The organization recognizes Emilio Estefan for being the producer with the most hits at the top of Billboard Hot Latin Songs in the last 25 years, with a total of 14 number one songs.
MADRID, Spain.- The musician and producer Cuban-American Emilio Estefan was distinguished with the “Producer of the Century” award during the Billboard Latin Music Weekin a ceremony held at The Fillmore Miami Beach theater, in Miami, United States. The recognition underlines his decisive role in the international expansion of Latin music and his influence on the recording industry over the last five decades.
The organization recognizes Estefan with this award for having produced 50 songs that entered the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart (popularity chart) between 2000 and 2024, of which 14 reached number one. Among the titles cited are “Let me in”, by Carlos Vives; “I loved you so much”, by Paulina Rubio; as well as “Don’t stop loving me”, “Your photography” and “Hotel Nacional”, performed by Gloria Estefan.
During the event, the producer offered a message in which he highlighted the initial difficulties in positioning Latin music and the persistence that marked his career. In his words: “50 years ago when we started our career, Latin music was not accepted and I and Gloria fought to bring a sound that represented the city, which was Miami, because Miami is a place where we come from many countries and we make that fusion. Today is a day of celebration of leaving a legacy to my children and to all of you and to so many people who are here who have helped us from the beginning, that Latin music sells a billion point six.”
Born in Santiago de Cuba in 1953, Estefan emigrated to Miami at the end of the 1960s and founded the group Miami Sound Machine, a platform from which he achieved international projection before establishing himself as one of the most influential producers in the Latin and English-speaking markets. The success of Miami Sound Machine skyrocketed in the early eighties after Emilio Estefan himself signed an exclusive contract with the CBS company. In 1977 Gloria Estefan joined the band. Gloria Estefan’s success as a soloist had an impact on Emilio Estefan, who soon became a producer of renowned Latin American artists. Throughout her career she has worked with artists such as Thalía, Shakira, Carlos Vives and Ricky Martin, among many others.
In addition to this new recognition, Estefan has been awarded two Grammy Awards, six Latin Grammy Awards – including producer of the year in 2000 – and a special award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for person of the year for his contribution to the music industry.
For the industry, Billboard’s award not only celebrates a career spanning more than half a century, but also the cultural impact of the Latin diaspora and the opening of spaces for new sounds in the global market.
The ceremony is part of Billboard’s Latin music week, which brings together some of the most relevant figures in the industry and recognizes those who have contributed to its development and international expansion.
