Ricky Martin is pressing "play" on his music career again after 2020’s PAUSA. The Puerto Rican icon hasn’t released an LP since 2015’s A Quien Quiera Escuchar but released his EP last year, teasing fans who have been waiting for a longer musical comeback. His upcoming album, aptly titled Play, will feature his newest single "Qué Rico Fuera" featuring Chilean-American singer Paloma Mami. In the neon-lit music video, the premier Latin pop star dances through the streets like no time has passed since his launch with Menudo in the ‘80s. The alluring song embraces today’s most popular sounds blending Latin pop music with influences of reggaeton and Afro-beats. The rhythms, he says, are influenced by his DNA.

"[Play is about] going back to my culture and having fun with what I am made of," Martin tells GRAMMY.com. "When we talk about Puerto Rico, we have so many different cultural influences. We have Africa. We have the Anglo influence. I've never been a purist. All I want to do is create fusion and that's where we are today."

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Martin reveals fans will have to wait a little longer to hear Play as he's still working on what is to be his 11th studio album. But there’s already something to mark—in November, he will celebrate 30 years of his first solo release, 1991's self-titled LP. The album helped Martin conquer the Latin music world and in 1999, he became a trailblazer in globalizing Latinx culture with his crossover smash "Livin' La Vida Loca." The sultry banger impressively earned him Record of the Year, Best Pop Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance nominations at the 2000 GRAMMY Awards Show. Following his success in both the English and Spanish-language markets, Martin is one of the rare unicorns to have earned both a GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY—he's collected 2 GRAMMYs and 4 Latin GRAMMYs.

Martin’s influence is so wide that when he came out as gay in 2010, it became a cultural touchstone for LGBTQ+ representation in the Latinx community. As he continues to celebrate global success, Latin music artists generations after him get to see that attitudes are changing in a historically machista culture and that they can have a career being their authentic selves after coming out, too.

In an interview over Zoom, Martin talked about collaborating with Paloma Mami, his fall co-headlining tour with Enrique Iglesias, and his legacy in Latin music.

What was the experience like to work with Paloma Mami for "Que Rico Fuera"?

It was amazing. But to be honest, we met the day we shot the video, and that's how it goes nowadays. I'm a little bit obsessed with her. I love her attitude. I love her approach. I love her talent. I love how she's taking the bull by the horns. She's young and I have a lot of hope in this great generation of young artists that are popping out. When it comes to music, I just love what she does. At the end of the day, it's about being open to ideas. It doesn't matter where they're coming from. To be open-minded. That's what I do and I love working like that.

Like "Vente Pa' Ca" and "La Mordidita," it's also a very sensual song.

Yeah! Sex sells and I'm not afraid of that. Everybody can relate, I think. It’s one of those things. [laughs] One thing is sensuality. One thing is sexuality. Let's mix them both. When I walk onstage, I bring my culture with me. I'm Latino and we're not afraid of playing with our sexuality, so that's important. Why run away from that?

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Christina Aguilera was another woman you worked with. “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely” turned 20 this year. What do you remember about that collaboration?

Every time I talk about Christina, it brings a smile [to my face] because I think it was a very powerful track. Her delivery, her performance like always was beautiful. Then I had the opportunity to revive the song with my residency in Vegas. I called her and I said, “Baby, I’m going to revive this song, and I would love to shoot a video for you to be there with me while I sing.” She was like, “I’m ready, Ricky. Let’s do this and let’s do it right.” And because of that video, I think it’s one of those songs that I will keep alive as much as I can. 

How did you come up with the idea for the joint tour with Enrique Iglesias?

It had to be now. Not before. This is the time because we both really want to do this. This is not a strategic thing. We talked about this, and we agree on the fact that, at this point, we just feel free in many ways. Imagine a tour with Enrique. His music. My music. People get ready because it's going to be all about dancing. No ballads in this concert. It's about celebrating life, especially after what we've been through.

You're an artist that's won both GRAMMYs and Latin GRAMMYs awards. How do you feel about that?

It's extremely important for me. When people say, "I didn't win, but it's ok." No, no, no. It's important to win. [laughs] It's important to win and it's important to be recognized by your colleagues. It's all the producers in the industry, engineers and composers. It's beautiful to feel the support from people within the industry. I think I’m at six [GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMYs] now. It's really cool. I felt very protected by the [Recording] Academy for many years now and it's still the same. Let’s see what happens. This is only the beginning. Let’s do this. 

