November 28, 2021 by Nicole Canún Our Top Picks 0 comments

10 Sensational Mexican Music Artists You Don’t Want To Miss

Welcome to this Mexican music artists list! In it you will find the most talented, versatile, charismatic singers of Mexico. Their songs are so catchy, clear, and relatable that you can learn Spanish by understanding, memorizing, and practicing them.

Also, you will get closer to Mexican culture after reading this. These popular Mexican music artists are complete showpeople, many of them are actors, TV hosts, contest judges, and many more things.

So you can practice your language skills by following their side projects and learn Spanish by listening or reading subtitles as well.

Don’t think that I am including a few mainstream genres only. Each section has genres that the artist recorded in case you are not a fan of the video example and want something else. There is something for every taste here!

¡Aprendamos español de artistas mexicanos!
Let’s learn Spanish from Mexican music artists!

Mexican Music Artists

1. Luis Miguel

Let’s start with the biggest one. Luis Miguel is at the top of the list of Mexican music artists 2021. How can he still be number one after almost 40 years after starting his music career?

First, because he is an essential part of pop culture in Mexico. Everyone knows the lyrics of all of his songs and we sing them at his concerts, weddings, and nightclubs.

Also, the fact that bio series are trendy today and the most famous one is his, kind of favored him. It is on Netflix and ended this year. The three seasons were a huge success and put him at the top of the Spotify statistics, breaking a record of 5 billion streams worldwide.

In addition, Luis Miguel is a very versatile, talented singer. With unparalleled determination and a great tenor voice. His music genres include funk, pop, bolero, Christmas songs, and mariachi.

Among his many awards, you can find three Grammys (Best Latin Pop Album, Best Regional Album, and Best Mexican, Mexican-American Album), three Latin Grammys (Album of the Year, Best Ranchero or Mariachi Album, and Best Male Pop Vocal Album), a Billboard Music Award for Tour of the Year and an International MTV Viewer’s Choice Award.

Luis Miguel is a great option to learn Spanish, his songs are timeless and elegant and will serve as a cover to blend in with native Spanish speakers.

I would never dare to say he has a couple of best songs you need to hear, that’s why I am recommending full albums: Romance, México en la Piel, Mis Boleros Favoritos, and Vivo.

2. Juan Gabriel

Of all the Mexican music artists who have passed away, Juan Gabriel and José José are probably the most beloved ones. People hold them close to their hearts because they marked an era of quality performers and a Mexican golden age where the festival called OTI was the debut of many singers. Most of them lasted decades and became important references in Latin American music.

Juan Gabriel was a singer, performer, composer, producer, songwriter, film and TV actor, philanthropist, and music arranger. He holds the record of being the person that has had the most songs patented to his name in the history of the world, over 1800. Many of them were translated to Japanese, Portuguese, English, Italian, Turkish, German, French, Tagalog, and Papiamento and interpreted by more than 1500 artists and groups worldwide. Making him the most sung and covered Hispanic composer in the world.

His notable contributions to popular music involved very different genres like ballad, chicana music, ranchera, tango, bolero, norteña, flamenco, salsa, polka, huapango, rumba, cumbia, huapango, rock and roll, jazz, country, new age, waltz, samba, mariachi, sinaloense, joropo, disco, big band, lullabies and disco. How impressive is that?

He has sold over 100 million albums around the world, making him one of the artists with more discographic sales in history. His most famous song Querida (Dear One) was a number one hit for 18 months in a row, making this the best-selling album of Mexico historically. According to Forbes, he was one of the best-paid singers in the world.

Juan Gabriel won the Billboard Award “Latin legend,” 1500 golden, platinum, and diamond albums. He was the first singer of popular music to ever perform in the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Palace), a place designated for classical music and opera.

He kept breaking records even after dying. In 2016, 3 of his albums were the most sold in the US at the same time. Juan Gabriel was also famous for his massive concerts from the Pasadena Rose bowl with 75 people to the Estadio Azteca (Aztec Stadium) with 350,000 people.

