1985 in Latin music

Overview of the events of 1985 in Latin music

This is a list of notable events in Latin music (music from the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking areas of Latin America, Latin Europe, and the United States) that took place in 1985.

Events

February 26 – The 27th Annual Grammy Awards are held at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.:^[1]
- Plácido Domingo wins the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Performance for Siempre en Mi Corazón — Always in My Heart.
- Sheena Easton and Luis Miguel wins the Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Performance for "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres".
- Eddie Palmieri wins the Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Performance for Palo Pa Rumbia.
June 29 – Billboard debuts three new Latin music albums charts which are divided by genres as opposed to selected locations in the United States. The three Latin music charts established are Latin Pop Albums, Regional Mexican Albums, and Tropical Albums.^[2]
September 21 – The 14th OTI Festival, held at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville, Spain, is won by the song "El fandango aquí", written by Marcial Alejandro [es], and performed by Eugenia León representing Mexico.^[3]

Notable singles

Raphael: "Yo Sigo Siendo Aquel" (US Cashbox: "Most Added")^[4]
Jorge Rigo: "Sola" (US Cashbox: "Most Added")^[5]
Lani Hall and Roberto Carlos: "De Repente el Amor" (US Cashbox: "Most Added")^[6]
Carlos Mata: "¿Que Porque Te Quiero?" (US Cashbox: "Most Added")^[7]
Hermanos (Various artists): "Cantaré, cantarás" (US Cashbox: "Most Added")^[8]
Juan Gabriel: "Querida" (#1 in Mexico)^[9]
Luis Miguel: "Palabra de Honor" (#1 in Mexico)
Lucía Méndez: "Corazón de piedra" (#1 in Mexico)
Rocío Dúrcal and Juan Gabriel: "Déjame vivir" (#1 in Mexico)
Chiquetete: "Esta cobardía" (#1 in Mexico)
Miguel Bosé: "Amante bandido" (#1 in Spain)
Alaska y Dinarama: "Ni Tú, Ni Nadie"" (#1 in Spain)
Iván: "Baila" (#1 in Spain)

Album releases

[pt] Nordeste Já, a collective release featuring dozens of popular Brazilian performers with the intent of aiding the Brazilian northeast after severe droughts in the region. The release featured two songs: "Chega de Magoa" and "Seca D'Água"; both songs are credited as being written by "collective creation".
Ismael Miranda: Una Nueva Visión^[10]
Álvaro Torres: Tres
José José: Promesas
Danny Rivera, Vicente Carattini y Los Cantores de San Juan and Alpha IV: Controversia
Pimpinela: Lucía y Joaquín
José Luis Rodríguez: El Último Beso
Dyango: Por amor al arte
Guillermo Dávila: Cantaré Para Ti
Camilo Sesto: Tuyo
Yolandita Monge: Luz de Luna
Charytín: Verdades Desnudas
Miguel Gallardo: Corazón viajero
Marisela: Completamente tuya
Miami Sound Machine: Primitive Love^[11]
Julio Iglesias: Libra
Ángela Carrasco: Dama del Caribe
José Feliciano: Ya soy tuyo^[12]
Carlos Mata: Qué por qué te quiero
Raphael: Yo Sigo Siendo Aquel
Ramón Ayala y Los Bravos Del Norte: La que se fue tierra mala
Fito Olivares: El Cometa
Vicente Fernández: De un Rancho a Otro
Los Barón de Apodaca: Hoy no hago mas que recordarte
La Sonora Dinamita: La Cumbia del sida
Los Tigres del Norte: El Otro México
La Sombra: Sombra Love
La Sombra: The Windy City Boys
Legião Urbana: Legião Urbana
Ramón Ayala y Los Bravos Del Norte: En Gira Internacional
Ramón Ayala y Los Bravos Del Norte: Laguna Seca Ranch
Ramón Ayala y Los Bravos Del Norte: Un rinconcito en el cielo
Los Baby's: Piensa en Mi
Los Yonic's: Con Mariachi
Los Yonic's: Los Yonic's
Los Invasores de Nuevo León: Me rompieron tu retrato
La Mafia: Herencia Norteña
La Mafia: Neon Static
Los Caminantes: Cada Día Mejor
Grupo Pegasso: Como una Estrella
Los Bukis: A Donde Vas
Jochy Hernández: Ahora Yo
Cheo Feliciano: Regresa al Amor
Juan Luis Guera & 4.40: Mudanza y Acarreo
Willie Chirino: Zarabanda
Tommy Olivencia & su Orquesta: Ayer, Hoy, Mañana y Siempre
Tony Croatto: Mi luncha
Wilfrido Vargas: La Medicina
Tavín Pumarejo and Conjunto Quisqueya: La Combinación Ganadora
Johnny Ventura: Navidad Sin Ti
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico: Innovations
El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico: Y Su Pueblo
Milly y los Vecinos: Dinastia
Rubén Blades: Escenas
Bonny Cepeda: Noche de Discoteca
Cuco Valoy: Mejor Que Nunca
Frankie Ruiz: Solista pero no solo
Johnny Ventura: El Hombre y Su Musica
Fernando Villalona: ¡A la Carga!
Orquesta La Solucion: Una Canita Más
Bobby Valentín: Algo Excepcional
Jossie Esteban y la Patrulla 15: Nuestro 5to Aniversario: El Muchachito
Alex Bueno: Alex Bueno & Orquesta Liberacion
Héctor Lavoe: Reventó
Andy Montañez: Andy Montañez
Willie Rosario: Afincando
Isabel Pantoja: Marinero de Luces
Roberto Carlos: Roberto Carlos '85
Lani Hall: Es Fácil Amar
Los Humildes: 13 Aniversario/13 Album/13 Exitos
Eddie Palmieri: Solito
Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco: De Nuevo
Yolanda del Río: Un Amor Especial
Grupo Niche: Triunfo
Louie Ramirez & Su Orquesta and Ray de la Paz: Alegres y Románticos
Marvin Santiago: El Sonero del Pueblo
Lucecita Benítez: Éxitos Callejeros
Carlos Mata: Marisela
Mazz: The Bad Boys
Luis Miguel and Lucerito: Fiebre de amor
Ultraje a Rigor: Nós Vamos Invadir sua Praia
Legião Urbana: Legião Urbana
RPM: Revoluções por Minuto
Joan Manuel Serrat: El Sur también existe
Mario Benedetti and Daniel Viglietti: A dos voces
Fito Páez: Giros
León Gieco: De Ushuaia a La Quiaca
Sumo: Divididos por la felicidad^[13]
Virus: Locura^[14]
Ira!: Mudança de Comportamento
Fellini: O Adeus de Fellini
Cólera: Tente Mudar o Amanhã
Itamar Assumpção: Sampa Midnight - Isso Não Vai Ficar Assim
Kid Abelha: Educação Sentimental^[15]
Nana Caymmi: Chora Brasileira