It's Pride month and I was wondering if you had a message for your fans in the LGBTQ+ community.

Everybody just be. Just be. Be happy. And it just feels amazing to also feel protected by an amazing community. I became a better person when I was able to be transparent. And for those out there that are still struggling with their identity, I just wish you the best. Everything's going to be good.

What I loved about the Latin GRAMMYs last year was that in the Big Three categories (Song, Record, and Album of the Year), there was you, Kany García, Pablo Alborán, and Jesse y Joy's Joy Huerta. There was a lot of LGBTQ+ representation.

There is a lot of representation, but we want more! This is what's so important about me posting pictures with my family and posting pictures with my husband [Jwan Yosef] because it's about visibility. It's important to normalize families like mine. It feels good. There's a lot that needs to be done. We've taken solid steps, but because of these very beautiful and positive steps, we're also feeling a lot of resistance from people that just don't understand the way we love. So we just have to practice compassion and move forward, but be firm and proud.

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This year marks the 30th anniversary of your first solo album. What have you learned about yourself in that time?

That it's important to change. I'm happy to say I'm not doing the same kind of music that I was doing 10 years ago. It's important to evolve. That's why I keep going back to the importance of walking into the studio or creating a very beautiful creative process with people from different generations and different cultural backgrounds. That's one of the things I don't want to change. I've always been very open to that.

In Menudo, my introduction into the music business, I was pretty much told what to do, how to sing, what to say, and how to answer questions. It was good in the sense that I was disciplined, but then it was about going within and finding the emotions and stories to talk about. And apparently people can relate to my stories. They can relate to my sounds. I'm very thankful.

How do you feel to see Latin music being so global now?

It has always been global! [laughs] I know what you mean. It just takes me back to when I was experiencing that very beautiful crossover in the early 2000s. And here we are again with everything that's happening with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and all these monsters that are doing amazing things for music. It is amazing that they don't have to record in English to be accepted because people are used to the sound of different languages now with all this streaming and for music from all over the world to be so accessible. Obviously language is not an issue anymore. It just feels great. It feels great to see them enjoying and surfing this wave. To see this young generation being so in tune with their needs, it's very special. I feel like a proud papa.

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Latin music has gone global and Enrique Iglesias is one of the superstars who laid the foundation for that crossover. The Spanish pop icon's music career spans four decades of hits both in his native tongue and in English. Following his reign as Billboard’s Greatest Latin Artist of All-Time, Iglesias marks the end of an era with the last album of his career, Final Vol. 2.

Iglesias followed in the footsteps of his father, singer/songwriter Julio Iglesias, and made his own debut in the 1990s with Spanish-language love songs. He began singing in English at the end of the decade, and subsequently led an explosion of interest in Latin pop alongside acts like Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and later Shakira. 

As of writing, Iglesias has a record-breaking 27 No. 1 singles on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart, and solidified himself as a global heartthrob with an allure that defies language barriers. For his efforts, Iglesias has won one GRAMMY and five Latin GRAMMY Awards.

Enrique Iglesias will release what will likely be his final album on March 29, aptly titled Final (Vol. 2). Ahead of his final bow, here are 10 tracks that celebrate Iglesias' legacy in Latin music. 

"Experiencia Religiosa" (1995)

Iglesias made his debut in 1995 with a self-titled first album. Among the ballads on the10-track LP, the otherworldly "Experiencia Religiosa" best demonstrates the power of his charm.  

Backed by the piano with elements of gospel music, Iglesias belts his heart out about a night of passion that felt like spiritual awakening. To capture the energy of the sparks flying, an electric guitar solo rounded out his soulful yet sexy sermon. Iglesias demonstrated his knack for seamlessly blending together romance and sex appeal, which would go on to define his artistry and style.

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"Nunca Te Olvidaré" (1997)

Iglesias proved that he was here to stay with his third album, 1997's Cosas Del Amor. The LP includes one of his signature love songs, "Nunca Te Olvidaré." 

Iglesias' voice reached angelic highs in the Spanish-language power ballad, which details  romance that left a lasting impression. No matter what happened, the love Iglesias shared with that person couldn't be forgotten — much like his impact on the Latin pop explosion that was brewing.

