Mexico is a country rich in culture. Whether it’s the food, the dancing, or the experience of going to an amazing festival, you are sure to find something that is truly authentic.
The one thing that is present across the board in Mexico is pure passion. And, if you asked any Mexican where you can find a taste of the true heart of Mexico, 9 out of 10 of them would answer, “In the music.”
In recent years…
Mexican, and Latin music, generally, has undergone a revolution. One that has engraved its presence into the world of mainstream music. Mexico has birthed some great heroes of not only Mexico but Latin Music in general.
So, I’ve decided to take a look at some of the most famous Mexican singers, so let’s get started with…
Contents
Top 17 Most Famous Mexican Singers
Marco Antonio Solís Sosa
Marco was born in Ario de Rosales, Michoacán in 1959. At age six, he began performing with his cousin Joel.
In the 70s, he formed Los Bukis (Little Kid), with whom he enjoyed more than two decades of incredible success. One of the most notable releases from his time with the band is 1987’s Me Volvi a Acordar de Ti. That went on to become a diamond album.
During his later years with the band…
Sosa also became known as a competent producer. Subsequently, this led to him working with the likes of Marisela and Rocío Dúrcal. Los Buis broke up after Marco decided he wanted to pursue a solo career. His first album El Pleno Vuelo (1996), attained Gold status.
Since then, he has paved his way through the halls of success by releasing a string of albums that have sold well throughout Latin America, Spain, and the US.
He has worked with many great artists, such as Olga Tañón, Ana Bárbara, Enrique Iglesias, Chayanne, and Marc Anthony. As a result, he cemented his place as one of the most successful Mexican singers.
Alejandro Fernández
Alejandro Fernández Abarca was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in 1971. He started his performance career five years later by appearing in one of his father’s shows in 1976. Eventually, he signed with Sony to release his self-titled album in 1992. The album earned him several nominations, including Album of the Year at the Lu Nuestro Awards.
It also generated two singles that peaked in the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums Chart.
In 1993…
He performed with his father at Palacio de Los Deportes, and also released his second studio album, Piel de Niña. 1995’s Que Seas Muy Feliz produced his first international single, “Como Quien Pierde Una Estrella.” The single carried his name as a solo artist across not only radio but television as well.
A year later, in 1996, Marco dropped the even more successful Muy Dentro de Mi Corazón. That earned him nominations for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album at the Grammys and Regional Mexican Album of the Year at the Lo Nuestro Awards.
In that same year, he released “Puedes Llegar” as a promotion for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; among others, he worked with Gloria Estefan, Jon Secada, and Ricky Martin. Marco has sold over twenty million records worldwide and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Luis Miguel
Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri was named “Mi Sol” by his mother. This would later culminate in him eventually being dubbed “El Sol de México” (The Sun Of Mexico). He is often recognized as the only Latin singer to not “cross over” into the English market during the Latin explosion of the 1990s.
Despite this, he has attained incredible success…
Miguel wasted no time getting started. He was just eleven years old when he released his first album Un Sol, which won him a gold disc. In 1981, he won a Grammy for his duet with Scottish Singer Sheena Easton. At fourteen years old, he is the youngest male artist ever to win a Grammy.
Luis’s reputation is built not only on his incredible multi-platinum albums but on his live shows. As a youngster, he was encouraged to study Elvis. Miguel’s performance style and bravado tell you that he did.
A Mexican Elvis of sorts…
He is the highest-grossing Latin touring artist since Boxscore began tracking data back in 1990. His total live performance earrings are around $270 million.
He is one of the highest-selling Mexican singers in history, with over 60 million records sold worldwide. His 1994 album, Segundo Romance, has been certified 35 times platinum. He has been recognized by Billboard as the Artist with the most top 10 hits on the Hot Latin Songs Chart.
Alfonso Herrera
These days, Alfonso is more widely recognized for his work as an actor rather than a singer. He started his acting career in 2002 and then skyrocketed to stardom in 2004 when he started playing the lead role in the hit Mexican Telenovela “Rebelde.”
