# 1998 in Latin music

This is a list of notable events in Latin music (i.e. music from the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking areas Latin America, Europe, and the United States) that took place in 1998.

## Events

* February 25 – The 40th Annual Grammy Awards are held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. This is the first award ceremony where members of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS) are eligible to vote in the Latin field of the Grammy Award categories. In addition, a new category for Latin rock and alternative music was established.
** Luis Miguel wins the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Performance for his album Romances.
** Ry Cooder wins the Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Performance for his production of Buena Vista Social Club.
** La Mafia wins the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American/Tejano Music Performance for their album En Tus Besos.
** Los Fabulosos Cadillacs wins the Best Latin Rock/Alternative Performance for their album Fabulosos Calavera.
** Roy Hargrove's band Crisol wins the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance for their album Habana.
* April 5 — The 9th Annual Billboard Latin Music Conference is held at the Biscayne Bay Marriott hotel.
** The 5th Billboard Latin Music Awards are also held in the same week. Marc Anthony is the only artist with multiple wins with two awards. Mexican singer Vicente Fernández is inducted into the Billboard Latin Music of Fame.
* May 14 — The 10th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards are held at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida. Alejandro Fernández is the biggest winner with five awards.
October 10–17 – Due to damage to the Broadcast Data Systems monitors in Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Georges, no charts for the Hot Latin Songs are published by Billboard.

## Number-ones albums and singles by country

* List of number-one albums of 1998 (Spain)
* List of number-one singles of 1998 (Spain)
* List of number-one Billboard Top Latin Albums of 1998
* List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Tracks of 1998

## Awards

* 1998 Premio Lo Nuestro
* 1998 Billboard Latin Music Awards
* 1998 Tejano Music Awards

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

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 1 | Libertinaje | Bersuit Vergarabat | Rock | |
| 13 | Celebrando 25 Años de Juan Gabriel: En Concierto en el Palacio de Bellas Artes | Juan Gabriel | Latin pop | "Así Fué" | |
| 13 | Contact! | Ray Barretto and New World Spirit | | | |
| 27 | Como Te Recuerdo | Los Temerarios | Regional Mexican | "Por Que Te Conocí" | Fonovisa |
| 27 | Tracción Acústica | Enanitos Verdes | | | |
| 27 | Hasta la Eternidad | Los Acosta | | | |

#### February

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 3 | Sol | Los Tiranos del Norte | | | |
| 3 | Prefiero el Futbol | El Morro | | | |
| 3 | Toda Mi Vida | Jay Perez | | | |
| 10 | Vuelve | Ricky Martin | Latin pop | "Vuelve" "La Copa de la Vida" "La Bomba" "Perdido Sin Ti" "Por Arriba, Por Abajo" "Casi un Bolero" "Corazonado" | Sony Discos |
| 10 | Los Primera | Servando & Florentino | | | |
| 24 | Cerca de ti | Lucero | Ranchera | | |
| 24 | Hoy Quiero Cantanrte | Tony Vega | Salsa | "Si Tú Supieras" | RMM |

#### March

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 3 | Nek | Nek | Latin pop | "Laura no está" "Tu nombre" | |
| 10 | Desde el Corazon de Texas | La Tropa F | | | |
| 17 | Aires de Mi Norte | Los Huracanes del Norte | | | |
| 24 | Ana José Nacho | Mecano | | | |
| 24 | Instantes | Patricia Navidad | | | |
| 24 | The New Sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera | Los Amigos Invisibles | | | |
| 24 | Dale Cara a la Vida | Tito Nieves | Salsa | "Como un Niño Celoso" | RMM |
| 24 | Estos Si Son Corridazos | Los Originales de San Juan | | | |
| 31 | Confesiones de Amor | Los Ángeles Azules | | | |
| 31 | Róbame un Beso | Graciela Beltrán | | | |
| 31 | A Gozar Con Sabrosura | Fito Olivares | | | |
| 31 | A Pasito Lento! | Los Toros Band | | | |

### Second quarter
#### April

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 10 | Como Pez en el Agua | Grupo Mojado | | | |
| 14 | Suavemente | Elvis Crespo | Merengue | "Suavemente" "Tu Sonrisa" "Luna Llena" "Nuestra Canción" | Sony Discos |
| 14 | Vida Loca | Francisco Céspedes | | | |
| 14 | Entrega Total | OV7 | | | |
| 14 | Te Seguire | Los Palominos | | | |
| 14 | ¿Por Qué Dismular? | Jeans | | | |
| 21 | Todo el Amor | Myriam Hernández | Latin pop | "Huele a Peligro" | WEA |
| 22 | Libres y Locos | El Gran Silencio | | | |
| 28 | Es Mi Tiempo | Manny Manuel | Merengue | "Cómo Duele" | |

