# 1994 in Latin music

This is a list of notable events in Latin music (music from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking areas from Latin America, Europe, and the United States) that took place in 1994.

## Events

* March 1 – The 36th Annual Grammy Awards are held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
** Luis Miguel wins the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for his album Aries.
** Gloria Estefan wins the Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album for her album Mi Tierra
** Selena wins the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Album for her album Live!.
* March 10 – BMI launches its own Latin music award to honor the best performing Latin songs of the year published by the company. "Otro Día Más Sin Verte" by Jon Secada is awarded Latin song of the year while Álvaro Torres is honored Latin songwriter of the year.
* May 16 - May 19 – The fifth annual Billboard Latin Music Conference is held at the InterContinental Hotel in Florida with the conference focusing on Brazilian music and Latin jazz for the first time.
** The inaugural Billboard Latin Music Awards also takes place with Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan being the biggest winners with three awards. Cuban singer Celia Cruz and Cuban musician Cachao are inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame.
* May 19 – The 6th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards are held at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida. Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan and American Tejano group La Mafia are the biggest winners of the ceremony with both receiving three awards.
* June 4 – National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences approves a new category for Latin jazz album. The new award category is scheduled to debut on the following Grammy Award ceremony the next year. Despite being its appearance on the jazz field, Latin music committees are eligible to cast their vote on the award.
* June 18 – Selena became the first non-crossover act to have an album (Amor Prohibido; released March 1994) to enter the Billboard 200 since Luis Miguel's Aries (1993). The album was credited with popularizing Tejano music and catapulting the genre into an "unprecedented level of mainstream success"; eventually becoming the best-selling Tejano record of all-time. It holds the record for most weeks in the top ten of the Top Latin Albums chart—at 110 weeks—while the record holds the record for most weeks at number one on the Regional Mexican Albums chart at 96 weeks.
* November 12 – Billboard updates the methodology for the Hot Latin Tracks chart to incorporate the Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems (BDS). Billboard also launches three sub-charts of the Hot Latin Tracks chart: Latin Pop Airplay, Regional Mexican Airplay, and Latin Tropical Airplay.

## Bands formed

* Laura Pausini (Latin pop)
* Kairo (Latin pop)
* Mónica Naranjo
* Ana Bárbara
* Ezequiel Peña
* Giro
* Carlos Nuño

## Number-ones albums and singles by country

* List of number-one albums of 1994 (Spain)
* List of number-one singles of 1994 (Spain)
* List of number-one Billboard Top Latin Albums of 1994
* List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Tracks of 1994

## Awards

* 1994 Premio Lo Nuestro
* 1994 Billboard Latin Music Awards
* 1994 Tejano Music Awards

## Albums released
### First quarter
#### January

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles |
| 1 | Big Bang | Enanitos Verdes | Rock | "Lamento Boliviano" |
| 1 | Pampas Reggae | Los Pericos | Reggae | |
| 18 | La Aventura | Orquesta de la Luz | | |
| 25 | Razones Para una Sonrisa | José Luis Rodríguez | | |

#### February

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 2 | El Tirador | Banda Vallarta Show | | | |

#### March

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 1 | Mano a Mano | Silvio Rodríguez | | | |
| 21 | Guitar Passion | Charo | | | |
| 22 | Amor Prohibido | Selena | Tejano, Mexican cumbia, dance-pop | "Amor Prohibido" "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" "No Me Queda Más" "Techno Cumbia" "Fotos y Recuerdos" "Si Una Vez" "El Chico del Apartamento 512" | EMI Latin |
| 29 | Vida | La Mafia | Tejano | | "Vida" |

### Second quarter
#### April

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 15 | Historias | Ricardo Arjona | Latin pop | "Te Conozco" "Señora de Las Cuatro Decadas" "Realmente No Estoy Tan Solo" "Historia de Taxi" "Libre" | Sony Discos |
| 18 | Zafra | Zafra Negra | Merengue | "Ajena" "Lo Que No Conviene" | |
| 19 | Los Dos Plebes | Los Tigres del Norte | | | |
| 26 | Danzón (Dance On) | Arturo Sandoval | Latin jazz | | |
| 26 | Palmas | Eddie Palmieri | | | |
| 29 | 944 Columbus | Mario Bauza and the Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra | | | |
| Unknown date | Severino | Os Paralamas do Sucesso | Rock, ska | | EMI |
| Unknown date | Da Lama ao Caos | Chico Science & Nação Zumbi | Manguebeat | | |

