These 10 Latin Artists Changed Music Forever. Here’s How They Did It.
Bad Bunny, Shakira, and Selena are just a few artists who have popularized Latin music in the United States.
Over the years, many iconic musicians have helped popularize Latin music in the United States. In the process, they’ve exposed wider audiences to an array of genres and cultures.
From pioneers like Tito Puente, who heavily influenced salsa and Latin jazz, to modern pop artists like Bad Bunny, who has already set multiple records in his white-hot career, these artists have made a substantial impact on mainstream music. In honor of National Hispanic American Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15, here are 10 of the most influential Latin musicians of all time.
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Tito Puente
Tito Puente was a pioneering musician of Puerto Rican descent who helped define Latin jazz. A composer and bandleader, the Harlem native fused big-band jazz with Latin rhythms and composed popular mambo and salsa music. Mainly a percussionist, Puente became known for his mastery of the timbales, a pair of metal-shelled drums.
He wrote the 1962 hit “Oye Como Va” and released more than 100 albums in his lifetime, winning six Grammys and two Latin Grammys in the process. Puente’s successful career, which spanned six decades, earned him the nickname “The King of Latin Music.”
He died in May 2000 at the age of 77.
Selena
Known as the “Queen of Tejano Music,” Selena was a Mexican American singer who is considered one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time. The Texas-based performer broke into the historically male-dominated industry of Tejano music then brought it into the mainstream. In 1994, Selena became the first female Tejano artist to win a Grammy Award when she took home the trophy for Best Mexican American Album for 1993’s Live!
Her thriving career was cut short, however, when the 23-year-old was killed by the president of her fan club in March 1995. Selena’s fifth and final studio album, Dreaming of You, was released just months after her death and went on to top the Billboard 200, making it the first predominantly Spanish-language album to lead the mainstream albums chart.
Carlos Santana
The founding member of the Latin rock band Santana, Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana rose to fame in 1969 when his band introduced their unique fusion of rock, salsa, and blues at Woodstock. The musician then gained commercial and critical acclaim with his group’s No. 1 album Abraxas (1970), which included their hit cover of “Oye Como Va.”
Santana, 78, became the first Hispanic artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and soon after, his band soon experienced a resurgence in popularity. Their 1999 album Supernatural, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year, spawned the Latin-influenced No. 1 hits “Smooth” featuring Rob Thomas and “Maria Maria” with The Product G&B.
Gloria Estefan
One of the most successful crossover artists in history, 68-year-old singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan is best known for her seamless blend of Latin rhythms with mainstream pop music. The Cuban American artist began her career as the lead singer of the Miami Sound Machine, through which she gained national recognition with the 1985 hit “Conga.”
After releasing several Latin-influenced hits, Estefan performed with the group at the 1992 Super Bowl halftime show, making history as the first Hispanic headliner. She then embarked on a successful solo career, earning her first Grammy for her 1993 Spanish-language album Mi Tierra, which won Best Tropical Latin Album. Estefan later became the first Latina to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ricky Martin
A former member of Menudo, Ricky Martin was instrumental in bringing Latin pop to American audiences. Born in San Juan, the Puerto Rican singer ushered in the so-called “Latin explosion” in pop music with his 1999 Grammy-nominated hit “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” The Latin pop anthem spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, making him the first Latin solo artist to have a song reach No. 1 on the chart.
Martin soon became a pop sensation, delivering several more hits. In 2010, he became one of the first major Hispanic artists to come out as gay. Now 53, the Grammy winner will receive the first Latin Icon Award at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.
Jennifer Lopez
An actor, singer, and dancer, Jennifer Lopez also played a significant role in the Latin pop music movement, bringing Latin beats and sounds to a mainstream audience. Embracing her Puerto Rican roots, the Bronx-born Lopez exploded onto the music scene in 1999 with the release of her debut album On the 6. The record included the Grammy-nominated hit “Let’s Get Loud,” co-written by Gloria Estefan, which featured a highly syncopated Latin rhythm.
In 2007, she released her first full Spanish-language album Como Ama una Mujer, featuring the single “Que Hiciste,” which became her first Spanish song to enter Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Throughout her career, the 56-year-old has continued to incorporate Latin influences in her music, performing in both English and Spanish.
Marc Anthony
The best-selling salsa artist of all time, Marc Anthony helped popularize the Latin genre around the world, fusing it with contemporary pop and R&B. Anthony, who is of Puerto Rican descent, achieved widespread acclaim with his self-titled English-language record in 1999. The album broke into the Billboard 200’s top 10 and has since reached multiplatinum status.
Now a global star, the 56-year-old has set the record for most No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay Chart with a whopping 37 songs. This includes his duet with ex-wife Jennifer Lopez on “No Me Ames.” Due to his success and influence, the four-time Grammy winner is widely considered a global ambassador of Latin culture and music.
Shakira
Often referred to as the “Queen of Latin Music,” Shakira is known for her groundbreaking blend of Colombian folk music with pop, rock, and reggaeton. Born in Barranquilla, Colombia, the 48-year-old singer helped spark broader interest in Latin music, crossing over into the mainstream with her 2001 album Laundry Service.
Shakira skyrocketed to international fame when her first English-language single “Whenever, Wherever” entered the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. She soon followed up with the chart-topper “Hips Don’t Lie,” featuring Wyclef Jean in 2006, incorporating a mix of English and Spanish lyrics against a backdrop of Latin rhythms.
Lin-Manuel Miranda
In the musical theater world, Lin-Manuel Miranda has promoted Latin music on the stage by incorporating his Puerto Rican heritage into his work. The multihyphenate starred in and composed the music for In the Heights, about a Hispanic community in Brooklyn, which debuted on Broadway in 2008. But he didn’t become a household name until 2015 following the Broadway premiere of Hamilton, for which he wrote both the book and music, weaving Latin influences into many of the show’s songs. Miranda also starred as the titular character in the original cast.
Beyond Broadway, the 45-year-old wrote the soundtrack for the 2021 animated musical film Encanto, featuring a mix of Spanish and English songs. Miranda has earned multiple Grammys and Tony Awards for his work.
Bad Bunny
Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny is at the forefront of today’s Latin music scene as he’s set multiple records and firsts. The 31-year-old, who almost exclusively sings in Spanish, has developed a large following in the United States, bringing Latin trap and reggaeton to a wider audience.
With hits like “Dákiti” and “Moscow Mule,” Bad Bunny was the most-streamed artist on Spotify for three years in a row, from 2020 to 2022. Soon after, his record Un Verano Sin Ti became the first Spanish-language album to be nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammys. Bad Bunny’s continued success has made him the first Hispanic artist to tally more than 100 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Catherine Caruso joined the Biography.com staff in August 2024, having previously worked as a freelance journalist for several years. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied English literature. When she’s not working on a new story, you can find her reading, hitting the gym, or watching too much TV.