He won awards and distinctions such as 2 Grammys, 17 Billboard awards, MTV, Excelencia Universal (Universal Excellence) received from the King of Spain, and the keys of the Vatican city.

3. José José

José José was a Mexican producer, actor, singer, and musician. His nickname, Príncipe de la Canción or “Prince of the Song” is a reflection of his legacy and trajectory.

You can witness his vocal mastery by listening to the song El triste (The sad one) in the video below. Frank Sinatra was blown away when he heard it and said it was out of this world. He pursued a duet with José José but the Mexican music label didn’t let him. That didn’t stop Sinatra from inviting him to his birthday so that José José could sing to him.

In the US he had a different nickname though: “Mr. Sold Out” because he sold out every date he had in Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall on every tour. He became famous in places like Russia, Japan, and Israel and was a great influence on many generations of Latin American singers.

4. Lucero

Lucero, Lucerito or “America’s Bride” is a Mexican singer, actress, composer, TV host, and businesswoman. She started at age 10 and all Mexicans quickly fell in love with this talented, charismatic child. She hosted two singing contests and then recorded her first album at 13.

Lucerito has been nominated for 152 awards and has won 144 Including People, MTV, Billboard awards, Viña del Mar Festival, and Emmys. Her top-rated song El Privilegio de Amar (The privilege of loving) on Spotify has over 100 million plays and Mexican people consider her to be one of the most versatile, talented, and beautiful celebrities of Mexico if not the most.

She has recorded 22 albums of the following genres: pop, ballads, ranchero, mariachi, banda, regional, and even a live album in Portuguese.

Listen to her most famous songs: Cuéntame, ya no, hasta que amanezca, electricidad, vete con ella, veleta, llorar.

5. Café Tacvba

Café Tacvba and Maná are Mexican music artists bands and the greatest exponents of rock music in Aztec land. Café Tacvba was born in 1989 and quickly became part of popular culture as they mixed alternative rock and new quality sounds with indigenous instruments, clothing, and visual identity.

They released 13 albums, had 20 nominations, won 16 awards—10 Grammys and 6 MTV Awards—. Their genres are indie rock, experimental rock, reggae rock, and alternative rock. Leader and vocalist is a defender of the environment and land of the indigenous people, as well as the student movements. He is known for constantly changing his name.

Their most iconic songs are: Eres—over 200 million plays in YouTube—, El baile y el salón, Cómo te extraño mi amor, Déjate caer, Quiero ver, and Eo.

6. Maná

Maná is a rock-pop band born in 1986. They have won 12 Grammys, 5 MTV Awards, 25 Billboard awards among others, totaling 62.

They are famous in Latin America, Vietnam, España, Australia, Western Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Their main genres are soft rock, Latin pop, progressive rock, ballad, hard rock, reggae, ska, and Latin rhythms.

They have a foundation called Fundación Selva Negra destined to finance environmental projects like supporting the government in the protection of the sea turtle by raising and caring for 140,000 turtle eggs for release on the country’s Pacific coast.

During the World Health of 2008, PAHO named them “Health Champions” in Washington. Mana wrote, composed, and dedicated many of their songs to different causes. The song Cuando los ángeles lloran (When Angels Cry) is about Chico Mendes, an environmental activist from Brazil that was killed in 1988. La Sirena (The Mermaid) is about all the Cubans that risk their lives every day in their attempt to escape to the US.

They are Goodwill Ambassadors of the United Nations Organization for Agriculture and feeding and have a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Their songs are really catchy and easy to learn, some of my favorites are: Oye mi amor, Vivir sin aire, En el muelle de San Blas, Mariposa traicionera, Bendita tu luz, Mi verdad, Cómo dueles en los labios, Me vale, Ángel de amor, De pies a cabeza, Eres mi religión, and Rayando el sol

7. Vicente Fernández

Among the top Mexican music artists, you can find father and son Vicente Fernández and Alejandro Fernández. They come from the ranchero or rancher tradition and the Fernández dynasty. Both are symbols of Hispanic culture worldwide.

