Karol G & Peso Pluma’s “Qlona” Rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart

Karol G and Peso Pluma’s smash collaboration is back atop the charts…

Five months after the 33-year-old Colombian Grammy-winning singer and 24-year-old Mexican Grammy-winning singer’s “Qlona” concluded its fifth week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, the collaboration rises 2-1 to lead the Latin Airplay chart dated March 2.

Karol G & Peso Pluma“Qlona” lands at the summit with a 17% gain in audience impressions, to 9.54 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending February 22, according to Luminate.

It ousts Myke Towers’ “La Falda” from the top after one week in charge, dropping 1-2 with a 10% dip in impressions, to 9.5 million.

As “Qlona” reaches the summit in its 23rd week on the list, it wraps the longest journey to the top spot this decade, passing the 22-week trek that two Towers’ songs needed to their reign in 2020: “Bandido,” with Juhn, and “Bésame,” with Luis Fonsi. (The last song to take longer to reach No. 1 was Pedro Capo and Farruko’s “Calma,” which hit the top in its 24th week, on the April 13, 2019 chart.)

With “Qlona” on top, Karol logs the 17th No. 1 in her Latin Airplay career. The new champ arrives five months after her own “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” reigned for two weeks last October.

Peso Pluma, meanwhile, picks up his third, after “Ella Baila Sola,” with Eslabon Armado, ruled for one week last June.

Elsewhere, “Qlona” wins a first term at No. 1 on Latin Rhythm Airplay, marking a 16th win for Karol. It’s the second Latin rhythmic crown for Pluma, after the four-week champ “La Bebe,” with Yng Lvcas, in 2023.

Thanks to its radio haul, “Qlona” rebounds 5-4 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart — which blends airplay, streaming activity, and digital sales — after five weeks in charge.

Yandel & Myke Towers’ “Borracho y Loco” Rises to No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart

Yandel is back on top…

The 47-year-old Puerto Rican singer and songwriter and the half-member of the reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel and Myke Towers have notched another No. 1 on Billboard’Latin Airplay chart as “Borracho y Loco” crowns the list dated February 17.

Yandel & Myke TowersIt’s the first collaboration by two Latin rhythm acts to top the chart in 2024.

Yandel and Towers’ track advances from the runner-up slot with 10.3 million audience impressions earned in the U.S. in the week ending February 8 (up 18%), according to Luminate.

It sends last week’s No. 1, Xavi’s “La Diabla” down to No. 7 after one week in charge. The latter declined 26% to 7.1 million in audience.

“The truth is that it makes me very happy that with so many years making music my songs still reach the first places and top lists in the United States and other parts of the world,” Yandel told Billboard.

As “Borracho y Loco” lands at the summit, it becomes the pair’s second No. 1 team-up. The Puerto Ricans last ruled the overall Latin Airplay ranking through a Nio Garcia, Casper Mágico, Ozuna, Wisin and Flow La Movie collab, when “Travesuras” topped the tally for one-week in 2021.

With “Borracho y Loco” Yandel scores his 16th champ on Latin Airplay. Further, he ties with Nicky Jam for the seventh-most No. 1s among male urban artists since the tally launched in 1994.

Here’s a review of the winners:

36, J Balvin
33, Ozuna
28, Daddy Yankee
24, Bad Bunny
24, Maluma
22, Wisin
16, Nicky Jam
16, Yandel

“I am beyond grateful for my fans, my producers and the artists I have had the joy of collaborating with,” Yandel adds. “Now another No. 1 arrives through ‘Borracho y Loco.’ Myke Towers, thanks brother! Here we go, another No. 1 for the books!”

For Towers, the rapper and singer-songwriter lands his 10th No. 1 with his 31st chart appearance. He last topped the chart with the viral TikTok hit “Lala,” which spent two weeks at No. 1 in September 2023.

“Borracho y Loco” takes over Latin Airplay in its 18th week, marking the second-longest climb to the top for both artists. Previously, Yandel placed three songs at the summit each one in its 20th week, including two featured roles: through Maluma’s “El Perdedor,” and in IAmChino’s “Ay Dios Miío,” which also featured Pitbull and Chacal, and with “Nunca Me Olvides,” all in 2016.

Tower’s, meanwhile, secured two songs at No. 1 in 22 weeks each: “Bandido” with Juhn, and “Bésame,” with Luis Fonsi, in June and Nov. 2021, respectively.

Shakira Becomes First Artist to Hold Top Three Spots on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay Chart in Single Week

Shakira has earned another mention in the Latin music record books… 

The 46-year-old Colombian superstar has become the first artist to occupy the top three ranks on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart in a single week.