"Bailamos" (1999)

Proving he was so much bigger than the Iglesias last name, he crossed over into the English-language market with his 1999 album Enrique. Iglesias became a global Latin pop heartthrob with the sultry club banger "Bailamos." The song was featured on the Wild Wild West soundtrack, after Will Smith personally invited Iglesias to contribute music to the project.

Backed by the strum of the Spanish guitar with alluring synths, he invited the world to dance with him in English and Spanish. In a major moment for Latin acts at the time, the song topped the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. The massive success of the song led Iglesias to sign with Interscope Records, where he released his breakthrough album. 

"Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (1999)

One of the underrated gems on Iglesias' Enrique album is his collaboration with six-time GRAMMY-winner Whitney Houston. 

The late pop legend joined forces with him for the sensual "Could I Have This Kiss Forever," making worlds collide with an irresistible mix of Latin percussion, Spanish guitar, and R&B. Houston also sang a bit in Spanish with Iglesias. His dreamy duet with Houston (who also sings in Spanish) broke down barriers for collaborations between Latin and English-language pop acts. In the years that followed, he collaborated with superstars like Kelis, Ciara, and Usher.  

"Hero" (2001)

Iglesias' love songs in English touched the hearts of millions around the world. One of his enduring classics is the empowering "Hero" from his 2001 album Escape. 

The beautiful ballad was released in both English and Spanish. In one of most tender vocal performances, Iglesias serenades his lover with sweet lyrics about always being by her side. After the song impressively peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, Iglesias proved that his star power was here to stay. 

The song also became an anthem of hope for the U.S. following the Sept. 11 attacks, and Iglesias was invited to perform "Hero" for the broadcast special "America: A Tribute to Heroes." 

"Bailando" (2014)

After laying the foundation for the globalization of Latin music, Iglesias enjoyed one of his greatest career triumphs in 2014 — in both Spanish and English. 

The feel-good smash "Bailando" blended Caribbean rhythms with flamenco influences, bringing together Sean Paul and Cuba's Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona. The Spanglish banger peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. At the 2014 Latin GRAMMYs, Iglesias and his collaborators took home golden gramophones for Song Of The Year, Best Urban Performance, and Best Urban Song. 

The success of the song also helped usher in the reggaeton music revival of the last decade. Pop and reggaeton collaborations became more commonplace with songs like "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee and J Balvin’s "Mi Gente" remix with Beyoncé later following suit.  

"Beautiful" (2014)

Iglesias joined forces with GRAMMY-winning dance-pop icon Kylie Minogue for "Beautiful," a  haunting love song about a formidable romance that could withstand the apocalypse. 

The electronic ballad was co-produced by Mark Taylor, who was also at the helm of Iglesias' collaboration with Houston. Iglesias and Minogue's voices melted together in a hypnotic harmony that made this song live up to its name. The song was included on Minogue’s Kiss Me Once album and deluxe edition of Iglesias’ Sex and Love LP.  

"El Baño" (2018)

Before he became a GRAMMY-winning global star, Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny teamed up with Iglesias for a freaky reggaeton romp, "El Baño." 

Iglesias first turned up the heat by singing about getting intimate with his lover in the restroom. Bad Bunny dropped in that halfway point as his wingman with a fiery guest verse. The hypnotic collaboration was included on Iglesias' penultimate album Final (Vol. 1). 

Iglesias later added a woman’s perspective to the song, bringing on Dominican reggaeton star Natti Natasha joining them on the remix. As one of Latin pop’s most daring artists, he was never afraid to push boundaries with his risque tracks. 

"Space In My Heart" (2024)

After the release of his reggaeton-heavy Final (Vol. 1), Iglesias was ready to be more adventurous with the music that followed. In 2022, Iglesias ventured into country music for the first time with "Espacio En Tu Corazón." 

To bring some more authenticity to the English-language version of the song, "Space In My Heart," Iglesias teamed up with GRAMMY-winning country star Miranda Lambert. The breathtaking country-pop ballad features Iglesias and Lambert singing passionately about winning over the hearts of their crushes. 

The song is a highlight on the last album of his career, Final (Vol. 2). And while it seems like this may be the singer's final hurrah, Iglesias told PEOPLE in 2021: "No, I'm never gonna retire! I'm gonna keep on writing songs but that doesn't mean I need to be putting out albums every so often."

