Latino music stars were all over the place in 2023 quite literally. From reggaeton in Colombia to bachata throughout Mexico, musicians transcended borders and genres. And broke records along the way.
It’s no wonder that Shakira was the first South American artist honored with the Video Vanguard Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. Or that, this fall, Bad Bunny became the first Latino singer and actor to host Saturday Night Live since I Love Lucy star Desi Arnaz did so in 1976.
Quite simply, 2023 was a great year for the V.I.P.s of Latino music, reaching many milestones across many platforms.
Here are some of their top triumphs of 2023:
Shakira Winning MTV’s Vanguard Award:
Shakira took the MTV Video Music Awards’ stage and treated us to an epic 10-minute musical journey through her career. She whisked the audience through time with hits like “She Wolf,” “Objection,” and “Whenever.” She also won the Vanguard Award, previously held by legends like Beyoncé, Madonna, and Jennifer Lopez, the only Latina until now.
Grupo Frontera Leading YouTube’s Trending Videos
Grupo Frontera, the Mexican regional group from Edinburg, Texas redefined regional Mexican music and topped YouTube’s Music Chart and Insights list for the United States during the summer of 2023. Twelve Spanish-language songs made the list – with Grupo Frontera’s hit “El Amor De Su Vida” topping the list at No. 1, and its song “QUE VUELVAS” at No. 22.
Peso Pluma Dominating Spotify’s Summer Music Charts
Spotify, one of the leading audio streaming platforms in the world, revealed its “Songs of the Summer 2023” top 20 list. And, Peso Pluma fans have another reason to rejoice. Globally, the artist had “the most-streamed song of the summer.” According to Spotify, three other tracks of Peso Pluma also made it into the global Top 30 list this summer season, including “La Bebe – Remix,” “Peso Pluma: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 55,” and “El Azul.”
Banda El Recodo’s Surpassing 1 Billion Streams on Pandora
Pandora recognized the legendary Banda El Recodo for surpassing over one billion streams on the platform. As a result, the band is now part of Pandora’s Billionaires’ Milestone Program. To celebrate the billion streams, Pandora will highlight its decades-long hits and new single “Al Ver Que Te Vas” in the Latin Billionaires MX station.
Shakira and BZRP’s Breaking 14 Guinness World Records
Shakira’s single, alongside Argentinian DJ and producer Bizarrap, “Music Sessions vol.53,” broke 14 Guinness World records within 24 hours – setting various streaming records. The records that were broken include: First female vocalist to debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 with a Spanish-language track, Most No. 1s on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart by a female artist and First female artist to replace herself at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart.
