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Just a few years ago, MP3 players, BlackBerrys, and other early mobile devices were dominated by Anglo-American pop, hip hop, and dance tracks. Although Latin artists like Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and Ricky Martin were already internationally known, they seemed more like exceptions to the rule—often recording English-language versions to make it easier to break into the global music industry.

That era is now behind us. Today, Latin music hasn’t just gained new ground—it’s also setting trends in English-speaking markets.

But how has a culture, a language, and a style that were marginalized for decades become central to the mainstream—even in the English-speaking country with the most influential music industry in the world? That’s the question driving the study La música en español, un fenómeno imparable en los Estados Unidos (Spanish-Language Music: An Unstoppable Phenomenon in the United States), published by researcher Lourdes Moreno Cazalla (Nebrija University, Spain), who is also the Head of Strategy at PRISA Audio.

The report examines how Latin music in the U.S. reflects symbolic battles between power, cultural assimilation, and identity-based resistance. As the Latino population grows—the Hispanic population in the U.S. now exceeds 65 million—their cultural and musical impact is expanding as well.

By the numbers, the growth has been remarkable: in 2023, Latin music generated a record $1.4 billion in revenue, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a 16% increase from the previous year, accounting for 7.9% of total recorded music revenue in the U.S. In the first half of 2024, revenue reached $685 million, up 7% year-over-year.

This phenomenon is no accident. The study analyzed over 33,000 songs from platforms like Billboard, Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, and YouTube, identifying patterns and trends from 2020 to 2024. It also includes interviews with key industry players, such as Leila Cobo, Chief Content Officer at Billboard Latin/Spanish, and Juan Varela, CEO of PRISA Media USA and LOS40 USA, LOS40’s radio station in the United States, which targets the Latino and Hispanic community.

What Explains the Explosion of Latin music in the U.S.?

According to the analysis and data presented in the study, the rise of Latin music in the U.S. can’t be explained solely by demographic growth—it reflects a deeper cultural shift.

For years, Latin artists faced linguistic, social, and racial barriers in gaining recognition. The ‘Latin Explosion’ of the ’90s was an early breakthrough, but the real transformation came with a new generation of artists who not only sing in Spanish but dominate global charts.

Latin music now holds a strong presence across all platforms—especially YouTube (where it accounts for 17% of charted content)—and frequently breaks into the Billboard Hot 100, led by artists like Bad Bunny, Karol G, Peso Pluma, and Bizarrap. Genres like reggaetón, regional Mexican, and Latin trap have found global audiences without losing their identity.

The study explores how the concept of “Latino” has broadened. It’s no longer defined only by language, but also by a shared aesthetic, sound, and attitude. Spanglish, fusions with hip hop and electronic music, and a wide range of styles reflect a new way of expressing Latin identity.

Today’s icons like Bad Bunny, Karol G, Maluma, and J Balvin are running because artists like Shakira, J.Lo, and Ricky Martin once walked.

Challenges and tensions in Latin music

Latin music’s rise also comes with tensions. The study notes that the industry often embraces Latin culture as long as it doesn’t challenge dominant norms.

Still, Spanish is increasingly seen as a language of cultural production and public expression: “Music allows for critical forms of reclaiming space, where Spanish is not subordinate but part of a shared community,” the report says.

“One of the biggest challenges is building a more cultural and heritage-based view of Latin music and recognizing its artistic richness. With that lens—and while outlets like Billboard have featured Latin artists in their rankings—coverage in general media remains uneven. Appearances like Bad Bunny’s on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon represent symbolic milestones in Latin music’s path into the Anglo mainstream,” says Moreno Cazalla in LOS40.

The breakthrough of female artists in Latin music is one of the main drivers of this change. “From a Western point of view, genres like reguetón and Latin urban music have often been criticized for lyrics seen as violent, sexual, sexist, or discriminatory. But they’re listened to by millions of young people. That’s why women artists play a key role in shifting the narrative—artists like Shakira, Anitta, Rosalía, Karol G, and Becky G are claiming their space and reshaping the Latin music scene,” explains Moreno.

A major challenge for Latin music also lies in how it’s consumed today—through digital platforms. “While digital platforms have opened up new distribution channels, they’ve also introduced new barriers: visibility shaped by opaque algorithms. While certain content gets promoted, much more is left hidden in the algorithm’s shadow, making it hard for new artists or songs to be discovered,” Moreno notes.

For women in Latin music, those challenges are even greater. A lack of representation on charts remains an issue, as Billboard highlighted in 2022, a landmark year for Spanish-language music.

“There’s still a gender gap in Latin music: women’s presence in top charts and award shows has increased, but men still dominate. That’s not the case in Anglo pop, where women like Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift lead,” says Moreno.

“That said, in our U.S.-focused study, we found promising signs—like on Spotify. Take Kali Uchis: in March 2021, she reached #4 with ‘Telepatía,’ and by December, the track had 1 billion streams—making it the second solo female Latin song to ever reach that milestone on Spotify. The first was Karol G, who has maintained a consistent presence with global hits and collaborations over the last five years—from ‘Tusa’ in January 2020 to ‘+57,’ which debuted at #3 in November 2024,” she adds.

What’s Next for Latin Music?

The report identifies three key phases in the past five years: a consolidation phase (2020–2021), a domination phase (2022–2023) with stars like Bad Bunny, Karol G, and breakout acts like Bizarrap, Quevedo, and Peso Pluma, and a diverse expansion in 2024—driven by the rise of regional Mexican music and fresh voices like Fuerza Regida, Xavi, and Netón Vega. Spanish has become a leading language in global pop.

“Today’s music industry model focuses on individual artists and single releases. That means new drops are the engine that drives the industry. By focusing on top charts, the study highlights new releases—but it’s worth noting that what people listen to most is still catalog music. According to Luminate’s 2024 report, catalog accounts for 73.3% of streams. Latin music, along with country, are the two fastest-growing genres in the U.S.,” Moreno explains. “Looking at this focus on new releases and certain artists, it’s very likely the numbers will go up even more in 2025, especially with the release of DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny, which has taken over platforms and media,” she adds.

“The future of Latin music is huge—not just because of the growing Latino community, but because Latin music is already mainstream. It connects people across age, gender, and background. It’s becoming a cultural bridge between Hispanic and many North American communities with shared roots and stories. That’s why much of today’s Latin music is no longer only Hispanic—it belongs to everyone who feels its emotion, rhythms, and stories as their own,” says Juan Varela, CEO of PRISA MEDIA and director of LOS40 USA, in the report.

One question hanging over the Latino community is how Trump’s presidency and the rise of anti-immigrant rhetoric will affect their daily lives. So the question also arises: how might this affect the growth of Spanish-language music in the U.S.?

“I wouldn’t make bold predictions, but in a world increasingly divided by politics, economics, religion, or even sports, music becomes a powerful force for unity and emotional connection. Most people listen to music alone, with headphones and personalized playlists—but cultural and social spaces are still essential for live music, which is one of the most emotional and powerful ways to experience it and reaffirm both personal and collective identity,” says Moreno. “Just look at Coachella 2025. While there were fewer Latin artists this year, their performances were incredibly well received—like the sets from Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, and Junior H, who brought out surprise guest Peso Pluma. He used the moment to send a message to the crowd: ‘We need to be more united than ever.’ Or El Malilla’s set.”