J Balvin to Release New Album, “Rayo,” This August

Posted on July 11, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

J Balvin will be catching some rayos this summer…

The 39-year-old Colombian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer has announced plans to release his upcoming new album, titled Rayo, on August 9.

Balvin’s 15-track LP includes collaborations with Feid, Chencho Corleone, Bad Gyal and Carín León, among others.

The set will follow the hitmaker’s Grammy-nominated Jose released three years ago, which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart for three weeks.

Overall, Balvin has placed four No. 1 sets on the tally since 2016, including Energía, Vibras and Oasis, his 2019 joint album with Bad Bunny.

As with all his previous albums, this one also started with a name before even recording any of the songs included. “My albums have always started with their names,” he previously told Billboard. “That way, we let ourselves be guided by the vibe.” The singer-songwriter also shared that London was a major source of inspiration for the set, specifically its nightclub scene, where he and his team would play demos sometimes. “We wanted to see fan reaction, and it was amazing,” he teased.

According to a press release, Rayo is an expression of “earnest need for human connection that drove Balvin to create an album that feels more like a house party than a collection of songs.”

On this new album, he blends elements of reggeatón with electronic pop and dembow, the statement further adds.

In April, Balvin performed a riveting sci-fi-inspired headlining set at Coachella, where he sang his biggest anthems to date, including hits recent hits such as the Tainy-produced “Colmillo” and “Dientes.”

Some of his surprise guests included Jowell & Randy, De La Ghetto and Will Smith.

The new album announcement coincides with Balvin’s new single “Gaga” in collaboration with Saiko. The Keityn and L.e.x.v.z.-produced track dropped on Thursday (July 11).

Here’s the Rayo tracklist:

“Cosa de Locos”
“Polvo de tu Vida” featuring Chencho Corleone
“Swat” featuring Luar La L
“Bajo y Batería”
“Doblexxó” featuring Feid
“3 Noches”
“Gaga” featuring Saiko
“Gato” featuring Bad Gyal
“Lobo” featuring Zion
“La Noche” featuring Dei V
“Origami” featuring Ryan Castro and Blessd
“Sólido”
“Stoker” featuring Carin León
“Ganster”
“En Alta” featuring Omar Courtz, Yovngchimi, Quevedo, Mambo Kingz, DJ Luian

Young Miko Teaming Up with Bizarrap for New Single “Music Session, Vol. 58”

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Young Miko is readying for a high-profile music session…

The 25-year-old Puerto Rican rapper, singer-songwriter and former footballer is teaming up with Bizarrap for one of the producer’s popular music sessions.

Young Miko and the Argentine producer recently announced their collaboration on Instagram.

The pair revealed that the song will arrive Wednesday, January 10.

It’s the first time the pair has joined forces for a track.

Young Miko joins an impressive roster of artists — including Shakira, Peso Pluma, Quevedo and Milo J — who’ve jumped on one of Bizarrap’s zealously streamed music sessions.

His collab with Shakira broke numerous records, including earning a staggering 14 Guinness World Records with her “Music Session, Vol. 53,” and a No. 3 spot on Billboard‘s 100 Best Songs of 2023. It also soared on multiple Billboard charts, including Latin Pop Airplay, where it spent 12 weeks at No. 1, and peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200.

The new song will follow Young Miko’s reggaetón banger “Señorita” also starring Wisin, and the club hit “Colmillo,” on which she paired up with superstars Tainy and J Balvin as well as genre pioneers Jowell & Randy.

Young Miko is set to perform in Mexico, making stops in Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City starting on March 15.

Last year, the wordsmith, who was formerly a tattoo artist, landed on Billboard Latin and Español‘s 50 Best Spanish-language Rappers of All Time; she was also Billboard‘s Latin Rookie of the Year.

During Billboard Latin Music Week 2023, Young Miko joined an all-star roster of Latin female artists — including GALE, Maria Becerra, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole and Kany García — for a panel dubbed Boys Club No More.

“Classy 101,” her 2023 collaboration with Feid, landed at 99 on the Hot 100.

Enrique Iglesias & Influence Media Partners Agree to Major Partnership Deal

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Enrique Iglesias has a new influence…

The 48-year-Spanish superstar and Influence Media Partners have agreed to a major partnership deal.

Influence and Iglesias have partnered on the rights management of his pre-2021 recorded music rights, according to a press release, including his independent masters and his Universal recorded music royalties, along with name, image and likeness (NIL) rights to expand future licensing opportunities for the singer.

This marks the first NIL deal for Influence Media, which last year partnered with Black Rock and Warner Music Group for funding and infrastructure.

“My songs hold immense significance for both my fans and me,” Iglesias said in a statement. “I’m excited to be working with the Influence Media team. I feel confident we will build an enduring partnership for my music and future projects.”

“Enrique is a global icon and having him as a part of our Influence Media family is a game-changing moment for us,” added Lylette Pizarro, Influence Media founder/co-managing partner. “For a quarter of a century, he has captivated fans globally with chart-topping and record-breaking hits. From ‘Experiencia Religiosa’ to ‘Hero’ and ‘Bailando’ to ‘I Like It’ and ‘Be With You,’ there are few artists who come close to accomplishing what Enrique has achieved commercially. He has played a pivotal role in introducing bilingual music to the masses. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with one of the most recognizable figures in modern music.”

“It has been an honor to be part of Enrique’s team for more than two decades,” said John Branca, partner/head of music at Ziffren Brittenham, who represented Iglesias in the deal. “As the most successful Latin artist of all time he is also one of the most accomplished and beloved artists of his generation. Enrique was highly selective in choosing a partner with whom he will enhance his already monumental legacy.”

With a career that spans over three decades, Iglesias is one of the first Spanish-language acts to successfully cross over into the English-language market. He has placed five top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “I Like It,” “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)” and “Hero.” He’s also placed three top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 (Escape, Euphoria and Sex And Love) and 27 No. 1 hits on the Hot Latin Songs chart.

Currently on the U.S. Trilogy Tour with Pitbull and Ricky Martin, Iglesias most recently scored his eighth No. 1 on the Tropical Airplay chart with his bachata collab “Así Es La Vida” with Maria Becerra. He is set to drop his new album, Final Vol. 2, next year.

Influence Media previously acquired the commercially-released master recording catalog of Blake Shelton for his 2001-2019 output, Future’s song publishing catalog and Puerto Rican songwriter-producer Tainy’s song publishing catalog from 2005-2021, among other investments.

Bad Bunny Becomes First Artist to Spend 100 Weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Songwriters Chart

Posted on November 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is making songwriter history…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar becomes the first person to spend 100 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s latest Latin Songwriters chart dated November 25.

He continues his record-setting run thanks to 14 writing credits on the latest Hot Latin Songs chart, including “Monaco,” which tallies a fifth week at No. 1.

Here’s a look at all of Bad Bunny’s songwriting credits on the latest November 25-dated Hot Latin Songs chart.

Rank, Artist Billing, Title:
No. 1, Bad Bunny, “Monaco”
No. 5, Bad Bunny & Feid, “Perro Negro”
No. 11, Bad Bunny, “Un Preview”
No. 12, Bad Bunny & Young Miko, “Fina”
No. 16, Bad Bunny, “Where She Goes”
No. 22, Drake ft. Bad Bunny, “Gently”
No. 28, Bad Bunny, “Baby Nueva”
No. 29, Bad Bunny, “Mr. October”
No. 30, Bad Bunny & Mora, “Hibiki”
No. 33, Bad Bunny, “Cybertruck”
No. 38, Bad Bunny & Bryant Myers, “Seda”
No. 40, Bad Bunny & Luar La L, “Telefono Nuevo”
No. 43, Bad Bunny & YONVNGCHIMI, “Mercedes Carota”
No. 47, Bad Bunny, “No Me Quiero Casar”

“Monaco” is Bad Bunny’s 14th career No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs (the fourth-most of all time), and his eighth to spend five-or-more weeks on top.

