Jennifer Lopez Signs New Recording & Publishing Partnership with BMG

Jennifer Lopez is celebrating a new deal…

The 54-year-old Puerto Rican superstar has agreed to a new recording and publishing partnership with BMG.

Jennifer LopezUnder the global alliance, J.Lo will release her forthcoming ninth studio album, This Is Me…Now—home to 13 tracks, released via Nuyorican/BMG.

The set will mark Lopez’s first studio album as a solo artist in nine years, following the 2014 release of A.K.A. on Capitol Records. That album, produced by RedOne, peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2022, she and Maluma released the soundtrack to their film Marry Me under Universal Studios/Sony Music US Latin.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her and her team to release her first album in nearly a decade,” said Thomas Coesfeld, BMG’s CEO in a statement, calling Lopez a “global superstar artist, entertainer… a phenomenon.”

Thomas Scherer, BMG’s president, repertoire & marketing, Los Angeles and New York, added: “We are both excited and proud to partner with Jennifer Lopez on this long-awaited sequel to ‘This is Me… Then.’ Clearly written with love and through experience, ‘This Is Me..Now’ is uplifting and inspiring. ‘Jenny From The Block’ is back at a point in her career when her message is bigger than ever.”

Produced by J.Lo, Rogét Chahayed, Angel Lopez and Jeff “Gitty” GitelmanThis Is Me…Now was created during 2022 and 2023 at Lopez’s home studio in Los Angeles.

Other songwriter-producers who worked on the album include Hitboy, Ink, Tay Keith, Yeti Beats, Carter Lang, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk, with BMG’s Brandon Riester serving as the album’s A&R.

According to the press statement, the upcoming set “is an exciting musical trilogy showcasing the triple-threat’s extraordinary talents.”

The full This Is Me…Now track list includes:

“This Is Me…Now”
“To Be Yours”
“Mad in Love”
“Can’t Get Enough”
“Rebound”
“not.going.anywhere.”
“Dear Ben, Pt. II”
“Hummingbird”
“Hearts and Flowers”
“Broken Like Me”
“This Time Around”
“Midnight Trip to Vegas”
“Greatest Love Story Never Told”

Bad Bunny Earns 22nd No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart with “Where She Goes”

Bad Bunny is celebrating another crowning achievement…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar has logged his 22nd No. 1 on Billboard’Latin Airplay chart with “Where She Goes.”

Bad BunnyThe single rises from No. 2 on the overall Latin airplay tally with 9.22 million audience impressions earned in the week ending August 3, a 2% gain from the week prior, according to Luminate.

With “Where She Goes” Bad Bunny becomes the seventh artist overall with as many or more champs on Latin Airplay. Plus, he enters a tie with Maluma and Wisin for the fifth-most since the chart’s inception in 1994.

Here’s the recap:

35, J Balvin
22, Enrique Iglesias
32, Ozuna
28, Daddy Yankee
22, Bad Bunny
22, Maluma
22, Wisin

“Where She Goes” takes the lead a month after “Un X100to,” with Grupo Frontera, capped its six-week reign (July 8-dated list). The track took over Latin Airplay in its third week, the fastest journey to the top spot among Bad Bunny’s 22 No. 1s.

Latin Airplay is one of nine charts where “Where She Goes” has reached the top 10.

In addition to topping Latin Airplay, it has hit No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, Latin Digital Song Sales and Latin Rhythm Airplay; No. 2 on Hot Latin Songs; No. 3 on Global Excl. U.S., Streaming Songs, and Latin Streaming Songs; and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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.

Prince Royce Earns 16th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart with “Me EnRD”

It’s a sweet sixteen for Prince Royce. 

The 34-year-old Dominican American bachata star has logged his 16th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart thanks to “Me EnRD,” which ascends 4-1 on the July 29-dated ranking.

Prince Royce,With the new champ, Royce matches Carlos Vives for the second-most No. 1s by a tropical act, both with 16.