ShakiraOn the survey dated July 29, “TQG,” with Karol G, holds strong at No. 1 for a 10th week; Shakira’s own “Acróstico” rises 3-2, returning to its best rank; and the Colombian superstar’s latest single “Copa Vacía,” with Manuel Turizo, advances 4-3 for a new high.

The Latin Pop Airplay chart, which began in 1994, reflects weekly audience impressions from a panel of over 150 Latin-formatted U.S. radio stations, as monitored by Mediabase, which provides Luminate data for Billboard charts.)

Despite “TQG” dipping 7% in audience impressions to 8.6 million in the latest tracking week, ending July 20, the team-up’s 10 weeks at No. 1 mark the second-most of 2023 – trailing only another Shakira song: Her Bizarrap collab “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” dominated for 12 weeks beginning in February (and currently holds at No. 7).

As “Acróstico” and “Copa Vacía” ascend to Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, radio airplay continues to grow for the songs. “Acróstico” takes the runner-up slot with a 2% gain in audience impressions, to 5.7 million, while “Copa Vacia” rises with a 33% boost, to 5.4 million, procuring the track the week’s Greatest Gainer honor.

Previously, Shakira and 16 other acts had held the top two on Latin Pop Airplay simultaneously.

The full list of such artists: Rauw Alejandro, Bad Bunny, Camilo, Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, Juan Luis Guerra 440, Enrique Iglesias, J Balvin, Juanes, Karol G, Maluma, Nicky Jam, Don Omar, Ozuna, Pitbull, Shakira and Tainy.

Luis Fonsi Releases New Single “Buenos Aires” & Official Music Video for Track

Luis Fonsi is heading south this summer…

The 45-year-old Puerto Rican singer has released his highly anticipated new single “Buenos Aires.”

Luis FonsiWith Fonsi leading the composition along with Andrés Torres, Mauricio Rengifo and Keityn, and produced by Rengifo and Torres, “Buenos Aires” is the first single of what is set to be Fonsi’s next musical chapter.

Fonsi shared what inspired him to write his new hit, saying, “‘Buenos Aires’ tells the story of attempting to erase the memory of a lover and coming to the realization that it is completely impossible to do so. It is a heartbreak song that speaks of the pain you feel when that person who means so much to you has moved on.

“When I started writing the song, it immediately transported me to Argentine cumbia, and this inspired me to make references to some of the cities that have great significance in my life and career in the next couple of songs that I will be releasing. It’s very exciting for me because ‘Buenos Aires’ marks the beginning of a new chapter in my music…I have many songs to share, and I am thrilled to have fans join me on this journey.”

For several weeks, the multiple Latin Grammy winner had been sharing a preview of “Buenos Aires” with his followers on social media, which resulted in thousands of fan creations on TikTok.

Fonsi’s community can also finally enjoy not only the complete song but also the stellar music video directed by renowned creative director of Elastic People, Carlos Pérez.

The video was filmed in Miami last April, and its concept drew inspiration from one of the catchy phrases in the song “no saquen el corazón que están robando,” which means keep the stolen heart inside.

Peso Pluma & Eslabon Armado Make Billboard Hot 100 Chart History with “Ella Baila Sola”

Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado are making Billboard Hot 100 history…

The 23-year-old Mexican singer and the American Regional Mexican group have each logged their first Top 10 on the Hot 100 with “Ella Baila Sola” on the chart dated April 22, 2023.

Peso Pluma & Eslabon ArmadoEslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” soars 17-10, led by 24.4 million streams, up 30%, as it wins the Hot 100’s top Streaming Gainer trophy, and jumps 6-3 on Streaming Songs.

Quartet Eslabon Armado, from California, and Peso Pluma, from Mexico, each reach the Hot 100’s top for the first time – as “Ella Baila Sola” makes history as the first regional Mexican song ever to hit the Hot 100’s top 10.

The genre has surged this decade, due in part to exposure on TikTok and other social media, with Gera MX and Christian Nodal’s “Botella Tras Botella” having become the first regional Mexican Hot 100 hit in May 2021, peaking at No. 60.

After “Ella Baila Sola,” Peso Pluma also has the second-highest-charting regional Mexican Hot 100 hit: “La Bebe,” with Yng Lvcas, rises to a new No. 17 best on the latest, April 22-dated chart.

The next-highest-peaking such hits: Yahritza y Su Esencia’s “Soy El Unico” (No. 20, April 2022 – it debuted at that rank, the highest entrance for a regional Mexican song) and Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera’s “Bebe Dame” (No. 25, this January).

