How Selena Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline
A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of Selena across different fields.
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, known as Selena, was an influential American singer-songwriter and the "Queen of Tejano Music." Her contributions to music and fashion made her a celebrated Mexican-American entertainer. Billboard ranked her as the third-greatest Latino artist of all time in 2020. Known as the "Tejano Madonna" for her fashion choices, Selena is credited with popularizing Tejano music and bringing it to the mainstream.
1994: Entre a Mi Mundo Ranked as Second Best-Selling Regional Mexican Album
In 1994, Selena's album Entre a Mi Mundo was ranked as the second best-selling regional Mexican album of all time.
April 3, 1995: Selena's Burial
On April 3, 1995, Selena's burial was held at Seaside Memorial Park in Corpus Christi, Texas. The burial was broadcast live by a Corpus Christi and San Antonio radio station without the consent of her family. Many celebrities and fans attended to pay their respects.
April 12, 1995: Selena Day Declared in Texas
On April 12, 1995, George W. Bush, then governor of Texas, declared April 16 as Selena Day in the state, recognizing Selena's cultural impact, which sparked mixed reactions and some controversy.
July 1995: Dreaming of You Album Release and Success
In July 1995, Selena's crossover album Dreaming of You was released posthumously, selling 175,000 copies on its release day and 331,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, making Selena the first Hispanic artist to achieve this milestone and the first solo artist to debut a posthumous album at number one. It was later certified 59x platinum (Latin field).
1995: Selena inducted into Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame, Hard Rock Cafe's Hall of Fame, and South Texas Music Hall of Fame
In 1995, Selena was inducted into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame, the Hard Rock Cafe's Hall of Fame, and the South Texas Music Hall of Fame.
1995: Selena name ranked one of the most popular names for newborn girls
In 1995, the United States Social Security Administration ranked the name Selena one of the 100 most popular names for newborn girls.
1995: Tribute held at the Lo Nuestro Awards
In 1995, two months after her death, a tribute was held at the Lo Nuestro Awards to honor Selena.
1996: Creation of the Spirit of Hope Award in Selena's Honor
In 1996, the Spirit of Hope Award was created in Selena's honor; it was awarded to Latin artists who participated in humanitarian and civic causes.
1997: Unveiling of Mirador de la Flor statue
In 1997, Mirador de la Flor, Selena's life-size bronze statue monument in Corpus Christi, Texas, sculpted by H. W. "Buddy" Tatum, was unveiled.
1998: Selena commemorated with a museum
In 1998, Selena was commemorated with a museum.
December 1999: Selena Named Top Latin Artist of the '90s by Billboard
In December 1999, Billboard named Selena the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits. She was the best-selling Latin female singer of the 1990s in the U.S. and Mexico.
1999: Selena Broadway Musical Scheduled
In 1999, a Broadway-bound musical titled Selena was scheduled to premiere in San Antonio in March 2000 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of her murder.
1999: Celebrities Question Selena's Role Model Status
In 1999, following Selena's death, some celebrities and media outlets questioned her status as a role model among Hispanic women. Lourdes Portillo and Sandra Cisneros expressed concerns that Selena's clothing and dance moves sent a message of hypersexualization to young girls. Media outlets shared Portillo's views, questioning Quintanilla Jr.'s role for pushing an image that Selena had "never made mistakes" into the media, calling it "lies" and "not the real story".
March 2000: "Selena Forever" Musical Premieres in San Antonio
In March 2000, the musical "Selena Forever" premiered at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium, following a 30-city U.S. tour. Veronica Vasquez and Rebecca Valdez alternated in the role of Selena.
2001: Selena inducted into the Tejano Music Hall of Fame
In 2001, Selena was inducted into the Tejano Music Hall of Fame.
April 7, 2005: Selena ¡VIVE! Tribute Concert
On April 7, 2005, Selena's family and Los Dinos held the Selena ¡VIVE! tribute concert, broadcast live on Univision. It achieved a 35.9 household rating, becoming the highest-rated Spanish-language television special in American television history.
2007: Tejano market died with Selena
In 2007, according to John Lannert of Billboard, when Selena died the "Tejano market died with her".
