Latin music has an ambiguous meaning in the music industry due to differing definitions of the term "Latin". For example, the Latin music market in the United States defines Latin music as any release that is mostly sung in Spanish, regardless of genre or artist nationality, by industry organizations including the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Billboard. International organizations and trade groups such as the Latin Recording Academy include Portuguese-language music in the Latin category.
Music journalists and musicologists define Latin music as musical styles from Spanish-speaking areas of Latin America and from Spain. Music from Brazil is usually included in the genre and music from Portugal is occasionally included.
As a result of the conflicting views of defining Latin music, the list includes Latin singles defined either by language for vocal songs or genre for instrumental recordings. Therefore, for a single to appear on the list, the figure must have been published by a reliable source, the single must have sold at least 1.5 million copies and must have at least 51% of its content in Spanish or Portuguese. For non Spanish- or Portuguese-language songs, it must have ranked on either the Billboard Latin Digital Song Sales (or any of its subgenre digital charts) or receive a Latin certification from the RIAA.
Sales for Latin singles prior to the digital era are often difficult to verify due to most Latin singles having been only released as promotional singles for radio stations. For example, Billboard did not track sales of Latin digital songs until it was introduced in the issue dated January 23, 2010 and merges all versions of a song sold from digital music distributors.
Two best-selling singles lists are displayed here relating first to physical singles (mainly CD and vinyl singles) and second to digital singles (digitally downloaded tracks which first became available to purchase in the early 2000s).
According to Guinness World Records, Los del Río's "Macarena" (1993) is the best-selling Latin single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 10 million copies . The song's success was before the existence of digital sales and streaming.
Best-selling physical Latin singles 5million copies or more
Artist Single Released Language(s) Sales(in millions) SourceLos del Río "Macarena" 1993 Spanish 14 Las Ketchup "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" 2002 Spanish English 12 Mocedades "Eres tú" 1973 Spanish 8 Peret "Borriquito" 1971 Spanish 6.6 Manolo Escobar "Y Viva España" 1973 Spanish 6 Jeanette "Porque te vas" 1974 Spanish 6 Kaoma "Lambada" 1989 Portuguese 6 "" 1950 Spanish 5 Ricky Martin "María" 1995 Spanish 5 Enrique Iglesias "Bailamos" 1999 Spanglish 5 Stan Getz and João Gilberto featuring Antônio Carlos Jobim and Astrud Gilberto "Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema)" 1964 Portuguese English 5
1.5–4.99million copies
Artist Single Released Language(s) Sales(in millions) SourceMiguel Ríos "Himno a la Alegría (A Song of Joy)" 1969 Spanish English 4 Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications) ABBA "Chiquitita" (Spanish version) 1979 Spanish 2.2 Lucho Gatica "La novia" 1961 Spanish 2 "El Rock del Mundial" 1961 Spanish 2 Juan Gabriel "Querida" 1984 Spanish 2 Luis Miguel "Sol, Arena y Mar" 1999 Spanish 2 Miami Sound Machine "Conga" 1985 English 2 Los Lobos "La Bamba" 1987 Spanish 2 Azúcar Moreno "Ven, Devórame Otra Vez" 1990 Spanish 2 Aventura "Obsesión" 2002 Spanish 2 José José "Si Me Dejas Ahora" 1979 Spanish 1.5 Ángela Carrasco "Quererte a ti" 1979 Spanish 1.5 Los Bukis "Tu Cárcel" 1987 Spanish 1.5 Banda Blanca "Sopa de Caracol" 1991 Spanish Garifuna 1.5
Best-selling Latin digital singles
Artist Single Released Language(s) Sales(in millions) SourceLuis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee "Despacito" 2017 Spanish English 36.1 Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona "Bailando" 2014 Spanish 8 Michel Teló "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" 2011 Portuguese 7.2 Don Omar and Lucenzo "Danza Kuduro" 2010 Spanish Portuguese 5 Shakira featuring Alejandro Sanz "La Tortura" 2005 Spanish 5 Shakira "Loca" 2010 Spanish • English 5 Pitbull "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" 2009 Spanglish 2.6 By stream equivalent units Beginning in 2020, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry began reporting the best-selling singles of each year in terms of subscription streams equivalent units. The methodology used converts all digital formats, including digital download sales, paid subscription streaming, and free ad-supported streaming, into a single figure.
Artist Single Released Language(s) Sales(in millions) SourceYng Lvcas and Peso Pluma "La Bebé" 2021 Spanish 1.45 Bad Bunny and Chencho Corleone "Me Porto Bonito" 2022 Spanish 1.21 Karol G and Shakira "TQG" 2023 Spanish 1.18 Bad Bunny "Tití Me Preguntó" 2022 Spanish 1.14 Bad Bunny "DTMF" 2025 Spanish 1.02 FloyyMenor and Cris MJ "Gata Only" 2023 Spanish 0.98 Farruko "Pepas" 2024 Spanish 0.94 Karol G "Provenza" 2022 Spanish 0.92
Multiple versions Cover versions Artist Single Released Language(s) Sales(in millions) SourceVarious artists "Oye Cómo Va" 1962 Spanish 5
Multilingual versions Songs that were originally recorded in another language with a Spanish-language version also recorded. For a song to appear on this list, its Spanish-language version must have ranked on the Billboard Latin Digital Song Sales chart.
Artist Single Released Original language Spanish-language version Sales(in millions) SourceShakira featuring Wyclef Jean "Hips Don't Lie" 2006 English "Hips Don't Lie" (Spanish version) 10 Shakira featuring Freshlyground "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" 2010 English "Waka Waka (Esto es Africa)" 10 Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull "On the Floor" 2011 English "Ven a Bailar" 8.4 Ricky Martin "Livin' la Vida Loca" 1999 English "Livin' la Vida Loca" (Spanish version) 8 Shakira "She Wolf" 2009 English "Loba" 1.8
See also List of best-selling Latin music artists List of best-selling Latin albums List of best-selling singles
Notes
a. For both the English and Spanish versions. b. Sales figure includes 'equivalent track streams'.
References