Billboard Boxscore has been tracking touring data and ranking the top live acts around the world across various musical genres since the mid-1980s.
Classic rock bands, country troubadours and pop icons have long dominated these lists, but in recent years, Latin artists have increasingly become contenders. Just last year, Billboard celebrated the year in Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican superstar topped the 2022 year-end Top Tours ranking, marking the first time that an artist who primarily records in Spanish ruled over the annual Boxscore report.
That’s not to say that Latin acts haven’t been a vital part of the global touring business for years. The following list of the genre’s 20 biggest acts spans generations, with headliners from the ‘90s, ‘00s, ‘10s and today.
It’s also worth noting that Latin music isn’t just one genre. Rather, the umbrella term reflects the many intersections of cultures and communities across Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Latino communities in the United States and Canada. From Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee’s reggaeton to Romeo Santos’ bachata to Shakira’s Latin pop to the many styles of Regional Mexican, these artists – and many, many more – have sold out arenas across the globe.
Scroll through to see the 20 highest-grossing Latin artists in the Boxscore archives. We’ve displayed each artist’s career gross, attendance and number of concerts.
This list is based on figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, as of Aug. 30. Final numbers are based on headline engagements only – no festivals – plus 50% of any co-headline grosses. Several of these acts have toured together, bridging together the many pieces of the Latin music pie.
Gross: $82.9 million
Attendance: 1.1 million
Total Shows Reported: 178
First Reported Show(s): $213k at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif. on Oct. 23, 1999
Biggest Reported Show(s): $2.1 million at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on Sept. 3-5, 2021
Gross: $93.8 million
Attendance: 709,000
Total Shows Reported: 66
First Reported Show(s): $12k at Envy Night Club in Elizabeth, N.J. on Jan. 19, 2018
Biggest Reported Show(s): $6.1 million at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 10-12, 2023
Gross: $95.9 million
Attendance: 1.1 million
Total Shows Reported: 136
First Reported Show(s): $162k at Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, Chile on Oct. 18, 2015
Biggest Reported Show(s): $3.2 million at Estadio Atanasio Giradot in Medellin, Colombia on April 30, 2022
Gross: $106.6 million
Attendance: 1.5 million
Total Shows Reported: 213
First Reported Show(s): $161k at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif. on Nov. 15, 1997
Biggest Reported Show(s): $2.5 million at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Oct. 13-14, 2017
Gross: $108.1 million
Attendance: 1.6 million
Total Shows Reported: 120
First Reported Show(s): $207k at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico on Nov. 22, 1996
Biggest Reported Show(s): $4.1 million at Foro Sol in Mexico City, Mexico on Feb. 14-15, 2003
Gross: $118 million
Attendance: 1.8 million
Total Shows Reported: 247
First Reported Show(s): $52k at James L. Knight Center in Miami, Fla. on Dec. 16, 1989
Biggest Reported Show(s): $4.1 million at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico on March 14-15, 2015
Gross: $133.4 million
Attendance: 1.4 million
Total Shows Reported: 126
First Reported Show(s): $3.6 million at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. on Feb. 11 and 23-24, 2012
Biggest Reported Show(s): $9.6 million at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile on March 21-30, 2023
Gross: $138 million
Attendance: 1.8 million
Total Shows Reported: 238
First Reported Show(s): $86k at James L. Knight Center in Miami, Fla. on Oct. 10, 1987
Biggest Reported Show(s): $7.4 million at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico from 12 shows between Sept. 10-Oct. 12, 2014
Gross: $149 million
Attendance: 1.4 million
Total Shows Reported: 75
First Reported Show(s): $675k at El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, Texas on May 23, 2021
Biggest Reported Show(s): $13.6 million at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. on May 28-29, 2022
Gross: $151.4 million
Attendance: 2.8 million
Total Shows Reported: 303
First Reported Show(s): $59k at Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo. on April 29, 2006
Biggest Reported Show(s): $1.8 million at Allphones Arena in Sydney, Aus. on Sept. 1, 2012
Gross: $154.6 million
Attendance: 2 million
Total Shows Reported: 255
First Reported Show(s): $692k at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico on Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2004
Biggest Reported Show(s): $4 million at Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla. on June 23-25, 2023
Gross: $157.1 million
Attendance: 2.5 million
Total Shows Reported: 254
First Reported Show(s): $109k at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico on Oct. 2, 1993
Biggest Reported Show(s): $4 million at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Feb. 9-12, 2007
Gross: $157.2 million
Attendance: 2.5 million
Total Shows Reported: 298
First Reported Show(s): $58k at James L. Knight Center in Miami, Fla. on Aug. 17, 1985
Biggest Reported Show(s): $9.5 million at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico from 12 shows between April 10-May 17, 2015
Gross: $161.7 million
Attendance: 2.6 million
Total Shows Reported: 341
First Reported Show(s): $253k at Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif. on Dec. 7, 1996
Biggest Reported Show(s): $5.6 million at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico from 10 shows between Sept. 8-Oct. 9, 2010
Gross: $176.1 million
Attendance: 3.2 million
Total Shows Reported: 334
First Reported Show(s): $692k at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. on Oct. 13, 1996
Biggest Reported Show(s): $2.9 million at HaYarkon Park in Tel Aviv on May 27, 2018
Gross: $191.6 million
Attendance: 1.4 million
Total Shows Reported: 203
First Reported Show(s): $494k at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. on Oct. 22, 2011
Biggest Reported Show(s): $5.5 million at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. on July 12 and 15, 2019
Gross: $224.7 million
Attendance: 2.4 million
Total Shows Reported: 138
First Reported Show(s): $78k at House of Blues in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Oct. 2, 2004
Biggest Reported Show(s): $23.6 million at Foro Sol in Mexico City, Mexico on Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 2-4, 2022
Gross: $315 million
Attendance: 3.8 million
Total Shows Reported: 424
First Reported Show(s): $513k at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. on Aug. 31, 1996
Biggest Reported Show(s): $4.6 million at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla. on Nov. 18-19, 2016
Gross: $319 million
Attendance: 4.3 million
Total Shows Reported: 567
First Reported Show(s): $164k at The Paramount in New York, N.Y. on Nov. 1, 1991
Biggest Reported Show(s): $19.3 million at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Mexico from 30 shows between Jan. 18-Feb. 27, 2004
Gross: $508.7 million
Attendance: 3.3 million
Total Shows Reported: 170
First Reported Show(s): $325k at the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Ill. on Oct. 27, 2017
Biggest Reported Show(s): $31.1 million at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. on Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2022