2015 in Latin music

This is a list of notable events in Latin music that took place in 2015.

Events

January 7 – The Nielsen Media Research releases the 2014 United States music report, showing that Latin music contributed 2.6% of total music sales.
January 9 — PROMUSICAE introduces a new chart which combines streaming, downloads, and physical sales.
February 3 – Puerto Rican singer Ivy Queen releases four albums, something "that nobody in the industry ever did before," according to Fox News Latino.
February 19 – Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias and American singer-songwriter Romeo Santos became the most awarded performers on the 27th Lo Nuestro Awards with both earning six awards each. Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona is awarded the Excellence Award while Italian singer Laura Pausini received an award for her musical trajectory.
April 30 – Romeo Santos is the biggest winner at the 2015 Billboard Latin Music Awards with a total of ten awards. Brazilian singer Roberto is given the Lifetime Achievement Award and Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana receives the Spirit of Hope.
May 13 — Sirope by Alejandro Sanz becomes the best-selling album in Spain on its release week since 2006.
August 28 — Donald Trump's comments about Mexican illegal immigrants result in a backlash from several Latin artists such as Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and Paulina Rubio.
September 1 — "El Perdón" by Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias surpasses "La Tortura" by Shakira and Alejandro Sanz as the second-longest number one song on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart.
September 9 – Puerto Rican singer Víctor Manuelle becomes the artist with the most number-one songs on the Billboard Tropical Songs chart with 26 songs.
September 11 — Abraham Quintanilla, Jr., father of Tejano singer Selena, released a previously unreleased song after 20 years of the singer's death.
September 15 — Sony Music announces its deal with Cuban record label EGREM to distribute recordings internationally which date back to the 1960s.
September 17 — Emilio Estefan, Myriam Hernandez, Gustavo Santaolalla, Alvaro Torres, Hector Ochoa Cardenas, and Diego Torres are inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.
September 24 – Mexican singer-songwriter Carla Morrison becomes the first female soloist in 22 weeks to enter the top 10 of Billboard Latin Digital Songs chart.
September 27
* Mexican singer and reality star Larry Hernandez is arrested in Ontario, Canada, on suspicion of kidnapping, assault and assault and battery causing injury.
* Colombian singer Shakira performed "Imagine" for Pope Francis at the United Nations. In her role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she also urged UNICEF to devote greater efforts toward early child development.
September 28 – Tejano singer Arnold Martinez sues Freddie Records for $3,000 of unpaid royalties in a Houston courtroom.
October 8 – The inaugural Latin American Music Awards are held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Enrique Iglesias is the most awarded artist with five wins including Artist of the Year.
October 26 – Colombian singer J Balvin became the first artist to receive the Latin Digital Diamond award from the Recording Industry Association of America denoting digital sales of 600,000 units for his songs "6 AM" and "Ay Vamos".
November 9 – After eight years since they separated, Noel Schajris and Leonel Garcia announced they will reunite as Sin Bandera and release one more album together.
November 18 – Roberto Carlos is honored by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences as the Person of the Year.
November 19
*16th Annual Latin Grammy Awards
**"Hasta la Raíz" by Natalia Lafourcade wins Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
**Todo Tiene Su Hora performed by Juan Luis Guerra wins Album of the Year.
**Monsieur Periné wins Best New Artist.
December 9 – Romeo Santos is named Top Latin Artist of the year by Billboard magazine.
December 12 – Reggaeton singer Yandel becomes the first Latin artist to live stream a concert on the music service Tidal.

Bands formed

Number-ones albums and singles by country

Awards

Best-selling records

Best-selling albums

The following is a list of the top 10 best-selling Latin albums in the United States in 2015, according to Billboard.

Rank	Album	Artist
1	Los Dúo	Juan Gabriel
2	Formula, Vol. 2	Romeo Santos
3	A Quien Quiera Escuchar	Ricky Martin
4	Cama Incendiada	Maná
5	Mis Número 1...40 Aniversario	Juan Gabriel
6	Hoy Más Fuerte	Gerardo Ortíz
7	Sex and Love	Enrique Iglesias
8	Las Bandas Romanticas de America 2015	Various artists
9	15 Inolvidables	Marco Antonio Solís
10	El Aferrado	Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda

Best-performing songs

The following is a list of the top 10 best-performing Latin songs in the United States in 2015, according to Billboard.