The series spawned the fictional group RBD…
Based on the success of the series, it was decided that the fictional group would become real. The group released its eponymous studio album in 2004 and spawned four singles which all became #1 hits in Mexico.
RBD began to get airplay in Mexico, then toured 45 sold-out dates across the country. At the same time, their debut record was gaining a following in Spain, where it eventually peaked at #1 for three weeks and gained a triple-Platinum certification.
Between the first and second seasons of Rebelde…
The group released their second album, Nuestro Amor. The album broke Mexican sales records by selling 127,000 copies on its release day. It was certified as double-Platinum in Spain. Alfonso ended up making nine albums with RBD. The group has sold over 15 million copies to date and remains one of the most successful Mexican music groups of the 20th century.
Except for one or two reunion shows, Alfonso has remained focused on being an actor, a profession in which he is equally talented.
José Alfredo Jiménez
Born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico, in 1926, Jiménez showed promising talent in music from a young age. But, he lacked education and direction. He started composing pieces as a teen but was never regarded as having any serious potential.
When he was 22…
José was working as a clerk at a restaurant called La Serina when famous Mexican actor, composer, and singer Miguel Aceves Mejía walked in for dinner with some friends. The 22-year-old approached Mejia and asked if he would like to hear some of his compositions.
She wasn’t sold right there on the spot. But Mejia was still impressed enough to ask the young singer to meet him at the Mexican radio station XEW for an audition. José sang a few Capella versions of songs that he had written, and Mejia decided to record a few of them.
At first, the young José was unable to play an instrument…
Nor could he even determine the key of any of his songs. Yet, he worked hard and eventually would go on to compose more than a thousand tunes. Among the most notable of his compositions are “Yo”, “Me equivoqué contigo“, “Ella”, “Paloma querida“, and “Que se me acabe la Vida“.
José’s music has become an inspiration to countless other musicians and singers. And, over the years, he has been heralded as a hero of Mexican music by the likes of Luis Miguel, Sunny Ozuna & The Sunliners, María Dolores Pradera, and Javier Solís.
Many of these artists have also recorded compilation albums containing his songs. Therefore, it’s safe to say José is one of the most famous Mexican singers of all time.
Chalino Sánchez
Rosalino “Chalino” Sánchez Félix was born in Sinaloa. As a young child, he had a love for music and aspirations to become a singer. Life in a town like Sinaloa was tough, and Chalino gravitated to aberrant behavior at a young age.
After smuggling illegal immigrants across the border into the US…
Chalino decided to cross over himself. He lived with an aunt, and as an illegal, he did many jobs, including working as a dishwasher and car salesman. He sold some weed and cocaine on the side, and also helped his brother run an immigrant smuggling operation.
After Chalino’s brother was killed in a hotel, he composed his very first ballad or “corrido.” Shortly thereafter, he was arrested and sent to prison. There he continued to compose, writing songs inspired by all the stories that were shared with him by fellow inmates.
His music often revolved around controversial topics…
Including drugs, cartels, crime, revolution, and trafficking. Therefore, he gained a serious following amongst a certain part of the demographic. Eventually, he graduated to recording in studios and selling tapes out of his car. He became a much-loved and well-known Mexican singer, but his troubles still followed him around.
From shootouts on stage with strangers to eventually getting murdered himself, Chalino’s fire burned bright but burned quickly. While there isn’t much of his material, he is considered one of the pioneers of the Narcocorrido genre.
Pedro Infante
Pedro Infante Cruz was the son of a double bass player. He was born in Sinaloa in 1917 and, as a young boy, showed love and talent for music. He played in a band that was led by his father and even managed to knock together a homemade guitar in a carpentry shop.
As a youngster…
He received lessons in string, wood, and percussion instruments. All of which he was able to master at a young age. He formed a band called La Rabia in 1993. In 1937, he joined Orquesta Estrella de Culiacán (Culiacán Star Orchestra) as a violinist, singer, and drummer.
