Who is Maná? First Spanish-language rock group nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Iqraa news

Maná is considered by many to be one of -- if not the -- greatest Spanish-language rock band of all time, winning countless awards and selling out stadiums worldwide.

This Wednesday, news broke of the Mexican rock band's latest historic achievement -- becoming the first Spanish-language rock band to be nominated for the prestigious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The news of their nomination lists them among 13 other nominees: Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Oasis, Outkast, Phish, Soundgarden, and The White Stripes.

Artists or bands are eligible for nomination 25 years after releasing their first commercial recording. Among this year's 14 nominees, eight are on the ballot for the very first time: Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Manna, Outkast and Phish.

“These remarkable Nominees have each created their own musical style and attitude, impacting generations of music lovers and contributing to the ever-evolving sounds and continued growth of rock & roll”, said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, in a statement. 

Nominee ballots will be distributed to an international voting panel comprised of more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals. Criteria for selection include the impact of a year's work in the music industry.

The criteria for induction include an artist's impact on musical culture, influence on other musicians who followed, as well as the scope and longevity of his or her career and body of work.

Maná: record-breaking Mexican rock band and life-long activists

Throughout their successful career, the Mexican group has sold millions of albums and singles, earning more than 130 gold records and more than 250 platinum records.

The group, formed by singer/songwriter Fher Olvera, drummer Alex González, lead guitarist Sergio Vallín, and bassist Juan Calleros, began as “Sombrero Verde” in the 80s. In the early 90s, with a name change, they exploded onto the music scene where they have been a fixture since.

Over the years the group has performed in stadiums and on stages all over the world, including on stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They even headlined a residency at the Kia Forum, the first arena residency to take place in the city of Los Angeles.

The group has performed numerous times for Barack Obama, including at the White House, when he was still president of the U.S. They were also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

When it comes to the modern world in which artists with the most views and most followers are considered the most influential, Maná is not far behind. Their music videos have amassed more than 7 billion views on YouTube and their followers across social media totals millions.

It is important to note that Maná's influence transcends music. Through the years they have been very vocal against violence towards women. The group also founded the Selva Negra Foundation (Fundación Ecológica Selva Negra), which has become one of Latin America's leading voices for environmental protection.

In recent years, specifically when current President Donald Trump embarked on his first campaign for the presidency, the band set out again as activists by continuously voicing their support for immigrants. Their pro-immigrant and pro-tolerance stance has never wavered, prompting them to pull the remix collaboration they did with Nicky Jam of their classic song “De pies a cabeza” from all their streaming platforms after the reggaeton artist came out on stage at a pro-Trump rally during his campaign for reelection in 2024.