Across Billboard’s 13 weekly songwriter charts, Bad Bunny is just the second artist to spend 100 or more weeks at No. 1. Kirk Franklin, who has led Gospel Songwriters for 121 weeks, tallied his 100th week at No. 1 in March.

Reaching 100 weeks atop any of Billboard’s 13 producer charts is just as rare. Only two producers have achieved the feat: Joey Moi, with 122 weeks atop Country Producers, and Tainy, with 119 frames at No. 1 on Latin Producers.

Billboard launched the Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts, as well as genre-specific rankings for country, rock & alternative, R&B/hip-hop, R&B, rap, Latin, Christian, gospel and dance/electronic, in June 2019, while alternative and hard rock joined in 2020, along with seasonal holiday rankings in 2022. The charts are based on total points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song that appears on the Billboard Hot 100. The genre-based songwriter and producer charts follow the same methodology based on corresponding “Hot”-named genre charts. As with Billboard’s yearly recaps, multiple writers or producers split points for each song equally (and the dividing of points will lead to occasional ties on rankings).

Bad Bunny Extends Record for Most Top 10 Tracks on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart with “Un Preview”

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny has extended his lead…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar has extended his top 10 record on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart to 63 top 10s with “Un Preview,” as the song debuts at No. 8 on the October 7-dated list.

After Bad Bunny dropped the Tainy, MAG and La Paciencia-produced track on his WhatsApp channel as a look of what’s coming in 2024, the song debuted in the upper region fueled almost entirely by streams.

According to Luminate, “Un Preview” registered 7.6 million official U.S. streams in its first four days of activity as it was released September 25 — four days after the launch of the September 22 tracking week (ending September 28).

The 7.6 million streams in its first week yields a No. 5 start on Latin Streaming Songs, also for his record-extending 68th top 10 on the streaming list.

Sales, meanwhile, concurrently assist “Un Preview’s” high start on the multimetric tally: It sold 1,000 downloads, enough for a No. 2 start on Latin Digital Song Sales.

Bad Bunny ups his top 10 career count to 63 on Hot Latin Songs, way ahead of Enrique Iglesias and Luis Miguel, who are tied for second place with 39 top 10s.

As Bad Bunny continues to lap the competition, here’s the scoreboard for the artists with the most top 10s on Hot Latin Songs since the chart launched in 1986:

63, Bad Bunny
39, Enrique Iglesias
39, Luis Miguel
37, Daddy Yankee
35, J Balvin
35, Shakira
29, Chayanne
29, Cristian Castro
29, Ozuna

Further, “Un Preview” debuts at No. 37 on Billboard Global 200 with 26.3 million streams worldwide, while logs 18.8 million outside the U.S. for a No, 42 on Global Excl. U.S.

Bad Bunny Releases New Single “Un Preview”

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Bunny is offering a preview…

The 29-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning superstar has released his new single, the reggaetón banger “Un Preview.”

On the track, Bad Bunny is smitten, singing about a girl that has him head over heels.

“Baby, I’m no longer scared of tasting you and falling in love again … we’re crazy at the club, I get closer to you dancing, and I kiss your neck, with you, I’ll deal with fire.”

At the beginning of the music video, which has a cowboy aesthetic, Bad Bunny explains that this song, as its name would suggest, is just a preview of what’s to come. “Ven acá,” he begins. “I’ll give you a preview of what will come after.” He expanded on that message on his WhatsApp channel where he wrote: “This is possibly the last song I release this year. It’s a little preview of what’s to come next year.”

