VA - Fania 60th Anniversary (2024)

2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the legendary New York label Fania Records, one of the most significant Latin labels in the world, musically and culturally. In the ’60s, Fania was a pioneer in creating and spreading the sound of salsa music from New York City to the globe. In addition to salsa, Fania is the definitive home for genres such as Latin big band, Afro-Cuban jazz, boogaloo and Latin soul. Its roster of artists includes countless music legends, such as Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Cheo Feliciano and Rubén Blades, among many others.

In 1968, the creation of the international supergroup known as the Fania All-Stars, a vital force in Latin music, established the label’s signature musical style, which became known as the “Fania Sound.” Today, Fania’s legacy is just as meaningful to Latin music as Stax and Motown to soul or Prestige and Blue Note to jazz. It remains a cultural beacon, illuminating a powerful American immigrant story that is as timely today as when the label launched. To celebrate Fania’s legacy on this special milestone, Craft Latino will release over a dozen remastered 180-gram vinyl reissues, over two dozen remastered digital albums, many of which will debut in hi-res digital, a 2-LP set and a variety of content throughout the year, including curated playlists, artist spotlights and live events across New York, Los Angeles, Miami and London.

About Fania Records:
Founded in 1964 by Dominican bandleader Johnny Pacheco and his attorney Jerry Masucci, Fania Records was a label that started from their mutual passion for Latin music. Together, they created a powerhouse label with a signature sound: the apex of tropical music, combined with the swing of big band jazz and the gritty vibe of American R&B, jazz, funk and soul. The label provided an artistic haven for a young generation of musicians who were inspired to experiment with new musical formats. The label started small, with the first official record release Cañonazo (Fania 321). In 1967, Masucci bought Pacheco’s share of the label, including its subsidiary labels. When Masucci passed in 1997, the label assets remained tied up for years, and in 2005, it was sold to V2 Records and Emusica. In 2018, Fania Records’ assets were sold to Concord, including 1.2K album masters, 15K songs and 7K compositions.

Fania’s rich master catalog also includes the Pete Rodriguez’s boogaloo classic “I Like It Like That” which was sampled by Cardi B in her #1 hit “I Like It.” In 2022, Bad Bunny sampled Ismael Rivera’s “Controversia” in the track “El Apagon” from his album Un Verano Sin Ti. Additionally, three Fania Recordings, Celia & Johnny by Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco, Azucar Pa’ Ti by Eddie Palmieri and Live at Yankee Stadium by the Fania All-Stars, appear in the National Recording Registry, a list of sound recordings that “are culturally, historically or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States.”

Throughout 2024, Craft Latino will take a deeper look at the label’s history and incredible roster of talent through special video and editorial content and playlists. Giveaways, additional releases, and live summer and fall Fania 60th events will be announced later in the year.