5 Latin Moments of 2025

We could talk about so many Bad Bunny moments. His hosting of Saturday Night Live. His roles in two major films. His being announced as the headliner of the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. But what Bunny managed to do with his 31-date residency in Puerto Rico — spanning a little over two months from July to September — was unparalleled on levels tangible and intangible, cultural and economical, both for Latin music and for artists of all stripes and origins. Never in recent memory had a Latin artist attempted such an ambitious or extended residency, and never in recent memory had any artist done anything similar outside of Las Vegas. Moreover, Bunny didn’t just stage a residency in his native country. He capped ticket prices at $35 to keep them affordable, mandated that the first nine shows be open only to Puerto Rico residents and ensured that all labor and show production be done in the island.

All told, 460,000 total tickets were sold across the 30 dates, with more than a quarter-million purchasers coming to the island expressly for the shows. Economic impact of the residency is calculated at $500 million, Pérez says.

The final flourish was No Me Quiero Ir de Aqúi: Una Más, an encore 31st show and Amazon livestream open only to Puerto Rican residents that became the most watched single-artist performance on Amazon Music and served as the launch pad for a broad partnership between Amazon and the artist in Puerto Rico that includes economic development, agricultural initiatives and STEM educational programs, all centered on local growth.

“I want to be clear that I’m Puerto Rican and that’s why I do the music I do,” Bad Bunny told Billboard.

Shakira’s steady, monumental return to fans and stage started with a series of hit releases following her split from longtime partner Gerard Pique in 2022. Success was so major and sustained, that  what was supposed to be a North American arena tour kicking off in 2024, became a global stadium and arena tour that began in early 2025. That bold move paid off handsomely. Through the 82-show tour’s first 64 dates, Shakira grossed $327.4 million and sold 2.5 million tickets, according to Billboard Boxscore. And the Live Nation-promoted tour also has a place in history: Shakira now boasts the highest-grossing Latin tour ever by a woman and the second highest-grossing Latin tour ever (behind only Luis Miguel’s 2023-24 outing, which grossed $409.5 million).

The tour’s sales include her historic 12-concert run at Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros — the most shows a single tour has ever played at the iconic venue formerly known as Foro Sol. Shakira sold 65,000 tickets per night, according to promoter OCESA, for a total of 780,000 tickets sold.

Karol G ended 2025 as the winningest Latin female act in the history of Billboard’s year-end charts, with an unparalleled seven-year streak atop the Top Latin Artists – Female tally. Since 2022, she’s also been the only woman in the top 10 on the Top Latin Artists year-end chart. Her latest album, Tropicoqueta, debuted at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart, with single “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” becoming the longest-running No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart this decade by a woman.

In addition to her chart success, her Netflix documentary,  Tomorrow Was Beautiful (Mañana Fue Muy Bonito) became the most-viewed Spanish language documentary on the streamer and the most-viewed show in her native Colombia in May. Achingly honest, it showcased a vulnerable star willing to open up. Then came her performance at the revived Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, where she shared the performance spotlight with Missy Elliot and Twice and walked the runway clad in red. An eight-show residency at the legendary Crazy Horse cabaret capped the trilogy of great moments, making her the venue’s first Latina guest star.

Since Sphere officially opened in September 2023, it has hosted concerts and residencies by legendary artist, from U2 and Backstreet Boys to the Eagles. But no Latin star has performed at Boxscore’s highest-grossing venue of 2024 and 2025. That will change in 2025, when regional Mexican star Carín León is set to become the first Latin ever on the Sphere stage, performing seven shows at the venue.

León initially announced a three-show run slated for September 11-13, but after those shows quickly sold out, he added four more dates: September 4-6 and September 10. It’s yet another feather in the cap of the pioneering regional Mexican star, who, along with manager and business partner Jorge Juárez, has his sights set on history-making moments. In 2024, León performed at the Grand Ol Opry and Stagecoach and also recorded several duets with country singers, from Kane Brown to Kacey Musgraves.  How, he’ll be the first Latin star to use Sphere’s “next generation” technology. León’s performances are promoted by AEG Presents.

The Mexican rockers have been gradually building their roster of sold-out dates in Los Angeles, to now record heights. On November 21, the group broke the record for most arena shows performed in the Los Angeles, with a total of 43, besting Bruce Springsteen’s former record of 42. Maná broke the record with a sold-out show from their ‘Vivir Sin Aire’ tour at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, where they would play two more shows for a total of 45. And that’s before they return in 2026 to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

During the November 21 concert, lead singer Fher Olvera told the crowd about their record and said, “That makes it very clear to us the power that our Spanish language has. Pay close attention to what I’m saying because it is historical and cultural, not for Maná but for you—the power that the people have, the Mexican and Latino communities here in Los Angeles. … The community is large, powerful, and it’s badass.”

In 2025, Maná also became the first rock en español band to be nominated to the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.