Among Latin genres, regional Mexican’s arrival in the Hot 100’s top 10 follows that of Latin pop, which, after English-language hits by Gloria Estefan in the 1980s (plus Los Lobos’ “La Bamba,” in Spanish) surged in the late ‘90s and beyond thanks to songs (in varying degrees of English and Spanish) by Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin, among other stars.

At the same time, Marc Anthony helped tropical break through on the chart. In more recent years, Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi’s pop-centered, mostly-Spanish-language “Despacito,” featuring Justin Bieber, spent a then-record-tying 16 weeks at No. 1 in 2017, while, this decade, Bad Bunny, with Spanish-language songs, has carried the torch for Latin rhythm in the top 10.

As for Latin music overall, Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma earn the Hot 100’s third Spanish-language top 10 this year, following two Latin pop hits: Bizarrap and Shakira’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” (No. 9, January) and Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” (No. 7, March).

“Ella Baila Sola” was released on Prajin Parlay/DEL Records, both of which likewise appear in the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time.

The collaboration concurrently achieves a second week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart, where it became the first leader for both Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma.

“We didn’t expect for the song to make so much noise!” Pedro Tovar, lead singer for the former act, and the song’s sole author, told Billboard upon its coronation. “I really liked the song when I first wrote it, but I didn’t really expect it to be such a big hit. I previewed it on my stories on Instagram and, two days after, it went viral on TikTok, and that’s when I knew that the song was going to do big numbers.”

“Normally I don’t expect to chart with songs,” Peso Pluma marveled. “We just enjoyed the process of doing it.”

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data.

Erika Ender Sells Song Catalog to Hipgnosis Song Management

Erika Ender is cashing in…

Hipgnosis Song Management has acquired the song catalog of the 48-year-old Panamanian-American singer and songwriter, who co-wrote the 2017 smash hit “Despacito” alongside Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.

Erika EnderAccording to the company, Hipgnosis has acquired a 100% interest in Ender’s publishing copyrights — including the writer’s share of performance — in all songs in her catalogue published, released or utilized through her Sony Music Publishing deal from 2007 through 2019, which includes more than 25 No. 1 songs.

“Despacito,” originally released in January 2017 and later in a bilingual version with Justin Bieber, spearheaded a global Latin movement made possible by streaming. The remix peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — where it ruled for 16 weeks — and spent 56 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard‘Hot Latin Songs chart.

To date, the original version has more than 8 billion views on YouTube. It also won three Latin Grammy awards, including song and record of the year. The Bieber-assisted version received nominations for both song and record of the year at the 2018 Grammys.

Ender has also penned songs for other artists like Los Tigres del NorteChayanneGloria Trevi and Prince Royce.

In 2017, Ender became the youngest person to be inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The amount paid for Ender’s catalog was not disclosed but it further highlights the interest in Latin or Spanish-language music catalogs.

“Erika Ender has defined Latin music for the last 30 years,” Merck Mercuriadis, chief executive and founder of Hipgnosis Song Management, said in a statement. “Her more than 40 Number 1 singles have made her one of the most successful and influential songwriters of all time. Over the last 5 years Despacito has ruled the airwaves and helped to drive the new LATAM domination going to Number 1 in 47 countries, but Erika is so much more than that one song with a rich catalogue of many incredible songs. I’m delighted to welcome her to the Hipgnosis Family!”

“I am very excited about this partnership with Hipgnosis. I’ve always believed that music is eternal,” added Ender. “I’m confident my songs are in good hands with Merck and his team, and they will do their best to keep my catalogue active, present and alive, as they honor and recognize that the songs are the seeds to the entire music industry, the message that touches and marks people’s lives and where it all begins.”

Daddy Yankee Serves as World Baseball Classic Ambassador, Releases WBC Anthem “Chispa”

Daddy Yankee is getting in the game…

The 46-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar is serving as the ambassador for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Daddy YankeeAs part of his ambassadorial duties, Daddy Yankee throws his superstar status behind an anthem for the current tournament, “Chispa,” which he co-produced with Play-N-Skilz.

According to a statement from organizers, “Chispa” will be featured across WBC and MLB social platforms, and with the Classic’s coverage, in-park activations and more.

Also, Daddy Yankee is expected to attend several games played at loanDeport park in Miami throughout the tournament, which he launched by throwing out the first pitch last Sunday (March 12) before the Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico game.

Much has happened in the year since Yankee announced his retirement from music.

