This is a list of notable events in Latin music (music from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions of Latin America, Latin Europe, and the United States) that took place in 2016.

• February 24: Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias is recognized by the Guinness World Record for having the most number one songs on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and the longest running song with "Bailando".^[2]
• February 25: "Ginza by J Balvin sets the record for the longest-leading song at number one on the Hot Latin Songs by a solo artist. The song spent 21 weeks at No. 1 on the chart.^[3]
• March 31:
  • The 22nd annual Broadcast Music Inc. Latin music awards is held. Mexican pop singer Gloria Trevi is awarded the President's Award for her contributions to the Latin pop field.^[4]
  • Sergio George signs with Marc Anthony's label Magnus Media, the new deal "will oversee George's interests in all areas of the entertainment industry throughout the [popular market]".^[4]
• April 21: Singer-songwriter José Miguel Fernández Sastrón is elected president of the Spanish Society of Authors and Editors (SGAE).^[5]
• April 22:
  • In a report by Nielsen, the purchasing power of Latinos in the United States was at $1.5 trillion. With an average annual spending of $135 on music, the report found Hispanics spending more money than their non-Hispanic counterparts.^[6]
  • Billboard magazine announced Marco Antonio Solis to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award after releasing twelve albums peaking at number one on the U.S. Top Latin Albums chart in his career, the most of any artist.^[7]
  • For the May 2, 2016 issue of Billboard magazine, Leila Cobo interviewed female music executives and Chiquis Rivera, Leslie Grace, and Carla Morrison on the declining presence of females on Billboard music charts.^[8]
• April 25 – 28: The 2016 annual Billboard Latin Music Conference is held.^[9]
• June 7: At the 2016 Gardel Awards, Argentine rock singer Luis Alberto Spinetta's posthumous released album Los Amigo (2012) receives Album of the Year honor. Afro-Uruguayan singer Ruben Rada was named Male Pop Artist of the Year and Production of the Year, while Argentine rock band Ciro y Los Persas' song "Antes y Después" won Song of the Year. Other winners included Litto Nebia for Best Rock Album, and Julieta Rada for Best New Pop Album.^[10]
• June 8: American hip-hop recording artist Jay Z appoints bachata singer Romeo Santos as CEO of the newly formed Roc Nation Latino.^[11]
• June 9: Former American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) A&R representative, Ana Rosa Santiago became acting VIP president of the Latin division of Universal Music Publishing Group.^[12]
• June 12: Following the Orlando nightclub shooting (which occurred during a Latin night event), Latin music events throughout Orange County, Florida are uncertain if future events will be canceled.^[13] Latin DJ Candy Boy, spoke out on the lack of security at events he has hosted, while Latin music acts such as Proyecto Uno, Ilegales, Pitbull, Prince Royce, and Farruko, have upcoming shows that may be affected as a result of the events that occurred.^[13]
• June 25: The first Festival Chispa took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, focusing on Latin music and culture at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.^[14]
• June 26: Despite a decrease on physical and digital consumption in the United States, Latin America was found by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) to have been the only region to have the highest growth rate for the fifth consecutive time. Digital sales were up 44.5 percent and music streaming increased to 80.4 percent. The study found that Brazil and Argentina were the two largest markets. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), found that Latin music overall decrease 6.3 percent from the previous year.^[15]
• July 2: Alan Ramírez, who is the lead singer of Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga, was shot in the neck during a Mexico City tour. He is currently in the hospital and is expected to recover.^[16]
• July 4: The inaugural Lollapalooza Colombia was canceled after Barbadian singer Rihanna dropped out and organizers failing to find a replacement.^[17]
• July 7: The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced the class of 2017 for their Hollywood Walk of Fame inductees including Selena and announced Pitbull's induction set for July 15.^[18]
• July 8
  • Salsa singer Victor Manuelle's "Imaginar" became the singer's 28th chart-topper, breaking the tie with Marc Anthony for most number ones on the Tropical Songs chart. With "Imaginar", Manuelle tied with Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias for most Latin number one singles.^[19]
  • The New York City annual Latin Alternative Music Conference commenced, which catered the Latin alternative scene.^[20]
• September 9: iHeartRadio announces the creation of the iHeartLatino, a division dedicated to Latin music, a first for a major radio station company. The division is led by Enrique Santos.^[21]
• November 17: The 17th Annual Latin Grammy Awards are held at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.^[22]
  • "La Bicicleta" by Carlos Vives and Shakira wins the Latin Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
  • Juan Gabriel posthumously wins the Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year for Los Dúo, Vol. 2
  • Manuel Medrano wins Best New Artist.
  • American singer Marc Anthony is honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.

