Julio Iglesias
Spanish recording artist, all-time best-selling Latino artist, one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Julio Iglesias, born in Madrid in 1943, is a Spanish singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the most commercially successful Spanish artist globally and one of the top-selling musicians in history, with over 300 million records sold in 14 languages. His career has included more than 5,000 concerts performed for over 60 million people across six continents. In 1983, he was recognized for recording songs in the most languages worldwide, and in 2013, he was honored as the best-selling male Latin artist of all time. That same year, he was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame and named the most popular international artist in China. Iglesias is the best-selling foreign record seller in countries such as Brazil, France, and Italy, and in his native Spain, he has sold 23 million records, more than any other artist. His accolades include Grammy, Latin Grammy, World Music, Billboard Music, American Music, and Lo Nuestro Awards, as well as Spain’s Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts and France’s Legion of Honour. He was named a UNICEF Special Ambassador for the Performing Arts in 1989 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985. Iglesias’s early life included playing as a goalkeeper for Real Madrid Castilla while studying law, but a severe car accident in 1963 left him unable to walk for two years. During his recovery, a nurse gave him a guitar, leading him to discover his musical talent. He later studied at Cambridge and eventually earned his law degree. His professional career began after winning the Benidorm Song Festival in 1968, leading to a record deal and his first album. He represented Spain in the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing fourth, and soon achieved number-one hits across Europe. After moving to Miami in 1979, he released his first English-language hit, a cover of "Begin the Beguine," and in 1984, the album *1100 Bel Air Place* established him as a star in the English-speaking market, featuring duets with Willie Nelson and Diana Ross. He won a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album in 1988 and recorded with Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra.
- nationality
- Spanish
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Julio Iglesias obtained his first accolades in the late 1960s at the Benidorm Song Festival (Spain) and Golden Stag Festival (Romania) both for its 1968 edition. During the 1970s, he began to receive awards at the international level; Julio was named Best Revelation Singer during El Heraldo de México Awards of 1971, he earned the fourth place at the Eurovision Song Contest of 1970, and won the Italian's Golden Gondola Award in 1979. In the 1980s, Julio earned his first Grammy Awards nominations, winning in the category Best Latin Performance for Un hombre solo in 1988. He also won an Academy of Country Music Award for Top Vocal Duo of the Year with "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" alongside Willie Nelson. During the 1990s, he became the first musician to receive Italy's Rudolph Valentino Awards granted by the Motion Picture Association of Italy and the Italian Film Producers' Organization in 1990. He also became the first recipient of the American Music Awards for Favorite Latin Artist in 1998, the first Latino to receive ASCAP's Pied Piper Award in 1997, and received Lo Nuestro Excellence Award in 1995. Throughout the 2000s, Julio Iglesias was named Person of the Year by The Latin Recording Academy in 2001, and received the Gold Medal in 2005 by the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute given by Queen Sofía of Spain. Between the 2010s and 2020s, Julio received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and achieved his first Latin Grammy Awards nomination in 2021.
Reader's Guide
Julio is one of the all-time best-selling musicians and has been recognized by various organizations due to his sales. In 1973, he received a special Golden Guaicaipuro for his "extraordinary" sales in Venezuela. He was named World's best-selling artist in 1979 and 1980, and was recognized by the Guinness World Records in 1983 with the first and only Diamond Award the organization granted to an artist, for having sold 100 million records in six languages. In the 2010s, he received a special award as the all-time best-selling Latino artist and the best-selling artist in Spain. Years prior, in 1985, Julio Iglesias was recognized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture as the best-selling foreign artist. Julio has been decorated by various governments, including France's highest civil honor, the Legion of Honour by President François Mitterrand in 1992, and Knight Legion of Honour by President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007. He also received the Medal of the City of Paris in 1983 and the Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts in 2010 in his native country.
Did You Know?
- Julio Iglesias won the Benidorm Song Festival and the Golden Stag Festival both in 1968.
- He earned fourth place at the Eurovision Song Contest of 1970 with 'Gwendolyne'.
- In 1983, Guinness World Records granted him the first and only Diamond Award for selling 100 million records in six languages.
- He was the first recipient of the American Music Awards for Favorite Latin Artist in 1998.
- Julio Iglesias received France's Legion of Honour from President François Mitterrand in 1992 and again as Knight Legion of Honour from President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Julio Iglesias?
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva is a Spanish singer and songwriter born on 23 September 1943. He is widely regarded as the most commercially successful Spanish-language artist in the world.
How many records has Julio Iglesias sold?
He has sold more than 300 million records across the globe, placing him among the top-selling artists in the history of popular music.
In how many languages has Julio Iglesias recorded?
His discography spans 14 different languages, a testament to his broad international appeal beyond the Spanish-speaking market.
What is Julio Iglesias most known for?
He is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer and one of the highest record sellers in music history.
When and where was Julio Iglesias born?
He was born on 23 September 1943 in Spain, where he launched a career that would eventually take him to audiences worldwide.
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