#### May

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 4 | Arena en los Bolsillos | Manolo García | | | |
| 5 | Necesito Decirte | Conjunto Primavera | Conjunto | "Necesito Decirte" | |
| 10 | Ironias | Víctor Manuelle | Salsa | "Se Me Rompe el Alma" "Que Habria Sido de Mi" "Que Te Han Dicho" "Al Igual Que Yo" | |
| 10 | Todo o Nada | Lucía Méndez | | | |
| 19 | Carlos Ponce | Carlos Ponce | "Rezo" "Decir Adios" | EMI Latin | |
| 19 | Juntos | Sergio Vargas and Gisselle | "Corazón Encadenado" | | |
| 19 | Hot House | Arturo Sandoval | | | |
| 19 | Obsesión | David Sánchez | | | |
| 19 | No Mas Contigo | Ezequiel Peña | | | |
| 25 | Enemigos íntimos | Fito Páez and Joaquín Sabina | | | |
| 26 | Un Segundo Sentimiento | Charlie Zaa | | | |
| 28 | 15 Años Después... | El Reencuentro | | | |
| 28 | Um sonhador | Leandro e Leonardo | | | |
| 29 | Sin Daños a Terceros | Ricardo Arjona | Latin pop | "Dime Que No" "Mentiroso" "Ella Y El / Historia de Taxi" | Sony Discos |

#### June

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 2 | Lagrimas de Sangre | Banda Maguey | | | |
| 11 | Superfantástico | Tatiana | | | |
| 16 | Ozomatli | Ozomatli | | | Almo Sounds |
| 16 | Intocable | Intocable | | | |
| 16 | Un Regalo de Amor | Liberación | | | |
| 16 | Hey Na Na | Os Paralamas do Sucesso | | | |
| 16 | Antes de Partir | La Arrolladora Banda El Limón | | | |
| 30 | Amor Platónico | Los Tucanes de Tijuana | Cumbia, Merengue, Ranchera, Ballad, Bolero | "Espejeando" "La Traigo Muerta" | EMI Latin |
| 30 | Entre el Amor y Yo | Vicente Fernández | | | |
| 30 | Viento a Favor | Sentidos Opuestos | | | |
| 30 | No Lo Voy a Olvidar | Brenda K. Starr | Salsa | "Senor Amante" "Si me Preguntan por Ti" "Creo en Ti" | |
| 30 | Aquamosh | Plastilina Mosh | | | |
| 30 | Bele Bele En La Habana | Chucho Valdés | | | |
| 30 | Caribe Atómico | Aterciopelados | | | |
| 30 | Lo Mas Romantico de Ayer Con Los... | Guardianes del Amor | | | |
| 30 | Distancia | José José | Latin pop | "Ojala Que Te Mueras" | |
| 30 | Frente a Mi | Edith Márquez | | | |

### Third quarter
#### July

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 20 | Todo Por Ti | Priscila y Sus Balas de Plata | | | |
| 21 | Esperanto | Kabah | Latin pop | "Esperanto (Na, Na, Na)" "Mai Mai" "Una Ilusión" "Me HasRoto El Corazón" "Violento Tu Amor" | Polygram |
| 28 | Por Mujeres Como Tu | Pepe Aguilar | | | |
| 28 | A Caballo | Kinito Méndez | | | |

#### August

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 1 | Pollomania | Ivonne Avilez | | | |
| 6 | Casas de Madera | Ramon Ayala | | | |
| 10 | Dance with Me: Music from the Motion Picture | Various artists | Latin pop, tropical | | Sony Discos |
| 11 | Dancemania '99: Live at Birdland | Tito Puente | | | |
| 18 | Exclusivo | Toño Rosario | Merengue | | |
| 19 | Nacimiento y Recuerdo | Frankie Ruiz | Salsa | "Vuelvo a Nacer" | PolyGram Latino |
| 20 | El Privilegio de Amar | Manuel Mijares | | | |
| 25 | Señor Bolero | José Feliciano | Bolero | "Me Has Echado al Olvido" "Que Tristeza" "Cuando Te Toque a Llorar" | Universal Music Latino |
| 25 | El Rumbero del Piano | Eddie Palmieri | | | |
| 25 | Un Juego de Amor | Grupo Bryndis | | | |
| 25 | Por Amor | Plácido Domingo | | | |
| 27 | Esperanto | Kabah | | | |