Bad Bunny officially confirmed the release date of his new song on Sunday, when he posted a 17-second snippet and wrote in Spanish, “In case you like it and are interested to know, [the song] comes out tomorrow Monday at 8 p.m. Puerto Rico time.”

“Un Preview,” produced by Tainy and La Paciencia, comes on the heels of Bunny’s “Where She Goes,” which he released in May. The Jersey Club-inspired beat (a hybrid of house and hip-hop) reached No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and Latin Airplay charts.

Earlier this year, Bunny also teamed up with Grupo Frontera on “un x100to,” which marked his first time dipping his toes in the norteño-cumbia realm. The song earned Grupo Frontera its highest debut on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, entering at No. 3 on the April 29-dated ranking, and later hitting No. 1 on both the Latin Airplay chart and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.

Bad Bunny is a 15-time finalist at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which are set to take place on Thursday, October 5. He is up for artist of the year, tour of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year and Global 200 Latin song of the year for “Titi Me Preguntó.”

Netflix Releases First Trailer for Tyler Dean Flores’ Reggaeton-Themed Comedy Series “Neon”

Posted on September 1, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Tyler Dean Flores is gassed up for his next project…

The first trailer has been released for Netflix’s reggaeton-themed series Neon, starring the 25-year-old Nuyorican actor, ahead of is October 19 premiere.

From creators Shea Serrano and Max Searle, Neon follows three friends in Miami as they hustle their way to making it big in the world of reggaeton. The eight-episode comedy captures not only the three besties’ larger-than-life dreams but also the harsh realities and funny mishaps of surviving the music industry.

Flores plays Santi, a rising reggaeton artist who, with the help of his friends Ness (Emma Ferreira), Felix (Jordan Mendoza), and A&R rep Mia (Courtney Taylor), hopes to become the biggest star in reggaeton—or at least pay his rent.

Daddy Yankee, a pioneer of the musical genre, executive produces the series and makes an appearance.

Genesis Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Jhayco, Santiago Cabrera and Jowell are also among the Season 1 guest stars.

Neon co-creator Max Searle serves as showrunner.

In addition to Yankee, the series is executive produced by Serrano and Searle, alongside SB Projects and Anne Clements.

Executive music producers include Tainy, Lex Borrero, Ivan Rodriguez, from Ntertain and Neon16, and collectively known as Tainy & One Six. One Six of Neon16 and Ntertain, and Joe Rodriguez and Javier Nuno of Indice are music producers. Jordan Mendoza served as consulting producer; Miguel Nolla, Wally Baram and Frances Lausell produce.

RMAND Among Emerging Latin Artists Taking Part in NFL, Neon16 & Ntertain Content Series

Posted on August 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

RMAND is getting in the game…

The Dominican singer from Netflix’s reality music competition show La Firma is among the emerging Latin artists will join NFL Latino players in an upcoming content series as part of a special partnership between the National Football League, Neon16 and Ntertain Studios for the 2023 season.

The deal also includes new music releases that will comprise of a new volume for the next Por La Cultura mixtape.

NFL’s season-long campaign Por La Cultura will continue to spotlight Latin players, coaches and staff members to celebrate Latin excellence while telling their own stories of the community.

“Music is a leading passion point for Latinos, and we feel this partnership is an ideal platform for celebrating our Latino players and connecting more deeply with our fans,” said Javier Farfan, cultural strategist at the NFL, in a press release. “This content series brings together the commonalities of artists and athletes and their inspirational stories from humble beginnings, as they reach the top of their careers and their goal of stardom. Working with Ntertain and Neon16 allows us to authentically tell these stories with the creative vision of tastemakers at the forefront of Latino culture, music and entertainment.”

By showcasing current NFL Latino players and emerging Neon 16 music artists, the series aims to highlight the diversity and inclusivity of the NFL while celebrating the shared passion for music and football.

