Artist POV: Maná’s Alex González On Earning Historic Rock Hall Nod

“It’s time for the Hall of Fame to induct a Spanish-language band, and Maná should be first” – Irving Azoff, CEO and chairman of The Azoff Company

Maná has accomplished nearly everything a band from Guadalajara could ever hope for. The quartet has sold more than 40 million albums and won countless awards, from Grammys to Latin American MTV Video Music Awards, and such feats and contributions to the industry are finally getting recognized by one of the most prestigious institutions in all of music.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame unveiled this year’s eclectic list of nominees on Feb. 14, and among them was Maná – making them the first all-Spanish language act to be considered for induction. Ritchie Valens, Linda Ronstadt and Santana are Latin artists who have been inducted into the Rock Hall, but they primarily sing in English.

It’s a massive achievement for the pop-leaning rock band, one that drummer Alex González is still trying to wrap his head around. He got a text on Feb. 11 notifying him of the nomination and reacted like any other person would have.

“I woke up, and I saw my cell phone and I saw a photo of the nominees for the Hall of Fame, and I just freaked out,” González tells Pollstar. “I was like, holy shit, are you kidding me?”

It’s a valid reaction when one looks at not only the other nominees — jam band legends Phish, rock icon Billy Idol, Soundgarden, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Mariah Carey, among others — but at the acts who are already in the Rock Hall.

“I’m still trying to process everything that’s going on because all of our idols and the bands we grew up with, the ones we wanted to be, are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — The Beatles, The Police, U2, Queen, Eagles, Rolling Stones … I mean, you name it.” said González, who is widely considered one of the most talented drummers in all of Latin music. “… It’s unimaginable that we’re nominated. Even though it’s a little bit conflicting because there are so many people who should be there already like, for example, Chubby Checker. I mean, he’s one of the architects of rock and roll in the late ’50s and ’60s.”

If there’s any all-Spanish language Latin music act to be considered for the Hall of Fame alongside Chubby Checker, it’s Maná, whose success across Latin America and the U.S. made them one of the most prominent global acts in the touring industry and set a template for other Latin American bands.

Maná was the first to have an arena residency in the Los Angeles area at Inglewood’s Kia Forum in 2022, a feat that caught the eye of legendary music executive and Eagles manager Irving Azoff.

“The Maná residency at The Forum is truly historic — 16 sold-out shows and more to come,” Azoff, co-founder of Pollstar‘s parent company Oak View Group, said in a statement. “One can see how special this band is when you see them perform and interact with their fans. It’s time for the Hall of Fame to induct a Spanish-language band, and Maná should be first.”

Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh echoed his band’s manager and vouched for them to get passed the nomination stage and join him in the Rock Hall.

“I love this band,” Walsh said. “Performing with Maná during their Forum residency was both exhilarating and fun. As they sing in Spanish, you may have never heard of them, but this is a great band you should know, and they certainly deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. Great group of guys — I’d be happy to induct them if they get in.”

One of the reasons many people like Walsh can appreciate Maná is because of their ability to experiment with music, combining elements of pop, rock, reggae, salsa and other Latin genres to create a unique sound.

Since forming in 1986, the band embraced every sound and country, and in turn, countries accepted them, allowing them to climb up every music chart following the success of their 1992 album ¿Dónde jugarán los niños? with breakout hits like “Oye Mi Amor,” “Cachito” and “Me Vale,” which was penned by González. The Mexican band, along with bands like Caifanes, Soda Stereo, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Maldita Vecindad, Héroes Del Silencio and La Ley, helped rock en español expand beyond Latin American borders and found audiences across the globe, especially the U.S.

And they did it all their way: never forgetting their roots while lifting the various Latino cultures.

“We’ve been able to do this crossover without having to do it in English,” said González, who was born in Miami and moved to Mexico when he was a teenager. “We went from being a band from Mexico to being a band of Latinos because we play across all of Latin America, Spain and the Caribbean. [We’re] a band that always fights for the rights of Latinos, that always are talking about the culture, trying always to defend Latinos anywhere in the world.”

Maná isn’t shy to speak out on social issues, especially those affecting Latinos. Last September, they removed a 2016 track featuring Nicky Jam from all digital platforms after the American reggaeton singer endorsed President Donald Trump, and in 2023, the band donated proceeds from two Kia Forum concerts to help L.A. street vendors.

For González and his bandmates, the Rock Hall nom isn’t only a testament to their hard work over the past 39 years but to the influence Latinos possess in the U.S.

“We’re dedicating [this nomination] to all the immigrants and all the Latinos who are in the United States because these are troubled times, and we don’t want them to lose faith,” González said. “We want them to continue to have hope.

“There are so many Latino people working behind the scenes in the venues, putting up equipment, tearing down equipment, driving trucks, selling T-shirts and food,” he added. “So many people are involved, and it’s all about supporting the industry.”

A nomination from the Rock Hall is also an indication of where music is today, and that Latin music is a force that cannot be ignored. According to the Recording Industry Association of America’s mid-year 2024 report released last October, Latin music was on pace toward another record year with $685 million in revenue, up 7% compared to the first half of 2023.

“This is a new door that’s opening so that maybe other Latino bands and musicians can also be [nominated],” González said. “This whole rock en español thing has been going on for so many years, and there’s bands before us that were starting out in the ’60s, ’70s and early ’80s, but this is our moment. We’re nominated, and if we get inducted it would just be incredible.”

And if they don’t, Maná won’t fret. The band will continue doing what they do best: creating catchy tunes and drawing millions of fans spanning from multiple generations to their concerts and major festivals. While González appreciates awards and nominations, he says that true validation comes from the fans who followed them for decades.

“We’ll try to get inducted again and play the right music,” González said. “If the Stones can do it, and they’re in their 80s, then as long as we’re healthy, we’re going to continue playing and touring. … Just the fact that they nominated you, they appreciate you and what you did as a piece of art, it’s just great. We’ve always said this very humbly that the greatest award that we’ve had in our career are the fans who stood out in the rain, in the cold and extreme heat to buy a ticket or wait to see us. To have millions of fans all over the world love what you do, that’s…wow, man. It’s incredible.”