Births

January 7 – J Balvin, Colombian reggaeton singer^[16]
October 29 – Ximena Sariñana, Mexican singer-songwriter^[17]
December 23 – Arcángel, American reggaeton singer^[18]

Deaths

May 12 – Rodolfo Arízaga, Argentinian composer, 58^[19]
July 9 – Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian polymath, 66^[20]

References

^ Hilburn, Robert (27 February 1985). "GRAMMY WINNERS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
^ "Debut for New Latin Charts". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 26. Nielsen Business Media. 29 June 1985. p. 3. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
^ "Hoy se celebra en Sevilla el Festival de la OTI" [The OTI Festival is being held in Seville today]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 21 September 1985.
^ "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 21. 22 June 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.
^ "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 23. 17 August 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.
^ "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 29. 10 October 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.
^ "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 23. 20 July 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.
^ "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 22. 31 August 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.
^ "King of the Chart". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 40. 2 October 1999. p. 60.
^ The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Guinness Pub. 1995. p. 2848.
^ "Primitive Love (1985)". 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ "José Feliciano Chart History: Latin Pop Albums". billboard.com. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
^ Mara Favoretto (2024). Coded Lyrics: The Poetics of Argentine Rock Under Censorship and Beyond. Liverpool University Press. p. 168. ISBN 9781835532317.
^ Mara Favoretto (2024). Coded Lyrics: The Poetics of Argentine Rock Under Censorship and Beyond. Liverpool University Press. p. 118. ISBN 9781835532317.
^ Edmundo Barreiros; Pedro Só (2005). 1985, o ano em que o Brasil recomeçou (in Portuguese). Ediouro. p. 46. ISBN 9788500018473.
^ "J Balvin". FME International. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
^ "Support Women Artists Sunday: Ximena Sarinana". Womens Media Center. August 6, 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
^ "Biografía de Arcángel". BuenaMusica. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
^ "Composers biography". Dolmetsch. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
^ Almir Chediak (1993). Vinícius de Moraes. Vol. 1. Luminar Editora. p. 23.

[1] Hilburn, Robert (27 February 1985). "GRAMMY WINNERS". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 August 2019.

[2] "Debut for New Latin Charts". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 26. Nielsen Business Media. 29 June 1985. p. 3. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 6 August 2019.

[3] "Hoy se celebra en Sevilla el Festival de la OTI" [The OTI Festival is being held in Seville today]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 21 September 1985.

[4] "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 21. 22 June 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.

[5] "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 23. 17 August 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.

[6] "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 29. 10 October 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.

[7] "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 23. 20 July 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.

[8] "Latin: Radio". Cashbox: 22. 31 August 1985. ISSN 0008-7289.

[9] "King of the Chart". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 40. 2 October 1999. p. 60.

[10] The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Guinness Pub. 1995. p. 2848.

[11] "Primitive Love (1985)". 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[12] "José Feliciano Chart History: Latin Pop Albums". billboard.com. Retrieved 27 April 2019.

[13] Mara Favoretto (2024). Coded Lyrics: The Poetics of Argentine Rock Under Censorship and Beyond. Liverpool University Press. p. 168. ISBN 9781835532317.

[14] Mara Favoretto (2024). Coded Lyrics: The Poetics of Argentine Rock Under Censorship and Beyond. Liverpool University Press. p. 118. ISBN 9781835532317.

[15] Edmundo Barreiros; Pedro Só (2005). 1985, o ano em que o Brasil recomeçou (in Portuguese). Ediouro. p. 46. ISBN 9788500018473.

[16] "J Balvin". FME International. Retrieved 19 January 2026.

[17] "Support Women Artists Sunday: Ximena Sarinana". Womens Media Center. August 6, 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2026.

[18] "Biografía de Arcángel". BuenaMusica. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2024.

[19] "Composers biography". Dolmetsch. Retrieved 19 January 2026.

[20] Almir Chediak (1993). Vinícius de Moraes. Vol. 1. Luminar Editora. p. 23.