#### June

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 14 | Mónica Naranjo | Mónica Naranjo | Latin pop | "El Amor Coloca" "Sola" "Sólo se Vive Una Vez" "Óyeme!" "Fuego de Pasión" "Llorando Bajo la Lluvia" | Sony |
| 14 | Piano de America, Vol. 2 | Raúl di Blasio | | | |
| 21 | Cariño De Mis Cariños | Lucero | Ranchera | "Te Acordarás de Mi" "Y Volveré" "Me Estás Quemando" | Fonovisa |
| 27 | El Pan y la Sal | Presuntos Implicados | | | |
| 28 | Gracias Por Esperar | Juan Gabriel | Latin pop | "Pero Qué Necesidad" "Lentamente" "Vienes o Voy" "Muriendo de Amor" | BMG Ariola |
| 28 | Si Te Vas | Jon Secada | Latin pop | "Si Te Vas" "Sólo Una Imagen" | |
| 28 | Una Mañana y un Camino | Ricardo Montaner | Latin pop | "No Te Pareces a Mi" "Quisiera" "El Mundo Gira Aunque No Estés" | EMI |
| 29 | El nervio del volcán | Caifanes | Rock en Español | "Afuera" "Aquí No Es Así" "Ayer Me Dijo Un Ave" "Miedo" | BMG Ariola |
| 30 | Desenchufado | León Gieco | | | |

### Third quarter
#### July

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles |
| 11 | Mucho Más Que Dos | Ana Belén and Víctor Manuel | | |
| 12 | A Dónde Me Lleva La Vida | La Renga | | |
| 15 | Recordando a Los Panchos | Vicente Fernández | | |
| 19 | Master Sessions, Vol. 1 | Cachao | | |
| 19 | Fogaraté | Juan Luis Guerra & 4.40 | Merengue | "Viviré" |
| 22 | Re | Café Tacuba | | |
| 26 | Pasiones | Ednita Nazario | | |

#### August

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 9 | Crossroads | Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band | | | |
| 9 | Ya Me Cansé | David Lee Garza y Los Musicales | | | |
| 15 | El Camino del Alma | Cristian Castro | Latin pop | "Mañana" "Con Tu Amor" "Azul Gris" | Fonovisa |
| 16 | Luis Enrique | Luis Enrique | Salsa | "Quien Eres Tu" "Así Es la Vida" | Sony Discos |
| 23 | Steel Rain | Jay Perez | | | |
| 23 | Amor Lunatico | Giro | Salsa | "Amor Lunatico" | |
| 30 | Segundo Romance | Luis Miguel | Latin pop, bolero | "El Día Que Me Quieras" "La Media Vuelta" "Todo y Nada" "Delirio" | WEA Latina |
| 30 | Grandeza Mexicana | José José | | | |
| 30 | Esta Boca es Mía | Joaquín Sabina | | | |

#### September

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 13 | De Mi Alma Latina | Plácido Domingo | | | EMI |
| 13 | Recuerdo a Javier Solís | Vikki Carr | | | |
| 13 | La Diferenzia | La Diferenzia | | | |
| 13 | Sólo Contigo | Víctor Manuelle | Salsa music | "Apiádate de Mí" "Por Ejemplo" | Sony Discos |
| 20 | Dicen Que Soy | La India | Salsa | "Nunca Voy a Olvidarte" "Ese Hombre" "Que Ganas de No Verte Más" "O Ella o Yo" | RMM |
| 20 | Formidables | Los Toros Band | | | |
| 27 | Influencias | Chayanne | Latin pop | "Querida" "Gavilán o Paloma" "Pedro Navaja" | Sony Discos |

### Fourth quarter
#### October

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 1 | Sangrando | Caballeros de la Quema | | | |
| 4 | Fina Estampa | Caetano Veloso | | | |
| 15 | Calango | Skank | | | |
| 24 | Gracias Mujer | Banda Machos | | | |
| 25 | Siente el Amor... | Olga Tañón | Merengue | "Entre la Noche y el Día" "Es Mentiroso" | WEA Latina |
| 25 | Lo Nuevo y lo Mejor | Jerry Rivera | Salsa | "Me Estoy Enloqueciendo Por Ti" | Sony Discos |
| 25 | Enamorate | Fama | | | |
| 25 | Flaco Jiménez | Flaco Jiménez | | | |
| 25 | Irrepetible | Celia Cruz | | | |