Born Raymond Ayala, Daddy Yankee ends his touring career on a high, with his La Ultima Vuelta trek raking-in $197.8 million and 1.9 million tickets sold over 83 shows in 2022, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore.

That’s by some distance the biggest tour of his career, and behind only Bad Bunny among Latin artists.

Yankee’s collaboration with Luis Fonsi, “Despacito,” last year extend its reign as the most-viewed music video on YouTube, by hitting the magical 8 billion streams milestone. And his final album, 2022’s Legendaddy, gave Yankee a career-high No. 8 peak on the Billboard 200, his second top 10 appearance on the all-genres chart.

Daddy Yankee’s beloved Puerto Rico is one of 20 nations competing in the Classic, which reaches its climax March 21 in Miami. Sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), it’s the sport’s premier international competition — essentially, the world cup for baseball.

Shakira’s Bizarrap-Collab “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” Makes YouTube History

The music video for Shakira’s latest single is breaking YouTube

The clip for the 45-year-old Colombian superstar’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” in collaboration with hit Argentine producer Bizarrap, has broken a YouTube record.

ShakiraThe music video for the song was viewed more than 63 million times on YouTube in its 24 hours, making it the most watched Latin song in that time frame in the platform’s history.

The previous record was held by Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” remix with Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber, which reached 25 million views in that same time frame. Shakira and Bizarrap more than doubled that amount of views on their video’s first day out.

“Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” has taken the world by storm, as Shakira seemingly addresses the end of her 11-year relationship with Gerard Piqué, as well as his new girlfriend Clara Chía Marti.

Shakira and the former soccer player separated last year. They have two children.

In the song, Shakira sings that “I’m worth two 22-year-olds,” adding: “You swapped a Ferrari for a [Renault] Twingo/You swapped a Rolex for a Casio.”

She also declares that “a she-wolf like me isn’t for rookies” (in reference to her own 2009 single) and “I was out of your league, which is why you’re with someone just like you.”

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” Video Hits 8 Billion Views on YouTube

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee continue extending their reign…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer and 45-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton star’s music video for global sensation “Despacito” has logged 8 billion views on YouTube.

Luis Fonsi & Daddy YankeeIn the process Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s video extends its reign as the most-viewed music video on YouTube — by a long shot.

The closest competitor to the nearly five-minute clip for the 2017 smash hit is Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” which has raked in 5.8 billion views.

“Who would of thought that a melody over my guitar that morning in my house would be listened to in so many places, by so many people,” Fonsi wrote on social media celebrating the song’s new milestone. “It’s been almost six years and I still can’t believe it. The words THANK YOU don’t cover it. 8 billion views, sounds so nice.”

Fonsi continued thanking those who made it all possible, including Daddy Yankee, Justin Bieber who jumped on the remix, his co-writer Erika Ender, producers Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo and video director Carlos Pérez, to name a few, and his island of Puerto Rico, where they filmed the video, featuring former Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera.

“Despacito,” released via Universal Music Latino in January 2017, is the gift that keeps on giving. Four months after the music video made its debut on YouTube, it hit the 1 billion mark back when it got a boost from a bilingual remix that featured Bieber.

Five years ago in May, the remix with Bieber reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and made global history. Furthermore, “Despacito” topped the Hot Latin Songs chart for a record 56 (non-consecutive) weeks, spending the most weeks at No. 1 for any title since the chart’s inception in 1986.

Luis Fonsi to Make Feature Film Acting Debut in Patrick Perez Vidauri’s Rom-Com “The Answer to My Prayer”

Luis Fonsi’s prayers have been answered…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer and Grammy winner will make his feature film acting debut in Patrick Perez Vidauri’s rom-com The Answer to My Prayer.

Luis FonsiIn addition to Fonsi, the film will also star Vannessa VasquezJackie Cruz, Vivian LamolliChris Kattan, Angélica María and Dyana Ortelli.

Written by Nancy De Los Santos-Reza, the film follows the romantic travails of three friends whose destinies are changed by an ancient prayer that guides them to true love. Vidauri and Cristina Nava’s Migrant Filmworks, Inc. is producing alongside Citizen Skull Productions, with Edward James Olmos executive producing.

Production is set to kick off in Texas next week.

In 1992, Fonsi made a brief cameo in the romance film Como Agua Para Chocolate. In 2004, Fonsi made his second acting appearance on the Mexican telenovela named Corazones al límite. He also had a special appearance in 2001 on the Nickelodeon television series Taina. Fonsi joined the cast of Broadway‘s Forever Tango for a two-week engagement in August 2013.