Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is dedicated to celebrating rock & roll music and artists. It opened in 1995 and has accepted the nominations of hundreds of bands and artists. In 2025, for the first time, a Spanish-language rock band was nominated. The band is Maná, and for the past forty years, they have been shaping music history. Here, btw tells you about Maná and why this nomination is so important to the future of rock & roll.
How Does a Band Get Inducted to the Hall of Fame?
For the past three decades, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been a destination for music fans all over the country. The museum’s main exhibit hall features videos, articles, and memorabilia from many influential rock & roll music artists. Guests can also experiment with real instruments in an area called “The Garage,” or visit “Legends,” an exhibit that holds handwritten drafts of hit singles, performance outlets and instruments, and more memorabilia from some of the biggest icons in rock & roll.
To be inducted, an artist must be nominated by a committee of about forty music industry professionals. The only formal requirement is that at least 25 years have passed since the release of the artist’s first record. But the committee also considers factors such as an artist’s innovation, influence on rock & roll, and significance in music culture.
Who is Maná?
In February 2025, for the first time, a Spanish-language rock band was nominated for inclusion in the Hall of Fame. The band, Maná, formed in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1986. It included vocalist Jose Fernando “Fher” Olvera, bassist Juan Calleros, drummer Alex Gonzalez, and guitarist Sergio Vallin. Originally called Sombrero Verde, they changed their name six years later.
Since then, Maná has sold more albums (over 40 million) and concert tickets than any other Latin rock band. They have also been nominated for six Grammy awards and won four Grammy awards. They have also won eight Latin Grammy Awards.
Their musical style blends Latin music, reggae, traditional Mexican music, salsa, and more. They also focus on promoting themselves in U.S. cities with large Latin American populations, such as Los Angeles. As a result, they consider themselves not just a Mexican band, but a Latin American band.
Maná has always believed in using their platform to bring attention to important social and political issues. In 1995, they developed the Selva Negra (Black Jungle) Foundation, which supports and funds various environmental initiatives. Later, in 2016, they launched a “Latino Power Tour” to mobilize Hispanic voters. The band’s drummer, Alex Gonzalez, encouraged Latino voters to make their voices heard by exercising their right to vote.
Why It Matters
Only three Hispanic artists have ever been successfully inducted into the Hall of Fame: Santana, Ritchie Valens, and Linda Ronstadt. Los Lobos was also nominated but not inducted. However, all of these artists recorded primarily in English, not Spanish. Also, they were all from the United States. What’s unique about Maná isn’t just that they come from Mexico, but that they have been able to cross over to appeal to wider audiences without singing in English.
Unfortunately, Maná was not inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025. However, the band is planning a tour for 2025, with stops in the U.S. They are also discussing working on a new album. (Their latest album was released in 2015.) In the meantime, they continue to be politically and socially active and have dedicated their nomination to hard-working Latino immigrants in the United States.
Along with Maná, this year’s class of nominees included Bad Company, the Black Crowes, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, OutKast, Phish, Mariah Carey, Cyndi Lauper, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes.