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In September of 2022, Spain’s Iñigo Quintero independently released his debut single “Si No Estás.” This year, he unleashed three more singles (”Sobredosis,” “Será Por Ti,” and “Sin Tiempo Para Bailar”) — but it was his first song ever that ultimately went viral, reached No. 1 on various global charts, and put the Madrid-born artist on the map, one year after its release.
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“This is the most interesting thing,” Alejandra Olea, Believe America’s Managing Director, tells Billboard. “It’s exactly what’s happening today in music, with streaming, digital, short-form video. and TikTok. This is a viral story.” (Quintero signed with indie record label Acquistic this year in March, and is distributed by the French-based Believe Music.)
“Si No Estás” is a soft piano ballad with thought-provoking lyrics delivered via Quintero’s passionate, raspy vocals. “I don’t know where I’m going/ It’s not real/ A long time ago you became one more/ And I hate how much I am/ Full of this poison, and I hear thunder if you’re not there,” he laments in the nostalgic chorus.
By Oct. 23, 2023, the track was garnering over 5.7 million plays on Spotify a day, pushing it to No. 1 on the service’s daily global chart — marking the first time a solo Spanish artist had achieved this milestone. On Nov. 4, the song topped the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. songs chart, with 54.2 million streams (up 10%) and 1,000 sold (up 37%) outside the U.S. for the period of Oct. 20-26, becoming the Spanish singer-songwriter’s first entry and leader on the chart. What makes it all more impressive is that Quintero was until recently a completely unknown artist.
So, how exactly did a brand new artist achieve global success?
“Believe has a TikTok dashboard where we study the virality of all the songs for each of our business units. In our Spain business unit, we realized that this song was having significant peaks in creations and viralizations, and we began to observe it,” Olea explains. “This was a success by the people. It was mainly driven by the audience who brought it to the top, and it was important for us to catch it on time and really ignite the flame.”
Olea assures that the song’s growth on TikTok was organic, and that there were no media buys or paid influencer campaigns — but that once it began to blow up and landed on Spotify’s Top 50 Spain playlist, the distributor began knocking on doors.
“We reached out to the platforms, mainly Spotify, Meta, TikTok and YouTube, and began to re-pitch it internationally, specifically in the Spanish-speaking regions. We made this possible thanks to the collaboration of two teams: Believe LATAM and Believe International,” she elaborates. She also notes that “Si No Estás” was placed on 180 key playlists across different platforms, 79 alone on Spotify, that have over 95 million combined followers.
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“The most pivotal moment [was] when a slow ballad coming from an unknown artist [became] one of the best performing tracks in all playlist spaces it was added to,” Melanie Parejo, Spotify’s Head of Music for Southern & Eastern Europe, tells Billboard. “Another good sign [came] when our colleagues from other non-Spanish-speaking territories were open to program the track, as we had flagged the seemingly unstoppable pace of the growth in those countries. It feels like the song had a similar path to the one in Spain: starting with viral surfaces and moving on to pop/hits spaces.”
Over on TikTok, the track began making waves in September of this year, where it first made its appearance on the TikTok Spain Viral playlist.
“‘Si No Estas’ resonated so much with our community that multiple versions of it started going viral: the official sound, delivered by the rights holders; uploaded by users (UGC: user-generated content); and also a sped-up version that was officially released afterwards by the artist and delivered to TikTok and all streaming platforms,” Giulia Lizzoli, TiKTok’s Head of Music Operations for Southern Europe, says to Billboard. “To date, the official versions of the song (including sped-up versions) have generated more than five million videos created by our community.”
The song’s global appeal, however, is due to its relatable and melancholic lyrical content.
“It’s a story of the power of music,” Lizzoli says. “The lyrics of this song are very deep. It’s very agnostic to men, women and couples. It talks about when you are missing something that’s essential in your life. It’s a topic that’s very broad. The meaning that a lot of people have given it is love, but it could be a lot of other things that if you don’t have them, you feel lost. I think that he speaks to a reality that we’re having right now, that a lot of Gen Z feel like when there’s no meaning, they feel lost. When the person you love is not there, you feel that life’s not worth it. Iñigo touched a nerve of a collective feeling that people from France, Germany, Spain, all over the world, have connected with it.”
