10 Most Famous Mexican singers

Aida Cuevas, the queen of mariachi music. Photo by Gigocuevas. Wikimedia Commons.

10 Most Famous Mexican singers

Music in Mexican culture is an extremely important aspect of expression and identity. Through the different and unique genres of Mexican music, various cultural groups are able to communicate their values and ideas. The five most prominent genres of music in Mexico are the son, corrido, ranchera, mariachi, and banda genres.

The beginnings of music in Mexico are related to tribal Mexican music which was used before the coming of Spanish crusaders. After the centuries of Spanish of domination, Mexican ethnic music began to emerge in the middle of the sixteenth century.

Latin America has birthed hundreds of fabulous singers, and Mexico is no exception. Over the years, the world has seen one star after another emerge from sunny Mexico, offering rancheras, pop, and rock music that’s loved across the globe. Here are 10 most famous Mexican singers.

1. Thalía

Thalía at a TV commercial shoot in 2006. Photo by Truu. Wikimedia Commons.

Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda Mottola is better known by her stage name, Thalía. She is often called the “Queen of Latin Pop,” she’s a winner of five Billboard Latin Music Awards helping this best-selling artist to solidify her place in history.

She suffered greatly from her father’s death in 1976 but overcame her struggles to start her music career in 1990. She released her first album in 1990. In more recent years, Thalía released her first children’s album, kicked off her first world tour, and made her directorial debut.

2. Luis Miguel

Luis Miguel’s records have sold more than 60 million copies. He has charisma, good looks, and a constant presence on the touring scene. His powerful voice and heartthrob status position him near the top of any list of popular Mexican singers.

Known as the “Sun of Mexico” he is one of the top Hispanic performers in history with his tours grossing nearly $300 million in ticket sales.

3. Anahí

Anahí Giovanna Puente Portilla de Velasco during the Super Estrella 2006. Photo by Hector Sanchez . Wikimedia Commons.

Anahí Giovanna Puente Portilla de Velasco, Anahí is a singer and actress born in Mexico City. Her singing career kicked off though in 1993 when she released her self-titled first studio album at the young age of only ten years old.

In 2005, she joined a pop group RBD that quickly rose to international fame. The group stayed together until 2008 when they took their final tour. Anahí dove back into her solo career after RBD split, launching her first new single in 2009. Since then, she’s presented at the Kids’ Choice Awards.

4. Juan Gabriel

Gabriel was a celebrated singer and talented performer. He also produced records for other singers. His collaborations and production efforts included work with Lucia Villa, Rocio Durcal, and Paul Anka. Singer Marc Anthony has covered Gabriel’s songs, and the group Son del Son has two full albums of Gabriel’s cover songs.

5. Dulce María

Dulce María is the stage name for Mexican pop star Dulce María Espinosa Saviñón. Born in Mexico City, María is an accomplished singer, songwriter, actress, and author.

She was a member of a few youth pop groups before taking on a lead role in Clase 406 in 2002. She released her first solo single in 2010 after collaborating with American singer Akon. Since then, she’s released three other albums.

6. Paulina Rubio

Congo Square Stage Saturday, May 5. Photo by Robbiesaurus from Smithtown, NY, USA . Wikimedia Commons.

Paulina Susana Rubio Dosamantes is best known by her stage name, Paulina Rubio. She was born in Mexico City in 1971 and began her career as a pop star in 1982 with the group Timbiriche. She’s considered the Queen of Latin Pop and is historically one of the best-selling Latin music artists.

Rubio released her first solo album in 1992, kicking off her career as a solo artist with great success. She’s consistently held top spots on the Billboard charts, with three of her albums hitting #1.

7. Vicente Fernández

Vicente Fernández has enjoyed a long career cementing himself not just as a celebrated Mexican singer but the world’s most famous charro. He has sold over 50 million copies of his records.

Vicente is the image many see in their mind when they picture a Mexican cowboy. He is also synonymous with Ranchera Music. He has won seven Latin Grammys, an American Grammy, and countless accolades.

8. Pedro Infante

Original vintage photo showing Mexican singer, actor, “PEDRO INFANTE”, during his visit to Habana, Cuba, circa 1950’s. Photo by Unknown Author. Wikimedia Commons.

Pedro Infante is one of the most famous Mexican performers of all time. He was multi-talented and enjoyed success as a ranchera singer and actor. Before he died, he had already starred in more than sixty films and recorded nearly 400 songs.

His musical talent spanned genres, making him a star across Latin America and the world. The only song he ever recorded in English, “Besame Mucho,” has also been recorded by current mega-stars like Andrea Bocelli.

9. Javier Solís

During his career Javier performed traditional Mexican music. As he branched out, by the late 1950s, he was considered a pioneer of the bolero-ranchera style. His musical success led to a film career appearing in more than twenty films. He died at the age of 34. In the years prior to his death, he had 12 number one hits.

10. Joan Sebastian

Joan Sebastian at Pepsi Center on August 22, 2009. Photo by Julio Enriquez. Wikimedia Commons.

Joan Sebastian’s music has a distinctively modern edge, and it’s considered a pioneering sound that bridges the gap between traditional Mexican music and the tunes on today’s airwaves. He signed his first recording contract in 1977 but had a long ramp to follow before he enjoyed widespread fame or success.

Though he had an early hit with his song “Juliantla,” it wasn’t until the 2000s that he released Secreto de Amor, an album that went quadruple platinum in the United States. He’s a member of the Latin Music Hall of Fame, and his musical catalog is revered by his legion of fans.