He later moved to Mexico City to look for better opportunities as a musician and singer. After auditioning twice for the radio station XEB, he got hired as a singer and started appearing on the air at least three times a week.
This launched a career that lasted through what has now become known as the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema.
In his lifetime…
He made around 350 recordings for composers like José Alfredo Jiménez, Cuco Sánchez, Tomás Méndez, and Rubén Fuentes.
Infante starred in more than 60 films, and for one of his roles (Tizoc), he posthumously received a Silver Bear for Best Actor at the International Film Festival. He remains one of the most loved and well-known Mexica Ranchera singers ever.
Armando Manzanero
Armando Manzanero Canché was born in Ticul, Mexico in 1935. His father was a singer and composer of note in Mexico, and his mother played the jarana jarocha. He was eight years old when he started receiving a formal introduction to music via the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts) in Ticul.
At fifteen, he composed his first tune…
It has since been recorded in twenty-one languages. Soon thereafter, he began playing the piano professionally and subsequently got signed to play for artists under the Mexican Branch of CBS EMI. Armando recorded with the likes of Pedro Vargas, Lucho Gatica, and Raphael.
Two years after he recorded his song “Samos Novos,” it got reissued by Elvis composer Sid Wayne. The English version of “Samos Novos,” “It’s Impossible,” was sung by Perry Camo and was nominated for a Grammy.
In 2011…
Armando became president of the Mexican National Association of Composers and Authors. He is most noted for his groundbreaking work in defense of copyright laws during this time.
Armando composed more than four hundred songs in his lifetime, fifty of them reaching international levels of success. His discography consists of thirty-plus albums and a bunch of movie scores as well. In 2014, he was awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Thalía
Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda was born in Mexico City in 1971. She appeared in her first television commercial at age one and started taking ballet and piano lessons at age four.
She began singing…
And joined the group Pac-Man, which was later renamed to Din-Din. The group got the opportunity to tour across the country. She recorded four albums with Din-Di before the group split.
Thalía was later given a chance to sing in the chorus of the popular child-version production of “Grease” called “Vaselina.” The program was vigorously promoted by Televisa and became a massive global and Latin media franchise.
She eventually obtained the role of Sandy and performed the piece around 500 times with the group Timbiriche. Thalía later became a member of the group and recorded four albums with them.
Before embarking on a solo career…
She released three relatively successful albums in her native Mexico. But, her international breakout came in 1995 with the release of En Extasis.
The album brought forth seven hit singles, of which “Piel Morena” is the most notable. In a poll done by Univision in the US, it was voted the best Spanish song ever. The album would eventually be released in more than twenty countries and attain multi-platinum status.
Thalía has starred in telenovelas that have been aired in more than 180 countries; it is estimated by UNICEF that more than two billion people have watched these programs.
As a singer…
She has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide, making her one of the most popular Mexican singers ever. She truly does deserve the nicknames “Queen of Latin Pop” and “Queen of Telenovelas.” Easily one of the most famous Mexican singers to grace the stage.
José José
José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz was born in Mexico City in 1948. His father was a tenor singer, and his mother was a trained pianist.
After his father abandoned the family, he began working to support his mother. She gave him his first piano at age eight, and very soon, he mastered the guitar and sang in the church as well.
His first proper record was under contract with RCA Victor…
The album featured many popular songs from the time and was a fusion of Jazz with traditional Mexican music. The album did not do well commercially but received much praise from folks in the music world at the time.
In 1970…
He got his first true exposure to a wider range of listeners when he represented Mexico at an international song festival. While he only came third with his performance of “El Triste,” it exposed him to a whole new audience and subsequently launched his musical career.
In 1973, he was invited to record with Frank Sinatra. But, due to an exclusivity arrangement with his label, he was unable to do so. He did record a Spanish version of “New York, New York” in tribute to Sinatra.