“Wow, happy with another No. 1 on Latin Airplay filled with colleagues from all different type of genres,” Royce tells Billboard. “Means so much, especially a song about DR where bachata was born.”

According to Luminate, “Me EnRD” crowns the all-Latin genre tally with 10.22 million audience impressions earned in the U.S. during the July 14-20 tracking week; that’s a 21% gain from the week prior.

Plus, it ousts Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” from its two-week lead with a 7% dip in impressions, to 8.6 million. It falls to No. 3.

As “Me EnRD” ascends to the summit, Royce becomes the only artist to top Latin Airplay, unaccompanied by any other act — among the 15 rulers — in 2023. The last artist to pull off the feat was Maluma when “Junio” reigned for one week in October 2022.

As mentioned, with “Me EnRD” advancing from No. 4, Royce banks his 16th ruler and enters a tie with Vives for the second-most No. 1s among tropical acts, trailing only Romeo Santos who continues at the helm with 21.

Here’s the scoreboard of rulers by tropical acts on Latin Airplay since the chart launched in 1994:

21, Romeo Santos
16, Carlos Vives
16, Prince Royce
14, Marc Anthony
11, Gloria Estefan
6, Juan Luis Guerra y 440

“Me EnRD” was released on April 20 and lands at the penthouse on Latin Airplay in its 13th week. It concurrently takes the lead on Tropical Airplay, where Royce collects his 23rd champ.

Nicky Jam Teams Up with Maluma & The Chainsmokers for New Single “Celular”

Nicky Jam is battling for ultimate Bachelor status against another Latin music heavyweight.

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American urban singer-songwriter has joined voices with Maluma and The Chainsmokers to release the massive single “Celular.”

Nicky JamIn addition releasing the Latin-urban single, the musicians have also released a Bachelorette-themed music video that seens them partying it up in a huge mansion as the summer song plays on.

The video, which sees the artists chasing after the same woman in a thrilling love story, was filmed in Miami.

It was directed by Justice Silvera and produced by Michael Brett Breslauer.

“Celular” is now available on all digital platforms.

Keityn Named Songwriter of the Year at ASCAP Latin Music Awards

(Te) Felicito-ciones are in order for Keityn

The Colombian songwriter and musical artist who co-wrote Karol G’s “Provenza” and Shakira and Rauw Alejandro’s “Te Felicito,” was named songwriter of the year at the 2023 ASCAP Latin Music Awards.

Keityn

Me Porto Bonito” — performed by Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone and co-written by ASCAP songwriter Master Joe — won song of the year, while Universal Music Publishing Music Group took the publisher of the year honor.

Winners at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ annual awards — which recognize the songwriters, producers and publishers behind Latin music’s biggest hits — where announced on May 3 at an invitation-only event in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A first-time ASCAP winner, Keityn (real name: Kevyn Mauricio Cruz Moreno) has also been behind chart-topping hits such as “Tusa” by Karol G and Nicki Minaj, Maluma‘s “Hawái” and J Balvin and Tainy’s “Agua,” to name a few.

In October 2021, he signed an exclusive deal with Warner Music Latina, and since then, he has released songs as a performer like “El Egoísmo” with Mike Bahía and Dekko, “Anoche” and “Nueva Versión.”

Song of the year honoree “Me Porto Bonito” — a reggaetón track infused with Latin pop and sandungueo, in which two men promise to behave nicely if the woman they’re after asked them to — spent 20 weeks at the top of Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. It also reached No. 1 on Latin Airplay, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, and hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Universal Music Publishing Music Group was recognized as publisher of the year for hits including “Después de la Playa,” “Efecto,” “La Corriente,” “Me Porto Bonito,” “Moscow Mule,” “Neverita,” “Ojitos Lindos,” “Party,” “Tarot,” “Tití Me Preguntó” and “Un Ratito” — all part of Bad Bunny’s uber-successful Un Verano Sin Ti, the second album in Spanish to ever top the Billboard 200.