Vicente has been a singer, businessman, producer, and actor for the last five decades. He has won over these years 10 Grammys, 6 Billboard awards, a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and 14 Lo Nuestro awards. He has sold over 76 million albums around the world. He was in 34 films, 1 soap opera, and recorded 85 albums.

8. Alejandro Fernández

Alejandro started as a singer of rancheras style music but later dabbled in Latin pop and ballads against his father’s wishes. He managed to separate his figure from Vicente’s by doing this and created his own style and artistic identity. Nevertheless, his amazing voice suits multiple genres from mariachi to romantic boleros to opera even. He is one of the best voices of Mexico.

Alejandro Fernández has won 2 Grammys, 6 Billboard awards, a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame, released 17 albums, and sold 15 million albums worldwide. He has presented many shows in Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day, gaining the city’s keys. He became the touristic ambassador of the state of Jalisco where he was born and later of the whole country.

He has done duets with world-class singers Gloria Estefan, Enrique Iglesias and Plácido Domingo. Alejandro was an activist for El sueño de la Esperanza (The Dream of the Hope) helping kids with cancer along with Eva Longoria.

9. Thalía

This is our Britney vs Christina Aguilera. Thalía and Paulina Rubio are Mexican pop music artists that debuted together in the very successful pop group Timbiriche.

Thalía is a businesswoman, producer, author, fashion designer, TV host and also dabbled in acting and became the top international icon of telenovelas (soap operas). The most emblematic ones were the so-called “three Maries:” Maria Mercedes, Maria la del Barrio, and Marimar—in case you want to start learning Spanish with TV shows as well—. Together, they summed 1 billion views in the original transmission and 2 billion views of all of her telenovelas in more than 180 countries. This is how she earned her nickname: “The Queen of Soap Operas.” Thalía is the most recognized of this TV genre in the world.

Meanwhile, she sold 25 million albums, becoming one of the best-selling Latin artists worldwide. She released 42 albums, had 227 nominations, and won 78 times. The British paper The Sun ranked Thlaía number 25 of the 50 singers the world will never forget.

10. Paulina Rubio

Paulina Rubio is a singer, actress, model, and businesswoman. She appeared in 3 soap operas, 1 movie, and one TV show recently. She is a pop icon and one of the most influential Latin artists in the world. Paulina has sold over 15 million albums and is the 5th female artist to have five #1 albums on Billboard.

She became a judge in The Voice and The Voice Kids in Mexico and Spain and was a coach in The X Factor USA. Paulina was nominated 9 times for a Grammy, has won 67 awards out of 129 nominations in total, and released 11 albums.

If you are looking for more musicians and songs to practice your Spanish, you can also consider the Timbiriche music band, the timeless weddings-must.

In case this list was not enough, let me introduce you to more Mexican music artists that is worth your while:

Pedro Infante
Jorge Negrete
Los Ángeles Azules (The Blue Angels)
Los Tigres del Norte (The Tigers of the North)
Lila Downs
Paquita la del Barrio
Joan Sebastian
Manuel Mijares
Christian Castro
Yuri
Lupita D’Alessio
Jenni Rivera

If you are looking for more modern Mexican music artists you can also listen to Danna Paola and Ángela Aguilar.

Learn More About the Best Mexican Music!

Mexican music is very versatile, you can find more genres than you can imagine, so there is something for every taste. I hope this list of Best Mexican Music Artists helped you learn more of the Spanish language and get you closer to Hispanic culture!

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Nicole Canún

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

Blogger, content creator, and marketer. Proudly Mexican. Been to 30 countries. I love learning from different cultures and trying their cuisines. Obsessed with Asia. Fluent in Spanish and English, not so much in French.