Throughout the 70s…
José had a string of successful albums which launched him into international stardom. His 1983 album Secretos has sold over 25 million copies. He has received a host of awards and nominations and worked with some of the biggest names of his time.
There are even people in Russia, Japan, and Israel who love his music. How many Latin artists can say that? Only the most famous Mexican singers, that’s who.
Antonio Aguilar
José Pascual Antonio Aguilar Márquez Barraza is another hero from the golden age of Mexican Cinema. He was born in Villanueva, Zacatecas, in 1919 and would begin his music and acting career in 1950.
Like many others from the era, he started by singing on the radio at XEW. After a while, he was offered a contract with the Mexcian label Musart Records. Antonio went on to become one of the independent label’s best-selling artists.
In 1952, he made his big-time acting debut in the film Un Rincón Cerca del Cielo. Throughout the 1950s, he gained great notoriety as an actor, most notably for paying the lawman Mauricio Rosales in a string of films.
During all this…
He somehow found the time to keep recording and even touring. His shows were massively successful, and his albums started selling well due to his newfound notoriety gained on the silver screen. He was particularly loved for his rancheras, ballads, and corridos.
Antonio recorded around 150 albums and starred in about 120 films. Antonio remains the only Hispanic artist ever to sell out Madison Square Garden for six nights in a row. He also worked as a producer with many fellow artists.
He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award. A bit of trivia on Aguilar is that he was nicknamed “El Charro de México” (Mexico’s Horseman) because he popularized the old sport of la charrería and exposed it to the world.
Juan Gabriel
Alberto Aguilera Valadez was born in Parácuaro, Michoacán, Mexico in 1950. He showed an interest in music while attending boarding school. Subsequently, he found tutorage and friendship with two musical directors there. At fourteen, he sang in a church choir and helped maintain the grounds.
After this, he began working as a singer in bars across town but always hungered for more. He tried his luck in Mexico City, not once but twice, without any joy. The final last-ditch third attempt went even worse than the first two.
He was so poor he slept in parks and bus stations. He was falsely accused of robbery and subsequently locked up.
While in jail…
He began penning what would become some of his biggest songs. Also, he met a friend who introduced him to Mexican singer and Actress La Prieta Linda, who in turn helped him clear his name and get released. He went on to sign with RCA Victor, and thus an incredible career began.
To this day, Juan remains an icon within not only Mexico but Pop music in general. He is considered one of the most prolific and successful composers of his time.
His 1984 release Recuerdos Vol. II is reportedly Mexico’s best-selling album ever, with over 8 million copies sold. Gabriel has sold more than 60 million copies total worldwide.
Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato was born in August of 1992, her mother was a former cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys, and her dad was an engineer who also played music. She started playing the piano at age seven and picked up the guitar at 10. At the same time, she also started dancing and acting lessons.
Her first big acting gig was portraying Angela in the series, “Barbey & Friends.” She also made an appearance in “Prison Break” in 2006 and then in “Just Jordan” in 2007.
Her breakthrough…
That came from playing the aspiring musician Mitchie Torres in Camp Rock in 2008; the film debuted to eight million viewers. She sang four tracks on the soundtrack. One of them, “This Is Me,” marked her first entry in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Lavato has released eight studio albums. Those have spawned numerous Top 10 and Platinum-selling singles. She’s earned two Grammy nominations, fourteen Teen Choice Awards, and an MTV Music Video Award.
She is one of eleven singers in the world to have an album debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 before turning 18. As a result, Demi is one of Mexico’s most famous singers.
Vicente Fernández
Vicente was a normal boy. Raised in Mexico, he was the son of a Rancher. His mother would take him to see films that often started Pedro Infante, and the young Fernández decided he wanted to be just like the idols he saw on the big screen.
At age 8…
He got his first guitar, learned how to play, and also started studying folk music from Mexico. As a teen, he got a job working as a cashier in a restaurant, and in his time off, he would sing. He started joining mariachi groups thereafter. And, by age 21 had appeared in his first paid television role.
