J Balvin Earns Fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums Chart with “Jose”

Make that four chart-topping albums for J Balvin

The 36-year-old Colombian singer has notched his fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as Jose debuts atop the September 25-dated tally.

J Balvin

The set, released on September 10 via Sueños Globales/Universal Music Latino/UMLE, starts with 27,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week September 16, according to MRC Data.

Jose marks J Balvin’s sixth visit to the all-Latin genre Top Latin Albums chart, all of which have hit the top 10.

The rhythmic singer-songwriter first earned a No. 10 high with La Familia, his first studio album. A trio of No. 1s followed: Energía in 2016, two-week ruler Vibras (2018) and Oasis, with Bad Bunny, the eight-week leader starting July 2019. Colores, his fifth studio album and immediate predecessor to Jose, reached a No. 2 high in April 2020.

As Jose starts with 27,000 overall units, it becomes the second-largest debut week in 2021 after Anuel & Ozuna’s Los Dioses (29,000 in its opening week). In terms of largest week overall this year, Bad Bunny’s El Último Tour del Mundo continues at the helm with 38,000 units.

The 27,000-unit arrival for Jose easily marks Balvin’s best week, by units earned, for a solo album. His previous best week came through Colores‘ first full tracking week on the chart, when it earned 24,000 units on the April 4, 2020-dated chart. (Among all of Balvin’s albums, Oasis, his collaborative effort with Bad Bunny, holds his best week — with its 36,000 unit start on the July 13, 2019-dated chart.)

Out of Jose’s 27,000 units, 25,000 stem from streaming activity which equates to 33.8 million U.S. streams of the set’s tracks. The remainder 2,000-unit sum derives from album sales and track equivalent album units.

As Jose arrives, five of the set’s 24 tracks debut on Hot Latin Songs, which blends airplay, digital sales and streaming data. Let’s take a look:

No. 11, “Una Nota,” with Sech
No. 33, “Te Acuerdas de Mi,” with Yandel
No. 46, “La Venganza,” with Jhay Cortez
No. 48, “Perra,” with Tokischa
No. 49, “Billetes de 100,” with Myke Towers

Eight other tracks preceded the album on the all-metric chart: “Un Día (One Day)” (No. 1 peak and five-time ruler in 2020), “Otra Noche Sin Ti” (No. 5 peak, May 2021), “7 de Mayo” (No. 48 debut and peak (May 22-dated list), “Qué Más Pues?” (No. 14 peak, July 310-dated survey), “Otro Fili” (No. 26 debut and peak (June 26-dated chart), “Poblado (remix),” (No. 11 debut and peak, July 3), “In Da Getto” (peaks at No. 5 on the current chart), “Que Locura” (No. 41 debut and peak, August 28).

Jose concurrently starts at No. 1 on Latin Rhythm Albums and at No. 12 on the overall Billboard 200 chart, his fifth entry there.

Selena Returns to Top 10 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Albums Chart with “Selena: The Series” Soundtrack

Selena is back on the charts…

The late Mexican American singer, known as la Reina de la Musica Tejana, returns to Billboard’s Latin Pop Albums chart dated December 19 with her latest soundtrack Selena: The Series, Music From The Netflix’s Original Series

Selena Quintanilla

It’s Selena’s first entry and Top 10 since 2016 following the former No. 1 greatest hits compilation Lo Mejor De… (April 2016).

As Selena: The Series Soundtrack debuts at No. 8, Selena captures her sixth top 10, dating back to the 44-week ruler Dreaming of You (it debuted at No. 1 in August 1995).

Selena: The Series Soundtrack opens with 1,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Dec. 10, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, most of which stem from streaming activity. The first nine episodes of Selena: The Series premiered on Netflix on December 4.

The Latin Pop Albums chart ranks the most popular Latin pop albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). 

Selena:The Series soundtrack, which was released December 4 via Netflix/Capitol Latin/UMLE, net 1,000 SEA which equates to 1.2 million on-demand U.S. streams for the album’s songs in its opening week.