Quintero — who despite his viral success maintains a mysterious personality on social media — is now making the rounds with his new single “Lo Que Queda de Mí,” out today (Nov. 30), and is working on his debut studio album, slated for a 2024 release, while counting on the support and guidance of his teams at Acquistic and Believe. Billboard can confirm that an official music video for “Si No Estás” is also in the works.
From K-pop to Latin and beyond, Billboard’s Boxscore charts are undergoing a facelift, spotlighted by a diverse crop of artists crowding the 2023 year-end report. While pop and rock have long dominated the touring space, the two central genres’ combined market share has dropped from 69% in 2019, to 59% in 2022, and now to 48% in 2023.
Traditionally, the common threshold for a stadium tour is that the artist in question should be generally ubiquitous: recognizable by face and name, with a handful-plus of sing-along hooks, and accessible across generations, genres and cultures. That explains the sustained success of veteran acts such as Elton John, Madonna and The Rolling Stones.
But even without discographies that date back to the 20th century, contemporary acts have infiltrated the stadium space while still operating as current hitmakers. Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift have broken ground with record-breaking global tours that eschew past notions that underestimated young audiences. Those acts, though still building their own legendary discographies, pass the various tests mentioned above, with widespread recognition and iconic hits.
In the post-pandemic era, the goal posts have shifted once again. Beyond the slew of mainstream stars that fit the established mold – generally from mainland U.S., Canada or the U.K., performing in English, and catering to pop or an adjacent radio format – stadium stages, and therefore the upper reaches of the year-end Boxscore charts, have some fresh faces.
Rounding out the top 10 of the 2023 Top Tours chart, BLACKPINK grossed $148.3 million and sold 703,000 tickets from 29 reported shows in the eligibility window. Next, Karol G is No. 11 with $146.9 million and 843,000 tickets sold from just 19 dates. Side by side, they lead genre rankings for K-pop and Latin, respectively.
Next to artists such as The Weeknd, P!nk and Luke Combs, BLACKPINK and Karol G stand out as stadium stars and Boxscore chart-toppers. The nine acts that ranked higher on Top Tours have, on average, 12 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. BLACKPINK and Karol G, on the other hand, have spent a combined total of one week in the top 10, when Karol G’s “TQG,” with Shakira, hit No. 7 earlier this year.
This puts both acts at odds with the presumed criteria for stadium acts. Neither artist has conquered the Hot 100, nor have they been nominated for a general-field Grammy award, hosted Saturday Night Live, or made hyped-up cameos or supporting turns in a major film or television series. To boot, their careers are young. Karol G released her first album in 2017 and BLACKPINK did so in 2020. Depeche Mode – the only other act in the top 10 without a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 – has been building its fan base for more than 40 years.
Both BLACKPINK and Karol G have, however, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, perhaps signifying a deep, passionate fan base ready to pay top-dollar for concert tickets, even without the wider-spread recognition that often accompanies hit singles.
Notably, neither are the first of their respective genres to hit the jackpot. Bad Bunny broke ground for Latin artists last year when he ruled the 2022 year-end chart. In doing so, he broke BTS’ record for the highest year-end finish for an act that primarily performs in a non-English language, after the K-pop boy band finished 2019 at No. 3.
If there’s a constant with non-English-language acts playing stadiums, it’s that with the minor exceptions of Bad Bunny and BTS, they’ve been outliers with vast fan bases that sometimes aren’t represented in the mainstream. Initially, Karol G’s team booked six stadiums in “safe” markets. Those dates quickly blossomed to nine when Los Angeles, Miami and New York shows sold out and second dates were added. When all was said and done, she played 19 shows in 16 cities.
“She was the one who insisted on playing the stadium, not a 360 arena,” says her sister, Jessica Giraldo, who oversees Karol G’s businesses. “She was the one who wanted to do a stadium tour. She said, ‘Believe in my vision.’”
When reflecting on the growth of regional Mexican music in 2023 at Billboard’s Latin Music Week, Live Nation’s Jorge Garcia noted, “These are the same people that are buying Drake tickets. They’re also the fans buying the Fuerza Regida ticket.” Once impenetrable lines that divided artists by genre and culture are fading away, quickly.
The 2023 achievements by BLACKPINK and Karol G do a few things. For one, their collective triumph means that Bad Bunny and BTS’ banner years were not anomalies. More than that, both genres have deeper benches than ever. K-pop girl-group TWICE also played U.S. stadiums, while BTS member SUGA conquered arenas as a soloist. Both grossed more than $50 million this year.
Further, 14 artists who primarily perform in Spanish find themselves among the year-end top 100, representing a mix of legacy acts and newcomers; reggaeton, pop and regional Mexican; and artists from Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico and more. Latin music’s share of the top 100’s total gross dipped from 12.1% in 2022 to 11.5%, but considering the absence of Bad Bunny’s $373.5 million gross from last year, Latin’s steady hold points toward more growth over the coming years.
The Boxscore arrival of BLACKPINK and Karol G is also a win for gender representation. Women doubled their share of the top 100 tours from last year. Of just 12 woman-identifying acts in the top 100, the genres of K-pop and Latin claim four (TWICE and Ana Gabriel, in addition to BLACKPINK and Karol G).
They’re also skewing the Boxscore charts younger. The members of BLACKPNIK range from 26 to 28 years old, and Karol G is 32, all well below the top 100’s average of 46.6. The two youngest acts in the top 100 are both K-pop groups (ENHYPEN averages 20 and TOMORROW X TOGETHER averages 22). The next youngest are Latin acts (the group Fuerza Regida averages 23 and soloist Peso Pluma is 24). Members of Grupo Firme, SEVENTEEN and Bad Bunny himself are all in their 20s, among others from both genres.
In all, genre diversity helps make 2023 one of the youngest years in Boxscore history. It’s the youngest top 100 since 2014, when One Direction (average age of 21 at the time) was No. 1, and the youngest top 10 since 2001, when *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys paired up in the top five.
Legacy acts from pop, rock and R&B continue to do stellar business at the box office, proven by the presence of Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie and Journey, among many others. But the push of younger artists from diverse genres only points to the touring industry, and specifically the slate of artists capable of selling out stadiums, being able to replenish itself with fresh faces well into the next decade.
With K-pop and Latin genres leading the charge, the reshaping of the U.S. touring circuit continues. Late last year, Belgium’s Stromae — mixing French-language pop, rap and electronic — played a brief North American tour, including two nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Hailing from Nigeria, Asake sold out the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Sept. 8, while Burna Boy launched a full North American arena tour in early November. If Bad Bunny and BTS blew the door open, then BLACKPINK, Karol G and a growing list of international artists are breaking down the wall.
Click here to see the full year-end 2023 Boxscore charts.
Dating back almost 40 years, all Boxscore rankings are based on figures reported to Billboard. Data is reported from a variety of official industry sources, from artist managers and agents to promoters and venue executives.
All reported shows, worldwide, between Nov. 1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023, are eligible for year-end 2023 consideration.
Gerardo Coronel “El Jerry” crosses off a new Billboard chart milestone, scoring his first No. 1 without any other acts on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart as “Se Buscan Borrachos” ascends to the top of the Dec. 2-dated ranking.
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Coronel’s second No. 1 overall takes the lead with 8.7 million audience impressions in the U.S. Nov. 17-23, according to Luminate.
The song, whose title roughly translates in English to “drunks wanted,” is a “journey alongside my great team,” Coronel tells Billboard. “It invites us all to get drunk, cure the hangover and become an expert at the subject, because if we were looking for drunks, it was to make them sing about what’s coming next year!”
“Se Buscan Borrachos” was composed by Salvador Aponte and Meño Segovia and is on Coronel’s album CHSM el Hígado!
The track arrives at the Regional Mexican Airplay summit after Coronel notched his first leader on any Billboard chart with “Que Onda Perdida,” with Grupo Firme, for three weeks in July.
The corrido singer-songwriter has since debuted two other tracks on the ranking: “Alguien De Aquí,” with Nathan Galante, up to No. 19 on the latest list, and “Al Menos Indicado,” with Cuisillos, concurrently new at No. 40.
Further, Coronel claims the sixth Regional Mexican Airplay No. 1 of 2023 by a soloist with no billed collaborators. Seven such songs led in 2022, after four did in 2021 and three reigned in 2020, with the genre largely the domain of groups historically.