"Fría" (2024)

Iglesias is going out in style with "Fría." For the most vibrant song on Final Vol. 2,  Iglesias collaborates with Cuban singer/songwriter Yotuel on a frisky and refreshing banger, which blends reggaeton beats with elements of tropical music.

Iglesias sounds like he's having a blast with Yotuel as they try to convince their partners there was no infidelity at last night's wild party. "I just went out for a cold one," Iglesias winkingly sings in Spanish. Cheers to the legacy of one of Latin pop's greater stars.  

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Puerto Rican rapper Residente wants to embark on new adventures.  

The artist born René Pérez Joglar has dreams of directing movies and acting, writing books, and making for pleasure — not to pay the bills. These goals reflect a new attitude, one resulting from time spent reflecting on the passage of time and the presence of death.

Residente's sophomore album, Las Letras Ya No Importan (Lyrics No Longer Matter), echoes this transitory period. An extensive body of work, featuring 23 tracks, with several songs surpassing the five-minute mark. Las Letras is an act of deeply intimate rebellion.

"It’s a very personal album, and I sought to connect with myself in many moments throughout," Residente tells GRAMMY.com. 

While Las Letras explores topics already a hallmark of his music — the music industry, political systems, Puerto Rico — it's also exceedingly vulnerable. The 28-time Latin GRAMMY and four-time GRAMMY winner opens up about depression and personal relationships, and confronts mortality.

Lead single "313" is inspired by Residente's late friend Valentina, whose voice appears in the first interlude. As Residente recounted to El País of Spain and GQ Spain, Valentina was a violist, and the last messages they exchanged on WhatsApp were at 3:13.

The song begins with a French verse, fulfilling Valentina’s wish, expressed in the first interlude, to do something in that language. "Les paroles n'ont pas d'importance," (words no longer matter), a female voice whispers, followed by a spectacular string arrangement.

Residente revisited older works during this period of creative transition, and the record features previously released tracks  "René," "This Is America," and "Quiero Ser Baladista."

 Las Letras Ya No Importan features many collaborations, with actress Penélope Cruz, Spanish singer Silvia Pérez Cruz, Rauw Alejandro, Ricky Martin, Christian Nodal, Arcángel, Jessie Reyez and others making appearances. Hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes is featured on "Cerebro," while Big Daddy Kane makes an appearance on "Estilo Libre" with Vico C.

GRAMMY.com spoke with Residente via Zoom about the process that led him to his second album, the symbolism behind "313" and the artistic connection to Spain.  

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What inspired you to create Las Letras Ya No Importan?

It’s an album that marks a musical transition for what’s coming for me. It feels diverse; it also has songs with which I may not feel as connected [to] now because several years have passed since I made them. There are newer songs with which I do connect, which have a bit more to do with the way I want to start working on my music in the future.

"René" is part of this album, even though it came out four years ago. This is an album I was going to release during the pandemic. 

We have "René," which is very personal; we have "313," which I also feel is personal; then "Ron en el piso," [a song about the passage] of time, the collaboration with Nodal ("Pólvora de Ayer") also touches on the theme of time, of enjoying everything.

You confront death in several songs. In "René," you sang about losing a friend; in "Ron en el piso," you see your funeral; and in "313," you draw inspiration from your late friend Valentina. What is it about death that inspires you?

It’s something I’ve been going through in recent years. I lost many people I love, and it made me much more reflective when it comes to understanding time, the things I want to do, and the things I’ve stopped doing.

That’s why I’m also transitioning to cinema. I’ve always wanted to make films, directing, being behind the scenes, not being on stage.  I’m crazy about dedicating myself entirely to that.

I discovered acting now in a movie I starred in [In the Summers] that won the Jury Award at Sundance. When I saw it, I didn’t know I was the protagonist until I watched it. [The film] encouraged me to follow that too, and I’m going to want to act, direct; I want to dedicate myself to that for a while fully.

The album has a lot of life, and even though the lyrics no longer matter, you still have much to tell. You already said the album is very personal, but how would you describe it?

I can describe it in two years, not right now. It’s transitional. That’s what happened with Calle 13; everything was a musical and lyrical change from the second album onwards.

