The Most Famous

SINGERS from Mexico

This page contains a list of the greatest Mexican Singers. The pantheon dataset contains 4,381 Singers, 24 of which were born in Mexico. This makes Mexico the birth place of the 31st most number of Singers behind Portugal, and Romania.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Mexican Singers of all time. This list of famous Mexican Singers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Mexican Singers.

1. Vicente Fernández (1940 - 2021)

With an HPI of 58.97, Vicente Fernández is the most famous Mexican Singer. His biography has been translated into 30 different languages on wikipedia.

Vicente Fernández Gómez (17 February 1940 – 12 December 2021) was a Mexican mariachi singer, actor and film producer. Nicknamed "Chente" (short for Vicente), "El Charro de Huentitán" (The Charro from Huentitán), "El Ídolo de México" (The Idol of Mexico), and "El Rey de la Música Ranchera" (The King of Ranchera Music), Fernández started his career as a busker, and went on to become a cultural icon, having recorded more than 100 albums and contributing to more than 30 films. His repertoire consisted of rancheras and other Mexican classics such as waltzes. Fernández'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 sold over 50 million copies worldwide, making him one of the best-selling regional Mexican artists of all time. In 2016, Fernández retired from performing live, although he continued to record and publish music. In 2023, Rolling Stone named Fernández the greatest Mexican singer of all time and the 95th greatest overall with their "200 Best Singers of All Time" list.

2. Thalía (b. 1971)

With an HPI of 58.67, Thalía is the 2nd most famous Mexican Singer. Her biography has been translated into 63 different languages.

Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈɾjaðna taˈli.a ˈsoði miˈɾanda]; born 26 August 1971), known mononymously as Thalía, is a Mexican singer, songwriter and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Latin Pop", she is considered one of the most successful and influential Mexican artists. Having sold around 25 million records worldwide, she is one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time. Aside from her native Spanish, Thalía has also sung in English, French, Portuguese and Tagalog. She has received numerous accolades, including five Billboard Latin Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, as well as seven Latin Grammy Award nominations and their special "President's Merit Award" in 2019. She has collaborated with multiple artists, such as Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, Robbie Williams, Marc Anthony, Laura Pausini, Romeo Santos, Maluma, Fat Joe, and Carlos Vives. As an actress, Thalía starred in a variety of successful telenovelas that aired in over 180 countries with an estimated audience of 2 billion people according to UNICEF, which led to her being called the "Queen of Telenovelas". The global impact of her telenovelas helped her popularize her music in non-Spanish speaking territories and markets in Europe and Asia. The Mexican media company Televisa called her the best-paid telenovela actress in history, while Billboard said she is the most widely recognized Spanish-speaking soap star in the world. Considered a Latin pop icon, Thalía was included among Billboard's Greatest Latin Artists of All Time in 2020 and People En Español's 100 most iconic Hispanic entertainers of all time in 2008. On 5 December 2013, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her achievements in the music industry. As a businesswoman, Thalía enjoyed success with a fashion brand (having signed a deal with Macy's), as well she had her own nationally syndicated radio show and is the author of four books, including her memoir. During her career, Thalía has been involved in humanitarian causes and is an UNICEF Mexico Ambassador since 2016.

3. Juan Gabriel (1950 - 2016)

With an HPI of 55.99, Juan Gabriel is the 3rd most famous Mexican Singer. His biography has been translated into 30 different languages.

Alberto Aguilera Valadez (Spanish pronunciation: [alˈβeɾto aɣiˈleɾa βalaˈðes]; 7 January 1950 – 28 August 2016), known professionally as Juan Gabriel (pronounced [ˈxwaŋ ɡaˈβɾjel] ), was a Mexican singer-songwriter and actor. Colloquially nicknamed Juanga (pronounced [ˈxwaŋɡa]) and El Divo de Juárez, Juan Gabriel was known for his flamboyant style, which broke norms and standards within the Latin music industry. Widely regarded as one of the best and most prolific Mexican composers and singers of all time, he is considered a pop icon. Having sold an estimated 40 million records worldwide, Juan Gabriel is among Latin America's best selling music artists. His nineteenth studio album, Recuerdos, Vol. II, is reportedly the best-selling album of all time in Mexico, with over eight million copies sold. During his career, Juan Gabriel wrote around 1,800 songs. Some of his most popular, signature songs include titles such as "Amor eterno", "Querida", "Yo no nací para amar", "Hasta que te conocí", "El Noa Noa", "No tengo dinero", "Abrázame muy fuerte", "Te lo pido por favor", "En esta primavera", "Pero qué necesidad", "La Farsante", "Te sigo amando", "Con Todo y Mi Tristeza", "Siempre en mi mente", "De mí enamórate" and "Lo pasado, pasado"; amongst perhaps his most acclaimed songs are "Se me olvidó otra vez" and the heartbreaking ballad "Así Fue", popularized by and sung with Isabel Pantoja of Spain. Many of his compositions have been performed by and with other artists.