#### September

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 1 | ...En la Plaza de Toros México | Ana Gabriel | | | |
| 1 | Vive | Milly Quezada | | | |
| 1 | Euforia | La Mafia | | | |
| 8 | Central Avenue | Danilo Pérez | | | |
| 8 | Amor del Bueno | Banda Arkángel R-15 | | | |
| 8 | En Vivo: Desde Monterrey Mexico | Bobby Pulido | | | |
| 8 | Tengo Una Ilusion | Banda el Recodo | | | |
| 10 | Colgado de un Arbol | Los Terribles del Norte | | | |
| 15 | Desde Mexico | Raúl di Blasio | | | |
| 15 | Comenzaré | Luis Fonsi | Latin pop | "Díme Cómo" "Me Iré "Si Tu Quisieras" "Perdóname" | Universal Music Latino |
| 15 | Lo Mejor de la Vida | Compay Segundo | | | |
| 15 | Los Super Seven | Los Super Seven | | | |
| 15 | Reencarnacion | ¡Cubanismo! | | | |
| 15 | Sombras de la China | Joan Manuel Serrat | | | |
| 18 | Tu Ya Lo Conoces | Julio Preciado y su Banda del Pacifico | | | |
| 22 | Cosas del Amor | Enrique Iglesias | Latin pop | "Esperanza" "Nunca Te Olvidaré" | Fonovisa |
| 22 | Mi Vida Es Cantar | Celia Cruz | Salsa, Latin pop | "La Vida Es Un Carnaval" "Mi Vida Es Cantar" | RMM |
| 22 | Fin de Siglo | El Tri | | | |
| 22 | Cuantas Veces | Mazz | | | |
| 22 | Ven a Mi Mundo | Los Mismos | | | |
| 29 | Dónde Están los Ladrones? | Shakira | Rock en Español, Latin pop | "Ciega, Sordomuda" "¿Donde están los ladrones?" "Tú" "Inevitable" "No Creo" "Ojos Así" "Moscas en la Casa" | Columbia |
| 29 | No Me Compares | Frankie Negrón | Salsa | "Agua Pasasa" "Princesa" | Fonovisa |
| 29 | Afro-Cuban Fantasy | Poncho Sanchez | | | |
| 29 | Atado a Tu Amor | Chayanne | Latin pop | "Dejaría Todo" "Salomé "Atado a Tu Amor" | Sony Discos |

### Fourth quarter
#### October

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 6 | Bloque | Bloque | |
| 6 | Clandestino | Manu Chao | Reggae Rock | Clandestino, Desaparecido | Virgin |
| 9 | Volume Dois | Titãs | Rock, acoustic rock, música popular brasileira | "É Preciso Saber Viver" | WEA |
| 13 | Yo Voy Por Ti | Karis | Merengue | "Tus Ojos Son" | |
| 15 | Mi respuesta | Laura Pausini | Latin pop | "Emergencia de amor" "En ausencia de ti" | |
| 20 | De Corazón a Corazón | Grupo Límite | | | |
| 27 | Te Acordarás de Mí | Olga Tañón | Latin pop | "Hielo y Fuego" "Escondidos" | WEA Latina |
| 27 | En la Mira | Ilegales | | | |
| 27 | The Album II | Alabina | | | |
| 27 | Exitos en Vivo | Banda Maguey | | | |
| 27 | Vengo Naciendo | Pablo Milanés | | | |
| 30 | Big Band Ríos | Miguel Ríos | | | |

#### November

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 3 | De Otra Manera | Jerry Rivera | Salsa, bolero | "Ese" "De Que Vale Ser un Rey" "Si Tú Me Faltas" | Sony Discos |
| 3 | El Color de los Sueños | Fey | Latin pop | "Ni tú ni nadie" "Canela" | |
| 3 | Puro Pueblo | Michael Salgado | | | |
| 3 | Ayer, Hoy Y Siempre...Con Amor | Los Trios | | | |
| 3 | Mariposa | Jennifer y Los Jetz | | | |
| 10 | Atada | Gisselle | Merengue, bachata | | Sony Discos |
| 10 | The Dynasty | Grupo Manía | Merengue | "Como Baila" "Niña Bonita" ""Magia" | Sony Discos |
| 10 | Al Despertar | Mercedes Sosa | | | |
| 10 | Livro | Caetano Veloso | | | |
| 10 | All Star | Los Rabanes | | | |
| 12 | El Diario de Daniela | Daniela Luján | | | |
| 12 | Aventurero | Pedro Fernández | | | |
| 17 | Con los Pies Sobre la Tierra | Melina León | Merengue | | |
| 17 | Los Más Buscados | Los Tucanes de Tijuana | | | |
| 17 | Luna nueva | Rosana | | | |

