(There is a lot of effort involved, of course: Bad Bunny’s manager has often told Billboard that the seemingly arbitrary release dates of his albums are in fact meticulously considered.)īut there’s also that quirky, audacious Bad Bunny X Factor that consistently goes against the grain and emerges victorious. Bad Bunny has not vocally played into that talking point, and yet, he’s the one who most effectively has delivered on it, with seemingly little effort. And he did it all singing exclusively in Spanish, the kind of “reverse crossover” many Latin artists have been crowing about of late - the “English is no longer needed” message. Then, to top it all off, a performance and subsequent win for best Latin pop or urban album (for 2020’s YHLQMDLG) at the March Grammy awards. Following his performance (including his fabled jump from the ring to level The Miz and John Robinson, after the former “destroyed” his turntable), the name Bad Bunny was part of 25% of WWE’s Monday Night Raw’s social conversations, with his appearance garnering nearly 37 million total video views across YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WWE.com.īunny followed up his venture into wrestling with his SNL debut, performing “La Noche de Anoche” alongside Rosalía, and playing a house plant in one of the night’s funniest sketches. But it was also a strategic expansion into a fanbase rarely tapped by Latin acts - and the results were a mutual love fest. The move was obvious wish fulfillment: Bunny is a longtime wrestling fan who’s often referenced the sport and its stars in his songs and videos.
Bunny pop coming soon pro#
So, in vintage Bad Bunny fashion, he pivoted 180 degrees, kicking off 2021 by performing “Booker T” (his single named in honor of the pro wrestler) at the WWE’s Royal Rumble in January. It took a shift to streaming and a Latin superstar who only raps in Spanish to achieve stateside supremacy - as well as a major hit in “Dákiti,” the Spanish-language jam alongside Jhay Cortez, which topped Billboard’s global charts in October 2020. Much has been said and written about Latin music dominance, but the fact is, no album performed entirely or even mostly in Spanish had ever climbed to the top of the Billboard 200 all-genre chart. The year started on a high for Bunny, still exultant after his El Ultimo Tour del Mundo set, released in November 2020, became the first all-Spanish album to ever hit No. Introduction & Honorable Mentions | Comeback of the Year: Willow | Rookie of the Year: Olivia Rodrigo | No. It’s not an easy balance to strike, yet, for the second consecutive year, Bad Bunny is not only Billboard’s Top Latin Artist of the year, but also Spotify’s most streamed artist globally in any genre. He’s a superstar who veers from the revolutionary to the familial, climbing to the top of the charts and selling out tours with often overtly sexual lyrics, yet shying from personal controversy and demonstrating very publicly that his mama taught him well.
It’s that kind of impromptu gesture - and general omnipresence - that’s allowed Bad Bunny to capture the collective imagination. Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X, Adele & More: Who Was Your Favorite Pop Star of 2021? Vote!