4. Jorge Negrete (1910 - 1953)

With an HPI of 54.98, Jorge Negrete is the 4th most famous Mexican Singer. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Jorge Alberto Negrete Moreno (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈxoɾxe neˈɣɾete]; 30 November 1911 – 5 December 1953) was a Mexican singer and actor.

5. José Alfredo Jiménez (1926 - 1973)

With an HPI of 52.49, José Alfredo Jiménez is the 5th most famous Mexican Singer. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

José Alfredo Jiménez Sandoval (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse alˈfɾeðo xiˈmenes]; 19 January 1926 – 23 November 1973) was a Mexican singer-songwriter, whose songs are regarded as the basis of modern Regional Mexican music and Rancheras.

6. Lila Downs (b. 1968)

With an HPI of 52.26, Lila Downs is the 6th most famous Mexican Singer. Her biography has been translated into 111 different languages.

Ana Lila Downs Sánchez (born 9 September 1968) is a Mexican singer-songwriter. She performs her own compositions and the works of others in multiple genres, as well as tapping into Mexican traditional and popular music. She also incorporates indigenous Mexican influences and has recorded songs in many indigenous languages such as Mixtec, Zapotec, Mayan, Nahuatl and Purépecha. Born and raised in Oaxaca, she primarily studied at the Institute of Arts by Oaxaca and briefly attended the University of Minnesota, before withdrawing to focus on her musical career. She soon began performing in the traditional music scene of Oaxaca City. Her first (independent) album, Ofrenda, was released in 1994. In 1999, Downs came to prominence with her debut studio album, La sandunga, which was a critical and commercial success. She achieved international success in 2001 with the album Border which emerged in the music scene of Mexico and Latin America in the early 2000s (decade). Downs's seventh album, Pecados y milagros (2011), topped album charts in most major markets and generated chart-topping world music albums. Her eighth album, "Balas y Chocolate", was released in 2015. "Salón Lágrimas y Deseo", her ninth album, came out in 2017. Downs began performing in school, demonstrating her vocal ability with traditional music, Latin and American influences, and with her own original twist on dancing. Downs, a native Spanish speaker, also speaks fluent Mixtec and English. Downs through her activism has gone through great lengths to preserve the Mixtec language as well as many other Indigenous Mexican languages. Influenced by Chavela Vargas, Mercedes Sosa, Lucha Villa, and Amparo Ochoa, Lila Downs is recognized for her flamboyant, diverse and outré contributions to the music industry through her traditional and authentic fashion, the majority of which are based around Mexico's indigenous peoples' styles, cultures and heritages, which show through her performances and music videos. Her achievements include one Grammy Award and three Latin Grammy Awards. Besides her musical career, she involves herself with humanitarian causes and political activism, especially dealing with issues of Latin America's indigenous population.

7. Marco Antonio Solís (b. 1959)

With an HPI of 48.36, Marco Antonio Solís is the 7th most famous Mexican Singer. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Marco Antonio Solís Sosa (born 29 December 1959) is a Mexican musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Ario de Rosales, Michoacán, Solís began his musical career at the age of six, performing with his brother Joel Solís as Los Hermanitos Solís. In 1975, he co-founded Los Bukis, of which he was the lead vocalist, songwriter and guitarist. The band split up after nearly two decades of success, with Solís pursuing a solo career. Solís released his debut solo album, En Pleno Vuelo, in 1996 by Fonovisa Records. Solís has been awarded five Latin Grammy Awards, two Lo Nuestro Awards, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and has been inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame. In 2022, Solís was recognized as Person of the Year by the Latin Recording Academy.

8. Paulina Rubio (b. 1971)

With an HPI of 48.01, Paulina Rubio is the 8th most famous Mexican Singer. Her biography has been translated into 42 different languages.