Here’s the list of such leaders this year:
Artist, Title, Date Song Reached No. 1:Gerardo Coronel “El Jerry,” “Se Buscan Borrachos,” Dec. 2, 2023Alejandro Fernández, “Difícil Tu Caso,” Nov. 18, 2023El Fantasma, “La Vida Cara,” Sept. 9, 2023Carin León, “Indispensable,” Aug. 19, 2023Alejandro Fernández, “No Es Que Me Quiera Ir,” Aug. 5, 2023Christian Nodal, “Un Cumbión Dolido,” June 3, 2023
Beyond its Regional Mexican Airplay coronation, “Borrachos” makes progress on the overall Latin Airplay chart, bounding 10-4, having become Coronel’s third top 10 on the tally.
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Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors feature a small group of new or relatively unknown artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.
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Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes emerging artists who we might’ve found anywhere from scrolling on TikTok to a Spotify playlist recommendation to a live music showcase. See our recommendations below.
Andrea Bejar
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Singer songwriter Andrea Bejar has a haunting, sweet voice that she’s married to ethereal songs, often accompanied by acoustic guitar and textured pads, that dwell on love and self. Everything blends beautifully because Bejar is such a mixture of her native Mexico, and the U.S., where she was largely raised (in Miami), and she’s able to write, think and emote in both English and Spanish equally. The result is a mix of Lana del Rey and Silvana Estrada, but with a fresh new outlook. Bejar also has a refined aesthetic that elevates her above the run of the mill indie fray. In a market in need of authentic young female voices, one to watch for sure. — LEILA COBO
Song For Your Playlist: “Mexico”
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Banda Güegüense
Country: Nicaragua
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: If the 2023 Miss Universe crowning its first Central American queen any indication, Nicaragua is a country full of diamonds in the rough. One of those diamonds is a 13-member group called Banda Güegüense — which I discovered performing at a local restaurant in Miami — that is making waves in the Nicaraguan music scene. Named after one of the country’s signature folkloric masterpieces, this musical ensemble — led by the harmonizing vocals of Luis Escoto, Weyner Hernandez, Luis Martinez, and Libert Reyes — can deliver anything from Palo de Mayo (an Afro-Nicaraguan dance) to tropical music to pop ballads, and beyond.
Needless to say, they give it ALL on the dancefloor and can entertain a crowd all night long. Their debut single, “Amame Sin Miedo” (Love Me Without Fear), arrived early this year in the style of Banda, best showcasing their versatility, romantic lyrics and talented musicianship. The group, which performs every weekend at El Guacalito Restaurant, as well as at key local events and festivals, is currently making the rounds with their new single “Palo Pa’ Ti,” in honor of their Nicaraguan roots. — JESSICA ROIZ
Song For Your Playlist: “Amame Sin Miedo”
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Cash Bently
Country: U.S.
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: SoundCloud rapper turned regional Mexican artist Cash Bently released his third corridos outing earlier this month, dubbed Cash Corridos 3 — on its cover, he appears flanked between two dobermanns, channeling the essence of Snoop Dogg (who’s a self-proclaimed corridos fan). Bently’s 12-track album continues to see the tatted L.A. crooner perfect his sierreños-leaning swagger with standout cuts like the lovelorn “Loco Sin Ti,” which boasts gripping guitarrón riffs, and “Amar Otra Vez,” which mixes guitar strums with a dash of electronic ambiance. Tuned about an octave lower, his latest single “Negaron Un Favor” also boasts melancholic rhythms with debaucherous-leaning lyrics sprinkled in for good measure. The artist began dropping English-language rap albums on SoundCloud in 2018, and in 2021 he debuted his first corridos album. In September, Cash Bently was selected as one of SoundCloud’s Latin artists to watch during Hispanic Heritage Month. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Song For Your Playlist: “Negaron un Favor”
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Israel Fernández
Country: Spain
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Born into a Gypsy family in Corral de Almaguer, Toledo, Fernández is a flamenco singer who blends traditional singing with his unique style, all while preserving the art of flamenco adding his own exquisite essence and personal touch to each performance. His work is a beautiful piece of art in which we can feel the harmony of his heart and soul — or as he best told Billboard, flamenco is “a way of living, it’s every day, it’s important every second that passes.” I came across Fernández during an industry event at the 2023 Latin Grammys week in Seville, and quickly realized that he’s one of the most captivating and talented emerging artists in the flamenco music scene of this century. Furthermore, he firmly established himself as the future of this genre with his debut album Amor (2020), where he’s backed by the passionate guitar riffs of Spanish artist Diego Del Morao. — INGRID FAJARDO