Residente represented a fusion of world music and rap. Now, in this one, I’m using a lot of strings, cellos, and double bass. I’m going to experiment a lot with different instruments in different ways. I’m going to be creative without the need to balance the album.

What’s coming next doesn’t have that artistic pressure. The only artistic pressure I want to have is to do the highest I can, which happens organically, not feeling pressured but naturally.

I want to do art as I did in college [at Savannah College of Art and Design]. I was never thinking about people or trying to convince anyone, and I was completely free, and that’s what happened with "313." I had the freedom I always wanted to have.

There’s substantial symbolism in "313," from the faceless dancers, the color pink. What was your vision with the visuals?

The dancers represent time. Penélope [Cruz] can represent many things, from life to Valentina, my friend, who inspired me to make the song. Penélope controls me, holds me, flies me, brings me back, and then I decide to control my life and time. That’s why I raise my hands, and everyone raises them, and time is running out, and then you see a sunset.

Sunset marks the end of something. The colors of the costumes also have some dusk elements. You can see at the end when I’m disappearing; it fades and blends with the end of the sunset.

These are decisions I make that are both aesthetic and technical. I put masks on the dancers because I liked it aesthetically. It also helped me speed up the process with makeup. I had to find creative ways to maintain the video’s aesthetics and make everything more agile because in filming, everything is time, and I had little of it.

What’s the idea behind the song "Las Letras Ya No Importan?"The arrangement is magical, with a numerical sequence from one to eight in different languages and a voice spelling of the alphabet.

That was the initial track. Before "313," I had this idea that I dreamed of with some basic notes, and it turned into something big.

There’s a voiceover of Penélope [Cruz] that says that we were eight [people in the studio], we are on an 8th street in New York, in studio B, which, if you look at it, it resembles the number 8. Everything connected with eight and [that number] also at a time level can mark infinity. So, I connected all that with the immensity of letters and languages. That piece’s runtime is five minutes. I think it’s pleasurable. I like that music, which resembles what I want to do.

Leo Genovese, an excellent musician and musical genius, made the arrangements. I greatly respect him.

In "Cerebro," you showcase your skill and vocal speed; what was it like collaborating with Busta Rhymes, whose own flow is iconic?

We met, and he loved the concept of what I was working on. He was a very humble, good person to me. After we met in person and talked for a while, he went to write after I sent him everything I had written in English.

I created ["Cerebro"] a while ago…. That’s why I tell you that the album has several concepts that I had to let go of because it was too much, and a lot of time had passed. I had a previous concept when I released the song "René" [in 2020], which is why it’s on the album. [At that time] I was working with the brain waves of different animals and people, and I made music with those brain waves.

This song ["Cerebro"] is part of that, and that’s why it’s called "Cerebro." The album was originally going to go that route. Then I didn’t do it; maybe I’ll connect to it in the future because I loved that idea.

What has Spain meant to you? The country has been so prominent in the trailers you’ve released and in the collaborations in your latest songs.

I've been making frequent trips to Madrid. This past year, I was there a lot; I was more in Madrid than at home. I traveled, wrote, and filmed videos like "Problema cabrón" and "313."

 I grew up with Spanish cinema by Almodovar and a bunch of directors I admire, and I wanted to collaborate with the actors I grew up watching in movies.

This album has many personal elements, and cinema is very intimate for me. I saw [Penelope Cruz] in [the movie] Abre los ojos when I was a kid; working with her now is a dream. The same goes with Javier Cámara and Najwa (Nimri) [who is in the film] Lovers of the Arctic Circle by Julio Medem. I saw all these people, and now being able to collaborate with them, be friends with them, talk to them is a dream. Everything is very connected to my life.

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Once a marginalized genre associated with lewdness and criminality — much like the genres from which it draws so much influence, dancehall and hip-hop —  reggaeton is now firmly in the mainstream. While dominant across Latin America in the new millennium, reggaeton has made huge inroads with English-speaking audiences in the past decade, particularly with crossover hits like "Bailando," "Despacito," and numerous Bad Bunny songs from the past three years.

Although many associate reggaeton with Puerto Rico, the roots of the genre can be found in Panama, with artists like El General and Nando Boom taking Jamaican dancehall riddims — like dembow, first introduced in the Shabba Ranks song of the same name — and rapping in Spanish over them in the early 1990s. In Puerto Rico, early reggaeton was called "underground," and gained popularity in the mid-1990s through mixtapes put out by DJs like Playero and Negro, who utilized hip-hop techniques to alter the dancehall riddims as an instrumental track for local rappers and singers like Daddy Yankee.