His unique style of Ranchera became so loved by the people that he rocketed from one level of fame to another. By the end of his career, he had recorded well over 100 albums. Some of which sold well over two or three million copies.
In total, his sales have exceeded 50 million worldwide…
His work became a reference point for the Racherea genre. Fernandez’s work earned him four Grammy Awards, nine Latin Grammy Awards, fourteen Lo Nuestro Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He appeared in over 30 films.
Lola Beltrán
María Lucila Beltrán Ruiz remains one of the most acclaimed Mexican singers in history. She finished her secretarial studies and went to work at a famous radio station in Mexico called XEW. There she was discovered by legendary announcer Raul Mendivil.
She became a staple on the radio and later went on to marry a famous matador and actor. Her film debut came in 1954 with El Tesoro de la Muerte. She went on to appear in a bunch of movies and a hit telenovela called “Mi Rival.”
Lola was known for her sweet, endearing voice and passionate performances…
She traveled the world and performed in amazing venues like the Olympia Music Hall in Paris, the Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, and the Conservatory of Leningrad (now called Saint Petersburg) in the former USSR.
Amongst others, “Lola The Great,” as she later became known, performed for the likes of President Charles de Gaulle of France, King of Spain Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia, Queen Elizabeth II, and American presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon.
Sofía Reyes
Úrsula Sofía Reyes Piñeyro was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, in 1995. She began her musical education at age ten by learning the piano and singing. A couple of years later, she began uploading videos of herself doing covers and original material to YouTube.
These videos caught the attention of Prince Royce, who, at the time, was looking for new talent to sign to the newly created label D’León Records. Reyes was twelve years old when she became the first artist signed to the label.
In 2018…
She dropped what is now her biggest track, “1.2.3.,” featuring Jason Derulo and De La Ghetto. The song became a massive hit in more than twenty countries, eventually earning a nine-times platinum certification in the US.
A year later, she collaborated with British singer Rita Ora and Brazillian Anitta on “R.I.P.,” which also became platinum in Brazil, Peru, and the US. She has won a Latin American Music Award and a LOS40 Music Award.
Lucero
Lucero Hogaza León was born in Mexico City in 1980. At ten years old, she was offered her first role in a children’s program hosted by Televisia. She also took acting and singing lessons along with her normal schoolwork.
In 1985, the young Lucero appeared in the massively successful film Fiebre de Amor with Luis Miguel. This exposed her immense talent to the world, and from there, things just snowballed. For her performance in the film, she received a Plata award for Breakthrough Performance.
As an actress…
Her name is synonymous with Mexican Telenovelas. She has starred as the leading lady in nine super successful shows and has won more Telenovela awards than any other artist.
Her discography as a singer covers more than 20 albums which have sold more than 30 million records worldwide. She is sometimes referred to as “La Novia de América” or “The Americas’ Sweetheart”).
Want More Great Spanish Language Music?
Well, have a look at our detailed articles on the Best Spanish Songs of All Time, the Best Merengue Songs, the Best Vicente Fernández Songs of All Time, the Best Gloria Estefan Songs of All Time, and the Best Olivia Rodrigo Songs of All Time for more excellent song selections.
Of course, you need to hear them. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Best True Wireless Earbuds, the Best Noise Isolating Earbuds, the Best Headphones for Music, and the Best Headphones Under $200 you can buy in 2023.
Most Famous Mexican Singers – Final Thoughts
Mexico has it all. From traditional Mexican Rancheras and Corridos about the revolution, war, and even gangsters, to heart-pumping Pop numbers. Music permeates Mexican culture.
Mexico has exported its traditional styles and sounds to the world. But they’ve also mixed their flavor with sounds from across the world. The result is some of the most unique and enjoyable music around the globe. These fantastic singers are but a handful of the potential and talent from this great nation.
Until next time, happy listening.