Rank	Single	Artist
1	"El Perdón"	Nicky Jam featuring Enrique Iglesias
2	"Propuesta Indecente"	Romeo Santos
3	"Hilito"	Romeo Santos
4	"Ay Vamos"	J Balvin
5	"Ginza"	J Balvin
6	"Te Metiste"	Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho
7	"La Gozadera"	Gente de Zona featuring Marc Anthony
8	"Fanatica Sensual"	Plan B
9	"Háblame de Ti"	Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
10	"Bailando"	Enrique Iglesias featuring Gente De Zona and Descemer Bueno

Deaths

January 4 – Sharon la Hechicera, 40, Ecuadorian technocumbia singer
January 13 –, 60, Brazilian musician, composer, and musical producer
January 20 – Canserbero, 26, Venezuelan rapper
February 5 – Celina Gonzalez, 85, Cuban singer
February 12 – Sergio Blanco, 66, Spanish singer.
February 25 – Ariel Camacho, 22, Mexican singer
March 8 – Inezita Barroso, 90, Brazilian folk singer
March 30 – Aniceto Molina, 75, Colombian cumbia musician
April 5 – Claudio Prieto, 80, Spanish composer
May 13 – Lucy Fabery, 84, Puerto Rican Latin jazz recording artist
May 19 – Manuel Molina, 67, Spanish flamenco singer
May 25 – Jorge Massias, 67, Mexican songwriter
May 30 –, 65, Mexican journalist and musicologist
June 12 – Fernando Brant, 68, Brazilian poet, lyricist and journalist
June 6 – Jorge Galemire, 64, Uruguayan guitarist and composer
June 12 – José Messias, 86, Brazilian musical producer
June 14 – Hugo Blanco, 74, Venezuelan musician and composer
June 23 – Marujita Díaz, 83, Spanish singer and actress, complications from colon cancer.
June 24 – Cristiano Araújo, 29, Brazilian singer and songwriter
July 5 – Jorge Álvarez, 83, Argentine producer
July 6 – Julio Ángel, 69, Puerto Rican trio, bolero, rock and pop singer
July 10 – Rob Fernández, American concert promoter
July 12 – Javier Krahe, 71, Spanish singer-songwriter, heart attack.
July 13 – Joan Sebastian, 64, Mexican singer and songwriter, bone cancer.
July 23:
*Mexicano 777, 42, Puerto Rican rapper
*Cirilo Vila, 77, Chilean pianist and composer
July 26 – Pía Sebastiani, 90, Argentine pianist and composer
August 5 – Raphy Leavitt, 66, Puerto Rican composer and orchestra leader, complications of surgery for artificial hip infection.
August 21 – Daniel Rabinovich, 71, Argentine musician and comedian.
August 28 – Steve Vibert Pouchie, American Latin jazz musician, arranger, and educator
September 7 – Guillermo Rubalcaba, 88, Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and orchestrator
October 10 – Fernando Echavarría, 62, Dominican Republic singer and songwriter
October 11 –, 60, Paraguayan singer and songwriter
October 23 – Aldo Sarabia, 50, Mexican trumpeter
October 22 –, 83, Spanish composer and singer (
October 25 – Gladys "Havana" Carbo, 80, Cuban jazz vocalist
November 1 – Raul Rekow, 61, American drummer
November 5 –, 55, Dominican Republic merengue singer
November 6 – José Ángel Espinoza, 96, Mexican singer, composer and actor.
December 1 – Leoni Franco, 73, Uruguayan musician, composer and guitarist.
December 19 – Selma Reis, 55, Brazilian actress and singer, brain cancer.
December 25 – Manuel Agujetas, 76, Spanish flamenco singer.
December 27 – Syko "El Terror", 33, Puerto Rican songwriter