The Top Ten Latin Music Artists You Need to Know

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

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If you’re a fan of Latin music, then you’ll want to check out this list of the top ten Latin music artists you need to know. From well-known superstars to up-and-coming talents, these are the names you need to watch out for in the Latin music scene.

Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin is a singer, actor and author from Puerto Rico who rose to fame as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo in the 1980s. He went on to have a successful solo career, releasing his debut album in 1991. His music is a mix of pop, Latin pop and dance-pop. He has sold over 70 million records worldwide and has won numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards and eight Latin Grammy Awards. In 1999, he released the hit single “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” which helped him crossover to the mainstream English-speaking market. In addition to his musical career, Ricky Martin has also appeared on several TV shows and movies, including ‘General Hospital,’ ‘The Voice’ and ‘Glee.’ He is also an active philanthropist who has worked with various charities and foundations over the years.

Gloria Estefan

Born in Havana, Cuba, Gloria Estefan began her career as the lead singer in the Miami Sound Machine. One of the most successful crossover artists in Latin music history, Estefan has sold more than 100 million records and won seven Grammy Awards. Her hits include “Conga,” “Turn the Beat Around” and “Get on Your Feet.” She has also been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Shakira

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977), known professionally as Shakira, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer and record producer. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she began performing in school, demonstrating Latin American, Arabic and rock influences and belly dancing abilities. Shakira incoming popularity lead her to work with American producer Emilio Estefan in 1995. Her first studio albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), did not attain commercial success in the US; however, they had modest success in Latin America.

Shakira achieved commercial success with her English-language album Laundry Service in 2001. The album sold over thirteen million copies worldwide and spawned the international number-one singles “Whenever, Wherever” and “Underneath Your Clothes”, while “Suerte” became a number-one single on the US Latin charts. Following the release of Laundry Service, Shakira released her first live album and DVD MTV Unplugged (2002), which served as a prelude to her second English-language album Oral Fixation vol. 2 (2005). It debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart and eventually certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The record was preceded by its lead single “La Tortura”, which achieved critical acclaim for its lyrical content about domestic violence; it peaked atop several music charts worldwide including those of Denmark and Spain. Shakira’s next albums Fijación Oral Vol. 1(2005) and Volumen Prohibido(2006) were produced while she was pregnant with her son Milan Piqué Mebarak; though both achieved commercial success globally they fared better commercially in Latin America than oral Fixation Vol 2 had done.. In 2008 She won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals \& Best Dance Recording for “Beautiful Liar”.

Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony is a New York-born singer of Puerto Rican descent. He is one of the most popular Latin music artists with a career spanning more than two decades. He has sold over 12 million albums worldwide and has won numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards. His most recent album, “3.0,” was released in 2014 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Latin Albums chart.

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is a singer, actress, and producer. She was first known for her role as Alex Russo in the hit Disney Channel show “Wizards of Waverly Place.” Selena has since gone on to have a successful solo singing career. In 2020, she released her third studio album, “Rare,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Selena has also won multiple American Music Awards and has been nominated for Grammy Awards.

Luis Fonsi

Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero (born April 15, 1978), known by his stage name Luis Fonsi, is a Puerto Rican singer, composer and actor. He is known for multiple songs, one of them being “Despacito”, featuring Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee. “Despacito” has been remixed by Justin Bieber. For the original song, Fonsi and Yankee earned the Latin Grammy for Record of the Year. “Despacito” became the first Latin song to be played on cell phones in Japan.

Ozuna

Ozuna is a reggaeton and Latin trap singer from Puerto Rico. His real name is Juan Carlos Ozuna Rosado, and he was born on March 13, 1992, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is one of the most popular Latin music artists with over 35 million followers on Instagram and more than 7 billion views on YouTube. Ozuna’s musical career began in 2013 when he released his first song, “Imaginaste,” with the record label Golden Family Records. He has since released two studio albums, “Odisea” (2017) and “Aura” (2018), which have both topped the Billboard Latin Albums chart. Ozuna has collaborated with many other popular Latin music artists such as Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Cardi B, Daddy Yankee, and Shakira.

J Balvin

J Balvin is a reggaeton singer from Colombia. He is one of the most popular Latin music artists today. His songs are catchy and have a lot of energy. He has collaborated with many other artists, including Justin Bieber and Sean Paul.

Bad Bunny

From his debut album back in 2016, Bad Bunny has quickly become one of the top-charting Latin music artists. His songs are a mix of reggaeton, trap, and Latin pop, and often feature both English and Spanish lyrics. He has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including Drake, Cardi B, J Balvin, and Ozuna. In 2018, he became the first Latin artist to perform at Coachella, and he shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Daddy Yankee

Daddy Yankee is a Puerto Rican rapper and songwriter who is considered one of the pioneers of Latin trap. He first gained popularity in the early 2000s with his hit single “Gasolina,” and has since released several successful albums including “Barrio Fino” and “Mundial.” He has also worked with some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Shakira, Ozuna, and Bad Bunny.

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