In the history of the Billboard Latin Music Awards, a number of Latin icons — such as Celia Cruz (1994), Vicente Fernández (1998) and Daddy Yankee (2021) — have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The special award is given to artists who have achieved worldwide recognition for their work, transcending musical genres and languages.
In 2022, hitmaker Nicky Jam joined the elite group of artists who have entered the Hall of Fame. The award recognized the reggaetón artist (known for anthemic songs such as “El Perdón” and “Travesuras”), actor and entrepreneur for his prolific work.
This year, Mexican icon Pepe Aguilar will be honored with the Billboard Hall of Fame Award on Oct. 20. “Receiving the Billboard Hall of Fame Award is an incredible honor, and it reminds me of the importance of continually evolving as an artist,” Aguilar said in a statement. “After 35 years in this industry, I feel just as passionate and driven as I did on day one. It’s exciting to see how música Mexicana is growing and evolving, and I’m proud to be part of that movement. What’s even more special is being able to connect with a new generation of fans while staying true to my roots. I’ve reinvented myself time and time again, and as music continues to evolve, I’m ready to keep pushing boundaries and creating something new.”
The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards list of finalists is led by Karol G, who has 17 nods in categories including artist of the year, tour of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and top Latin album of the year for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season). See the complete list of finalists here.
As has been the case for more than 20 years, the Billboard Latin Music Awards coincide with Billboard’s annual Latin Music Week, the single largest and most important gathering of the Latin music industry, taking place Oct. 14-18. Purchase tickets to the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week here.
In honor of the upcoming 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards show and Hispanic Heritage Month, here are all the Billboard Latin Hall of Fame recipients over the years.
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1994
Both Celia Cruz and Cachao López became the first artists to be inducted into the Billboard Hall of Fame for their contributions to the Afro-Cuban music.
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1995
The Queen of Tejano, Selena Quintanilla, was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame. That year, the Spirit of Hope Award was also created in honor of the artist.
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1996
Mexican singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel was honored with the Hall of Fame Award for his extensive catalog of songs, written not only for himself but for other artists too.
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1997
Mexican icon José José, known as “El Príncipe de la Canción,” was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his decades-spanning career.
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1998
Ranchera legend Vicente Fernández was welcomed into the Hall of Fame for his unmatched trajectory in the regional Mexican space.
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1999
Spanish mariachi and pop star Rocio Durcal was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her versatility, and anthemic songs such as “Como Tu Mujer” and “El Destino.”
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2000
Mexican singer-songwriter Marco Antonio Solís was inducted into the Hall of Fame — recognizing his influence in creating the grupera genre, and his extensive catalog of songs that became anthems across Latin American households.
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2001
Cuban artist Mongo Santamaría was inducted into the Hall of Fame for bridging Afro-Cuban grooves, jazz and R&B with conga performances.
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2003
Mexican singer-songwriter and producer Armando Manzanero entered the Hall of Fame for his impact on Latin music via his ultra-romantic ballads.
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2004
Banda El Recodo was inducted into the Hall of Fame, recognizing their 65-year-long career.
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2006
Mexican singer-songwriter Joan Sebastian entered the Hall of Fame for a career that spanned more than 30 years and 30 albums.
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2009
Raúl Alarcón Sr., founder of Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS), posthumously received the Hall of Fame Award for his extraordinary contributions to the Latin radio and music business in the United States.
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2012
Marc Anthony was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his influence as a performer in both the English- and Spanish-language markets.
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2014
Franco de Vita, who’s whose ballads have brought him international fame over his three-decade career, entered the Hall of Fame.
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2016
Alejandro Fernández was inducted into the Hall of Fame, honoring his decades-long career in ranchera and pop music.
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2020
Carlos Vives was inducted into the Hall of Fame and was honored not only for his work as a singer-songwriter, but also for his multifaceted career as a host, actor and philanthropist.
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2021
The chart-topping, global star Daddy Yankee — known for reggaetón anthems such as “Gasolina” and “Dura” — was the latest to receive the Hall of Fame Award.
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2022
Hitmaker Nicky Jam joined the elite group of artists who have entered the Hall of Fame. The award recognized the reggaetón star, actor and entrepreneur for his prolific work.
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2024
Mexican music icon Pepe Aguilar is set to be honored with the Billboard Hall of Fame Award at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards. The “Me Vas a Extrañar” singer has cemented his status over the past three decades as a renowned ranchera and mariachi music hitmaker, placing (so far) nine top 10 titles on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart, and 14 top 10 sets on the Regional Mexican Albums chart.