2008: "I Could Fall in Love" made Selena a posthumous crossover star
In 2008, Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle noted that Selena's song "I Could Fall in Love" had "made the Tejano goddess a posthumous crossover star".
2010: Selena named Best Female Vocalist of the '80s and '90s at Tejano Music Awards
In 2010, Selena was named "Best Female Vocalist of the '80s" and "Best Female Vocalist of the '90s" at the Tejano Music Awards.
March 16, 2011: United States Postal Service Releases "Latin Legends" Memorial Stamp
On March 16, 2011, the United States Postal Service released a "Latin Legends" memorial stamp to honor Selena, along with Carlos Gardel, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, and Carmen Miranda.
February 2014: Selena Named One of "100 Coolest Americans in History"
In February 2014, the Albany, New York Times Union named Selena one of "100 Coolest Americans in History".
January 2015: Inaugural Fiesta de la Flor Held in Corpus Christi
In January 2015, the first annual Fiesta de la Flor was held in Corpus Christi to honor Selena. The two-day event featured musical acts and drew 52,000 attendees, generating $13 million in revenue.
2015: "Dreaming of You" sells five million copies worldwide
As of 2015, the recording "Dreaming of You" has sold five million copies worldwide.
August 30, 2016: Selena Wax Statue Unveiled at Madame Tussauds Hollywood
On August 30, 2016, a wax statue of Selena was unveiled at Madame Tussauds Hollywood.
October 2016: MAC Cosmetics Releases Selena Makeup Line
In October 2016, MAC Cosmetics released a limited edition Selena makeup line that became the best-selling celebrity line in cosmetic history. She was also inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame at Texas Woman's University.
October 17, 2017: Google Honors Selena with Musical Doodle
On October 17, 2017, Google honored Selena with a musical doodle of her life.
2017: "Dreaming of You" Recognized as Best-Selling Latin Album
As of 2017, Selena's album "Dreaming of You" has sold over 2.942 million copies in the U.S., making it the best-selling Latin album of all time in the country, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
2017: Amor Prohibido Ranked on NPR's List
In 2017, NPR ranked Selena's album Amor Prohibido at number 19 on their list of the 150 greatest albums made by women, solidifying its legacy and impact on music history.
2017: Selena Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
In 2017, Selena received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The unveiling ceremony was attended by approximately 4,500 fans.
2017: Exhibit at National Museum of American History focused on Selena's influence in marketing
In 2017, an exhibit at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. focused on Selena's influence in marketing.
December 11, 2018: Announcement of Selena: The Series on Netflix
On December 11, 2018, it was announced that a biographical television series based on Selena's life, titled Selena: The Series, would be released on Netflix.
2019: Forever 21 releases "Selena: The White Rose Collection"
In 2019, Forever 21 launched "Selena: The White Rose Collection", a clothing line celebrating Selena's legacy.
2019: Teaser Trailer Released for Selena: The Series
In late 2019, a teaser trailer was released for the biographical television series Selena: The Series, which would be released on Netflix.
December 4, 2020: Premiere of Selena: The Series on Netflix
On December 4, 2020, the first part of Selena: The Series premiered on Netflix, starring Christian Serratos as Selena.
December 2020: Release of Selena: The Series on Netflix
In December 2020, Selena: The Series, a biographical television series based on Selena's life, was released on Netflix, starring Christian Serratos as Selena.
2020: Recognition by Billboard and Netflix Series Release
In 2020, Billboard magazine ranked Selena third on their list of "Greatest Latino Artists of All Time". Netflix also released "Selena: The Series" in 2020, starring Christian Serratos.
May 4, 2021: Premiere of Final Part of Selena: The Series on Netflix
On May 4, 2021, the second and final part of Selena: The Series premiered on Netflix.
2021: Anything for Selena podcast and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
In 2021, the 10-part podcast miniseries, Anything for Selena, was broadcast by WBUR-FM and Futuro Media. Also, Selena was posthumously presented with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which her family received on her behalf in 2021.
2023: Rolling Stone Ranks Selena Among Greatest Singers of All Time
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Selena at number 89 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
2023: Selena posthumously awarded National Medal of Arts
In 2023, Selena was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Arts.
October 2024: Selena's sister accepts National Medal of Arts
In October 2024, Selena's sister accepted the 2023 National Medal of Arts on her behalf.
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