Reggaeton has long been a male-dominated genre (with Ivy Queen being the main exception to the rule), but in recent years female singers have become more prominent. Colombian singer Karol G, for example, is currently one of the genre’s biggest stars, and Spanish singer Rosalía pivoted to reggaeton for her 2022 album Motomami, which won a Latin GRAMMY for Album Of The Year. 

Colombian artists have also been making their way to the top of the reggaeton charts in recent years — alongside Karol G, there’s J Balvin and Maluma — although Puerto Rican artists still dominate the genre, with current stars like Rauw Alejandro and Anuel AA.

Reggaeton will only continue to evolve and develop; read on for 10 songs that represent the sonic and cultural evolution of the genre in the past three decades.

El General - "Tu Pum Pum" (1990)

Years before the term reggaeton was invented, Panamanian rapper El General (Edgardo Franco) was the first artist to gain recognition recording reggae en español. Given the history of West Indian immigration to Panama to build the Canal, it’s not surprising that the story of reggaeton begins there. This proto-reggaeton style emulated Jamaican dancehall much more closely than later styles would. El General and his friends got started by taking Jamaican riddims like the genre-defining dembow and rapping in Spanish over them; they used to board buses in Panama City and perform for fellow riders. El General was known as a skilled improvisor.

He moved to New York to study in the late 1980s, and hooked up with fellow Panamanian and producer Michael Ellis, who is said to have invented the term "reggaeton." El General’s first hit, "Tu Pun Pun" is a Spanish-language version of Jamaican dancehall artist Little Lenny’s 1990 song "Punnany Tegereg" that’s quite faithful musically to the original. 

The title of the song is slang for female genitals, and the lyrics chronicle El General’s sexual prowess in graphic detail. Its chorus chants, "Your pum pum, baby baby, won’t kill (tame) me." The song became a hit in the U.S. and El General went on to have a successful, albeit brief, career. 

Tego Calderón - "Pa’ Que Retozen" (2003)

One of the biggest tracks on Tego Calderón’s debut album, El Abayarde, "Pa’ Que Retozen" was a party anthem and one of the first reggaeton hits in the U.S. It represents the culmination of many musical shifts that took place during the 1990s in Puerto Rico. By the mid-1990s, the dembow riddim began to dominate the Puerto Rican underground scene. As the millennium approached, DJs and producers began to incorporate elements of Latin popular music genres as well.

"Pa’ Que Retozen" is a good example of this trend, as bachata-style guitar riffs play underneath Calderón’s rapping. The background track switches up several times in this song, including an incredibly catchy, high-pitched synth riff heard in the second verse. Other tracks on El Abayarde also incorporate Latin genres and instruments — like bongó drums on "Abayarde," Afro-Puerto Rican bomba percussion on "Loíza," and a full salsa orchestra and vocals on "Planté Bandera."

Ivy Queen - "Quiero Bailar" (2002)

Known as the "Queen of Reggaeton," Ivy Queen was the only prominent female reggaeton artist for nearly two decades. She released two albums in the late 1990s, but it was her third album, Diva, in 2003, that really broke through. Ivy Queen intentionally wrote from a female perspective, as she had come up in a male-dominated scene in San Juan where women were constantly being objectified.

With her deep, throaty vocal tone, Ivy Queen proclaims on "Quiero Bailar" that although she wants to dance — even in the sexualized perreo style that had become synonymous with reggaeton — that doesn’t necessarily mean she wants to have sex with her dance partner. The song is still an important anthem for women who want to feel free to bump and grind and express themselves on the dancefloor without men expecting a sexual encounter. 

Don Omar - "Dile" (2003)

Three of the genre’s most influential artists exploded on the scene at roughly the same time: Calderón, Daddy Yankee and Don Omar, with the latter two involved in a rivalry for the title of "King of Reggaeton." However, Don Omar always stood out among the three for the lyricism of his voice — he was a more gifted singer than many of his peers.

His debut album, The Last Don, is considered to be a classic, utilizing a similar approach as Calderón of injecting more melodic Latin styles, like bachata and salsa, into his music. The Dominican production team Luny Tunes, who was instrumental in expanding the sound of reggaeton and distinguishing it further from its Jamaican roots,  produced about half the album’s tracks.