Song For Your Playlist: “Platero”
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Karen Lizarazo
Country: Colombia
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Only a handful of women dare to embrace vallenato, a genre historically dominated by men. Hailing from Aguachica, Cesar, birthplace of the popular Colombian rhythm, Karen Yulizza Lizarazo Ojeda defies this norm by remaining true to her roots, and it’s truly gratifying to witness how she infuses it with her personal touch, standing out as artist in the genre. Demonstrating admirable perseverance and a charismatic stage presence, Lizarazo is gradually managing to capture the attention of Colombians. Her tracks such as “Amor de Papel,” “Ganas Locas” (for which she collaborated on a remix with Eddie Herrera), and “Tarde lo Conocí” have garnered her a devoted fan base known as Karenistas. — LUISA CALLE
Song For Your Playlist: “Tuki Tuki” Feat. Rolando Ochoa
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Maria José Llergo
Country: Spain
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: María José Llergo captivated me this month during Latin Grammy week at the Amazon event “La Cultura that Connects Us” in Seville, Spain, which she opened with a mesmerizing, powerful show ahead of Carin León’s presentation. The Spanish singer-songwriter, who just released her stunning debut album ULTRABELLEZA (Sony Music España) this year, offers a masterful combination of flamenco and pop, pushing the boundaries with soul-stirring vocals and profound lyrics about growing pains and humble beginnings in songs like “Superpoder” and “Rueda, Rueda.” In 2022, Llergo won a Goya Award – the Spaniard equivalent of the Oscar – for best original song for “Te Espera el Mar,” from the movie Mediterráneo. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Song For Your Playlist: “SUPERPODER”
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Midnight Generation
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Hailing from Chihuahua, Mexico, Midnight Generation is a disco-infused electronic funk and soul band which sings predominantly in English, with a retro sound inspired by acts like Chick, Niles Rodgers and Daft Punk. Led by Fernando Mares, who founded the project in 2015, it has released two independent albums, including Odyssey in 2020 and Afterlife this year, with high-energy dance songs like “Another Day Gone” with Typow and “Starlight.” Currently on their Drop the Synthesizer tour in Latin America, the group plans to come to the U.S. in 2024. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Song For Your Playlist: “Another Day Gone” Feat. Typow
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XAVI
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Born Joshua Xavier Gutierrez, the 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Phoenix — signed to Interscope Records — has doubled down on making a name for himself among the new generation of música mexicana artists, ever since breaking out over the summer with singles such as “La Víctima” and “Sin Pagar Renta.” While his music leans more sierreño, with guitar-heavy and moody melodies, his style is often described as tumbado romántico, which thrives on lyrical sensitivity. Most recently, he opened for labelmate Ivan Cornejo in Ontario, Calif. at the Toyota Arena on Nov. 22. While he’s yet to release an LP with original music — his first album was a covers set titled My Mom’s Playlist featuring songs such as “Kilometros,” “Rayando El Sol” and “No Me Queda Más” — Xavi is working on new music set to drop next year. — GRISELDA FLORES
Song For Your Playlist: “La Víctima”
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Today marks the launch of Spotify‘s Wrapped program, revealing the most streamed artists, songs and albums of 2023. Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti has secured the title of most streamed album globally, accumulating 4.5 billion plays on the streaming platform, according to Spotify. Notably, Bunny’s top-charting album — produced by Mag and Tainy — wasn’t a new release this year; rather, it retains its position from the previous year.
In the most streamed artist globally category, El Conejo Malo takes second place; he topped the list the previous three years in a row. Taylor Swift takes the prize as Spotify’s most streamed artist of 2023.
Overall on the Latin music scope, the genre continues its global dominance, achieving a historic milestone on the streaming platform with the highest number of Latin songs reaching the No. 1 spot with eight. The top 50 most streamed global artists featured 16 Latin artists, including Bad Bunny at No. 2, as mentioned above, and Peso Pluma, the year’s breakout Mexican star at No. 5, who debuted with more than 9 billion streams.
Notable additions in the top 50 also include Feid at No. 6, KAROL G at No. 9, Junior H at No. 18, Rauw Alejandro at No. 21, and Shakira at No. 22. This marks a significant 60% increase compared to 2022 when 10 Latin artists made it to the Global Top 50.
As for the most streamed song globally, Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” earns No. 1, which accumulated 1.6 billion streams and hit an eight-week Billboard Hot 100 streak at No. 1.
