Latinos love a dance song that's pegajosa, or catchy. So does the rest of the world this summer.
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito" ("Slowly"), first released in January, and a remix featuring Justin Bieber have broken record after record. It's No. 1 on Billboard's top 100 for the 11th week and with 4.6 billion plays, the song is the most streamed music track of all time, according to reports.
A day like this hasn't been celebrated for a Spanish-language hit since the 1990s song "Macarena," but I'm making a bold call that it's a trend we're going to see stick. Expect to see more Spanish-language pop music on "top hits" radio stations and in clubs.
Latino pop is great to dance to, but its popularity also could be attributed to the growing number of Spanish speakers. The United States has become the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, just behind Mexico, Quartz reported.
#Despacito is still on top 🔥💯 pic.twitter.com/Uc5m1YXU5N
— billboard (@billboard) July 25, 2017
"Despacito" was an unlikely combination for the two talented Puerto Ricans. Fonsi had been better known for Spanish love ballads, and Daddy Yankee made his name as a rapper. You'll most likely remember Daddy Yankee's 2004 hit "Gasolina". Regardless, this mix of Latino pop with reggaeton struck a nerve with the Latino fan base that had pushed the song up music charts.
Then came Justin Bieber, who jumped on the opportunity with a remixed version that dropped in April. While it helped the song's success, "Despacito" was well on its way to being an international hit. According to E News, Bieber chose to sing in Spanish instead of English, a move that surprised Fonsi.
Along with Daddy Yankee, other well-known Hispanic artists like Enrique Igelsias and Shakira have previously left a mark on the charts with Spanish-language pop.
We're also now seeing talented Colombian artists like J. Balvin and Maluma get credit that's long overdue. J. Balvin's June single with Willy Williams, "Mi Gente," is climbing Billboard's Top 100 chart -- at No. 42, up from No. 53 last week. It's a big leap from his 2015 hit "Ginza," which barely broke onto the chart at No. 84. Maluma is also on the top 100 with his song "Felices Los 4," a catchy song about ex lovers.
The infectious beats from pop and reggaeton are getting us together to dance, regardless of language barriers.