What the U.S.-Cuba Breakthrough Could Mean for Music, The Latin Music Industry in 2014, and More in This Week's Latin Digest

TOP STORIES What the U.S.-Cuba Breakthrough Could Mean for Music  How could restoring diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba impact musicians in both countries? Alejandro Fernandez Earns Fifth No. 1 on Top Latin Albums  Alejandro Fernandez earns his fifth No. 1 on Top Latin Albums as his Confidencias Reales debuts with 3,000 copies sold in the week ending Dec. 14, according to Nielsen Music. This Ain't No Buena Vista: Meet Five Cuban Artists to Watch  President Obama’s announced changes in current Cuba policy may increase Cuban artists’ presence on U.S. stages, or maybe even, eventually, on the charts. Or they may not What is clear is that if you don’t know these artists from Cuba, the time is now. The Latin Music Industry in 2014: Romeo Strikes Again as Streaming Breaks Through  It was a year of optimism -- yes, optimism -- for Latin music as new revenue streams finally started to materialize in tangible ways. That, in turn, fueled new signings and expanded promotions. Willy Chirino Op-Ed: Why U.S.-Cuba Thaw Is No Victory  Willy Chirino writes an op-ed for Billboard about President Obama's easing of sanctions in Cuba. CAA Signs Latin Music Label Fania Records  The iconic brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Vevo Reaches 1 Billion Monthly Views in Mexico  Vevo's Mexico service registered over one billion views in November, a significant milestone that now makes that country Vevo’s second largest market after the United States. Muted Hurrahs For Easing of Cuban Sanctions  President Obama’s announcement that he planned to “normalize” relationships with Cuba was met with muted response from the Latin music industry.