Paulina Susana Rubio Dosamantes (Spanish pronunciation: [pawˈlina ˈruβjo]; born 17 June 1971) is a Mexican singer, songwriter and television personality. Referred to as "The Golden Girl", she first achieved recognition as a member of the successful pop group Timbiriche from 1982 through 1991. After leaving Timbiriche, she embarked on a solo career. Rubio has sold over 15 million records, making her one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time. Rubio's first two studio albums, La Chica Dorada (1992) and 24 Kilates (1993), were commercial successes and made her EMI Latin's best-selling Mexican female artist. In the mid-1990s, she adopted a more dance and electronic style for her next two albums, El Tiempo Es Oro (1995) and Planeta Paulina (1996), and made her feature film debut with a starring role in Bésame en la Boca (1995). Following a series of concerts with Timbiriche and ending her contract with EMI Latin, Rubio's career was interrupted before the release of her fifth studio album—and her first with Universal Latino—the homonym Paulina (2000), which is critically referred to as one of her best albums to date. Paulina was an international success and Rubio became the best-selling Latin music artist of the Billboard Year-End in 2001. She returned to the top of the charts again with her sixth and seventh albums, the crossover Border Girl (2002), and the acclaimed Pau-Latina (2004), both of which received positive reviews. Rubio garnered critical praise, including nominations for the Grammy Award and Latin Grammy Award. Her next albums, Ananda (2006) and Gran City Pop (2009), were also critically and commercially successful. She followed it with Brava! (2011), which delved into EDM. Early in the 2010s, Rubio stood out for participating as a coach in the most important talent shows in America and Spain. In 2012, she served as a coach on the second season of La Voz... Mexico. In 2013; Rubio became a coach on La Voz Kids, and also became a judge on The X Factor USA. In 2019, during the promotion of her eleventh studio album, Deseo (2018), she returned on La Voz... España and La Voz Senior. Rubio has scored three number one albums on the Billboard Top Latin Albums. Five of Rubio's singles have reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs: "Te Quise Tanto", "Dame Otro Tequila", "Ni Una Sola Palabra", "Causa Y Efecto", and "Me Gustas Tanto", making her the fifth best performing female artist on the chart. Other singles, "Mío", "Y Yo Sigo Aquí" and "Don't Say Goodbye", topped the charts in most Hispanic countries. Rubio has earned numerous awards and accolades, including seven Billboard Latin Music Awards; five Lo Nuestro Awards; three MTV Latinoamerica Awards; and two Telehit Awards, including the Trajectory Award; and a special accolade as "Mexican artist with the greatest international projection". Rubio is regarded as a pop icon and is credited Latin pop era-defining during the 2000s. As one of the most influential female Mexican artists, she was included twice in 2012 and 2013 among the "50 Most Powerful Women in Mexico" by Forbes Mexico. Additionally she was included in their "Celebrity 100: Twitter's most-followed superstars" list in 2015. In 2008, Univision ranked her among the most powerful Latin celebrities in the United States and as one of the Greatest Latin Artists of All Time by Billboard in 2020. According to a 2021 ranking by YouGov, Rubio is the 26th most popular Latin music artist and the 17th most famous.

9. María Grever (1885 - 1951)

With an HPI of 47.98, María Grever is the 9th most famous Mexican Singer. Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

María Grever (14 September 1885 – 15 December 1951) was the first female Mexican composer to achieve international acclaim. She is best known for the song "What A Difference A Day Makes" (originally "Cuando vuelva a tu lado"), which was popularized by Dinah Washington and has been covered by numerous artists.

10. Anahí (b. 1983)

With an HPI of 47.76, Anahí is the 10th most famous Mexican Singer. Her biography has been translated into 40 different languages.

Anahí Giovanna Puente Portilla (born 14 May 1983), known mononymously as Anahí, is a Mexican singer, songwriter and actress. In 1986, she started her acting career when she was cast on Chiquilladas. After working on many successful telenovelas produced by Televisa, including Alondra (1995), Vivo por Elena (1998), El Diario de Daniela (1998) and Mujeres Engañadas (1999), her first leading role was in Pedro Damián's production, Primer Amor... A Mil por Hora (2000). In 2003, she joined the cast in Clase 406. Anahí reached international success in 2004 after starring in Rebelde and being part of the twice-nominated for a Latin Grammy Award group RBD, who sold over 15 million records worldwide. In 2011, she starred in Dos Hogares, her last telenovela to date. In 1993, at the age of 10, Anahí released her debut self-titled studio album. In 1996, she released her second album, ¿Hoy Es Mañana?, which featured the singles "Corazón de Bombón", "Por Volverte a Ver" and "Descontrolándote". She went on to record two additional albums titled Anclado en Mi Corazón (1997) and Baby Blue (2000). In 2009, Anahí released her fifth album, Mi Delirio, which sold 500,000 copies worldwide. The album debuted at number two on Billboard's Latin Pop Albums chart and number four on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart, and was certified Gold in Brazil. Mi Delirio World Tour was her first worldwide tour. According to Billboard, Mi Delirio World Tour was the seventh most profitable tour of 2010. Anahí's sixth studio album, Inesperado (2016), was preceded by the singles "Rumba", "Eres" and "Amnesia". "Rumba", a collaboration with reggaeton singer Wisin, peaked at number one on Billboard's Tropical Songs chart. The album debuted on Billboard's Latin Pop Albums and Top Latin Albums charts, while it was number one on Billboard Brazil, with her being the first Mexican artist to achieve that. She has sold over five million albums worldwide in her career as a solo artist, being the best-selling RBD member in the United States. Anahí sings in various languages apart from Spanish, including English, Portuguese and Italian.

People

Pantheon has 27 people classified as Mexican singers born between 1885 and 1999. Of these 27, 21 (77.78%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Mexican singers include Thalía, Lila Downs, and Marco Antonio Solís. The most famous deceased Mexican singers include Vicente Fernández, Juan Gabriel, and Jorge Negrete. As of April 2024, 3 new Mexican singers have been added to Pantheon including María Grever, Yuridia, and Sofía Reyes.