See how Latin artists fared on Spotify’s charts below, and get the full look at the streaming platform’s results across genres here.
Most Streamed Latin Artists Globally
Bad Bunny
Peso Pluma
Feid
KAROL G
Junior H
Most Streamed Latin Female Artists Globally
KAROL G
Shakira
ROSALÍA
Ana Castela
Kali Uchis
Most-Streamed Latin Songs Globally
“Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma
“Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” by Bizarrap, Shakira
“TQG” by KAROL G, Shakira
“La Bebe – Remix” by Yng Lvcas, Peso Pluma
“un x100to” by Grupo Frontera, Bad Bunny
U.S. Most-Streamed Latin Artists
Bad Bunny
Peso Pluma
Junior H
KAROL G
Fuerza Regida
U.S. Most-Streamed Latin Songs
“Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma
“La Bebe – Remix” by Yng Lvcas, Peso Pluma
“un x100to” by Grupo Frontera, Bad Bunny
“PRC” by Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano
“AMG” by Natanael Cano Peso Pluma
Women ruled the recent 2023 Latin Grammy awards, with Karol G, Shakira and Natalia Lafourcade sweeping in the main categories (Album, Record and Song of the year, respectively) and a fourth woman, Joaquina, winning Best New Artist. It was the first time in Latin Grammy history that women won in all the general categories.
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Despite that heady moment, Billboard’s year-end charts tell a different story. There, women are as scarce as ever, with only three of — Karol G (at No. 3), Shakira (at No. 14) and Rosalía (No. 17) — landing among the top 20 of the year-end Top Latin Artists Chart.
On the Hot Latin Songs year-end chart, the situation is better — though a bit misleading. Among the top 50 tracks, 11 are led by women. But of those, six are by Karol G and three by Shakira (including their collaboration “TQG”). The list also includes Becky G’s “Chanel” alongside Peso Pluma and Rosalía’s “Beso” alongside Rauw Alejandro.
The narrative continues on the year-end Top Latin Albums chart, where only five albums by women are in the top 20. Three are by Karol G, one is Selena’s perennially popular Ones and the fifth is Rosalía with last year’s Motomami.
In other words, without Karol G, representation for women on the year-end Latin charts would be even more bleak. And it’s nothing new. Save for less than a handful of names like Selena, Shakira and now, Karol G, women have maintained a very limited presence on the Latin charts. Through the years, that absence has been attributed to a multitude of factors including: lack of women executives championing women acts; lack of label support; the rise of male-dominated reggaetón; and now, the rise of male-dominated regional Mexican.
The situation is even more maddening considering that the past few years have been rife with successful new Latin artists, yet most of whom are men, including the top five new artists of the year: Peso Pluma, Grupo Frontera, Yng Lvcas, Bizarrap and Chino Pacas.
So what more do these five newcomers all have in common? They collaborate incessantly and have all had initial, visible support from established artists. Peso Pluma, for example, got an early boost from Luis R. Conríquez, who invited him to collaborate on a couple of singles; Peso Pluma then returned the favor with Yng Lvcas on “La bebe.” Bad Bunny famously collaborated with Grupo Frontera on “Un X100to” when the Texan band was just starting; Chino Pacas is a protégé of Fuerza Regida and its frontman, JOP; and even Bizarrap got his start by collaborating with his peers in Argentina.
While all-women collaborations abound, it’s still unusual to see a major, established woman artist bring other rising women acts to the fray. The major exceptions include iconic pop star Thalia, who for years has been collaborating with rising artists of every stripe. And, more recently, Karol G, who has been steadily generous in inviting artists who are less established to collaborate.
This fall, for example, the Colombian star had Young Miko open up several of her stadium shows, and each of her past three albums has featured at least one up-and-coming woman: Young Miko guests on Bichota Season (2023), Bad Gyal on Mañana será bonito (2023) and Mariah Angelique on KG0516.
“I understand how hard it is [for women to break through] because of how hard it was for me,” Karol said in a recent Billboard interview. For her, the early support of more established stars at the time, like Nicky Jam, J Balvin and Ozuna was crucial. “Each day is a challenge,” she adds. “There’s so much music, so many artists and platforms, so, so much, that standing out is harder than before.”
