Back in May, MBW reported that Latin music had scored its biggest-ever week by streams worldwide on Apple Music.
Latin Music’s success on the platform was owed, in part, to the release of two blockbuster albums, one from Bad Bunny and one from Música Mexicana star Eslabon Armado.
Released on May 6, UnVerano Sin Ti, the fourth studio album from independent Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, broke the record for the highest first-week streams worldwide for a Latin album in Apple Music history.
In the same week (to Thurs, May 12), the wider Latin genre achieved its highest-ever weekly streaming total in the US (across all platforms) of 1.82 billion on-demand audio (ODA) streams, according to Luminate data.
At the time, Rimas Entertainment CEO Noah Assad, manager of Bad Bunny, told MBW: There’s “no stopping” Latin Music.
Now, following the news that Latin Music is still on course to hit $1 billion in revenues in the US by the end of the year, and that its growth is also outpacing that of the wider US recorded music market, Apple Music has revealed more news about one of the wider genre’s biggest stars.
Bad Bunny has been named today (November 9) as Apple Music’s ‘Artist of the Year’, in recognition, according to the platform, of his “artistic excellence and influence on global culture in 2022”.
Apple Music also says that Un Verano Sin Ti is the platform’s most streamed album of 2022, and that it’s now “the biggest Latin album of all time” on the platform.
Apple Music says that Bad Bunny is the biggest Latin artist of all time by streams worldwide on the platform.
Upon its release on May 6, 2022’s Un Verano Sin Ti became the biggest Latin album of all time on Apple Music, holding the record for first-day streams worldwide.
Elsewhere, Bad Bunny’s Moscow Mule holds the record for the biggest Latin song of all time by first-day streams worldwide.
Bad Bunny has logged 22 songs on the Daily Top 100: Global, breaking the record for most simultaneous entries by a single Latin artist, according to Apple Music.
Bad Bunny’s other Apple Music stats include his songs having reached No. 1 on the Daily Top 100 in 34 countries worldwide — more than any other Latin artist. He’s hit the top 10 of the chart in 77 countries.
Meanwhile, 44 of Bad Bunny’s songs have reached the Daily Top 100 in countries across the globe, and three of his songs have hit No. 1 on the Global chart — more than any other Latin artist.
Bad Bunny holds the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 Latin albums by first-day streams on Apple Music
In February 2018, Bad Bunny became Apple Music’s first Latin Up Next artist for the platform’s rising artist program.
He also served as the debut host for Trap Kingz, the first Spanish-language global radio show on Beats 1 radio, and hosted the show’s first six episodes in 2017.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the achievements of Bad Bunny, whose influence on every corner of culture could not be ignored in 2022.”
Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, said: “We’re thrilled to celebrate the achievements of Bad Bunny, whose influence on every corner of culture could not be ignored in 2022.
“Watching Bad Bunny ascend from an Apple Music Up Next artist in 2018 to our Artist of the Year this year has been nothing short of extraordinary. We congratulate him on his record-breaking year and for continuing to bring Latin music to a massive global audience.”
“When I started, I didn’t have a global fan base.”
Bad Bunny
Speaking in an exclusive Apple Music film, Bad Bunny said: “When I started, I didn’t have a global fan base.”
He added: “I’m grateful for everything I’ve accomplished and everything I’ve experienced. The Latin music movement has grown so much. I would never take full credit or say, ‘It’s because of me.’ No, it’s every one of us. A whole generation. Our energy and presence is always felt.”
Upon being presented with the Apple Music Award by Zane Lowe, he added: “Thank you to Apple Music and to all the people who listen to my music every day. I’m super happy!”Music Business Worldwide
