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September 15, 2020 | Press Statements

Record Industry Celebrates the Vibrance of Hispanic Heritage Month

Major labels and RIAA roll out cross-platform campaign honoring the tapestry of Latin music and highlighting its profound impact on U.S. culture

“Making the American musical melting pot richer and more compelling than ever,” says RIAA SVP Rafael Fernandez

Washington, D.C. (September 15, 2020) – The Recording Industry Association of America and its members today announced a new multimedia campaign recognizing and celebrating Hispanic artists, their music, and the genre’s overall impact on U.S. society and culture. The campaign will feature artist videos, a dedicated landing page, curated playlists, economic impact data, a historical look at Gold & Platinum certifications and achievements by Hispanic recording artists, and interviews and appearances by Members of Congress and industry leaders.

“Latin music today is an economic and cultural powerhouse and a cornerstone of the modern music business – here in America and worldwide,” explained RIAA’s Senior Vice President of State Public Policy and Industry Relations Rafael Fernandez. “In recent years, Hispanic artists have set a blistering pace for everyone else in music and continue to push the creative envelope with new stories, ideas and energy. Their contributions have made the American musical melting pot richer and more compelling than ever.”

RIAA Chief Operating Officer Michele Ballantyne described the organization’s plans to recognize one of the most vital and fast-growing influences in modern music. “RIAA is excited to tell as much of the Latin music story from as many different angles and perspectives as we can. In partnership with our member companies, we will be releasing new videos, artist profiles, and a great deal of industry information and data that everyone who loves music can learn from – and enjoy!”

For more information, follow RIAA on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all month!

Hispanic Music Achievements and Accomplishments

  • Latin music has been growing faster than the overall market – rising 28% last year and now accounting for 5% of industry revenues overall. (Source: RIAA)
  • Hispanics in the U.S. use music streaming services like Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music and own smart speakers at a higher rate than the overall population. (Source: Nielsen)
  • U.S. Hispanics spend as much time listening to digital audio as they do video – with 42% reporting 5 or more listening hours a week. (Source: Marketing Charts)

Background on Hispanic Heritage Month

Founded as National Hispanic Heritage Week by Congressional proclamation in 1968 and then expanded to a month-long celebration two decades later, National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 every year and recognizes and celebrates the contributions of Americans who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South American and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean, as they continue to enrich U.S. society and culture. Today, roughly 60 million Hispanic Americans make up 18.5% of the total U.S. population.[1]

About RIAA

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world, investing in great artists to help them reach their potential and connect to their fans. Nearly 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States is created, manufactured or distributed by RIAA members.

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Contact:
K. Kim Atterbury
katterbury@riaa.com

[1] US Census Release on Hispanic Heritage Month 2020, August 7, 2020.