2003 in Latin music

This is a list of notable events in Latin music (i.e., Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking music from Latin America, Europe, and the United States) that took place in 2003.

Bands formed

• Abraskadabra
• Akwid
• Álex Ubago
• Ana Cristina
• Andy & Lucas
• Ángel Garay
• Big Pepe
• Contagious
• Conjunto Pirámide
• Daniel René
• Isabela
• Iván Díaz
• Jae P
• Jimena
• Jorge Correa
• Juan Tavares
• K-Paz de la Sierra
• La Zurda
• Las Niñas
• Linda Bandry
• Luna Llena
• Madame Saatan
• Maria Rita
• Nadia López
• Natalia Lafourcade
• Puerto Raíces
• Punto y Aparte
• Roselyn Sánchez
• Sandra
• Santos Diablitos
• Seaxappeal
• Son Callejero
• Temblor del Norte
• Universales del Norte
• Úrsula Sol
• Víctor García
• Violento
• Yahir

Bands reformed

• Bronco

Events

• September 3 — The 4th Annual Latin Grammy Awards are held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
• Juanes is the biggest winner at the award ceremony receiving five awards including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Es Por Ti" and Album of the Year for Un Día Normal.
• David Bisbal wins Best New Artist.
• Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil is honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year

Number-ones albums and singles by country

• List of number-one singles of 2003 (Spain)
• List of number-one Billboard Top Latin Albums of 2003
• List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Songs of 2003

Awards

• 2003 Premio Lo Nuestro
• 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards
• 2003 Latin Grammy Awards
• 2003 Tejano Music Awards

Albums released

First quarter

January

February

March

Second quarter

April

May

June

Third quarter

July

August

September

Fourth quarter

October

November

December

Unknown

Best-selling records

Best-selling albums

The following is a list of the top 10 best-selling Latin albums in the United States in 2003, according to Billboard.

Best-performing songs

The following is a list of the top 10 best-performing Latin songs in the United States in 2003, according to Billboard.

Deaths

• January 17 – , Chilean jazz pianist and composer
• January 24 – Sabotage, Brazilian rapper
• January 25 – Jorge "Lobito" Martínez, Paraguayan guitarist and composer of folk music, 50 (murdered)
• February 1 – Mongo Santamaría, Cuban Latin jazz percussionist, 85
• April 9 – , Argentine folk composer
• April 13 – , Bolivian performer and composer of boleros
• May 15 – , Ecuadorian composer
• June 21 – Argentine classical, tango, and rock violinist
• June 30 – María Gabriela Epumer, Argentine rock singer-songwriter
• July 1 – Chicho Sánchez Ferlosio, Spanish singer-songwriter, 63
• July 5
• Bebu Silvetti, Argentine composer and arranger
• Fernando Arbex, Spanish rock drummer
• July 13 – Compay Segundo, Cuban musician and member of the Buena Vista Social Club
• July 16 – Celia Cruz, Cuban salsa singer, 77
• August 5 – Tite Curet Alonso, Puerto Rican salsa composer, 77
• September 1 – Eulalio "Piporro" González, Mexican actor and singer-songwriter
• November 15 – , Argentine folk singer
• November 30 – , Spanish rock singer
• December 2 – , Peruvian folk singer

References