#### November

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 8 | Navidad en las Americas | Various artists | | | |
| 11 | De Cara al Viento | Gilberto Santa Rosa | Salsa | "Te Propongo" | Sony Discos |
| 11 | Con el Alma | Los Nocheros | | | |
| 15 | Siempre Contigo | Lucero | Latin pop | "Siempre Contigo" "Quién Soy Yo" "Palabras" "Como Perro al Sol" "Volvamos a Empezar" | Fonovisa |
| 15 | El Rey de Corazones | Manny Manuel | Merengue | "Pero Qué Necesidad" "Si Una Vez" | RMM |
| 22 | Laura Pausini | Laura Pausini | Pop | "La Soledad" "Se Fué" "Amores Extraños" "Gente" | Warner Music International |
| 22 | Mi Forma de Sentir | Pedro Fernández | Ranchera | "Mi Forma de Sentir" "Vamos a Platicar" | PolyGram |
| 22 | Tratar de Estar Mejor | Diego Torres | | | |
| 23 | Yo Vendo Unos Ojos Verdes | Ezequiel Peña | | | |
| 29 | Soundlife | Emilio Navaira | | | |
| 29 | Circo Beat | Fito Páez | | | |

#### December

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Label |
| 2 | Explotó el Bombazo | Grupo Manía | | |
| 11 | Antonio Brasileiro | Antônio Carlos Jobim | | |
| 13 | Maná en Vivo | Maná | | WEA Latina |
| 13 | Para Estar Contigo | Liberacion | | |
| 14 | Myriam Hernández IV | Myriam Hernández | "Ese Hombre" | |
| 27 | Mirandote | Frankie Ruiz | "Mirandote" | |

### Unknown

| Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 12 de Janeiro | Nando Reis | Rock, acoustic rock | | WEA |
| Paulo Miklos | Paulo Miklos | Rock, acoustic rock | | WEA |
| A Mi Estilo | Tito Rojas | Salsa | "Señora de Madrugada" "Lo Que Te Queda" "Quiero Ser Tuyo" | Musical Productions |
| The Stonewall Celebration Concert | Renato Russo | Acoustic rock, folk rock, rock | | EMI |
| Raimundos | Raimundos | Brazilian rock | | |
| Samba Esquema Noise | Mundo Livre S/A | | | |
| Verde, Anil, Amarelo, Cor de Rosa e Carvão | Marisa Monte | Pop, baroque pop, samba, MPB | | |
| Dale Aborigen | Todos Tus Muertos | Punk rock | | |
| Playero 37 | DJ Playero | Reggaeton | | |
| Valentín Alsina | 2 Minutos | Punk rock | | |

## Best-selling records
### Best-selling albums

The following is a list of the top 10 best-selling Latin albums in the United States in 1994, according to Billboard.
| Rank | Album | Artist |
| 1 | Mi Tierra | Gloria Estefan |
| 2 | Segundo Romance | Luis Miguel |
| 3 | Love and Liberté | Gipsy Kings |
| 4 | Amor Prohibido | Selena |
| 5 | ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? | Maná |
| 6 | Pura Sangre | Bronco |
| 7 | Gipsy Kings | Gipsy Kings |
| 8 | Romance | Luis Miguel |
| 9 | Inalcanzable | Marco Antonio Solís and Los Bukis |
| 10 | Vida | La Mafia |

### Best-performing songs

The following is a list of the top 10 best-performing Latin songs in the United States in 1994, according to Billboard.
| Rank | Single | Artist |
| 1 | "Amor Prohibido" | Selena |
| 2 | "Vida" | La Mafia |
| 3 | "Luna" | Ana Gabriel |
| 4 | "Pero Qué Necesidad" | Juan Gabriel |
| 5 | "Si Te Vas" | Jon Secada |
| 6 | "Donde Quiera Que Estés" | The Barrio Boyzz and Selena |
| 7 | "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" | Selena |
| 8 | "Quisiera" | Ricardo Montaner |
| 9 | "Detrás de Mi Ventana" | Yuri |
| 10 | "El Día Que Me Quieras" | Luis Miguel |

## Births

* January 15 – Myke Towers, Puerto Rican rapper
* January 28 – Maluma, Colombian reggaeton singer
* March 10 – Bad Bunny, Puerto Rican reggaeton and trap rapper
* March 16 – Camilo, Colombian pop singer
* April 25 – Jay Wheeler, Puerto Rican reggaeton singer
* October 15 – Sebastián Yatra, Colombian pop singer

## Deaths

* February 8 – Amparo Ochoa, Mexican singer-songwriter
* July 17 – Sebastián Piana [es], Argentine tango composer
* November 21 – Santiago Chalar, Uruguayan physician traumatologist, poet, songwriter, musician, guitarist and singer
* December 8 – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Brazilian bossa nova composer