A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Ricky Martin.
Enrique Martin Morales, known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained initial fame as a member of the boy band Menudo before launching a successful solo career in 1991. His music incorporates diverse genres including Latin pop, dance, reggaeton, and salsa. Early in his solo career he released two studio albums, Ricky Martin (1991) and Me Amaras (1993), focused on ballads, gaining recognition in Latin America.
1995: Recognition of Improved Vocal Skills
In 1995, Enrique Lopetegui of the Los Angeles Times noted Ricky Martin's "improved vocal skills" on A Medio Vivir.
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1995: Rise to Prominence in Europe with "A Medio Vivir"
In 1995, Ricky Martin's album 'A Medio Vivir' marked his rise to prominence in European countries, with the hit single "María".
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February 12, 1998: Release of Vuelve
On February 12, 1998, Ricky Martin released his fourth album, Vuelve, which included the hit song "La Copa de la Vida". The album became a huge success, selling over eight million copies worldwide.
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1998: International Success with 'Vuelve'
In 1998, Ricky Martin solidified his international success with his fourth album, 'Vuelve', which earned him his first Grammy Award and featured songs like "Vuelve" and "La Copa de la Vida".
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1998: "María" Tops Charts in Australia
In 1998, Ricky Martin's song "María" spent six weeks at number one in Australia, topping the country's year-end chart and being certified platinum.
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February 24, 1999: Grammy Awards Performance and Win
On February 24, 1999, Ricky Martin performed a bilingual version of "La Copa de la Vida" at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards and won his first Grammy award for Best Latin Pop Performance for Vuelve.
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May 11, 1999: Release of Ricky Martin
On May 11, 1999, Ricky Martin released his first English-language album, titled Ricky Martin. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 661,000 copies sold in the first week.
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1999: "Livin' la Vida Loca" Nomination
In 1999, Ricky Martin became the first Latin artist nominated for Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards for "Livin' la Vida Loca". The video won five awards at the ceremony.
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1999: Ricky Martin's First English Album
In 1999, Ricky Martin released his first English album, which topped the US Billboard 200, with the lead single "Livin' la Vida Loca" achieving number one status on multiple charts, marking the beginning of the "Latin explosion".
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1999: "María" Featured in Guinness Book of Records
In 1999, Ricky Martin's song "María" was featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest Latin hit.
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2000: Livin' la Vida Loca Tour
In 2000, Ricky Martin's Livin' la Vida Loca Tour became the highest-grossing tour by a Latin artist in the US.
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2001: Awards for "She Bangs" Music Video
In 2001, the music video for "She Bangs" was awarded Best Music Video at the 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, Best Clip of the Year – Latin at the 2001 Billboard Music Video Awards, and Video of the Year at the 13th Lo Nuestro Awards.
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April 12, 2003: "Tal Vez" Debut at Number One
On April 12, 2003, Ricky Martin's "Tal Vez" debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, marking the first number one debut since February 1998.
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May 2003: Release of Almas del Silencio
In May 2003, Ricky Martin released his seventh studio album, Almas del Silencio, which debuted atop the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart with record-breaking first-week sales for a Spanish-language album in the US.
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2007: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 2007, Ricky Martin was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6901 Hollywood Blvd.
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2008: "International Ricky Martin Day" in Puerto Rico
In 2008, Puerto Rico named August 31 the "International Ricky Martin Day" in honor of the artist.
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March 2010: Publicly Came Out as Gay
In March 2010, Ricky Martin publicly came out as gay via a message on his website.
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2011: Spanish Nationality Granted
In 2011, the Government of Spain granted Spanish nationality to Ricky Martin for his artistic contributions.
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February 2015: Release of 'A Quien Quiera Escuchar'
In February 2015, Ricky Martin released his tenth studio album, A Quien Quiera Escuchar, which achieved number one on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart and in Argentina. The album contained hits like "Adiós", "Disparo al Corazón", and "La Mordidita".
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2015: Grammy Win for 'A Quien Quiera Escuchar'
In 2015, Ricky Martin won a Grammy Award for his album 'A Quien Quiera Escuchar', adding to his accolades.
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2018: Emmy Nomination for 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace'
In 2018, Ricky Martin garnered an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Antonio D'Amico in 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story'.
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2018: "Ricky Martin Day" in New York City
In 2018, Ricky Martin received a proclamation naming June 7 the "Ricky Martin Day" in New York City.
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2020: Ranked as a Greatest Music Video Artist
In 2020, Billboard ranked Ricky Martin as the 79th Greatest Music Video Artist of All Time, recognizing his impact since "Livin' la Vida Loca".
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