How Reggaeton and Latin Music May Soon Conquer EDM Charts
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Billboard’s Top 100 is one of the most influential charts of it’s time. With a category for nearly every genre, Billboard sorts out the top playing songs of every week. Those familiar with the chart already know, they usually follow certain trends. Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, for example, often reflecting or directly collaborating with pop music.
Marshmello, Calvin Harris, The Chainsmokers, and David Guetta all contribute to this. Their singles with some of pop’s top rated artists often dominate the charts for weeks. With that in mind, there’s a different trend in the charts going on. Take for example Nicky Jam, who’s single Jaleo hit the charts at No. 48.
This collaborative effort with the one and only Steve Aoki didn’t just stay put. The track peaked for a couple weeks in a row at No. 19 and went into this week at No. 23. More than anything, it signals a noticeable shift in the tracks demonstrated. Most notably the song is strikingly similar to other works by Nicky Jam, who usually produces what’s called reggaeton.
Surely it doesn’t hurt that the track is made with veteran EDM producer and fourth-highest paid DJ Steve Aoki. The man surely knows what he’s doing when it comes to cross-genre collaborations. In addition to Aoki, more EDM artists are flirting with high-paced reggaeton beats. DJ Snake’s latest hit Taki Taki has topped the charts, including Hot Latin Songs, and shows his own musical mastery.
This genre crossover features vocalists of Latinx heritage, like Selena Gomez, Cardi B and Ozuna. Debuting as No. 2 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, it stayed there for two weeks. Tracks like these bringing reggaeton into the mainstream charts of Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, and EDM into Hot Latin Songs may only be the beginning. We may soon see more Latinx producers in the limelight.
More dance music and EDM may end up on Hot Latin Songs, and reggaeton may come to dominate EDM charts. This trend may be the start of a big shift of song rankings and we are here for it. Hopefully momentum from these crossovers will help build Latin music, who right now may be experiencing their own moment.
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