Like "Pa’ Que Retozen," Don Omar’s first major single, "Dile" relies heavily on a bachata guitar line, but his vocal style is quite different from the deep, resonant rapping of Calderón. The combination of Don Omar’s tenor voice with the melodic instrumentals of "Dile" makes for a very aesthetically pleasing, yet danceable song. In addition, he interpolates a salsa song, Joe Arroyo’s "La Noche," into a bridge-like section in the middle of "Dile." 

The subject matter is also more emotional than many reggaeton songs had been up to this point, as he’s pleading with a woman to tell her boyfriend that she wants to be with someone else (Don Omar).  

 Daddy Yankee - "Gasolina" (2004)

The first reggaeton song to be nominated for Record Of The Year at the Latin GRAMMYs, "Gasolina" still stands as the genre’s most iconic and recognizable song. The song catapulted not only Daddy Yankee into the mainstream, but also the genre itself. It appeared on Daddy Yankee’s third studio album, Barrio Fino, which broke numerous records and won many awards.

Barrio Fino took a broad approach, which proved incredibly successful. Many of the album’s tracks were produced by Luny Tunes, including its two biggest hits, "Gasolina" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó." The album also features a salsa-reggaeton fusion and an R&B-inflected rap song that sounds like it could have been recorded by Big Pun.

As for the concept behind "Gasolina," Daddy Yankee was living in a San Juan housing project with his family, where he often heard people on the street shouting, "iComo le gusta las gasolina!" ("How she likes gasoline!"), referring to women who accept rides from men with nice cars. He took that phrase and ran with it, creating the famous hook "A mí me gusta la gasolina, dame más gasolina" ("I like gasoline, give me more gasoline"). A decade later he laughed at the idea that the term "gasolina" referred to drugs — as many people assumed — claiming that he used it literally, to refer to cars. 

"Oye Mi Canto" - N.O.R.E., feat. Nina Sky, Gem Star, Daddy Yankee, and Big Mato

Reggaeton exploded in popularity in the mid-aughts, which explains why there are so many classic songs from that time period. "Oye Mi Canto" was the first collaboration between an American rapper (N.O.R.E.) and reggaeton artists, and included verses in English and Spanish.

The song originally featured Tego Calderón but Daddy Yankee replaced him in the video. It also signaled an acceptance of reggaeton by New York hip hop artists — Fat Joe also appears in the video. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Top 100, a first for a reggaeton song.

The song utilizes a common feature of commercial hip hop at the time, a catchy R&B hook sung by a female vocalist, Nina Sky. The hook borrows from and adapts the recognizable chorus "Boricua, morena, Boricua, morena," which was heard on Big Pun’s massive 1998 hit "Still Not A Player," but extends it to include other Latino ethnicities beyond "Boricua" (Puerto Rican).

Calle 13 -"Atrévete-te-te" (2005)

Hardly a traditional reggaeton group, Calle 13 nonetheless created one of the genre’s most popular, beloved songs in 2005 with their irreverent hit "Atrévete-te-te." Rapper Residente and instrumentalist/producer Visitante, step-brothers, founded the group in 2004, and gained fame with a song about the FBI killing of Puerto Rican independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Ríos called "Querido FBI."

Residente is the most politically outspoken rapper within reggaeton, a genre the two musicians have tended to distance themselves from, preferring not to be labeled. The group’s music has always been eclectic, using live instrumentation and unusual timbres. These elements undoubtedly relate to the fact that Visitante plays dozens of instruments. The brothers still hold the record for most Latin GRAMMY Awards in history, a whopping 27 each!

"Atrévete-te-te" is an infectious cumbia-reggaeton hybrid featuring an unforgettable high-register clarinet. Residente’s lyrics are raunchy, witty, and replete with American pop culture references and anglicisms. He dares a "Miss Intellectual" to get down off her culturally elitist high horse and let loose: "I know you like Latin pop rock, but reggaeton gets into your intestines, under your skirt like a submarine, and brings out your ‘Taino’ (indigenous people native to Puerto Rico)." He reinforces his point later, singing, "Who cares if you like Green Day? Who cares if you like Coldplay?"