In all fairness, women’s standing on other genre year-end charts is similar: There are four women in the top 20 of the year-end R&B/Hip-Hop chart and three on the year-end Country chart. On the all genre year-end tally, there are a total of five women, including Taylor Swift at No. 1.
But for women in Latin, numbers have remained stubbornly low for over a decade, and actually declined during that time. In the 2000s, 23 albums by women reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. In the 2010s, the number dipped to 19. So far this decade, only three women-led albums have reached No. 1 and two of them are by, you guessed it, Karol G.
On Hot Latin Songs, 39 women-led tracks topped the chart in the 2000s; in the 2010s, the number went down to 14; so far this decade, there have been eight.
There is indeed room for improvement over the remaining six years of the 2020s, both on the charts and beyond. Already, there is a concerted effort afoot within labels and music companies to increase the number of Latina executives in senior ranks.
At Sony Latin Iberia, COO María Fernández has articulated a plan to help prepare the next generation of executives, “especially women,” she says. “I’ve dedicated a lot of time to that and I feel very proud of the accomplishments in terms of getting them ready to be promoted, changing jobs, doing new things in the organization.”
Having another woman in the room, of course, is no guarantee of success, but having someone else in the room who can emphatize with certain situations — pregnancy, maternity leave, touring with children, body image and more — is important.
Another major point of contention has long been the lack of women producers and songwriters in the Latin world, though the latter is growing. And there’s a clear increase of women credits on major hits.
So the question is, when will this trickle down into concrete representation not just on paper, but on the charts?
It’s not just about what receives promotion, but also, what connects with fans. It’s heartening to see that many of the rising artists like Young Miko, Gale and Joaquina are eschewing the overplayed trope of the over-sexualized Latina artist in favor of honest songwriting and originality.
Which is exactly what the women artists currently on the charts have managed to do so well.
Leila Cobo is Billboard’s Chief Content Officer for Latin/español and the author of Decoding Despacito: An Oral History of Latin Music’s Greatest Hits.
Ozuna captures his seventh straight top 10 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as Cosmo, his sixth studio album, debuts at No. 9 on the Dec. 2-dated ranking.
Cosmo opens in the upper region with 11,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. during the Nov. 17-23 tracking week, according to Luminate. Streaming contributes most of the album’s opening sum, with 8,000 streaming-equivalent album units. That figure equates to 12.1 million streams official on-demand streams of the album’s songs. Meanwhile, the remaining 3,000 stem from traditional album sales.
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Cosmo was a surprise release, with the first announcement on Nov. 14, three days ahead of its Nov. 17 drop via Aura/Sony Music Latin. The 15-track includes collaborations with renowned producers and artists such as David Guetta, Jhayco, Chencho Corleone, Sky Rompiendo, Anuel AA, Lito MC Cassidy, Maldy, Chris Jedi and De La Ghetto.
On his eighth Top Latin Albums chart visit, Ozuna claims his seventh top 10, five of which hot No. 1 for at least one week. The 46-week champ Odisea still ties with Bad Bunny’s X100PRE for the fourth-most weeks at No. 1 among all albums since the chart launched in 1993. Here’s an updated look at Ozuna’s collection of top 10 albums on the overall Latin albums tally:
Peak Position, Album, Artist, Date, Weeks at No. 1No. 1, Odisea, Sept. 16, 2017, 46No. 1, Aura, Sept. 8, 2018, 17No. 1, Nibiru, Dec. 14, 2019, oneNo. 1, Enoc, Sept. 19, 2020, OneNo. 1, Los Dioses, with Anuel AA, Feb. 6, 2021, oneNo. 5, Ozutochi, Oct. 22, 2022No. 9, Cosmo, Dec. 2, 2023
Elsewhere, Cosmo kicks off at No. 116 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, while also launching at No. 5 on Latin Rhythm Albums.
As Cosmo lands, two of the set’s songs debut across the charts: “Baccarat” bows at No. 40 on the overall Latin Airplay ranking and at No. 17 on Latin Rhythm Airplay. Meanwhile, “Vocation,” with Guetta, gives Ozuna his fourth chart appearance on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, at No. 11. Plus, the Puerto Rican ups his top 10 career entry to 60 on Latin Digital Song Sales, as “Vocation” arrives at No. 10 –still the second-most among all acts (after Bad Bunny’s record 74 top 10s).
