians ever, having sold over 300 million recordings in 14 languages.
4. Marc Anthony

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- Full name: Marco Antonio Muñiz
- Born: 16 September 1968
- Genres: Latin, salsa, tropical, freestyle
Marc Anthony is an actor and singer from the United States of America. He is the best-selling salsa musician of all time. Marc has won eight Latin Grammy Awards, twenty-nine Lo Nuestro Awards, and four Grammy Awards. His albums have sold over 12 million records worldwide.
5. Ricky Martin

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- Full name: Enrique Martin Morales
- Born: 24 December 1971
- Genres: Latin pop, pop, dance, reggaeton, salsa
Ricky Martin is a Puerto Rican musician, songwriter, and actor. He is well-known for his musical diversity, as his record includes various components such as dance, Latin pop, salsa, reggaeton, and other genres. Ricky's musical career began when he was twelve when he joined the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo.
6. Juanes

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- Full name: Juan Esteban Aristizábal Vásquez
- Born: 9 August 1972
- Genres: Latin rock, rock en español, Latin pop, cumbia
Juanes is a Colombian singer who previously performed with the rock band Ekhymosis before becoming solo. Since his solo debut album Fíjate Bien in 2000, Juanes has received 26 Latin Grammy Awards and sold over 15 million records globally. He is one of the most popular Latin music performers of all time.
7. Jennifer Lopez

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- Full name: Jennifer Lynn Affleck
- Born: 24 July 1969
- Genres: R&B, pop, reggaetonm hip hop, dance
Jennifer Lopez is among the most prominent female singers in the Hispanic world. She is recognised as one of her era's most significant Latin entertainers, having broken down boundaries for Latino Americans in Hollywood and fuelled the Latin pop music movement.
8. Daddy Yankee

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- Full name: Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez
- Born: 3 February 1977
- Genres: Reggaeton, hip-hop, Latin hip-hop, dancehall
Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican rap artist, singer-songwriter, and actor who rocketed to international fame in 2004 with his single Gasolina. He is known as the "King of Reggaeton" and is frequently mentioned as an inspiration by other Hispanic urban musicians.
9. Thalía

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- Full name: Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda
- Born: 26 August 1971
- Genres: Latin pop
Thalía is a Mexican singer-songwriter-actress. She is known as the "Queen of Latin Pop" and is regarded as one of the most prosperous and influential Mexican musicians. She is among the most successful Latin music performers, selling about 25 million records worldwide.
10. Shakira

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- Full name: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
- Born: 2 February 1977
- Genres: Latin pop, pop, dance, reggaeton, rock
Shakira is a singer and songwriter from Colombia. Born and reared in Barranquilla, she is known as the "Queen of Latin Music" and has been recognised for her musical range. Shakira began her recording career with Sony Music Colombia when she was 13.
11. Carlos Santana

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- Full name: Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán
- Born: 20 July 1947
- Genres: Latin rock, blues rock, jazz fusion
Carlos Santana is a US-based guitarist best known for creating the rock band Santana. He was born and reared in Mexico, where he gained musical experience. Carlos rose to prominence in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s with Santana, a band that pioneered a mix of rock & roll and Latin American jazz.
12. Romeo Santos

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- Full name: Anthony "Romeo" Santos
- Born: 21 July 1981
- Genres: Bachata, Latin pop
Romeo Santos is one of the most famous Hispanic singers in America. He is a record producer, singer, and songwriter. Romeo is best known for being the leader and main vocalist of the bachata group Aventura. Aventura disbanded in 2011. Since then, Santos has pursued a solo music career, with seven number-one hits on Billboard's Hot Latin Hits chart.
13. Enrique Iglesias

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- Full name: Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler
- Born: 8 May 1975
- Genres: Latin pop
Enrique Iglesias is a renowned Spanish singer-songwriter. He began his music career in the mid-1990s with the Mexican label Fonovisa and became the decade's top-selling Spanish-language act. By the turn of the millennium, he had successfully entered the mainstream English-language market. Enrique is Julio Iglesias third child.
14. Marta Sánchez

