List of best-selling Latin singles

Latin music has an ambiguous meaning in the music industry due to differing definitions of the term "Latin".^[1][2] For example, the Latin music market in the United States defines Latin music as any release that is mostly sung in Spanish, regardless of genre or artist nationality, by industry organizations including the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Billboard.^[3][4] International organizations and trade groups such as the Latin Recording Academy include Portuguese-language music in the Latin category.^[5][6][7]

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee have the best-selling Latin single of all-time with "Despacito".

Music journalists and musicologists define Latin music as musical styles from Spanish-speaking areas of Latin America and from Spain.^[8][9] Music from Brazil is usually included in the genre and music from Portugal is occasionally included.^[7][10]

As a result of the conflicting views of defining Latin music, the list includes Latin singles defined either by language for vocal songs or genre for instrumental recordings. Therefore, for a single to appear on the list, the figure must have been published by a reliable source, the single must have sold at least 1.5 million copies and must have at least 51% of its content in Spanish or Portuguese.^[a] For non Spanish- or Portuguese-language songs, it must have ranked on either the Billboard Latin Digital Song Sales (or any of its subgenre digital charts) or receive a Latin certification from the RIAA.

Sales for Latin singles prior to the digital era are often difficult to verify due to most Latin singles having been only released as promotional singles for radio stations. For example, Billboard did not track sales of Latin digital songs until it was introduced in the issue dated January 23, 2010 and merges all versions of a song sold from digital music distributors.^[13]

Two best-selling singles lists are displayed here relating first to physical singles (mainly CD and vinyl singles) and second to digital singles (digitally downloaded tracks which first became available to purchase in the early 2000s).