A week after crowning multiple Billboard year-end charts, Bad Bunny adds a new chart achievement to his roster as “Un Preview” ascends 2-1 on the Latin Airplay ranking dated Dec. 2. The song’s new coronation follows its command on Latin Rhythm Airplay, for a third week in charge. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and […]
Kali Uchis and Karol G set the scene ablaze with “Labios Mordidos” (Bite Lips) on Friday (Nov. 24), marking their second collaboration following the success of “Me Tengo Que Ir” from Karol’s Mañana Sera Bonita (Bichota Season) earlier this year.
Produced by Manuel Lara and Albert Hype, the sweltering reggaeton cut sees the two Colombian femmes fatale indulging in risqué flirtation. “The girl is on fire and sticks to me like a tattoo/ I guarantee there’s no one harder than you,” Kali seductively croons in Spanish. Meanwhile, Karol responds with her hushed coo: “I guarantee there’s no one more chimba than you … The baby is aggressive with that cute face/ That tattoo on her back left me breathless.”
“I’m so excited for the Kuchis to finally have one of my favorite songs on Orquídeas with one of my favorite artists Karol,” Uchis said in a statement. “I hope this brings everyone lots of holiday cheer and you make plenty of memories going into the new year with this song!”
During Karol G’s opening performance of the 2023 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday (Nov. 19), La Bichota teased fans with a snippet of the song.
As anticipation builds for Uchis’ fourth album, Orquídeas, due Jan. 12, “Labios” emerges as the third single, offering a tantalizing preview of what’s to come. The song follows the vintage bolero-style song “Te Mata” and the Dominican dembow of “Muñekita” with El Alfa and JT.
“The orchid is the national flower of Colombia, and we have more species of orchid than anywhere on earth,” Uchis said last month. “I always felt distinctly intrigued and magnetized by the flower. This album is inspired by the timeless, eerie, mystic, striking, graceful and sensual allure of the orchid. With this vast scope of fresh energy, I wish to redefine the way we look at Latinas in music.”
The album will feature more collaborations, including with Peso Pluma, Rauw Alejandro and more. Orquídeas is Kali Uchis’ second all-Spanish release.
Kali Uchis entered a total of six Billboard Year-End Charts, including the Top Latin Artists chart at No. 32 and Top R&B Artists at No. 11. In October, the Colombian-American singer-songwriter concluded her Red Moon in Venus Tour with sold-out performances across the U.S.
Stream “Labios Mordidos” below.
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Karol G & Kali Uchis
Geffen Records
Guadalajara native Jasiel Nuñez celebrates his first No. 1 on any Billboard chart thanks to “Bipolar,” with Peso Pluma and Junior H, as the song crowns the Regional Mexican Airplay chart dated Nov. 25.
The song’s radio uptick across regional Mexican stations pushes it from No. 11 to No. 1 with 6.7 million audience impressions in the U.S., up 61%, earned during the Nov. 10-16 tracking week, according to Luminate. Among the strongest weekly supporters, stations WOJO (Chicago), KLNO (Dallas) and KLTN (Houston) take the lead.
“Bipolar” previously took Nuñez to his first top 10, among three chart performances, on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs, when it debuted at No. 7 last September.
For Junior H, “Bipolar” also makes for a fruitful team-up, as it becomes his first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay.
Pluma, meanwhile, picks up his second No. 1 on the Mexican radio tally, after the four-week champ “Ella Baila Sola,” with Eslabon Armado, which closes 2023 as the No. 1 song on the year-end Hot Latin Songs chart.
Further, Nuñez joins seven other acts who have scored their first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay in 2023. Here are the new winners:
Artist, Title, Collaborator, Peak DateGrupo Frontera, “Que Vuelvas,” with Carin Leon, Jan. 28Fuerza Regida, “Bebe Dame,” with Grupo Frontera, March 18Grupo Marca Registrada, “Di Que Sí,” with Grupo Frontera, April 29Cazzu, “Tú y Tú,” with Los Angeles Azules & Santa Fe Klan, May 20Santa Fe Klan, “Tú y Tú,” with Los Angeles Azules & Cazzu, May 20Yahritza y Su Esencia’s “Frágil,” with Grupo Frontera, Aug. 12Maná, “Amor Clandestino,” with Edén Muñoz, Nov. 11Jasiel Núñez, “Bipolar,” Peso Pluma & Junior H, Nov. 25
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