Other 2023 ASCAP Latin Music Award-winning songwriters include Daddy Yankee (“Remix”), Jhayco (“Sensual Bebé”), Marc Anthony (“Mala”), Marco Antonio Solís (“Si Te Pudiera Mentir”), GALE (her first ASCAP Latin Award for “Ley Seca”) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Dos Oruguitas”).

Pipe Bueno Signs Management Deal with Business Manager JB & OCESA Seitrack

Pipe Bueno is under new management…

The 31-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter has signed a management deal with Business Manager JB, helmed by artist manager Juan Ballesteros, and OCESA Seitrack.

Pipe BuenoWith the new signing, JB & OCESA will develop Pipe’s career at a musical and commercial level in Mexico with the mission of taking his 15-year-long trajectory to an international level.   

“We are sure that we signed the best representative of the genre in Colombia, and as an artist, he can transcend,” Ballesteros, who also manages Mike Bahía, Greeicy and Annasofia, tells Billboard. “I think we have a new ballad, mariachi, and pop star that comes with a lot of music and collaborations. We are happy to have this new challenge with Pipe Bueno and I hope that everyone receives it with the same joy and enthusiasm that we do.”

Pipe Bueno Born Andrés Felipe Giraldo Bueno, the artist launched his self-titled debut album in 2008, and has since risen to pioneer “la música popular Colombiana,” a musical genre that fuses traditional folk music from the Paisa Region with Regional Mexican elements, such as mariachi and ranchera. The genre is also locally known as “música de cantina” and is played at every parranda, parties that feature local music and food.

He has laced the genre with urban and pop rhythms by teaming up with artists such as Wisin, Zion and Darrel, to name a few. Pipe has collaborated twice with his good friend and colleague Maluma on the tracks “La Invitación” (2014) and “Tequila” (2020). The former entered the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart in 2016.

Karol G & Shakira Earn First No. 1 on Billboard Global 200 & Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Charts with “TQG”

Karol G is a global sensation…

The 32-year-old Colombian singer’s Shakira-collab “TQG” has launched as the biggest song in the world, debuting at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts dated March 11.

Shakira & Karol GThe song is Karol G and Shakira’s first No. 1 on the rankings.

Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, with 158.4 million streams and 10,000 sold worldwide in the February 24-March 2 tracking week. The collaboration is from Karol G’s new album Mañana Será Bonito, which debuts at No. 1 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200, becoming the first all-Spanish-language leader by a woman in the chart’s history.

Notably, the song starts with the ninth-best streaming week since the Global 200 began (with seven of the top 10 such frames by female acts).

Biggest Worldwide Streaming Weeks in Global 200 History:
289.2 million, “Butter,” BTS, June 5, 2021
217.1 million, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Feb. 4, 2023
212.1 million, “Pink Venom,” BLACKPINK, Sept. 3, 2022
185.6 million, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Feb. 11, 2023
179.1 million, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Jan. 28, 2023
178.2 million, “Easy on Me,” Adele, Oct. 30, 2021
170.8 million, “Permission To Dance,” BTS, July 24, 2021
169.8 million, “Butter,” BTS, June 12, 2021
158.4 million, “TQG,” Karol G & Shakira, March 11, 2023
152.8 million, “Shut Down,” BLACKPINK, Oct. 1, 2022

Karol G claims her first Global 200 No. 1 among four top 10s, following “Provenza” (No. 6, May 2022); “MAMIII,” with Becky G (No. 4, March 2022); and “Bichota” (No. 7, January 2021).

Shakira also scores her first Global 200 leader since the list began, after her and Bizarrap’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” debuted at its No. 2 peak (where it ranked for three weeks) in January, marking her first top 10; it slips 5-7 on the latest list.

Karol G and Shakira are the third and fourth artists from Colombia to top the Global 200; Carolina Gaitán and Mauro Castillo are among the seven credited acts on Disney’s Encanto smash “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which led for three weeks beginning in February 2022.

As on the Global 200, Karol G and Shakira’s “TQG” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, with 129.7 million streams and 3,000 sold outside the U.S. Feb. 24-March 2. It’s likewise each act’s first Global Excl. U.S. leader, among five and three top 10s, respectively.