"Bailando" - Enrique Iglesias feat.Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona (2014)

In the 2010s reggaeton’s popularity continued to grow, and "Bailando" was one of the songs that significantly raised the genre’s visibility among English-language audiences. Nonetheless, Spanish pop singer Enrique Iglesias originally didn’t like the song.

"Bailando" was written and recorded by Cuban singer/songwriter Descemer Bueno and Cuban reggaeton duo Gente de Zona, who had become one of the island’s biggest musical groups. When Iglesias heard Bueno’s recording, he changed his mind and they added his vocals. 

Garnering many awards, and winning Song of the Year at the 2014 Latin GRAMMYs, "Bailando" was flamenco-infused reggaeton designed for mass appeal. It follows a traditional pop song format, with Iglesias singing the verses and trading off with Gente de Zona and Bueno in the extended chorus sections. The lyrics are standard love song fare, and don’t include any of the rapped vocals or Cuban slang that had made Gente de Zona so popular in Cuba. Nonetheless, it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a record-breaking 41 weeks at the top of the U.S. Latin charts. 

"Despacito" - Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee, with a remix feat. Justin Bieber (2017)

Love it or hate it, it’s impossible to ignore the cultural impact of "Despacito." It was already a huge hit in its original version, by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. But when Justin Bieber called Fonsi up to inquire about doing a remix, it became 2017’s song of the summer.

Like "Bailando," the original version was already as much Latin pop as it was reggaeton, and although Daddy Yankee has some rapped vocals in the second verse, he’s mainly singing as well. The producers decided to use a Puerto Rican cuatro, which opens the song, in addition to an acoustic guitar in order to give the song a more local feel. One unique element was the insertion of a rhythmic break right before the chorus "Despacito" (which translates to "slowly") comes in. The way Fonsi breaks up the three syllables in the title word, taking his time with them, is a nice touch.

The Justin Bieber remix was released three months later, and maintained the song’s original rhythms and Daddy Yankee’s verses. An English verse was added for Bieber at the beginning of the song, and he sang the "Despacito" choruses in Spanish — the first time he’d ever sung in Spanish. It quickly rose to No. 1 on the Hot 100 charts, which gave Fonsi and Daddy Yankee their first No. 1 hit. It stayed at the top of the charts for 16 weeks, tying with "One Sweet Day," by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, and remained the longest-leading No. 1 single until 2019. "Despacito" also won Song and Record Of The Year at the Latin GRAMMYs.  

"Titi Me Preguntó" - Bad Bunny (2022)

Bad Bunny is not only the most prominent artist in contemporary reggaeton — he was the biggest artist in the world in 2022. It’s impossible to list all of the accolades Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio has attained in his short career, but here are a few: His latest, Un Verano Sin Tí, was the first Spanish-language one to be nominated for Album Of The Year at the 2023 GRAMMYs, he's been Spotify's most streamed artist in the world for three straight years.

Un Verano Sin Tí was a masterful achievement, showcasing a wide variety of contemporary Latin music beyond reggaeton, including Dominican dembow and mambo, bachata, electro-cumbia, and even indie rock — all anchored by Bad Bunny’s emo vocal style. The album is a celebration of Spanish Caribbean identity, paying homage as much to Dominican as to Puerto Rican music.

"Titi Me Preguntó" is not only one of the album’s biggest hits, but also one of its most complex tracks, featuring several discrete sections. It begins with a bachata guitar intro, followed by Bad Bunny’s rapped vocals accompanied by a sparse backbeat. His aunt is asking why he goes out with so many girls and won’t settle down. The body of the song speeds way up, keeping a sparse accompaniment, as Bad Bunny lists the names and cities of different girlfriends. 

But there’s an interesting shift at the 2:15 mark, where the bachata guitar returns and we hear a woman’s voice admonishing him for being an f-boi. It’s followed by anguished Bad Bunny vocals singing, "I’d like to fall in love but I can’t." The music changes back to the sparse backbeat accompaniment when he sings: "I don’t even trust myself," and notes how many women say they want to have his first-born child. The singing returns, as a spooky electronica melody is added into the background mix: "Listen to your friend, I’ll only break your heart…I don’t know why I’m like this." 

This is a man struggling with interpersonal demons, and this vulnerable masculinity (and his past refusal to conform to rigid gender norms) is precisely why Bad Bunny is so beloved by his female fans.  

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Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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