#### December

| Day | Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Singles | Label |
| 1 | Aquel Que Había Muerto | Vico C | | | |
| 1 | Pasaporte Musical | El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico | Salsa | "Que Me lo Den en Vida" | |
| 8 | Con la Banda...El Recodo | Juan Gabriel and Banda el Recodo | | | |
| 15 | Ni Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual | Juan Luis Guerra & 4.40 | Merengue, bachata | "Mi PC" "Palomita Blanca" "El Niágara en Bicicleta" "La Hormiguita" | KAREN |
| 15 | Vuela Más Alto | OV7 | | | |
| 15 | The Original Rude Girl | Ivy Queen | Hip hop, reggaeton | "In The Zone" "Ritmo Latino" | Sony Discos |

### Unknown

| Title | Artist | Genre(s) | Label |
| Arráncame a Puños | Yesenia Flores | | |
| A Quien Pueda Interesar | Fiel a la Vega | | |
| Cuidadito | Michael Salgado | | |
| A mi gente | Soledad Pastorutti | | |
| Depende | Jarabe de Palo | | |
| Prenda Minha Ao Vivo | Caetano Veloso | | |
| Só Love | Claudinho & Buchecha | | |
| Acústico MTV | Rita Lee | | |
| As Cidades | Chico Buarque | | |
| Eu Sou Todos Nós | Zé Ramalho | | |
| Mais do Mesmo | Legião Urbana | Rock, Post-punk | EMI-Odeon |
| Na Aba Do Meu Chápeu | Chitãozinho & Xororó | | |
| Reencuentro | Joe Veras | Bachata | |
| Carnaval na Obra | Mundo Livre S/A | | |
| Ni un Pelo de Inocente | Adrenalina [es] | 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 1998, according to Billboard.
| Rank | Album | Artist |
| 1 | Me Estoy Enamorando | Alejandro Fernández |
| 2 | Vuelve | Ricky Martin |
| 3 | Buena Vista Social Club | Buena Vista Social Club |
| 4 | Contra la Corriente | Marc Anthony |
| 5 | Sueños Líquidos | Maná |
| 6 | Romances | Luis Miguel |
| 7 | Dance with Me: Music from the Motion Picture | Various artists |
| 8 | Suavemente | Elvis Crespo |
| 9 | Sentimientos | Charlie Zaa |
| 10 | Más | Alejandro Sanz |

### Best-performing songs

The following is a list of the top 10 best-performing Latin songs in the United States in 1998, according to Billboard.
| Rank | Single | Artist |
| 1 | "Así Fue" | Juan Gabriel |
| 2 | "Si Tú Supieras" | Alejandro Fernández |
| 3 | "A Pesar de Todos" | Ana Gabriel |
| 4 | "Vuelve" | Ricky Martin |
| 5 | "Por Mujeres Como Tú" | Pepe Aguilar |
| 6 | "No Sé Olvidar" | Alejandro Fernández |
| 7 | "Yo Nací Para Amarte" | Alejandro Fernández |
| 8 | "En El Jardín" | Alejandro Fernández featuring Gloria Estefan |
| 9 | "Por Qué Te Conocí" | Los Temerarios |
| 10 | "Suavemente" | Elvis Crespo |

## Births

* January 2 – Christell, Chilean singer
* April 12 – Paulo Londra, Argentine trap singer
* May 29 – Lucía Gil, Spanish singer and actress
* July 18 – Luísa Sonza, Brazilian pop singer
* August 25 – Abraham Mateo, Spanish pop singer

## Deaths

* March 15 – Tim Maia, Brazilian MPB singer
* April 18 – Nelson Gonçalves, Brazilian samba singer and songwriter
* June 23 – Leandro, Brazilian sertanejo singer of sibling duo Leandro e Leonardo
* August 4 – Carmen Delia Dipini, Puerto Rican bolero singer
* August 9 – Frankie Ruiz, Puerto Rican salsa singer