Karol G and Shakira are the second and third acts from Colombia to command Global Excl. U.S.; Maluma led, with The Weeknd, on “Hawái,” the week that the chart began in 2020.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. surveys, which launched in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

Rosalia Earns Fifth Straight No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart with Romeo Santos-Collab “El Pañuelo”

Make it five chart-toppers in a row for Rosalia

The 30-year-old Spanish Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning singer/songwriter’s Romeo Santos-collaboration “El Pañuelo” rises 2-1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart to crown the February 25-dated survey.

RosaliaThe new coronation extends Santos’ record as the tropical artist with the most No. 1s (22), while Rosalía earns her sixth champ (and her fifth straight leader.)

In the February 10-16 tracking period, “El Pañuelo” earned 11 million audience impressions in the U.S., up 1% from the week prior, according to Luminate.

It advances from the runner-up slot in its 15th week and sends Bizarrap and Shakira’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” to No. 2 (with a 2% dip to 10.6 million impressions).

It’s the second time “El Pañuelo” has topped a Latin chart. The new coronation arrives three weeks after the song reached No. 1 on Tropical Airplay (February 4-dated ranking), where it remains for a third week (in between, the song dipped to No. 3 on Feb. 11).

Back on Latin Airplay, as “El Pañuelo” arrives at the summit, Santos extends his No. 1 record among tropical artists, and enters a tie with Maluma and Wisin for the fifth-most overall, since the chart launched in 1994.

Here’s the leaderboard:

35, J Balvin
32, Enrique Iglesias
31, Ozuna
27, Daddy Yankee
22, Maluma
22, Wisin
22, Romeo Santos
20, Bad Bunny
18, Ricky Martin
18, Shakira

Rosalía picks up her sixth leader and fifth straight Latin Airplay No. 1 in over two years, since her featured turn in Sech’s “Relación,” with Daddy Yankee and J Balvin, which also features Farruko, topped the all-genre tally in September 2020.

Prior, Rosalia scored her first ruler with “Yo X Ti, Tú X Mi,” with Ozuna in 2019.

Ozuna Notches 29th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay Chart with Feid-Collaboration “Hey Mor”

Ozuna has mor to celebrate…

The 30-year-old Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and rapper has notched his 29th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay chart as “Hey Mor,” featuring Feid, leads the February 18-dated ranking.

Ozuna, Feid, Hey MorThe song trades places with Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro’s “Party,” which slides 1-2 after two weeks at the top of the chart.

“Hey Mor” was released on October 8 via Aura/Sony Music Latin. It ascends 2-1 in its 10th week with 9.3 million in audience impressions, up 7%, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 9, according to Luminate.

The song is the sixth single from Ozuna’s fifth studio album OzuTochi which debuted at No. 5 on Top Latin Albums and at No. 4 on Latin Rhythm Albums last October.

“Hey Mor” gives the Latin rhythmic hitmaker his 29th champ on Latin Rhythm Airplay, and steps closer to the lead extending his second-best count of No. 1s among all acts on the 17-year-old chart. Daddy Yankee and J Balvin continue to have the most champs, both with 34 No. 1s.

Here’s the leaderboard:

34, Daddy Yankee
34, J Balvin
29, Ozuna
20, Bad Bunny
19, Maluma
19, Wisin
19, Wisin & Yandel

Feid, meanwhile, captures his third No. 1 among seven career appearances. The Colombian’s first offering arrived with “Porfa,” with an all-star team comprising J Balvin, Maluma, Nicky Jam, Sech and Justin Quiles in August 2020.

Plus, he locked in his first and only champ as a soloist, unaccompanied by any other act, on Latin Rhythm Airplay with “Normal” in January.

Elsewhere, “Hey Mor” doubles its previous peak on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart, rallying 8-4 in its seventh week. Plus, Feid scores a career best on the overall Billboard Hot 100 ranking, as the song climbs 96-88.