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- Full name: Marta Sánchez López
- Born: 8 May 1966
- Genres: Pop rock, dance, pop, R&B, Latin
Marta Sánchez is a talented musician from Spain. Her albums have sold over 10 million copies. Marta started her musical journey with the band Cristal Oskuro, but she quickly became noticed by Tino Azores, a sound technician for the legendary pop/rock band Olé Olé.
15. Pitbull

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- Full name: Armando Christian Pérez
- Born: 15 January 1981
- Genres: Hip hop, Latin hip hop, reggaeton, pop rap, pop
Pitbull is an actor, singer, and rapper from the United States. He launched his professional life in the early 2000s as a Latin hip-hop, reggaeton, and pop musician before signing with TVT Records to release his first studio record, M.I.A.M.I. (2004).
16. Luis Miguel

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- Full name: Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri
- Born: 19 April 1970
- Genres: Latin pop, bolero, mariachi, ballads, regional Mexican
Luis Miguel is a Mexican singer-songwriter and producer. He has performed in various genres and styles, spanning pop songs, bolero, ballads, jazz, tangos, mariachi, and big band. Luis is also regarded as the only Latin performer of his generation who did not enter the Anglo market during the 1990s' "Latin Explosion".
17. Willie Colón

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- Full name: William Anthony Colón Román
- Born: 28 April 1950
- Genres: Salsa, bolero
Willie Colón is a Salsa singer and social activist from the United States. He started as a trombonist but now sings, produces, writes, and acts. Willie is regarded as a Salsa music pioneer and best-selling performer, having played an essential role in the burgeoning New York City scene linked with the iconic Fania Records.
18. Paulina Rubio

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- Full name: Paulina Susana Rubio Dosamantes
- Born: 17 June 1971
- Genres: Latin, pop, rock, electronic, dance, synth-pop
Paulina Rubio is a Mexican musician, composer, and television personality. She rose to prominence as a successful pop ensemble Timbiriche member from 1982 until 1991, earning her nicknames Queen of Latin Pop and The Golden Girl. She left Timbiriche to pursue a solo career. Paulina has sold more than 15 million recordings.
19. Olga Tañón

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- Full name: Olga Teresa Tañón Ortiz
- Born: 13 April 1967
- Genres: Merengue, Latin pop
Olga Tañón is a renowned Puerto Rican songwriter and vocalist. She contracted with WEA Latina record label in 1992 to release a solo album. Olga has won three Latin Grammy Awards, 29 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, and two Grammy Awards.
20. Natalia Lafourcade

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- Full name: María Natalia Lafourcade Silva
- Born: 26 February 1984
- Genres: Pop rock, Latin rock, folk, bossa nova
Natalia Lafourcade is a Mexican singer-songwriter in jazz, pop, rock, and folk. Since beginning her career in 2002, she has become one of the most famous singers in Latin America and the United States. Natalia's voice is classified as a lyric soprano.
Why is Hispanic music so popular?
Hispanic music's global success is due to its captivating rhythms, impassioned singers, and numerous genres. From the explosive beats of reggaeton to the beautiful melodies of Latin pop, these songs have a global appeal.
What do they call Hispanic music?
The most well-known genres of Latin music are reggaeton, salsa, bachata, tango, merengue, regional Mexican music, and Latin pop. American hip-hop and reggae combine to create a popular genre called reggaeton.
Who is the most famous Hispanic singer?
Selena Quintanilla (Queen of Tejano Music) is widely regarded as the most famous Hispanic singer and is known for her influence in Tejano music. Other prominent figures include Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Bad Bunny.
These are some of the most famous Hispanic singers creating waves in today's music industry. Hispanic music continues to enchant listeners worldwide with its unique sounds, passionate performances, and social significance.
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