• Amber Rose (1997–2000)^[23]
• Bandana (2001–2004)

• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2016 (Brazil)
• List of number-one songs of 2016 (Colombia)
• List of number-one albums of 2016 (Mexico)
• List of number-one songs of 2016 (Mexico)
• List of number-one albums of 2016 (Portugal)
• List of number-one albums of 2016 (Spain)
• List of number-one singles of 2016 (Spain)
• List of number-one Billboard Latin Albums from the 2010s
• List of number-one Billboard Hot Latin Songs of 2016
• List of number-one singles of 2016 (Venezuela)

• 2016 Premio Lo Nuestro
• 2016 Billboard Latin Music Awards
• 2016 Latin American Music Awards
• 2016 Latin Grammy Awards
• 2016 Tejano Music Awards

• January 1 – Gilberto Mendes, 93, Brazilian composer^[26]
• January 5 – Pachy Carrasco, 47, Dominican Republic musician, composer, and producer
• January 6 – Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, 87, Cuban trumpeter^[27]
• January 10 – Hernán Gamboa, 69, Venezuelan musician, original member of Serenata Guayanesa group^[28]
• January 18 – Pablo Manavello, 65, Italian-Venezuelan Arranger, producer, and songwriter^[29]
• February 3 – Alba Solís, 88, Argentine singer and actress^[30]
• February 23 – Rey Caney, 89, Cuban musician.^[31]
• March 9 – Naná Vasconcelos, 71, Brazilian jazz percussionist and vocalist^[32]
• March 10 – Larry Salinas, Venezuelan choir^[33]
• April 1 – Candita Batista, 99, Cuban singer
• April 2
  • Manolo Tena [es], 64, Spanish singer.^[34]
  • Gato Barbieri, 83, Argentine jazz saxophonist, pneumonia.^[35]
• April 11 – Ernesto Baffa [es],83, Argentine bandoneon musician, composer, and music director^[36]
• April 13 – Mariano Mores, 98, Argentine tango composer and pianist.^[37]
• April 16
  • Peter Rock, 70, Austrian-born Chilean rock musician^[38]
  • Ismael Quintana, 78, Puerto Rican singer and composer.^[39]
• May 15 – Cauby Peixoto, 85, Brazilian singer, pneumonia ^[40]
• May 16 – Emilio Navaira, 53, American country and Tejano singer (Life Is Good), heart failure.^[41]
• June 7 – Juana la del Revuelo [es], 64, Spanish Flamenco singer.^[42]
• June 11 – José Luis Armenteros, 72, Spanish musician and composer.^[43]
• June 12 – Adrian Posse, 67, Argentine composer, producer, and industry executive.^[44]
• June 13 – Jose Lugo, 56, American musician, pianist, producer, and arranger.^[45]
• June 19 – Alejandro Jano Fuentes, 45, The Voice Mexico (murdered).^[46]
• June 20 – Chayito Valdez, 71, Mexican-born American folk singer and actress, complications from a cerebral hemorrhage.^[47]
• June 29 – Inocente Carreño, 96, Venezuelan composer^[48]
• June 30 – Juan Habichuela, 82–83, Spanish flamenco guitarist^[49]
• July 5Lupe Tijerina, 69, Mexican singer and accordionist^[50]
• July 6 – Alirio Díaz, 92, Venezuelan classical guitarist and composer.^[51]
• July 11 – Rick Marroquin, 45, Creative Artists Agency member, worked on Hispanic marketing (lung cancer)^[52]
• July 12 – Lupe De La Cruz, music executive marketing on EMI Latin and Univision Records^[53]
• July 13 – El Lebrijano, 75, Spanish flamenco singer^[54]
• July 24 – Horacio Olivo, 83, Puerto Rican actor and singer.^[55]
• August 5 – Vander Lee, 50, Brazilian singer-songwriter.^[56]
• August 6 – Guillermo Anderson, 54, Honduran musician, thyroid cancer.^[57]
• August 7 – Dolores Vargas, 80, Spanish singer, complications of leukemia.^[58]
• August 19 – Horacio Salgán, 100, Argentine tango musician.^[59]
• August 28 – Juan Gabriel, 66, Mexican singer-songwriter.^[60]
• September 11 – Jorge "El Cura" Fernández, Mexican singer^[61]
• September 12 – Tavin Pumarejo, 84, Puerto Rican actor, comedian and jíbaro singer.^[62]
• September 23 – Leonardo Acosta, 83, Cuban musicologist^[63]
• September 29 – Raúl Garello [es], 80, Argentine bandoneon, music director, composer and arranger^[64]
• October 9 – Quique Lucca, 103, Puerto Rican centenarian, founder of La Sonora Ponceña.^[65]
• October 27 – Nelson Pinedo, 88, Colombian singer (Sonora Matancera).^[66]
• October 29 – Ramón "Chunky" Sánchez, Chicano musician and frontman of Los Alacranes^[67]
• December 13 – Betsy Pecanins, 62, American-born Mexican singer, songwriter and record producer, stroke.^[68]
• December 18 – Gustavo Quintero, 76, Colombian singer-songwriter^{[citation needed]}
• December 19 – DJ Jinx Paul, 39, traffic collision^[69]