“We loved the concept of having our artists collaborate with Latino NFL players to create something as unique as an original song,” added Lex Borrero, co-founder and CEO of Ntertain and Neon16. “While both share Latino heritage, we know that artists and athletes also share a common drive to succeed, the talent to shine and the work ethic to thrive in their respective careers. Unifying these traits and the mutual love and respect for music has led to some incredible art that we can’t wait to share with fans this season.”

This season, the team-up will create original songs and music videos that reflects Latino NFL players and the artist’s shared passion for music, football, and community.

The first one “#0B,” an energetic electronic banger by RMAND, draws inspiration from the artist’s experience working with Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver Braxton Berrios, who is of Puerto Rican descent and wears the number zero.

“0B” is slated to release on the third week of the NFL regular season, leading up to the Miami Dolphins Latino Heritage Month game and home opener on September 24th.

Another player and artist collaboration will drop later in the season, joining the RMAND and Berrios song as this season’s Por La Cultura mixtape.

Furthermore, the NFL Shop commercial for this year will also feature RMAND as well as Neon16’s Alex Ponce and Nashy-Nashai; the commercial’s score will be done by the label. Neon16 will also produce four exclusive tracks for the NFL and its 32 clubs to use as part of their soundtrack for the upcoming season.

“With more than 31 million NFL fans in the United States, there is no doubt that Latinos continue to fall in love with the sport of football every day,” said Marissa Solis, NFL SVP global brand and consumer marketing. “We want to inspire Latinos with the lyrics and melodies created by these talented NEON16 artists in the same way they get excited for a perfectly executed pass and catch for a touchdown. This partnership unifies the heroes of stage and sport through their common bond as Latinos representing ‘por la cultura.’”

Last year, the NFL and Neon16 announced their 10-track debut Por La Cultura Mixtape: Vol. 1, featuring El Alfa, Will.I.Am., Yandel, Snow Tha Product, Anthony Ramos, Trueno and more, and beats by producers Albert Hype, Jodosky and Chael.

The NFL, Ntertain, and Neon16 partnership kicked off in 2021, when Latin artists Jodosky, Kris Floyd and Álvaro Díaz were invited guests of the NFL League.

This collaboration is one of the NFL’s ambitious plan to go all in on Latin music and its growing fanbase.

Last year, J Balvin became the first Latin headliner to perform for the league’s yearly free Kickoff Concert. Last November, the NFL also recruited Tijuana superstars Grupo Firme to perform at the halftime show for its annual Mexico City game, featuring the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.

https://twitter.com/rmandofficial/status/1692599481785540957

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

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

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.

On 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.

Tainy Named Executive Music Producer on SB Project’s Reggaeton Series “Neon”

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Tainy is ready to light up SB Project’s Neon series…

The 33-year-old Puerto Rican Grammy-winning reggaeton record producer and songwriter, along with Lex Borrero and Ivan Rodriguez – all from Ntertain and Neon16, collectively known as Tainy & One Six, will serve as executive music producers on Neon.

The group is writing and producing original songs for the series.

The music supervisors are One Six of Neon16 and Ntertain, and Joe Rodriguez and Javier Nuno of Indice.

Deadline also exclusively revealed in May the addition of reggaeton pioneer Daddy Yankee as an executive producer, who will also cameo in the series.

The eight-episode series set to premiere later this year focuses on three friends who move from a small town in Florida to Miami with the hopes of making it big in the world of reggaeton. The show chronicles not only their larger-than-life dreams but the harsh comic realities of attempting to make it in the music industry.

Tyler Dean Flores plays Santi, a budding reggaeton artist who, with the help of his friends, Ness (Emma Ferreira) and Felix (Jordan Mendoza) and A&R rep, Mia (Courtney Taylor) hopes to become the biggest reggaeton star in the world—or at least make rent.

Neon was co-created by Shea Serrano and Max Searle, who also serves as showrunner. The series is executive produced by Serrano, Searle, alongside Scooter Braun, James Shin and Scott Manson for SB Projects, Anne Clements and Daddy Yankee.

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