With The Series arriving in the current chart week, Selena also generates popularity with other efforts. Her last live set, Live, The Last Concert: Houston, Texas 1995, an April 2001 one-week chart ruler, re-enters at No. 7 after previously hitting No. 10 last holiday season.

Concurrently, Selena’s all-time favorite Ones (2002), moves closer to Shakira’s El Dorado’s 63-week No. 1 record holder, holding strong atop the list in its 61st week.

Elsewhere, The Series’s 20-track set sees six of its songs debut or re-enter the Latin Digital Song Sales chart. Let’s take a look:

Rank, Title

No. 4, “Como La Flor”
No. 8, “Baila Esta Cumbia”
No. 10, “Que Creías” (debut)
No. 19, “Besitos” (debut)
No. 21, “La Carcacha”
No. 24, “Dame Un Beso” (debut)

Luis Fonsi’s “Vida” Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums Chart

Luis Fonsiis celebrating his vida’s success…

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican singer is back at the top of Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart after nearly eight years. 

Luis Fonsi

He debuts at No. 1 on the list dated February 16 with his 10th studio album Vida, earning him his third No. 1 and first since Tierra Firmespent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 in July 2011.

Vida, which was released February 1 via Universal Music Latino/UMLE, opens with 22,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending February 7, according to Nielsen Music, with 16,000 of those comprising album sales. 

Vida earns the biggest week for a Latin pop album since Shakira‘s El Doradolaunched at No. 2 with 29,000 units on the June 24, 2017-dated tally. 

Vida also logs the biggest sales week for any Latin album since Romeo Santos’ Goldenbowed with 26,000 in its premiere frame (August 12, 2017).

Vidais the culmination of many achieved dreams and goals,” Luis Fonsi tells Billboard.“The celebration of being alive and breaking boundaries through music. I thank each and every one who collaborated in this project, and above all, I thank my audience deeply for being part of my life.”

Vida’s first week was boosted by sales at Fonsi’s shows in Dallas (February 4) and San Diego (February 5), where CDs were available to purchase at merch stands at the venue. Luis Fonsi also generated sales alongside a performance at The Mall of San Juanin Puerto Rico (February 2) and an appearance at the Mayagüez Mall(February 3) in Mayagüez, also in Puerto Rico.

Concurrently, Vidadebuts at No. 18 on the Billboard 200chart; his second-highest-charting album ever, behind only 2008’s Palabras de Silencio (which debuted and peaked at No. 15 on September 13, 2008). Vidaalso notches the highest debut by a Latin album since Ozuna’s Aura(No. 7, September 8, 2018).

Jenn Morel Signs Joint Venture with Aftercluv & Universal Latino

It’s a new deal for Jenn Morel

The 26-year-old Dominican singer and songwriter, who is starting to make a name for herself in the music industry, has signed a joint venture with Aftercluv and Universal Latino, according to Billboard.

Jenn Morel

The LA-based singer got her start in the music business as a professional dancer in videos for DrakeNicki Minaj and Trey Songz. In 2017, she kicked off her singing career with the catchy song “Ponteme,” which made her a hot new artist in Europe, especially in Italy, where she had several sold-out events.

Now, with the mission of taking her music to an international level, Morel has signed a joint venture with Aftercluv, the dance entertainment division of Universal Music Latin America that has artists like Raymix and Juan Magan.

Both labels firmly believe in a long-term career for Jenn and will work together to bring music lovers a multicultural project that will progressively develop in two worlds: Latin and Anglo.

“I am very happy to have the full support of UMLE,” she said in a press statement. “I feel safe with the unique vision and structure that this union brings between Aftercluv and Universal Latino and I am super excited for everything that is to come.”

Currently, Morel is working on a “Ponteme” remix and an EP with new music.

Enrique Iglesias Agrees to Publishing Deal with Kobalt Music

Enrique Iglesias is celebrating a new deal…

The 42-year-old Spanish superstar has signed a publishing deal with Kobalt Music that includes his existing catalog, as well as future works, according to Billboard.

Enrique Iglesias

The deal encompasses Iglesias’ massive global hits like “Bailando,” which he co-wrote, as well as hits from his early romantic ballad days on indie Fonovisa.

All told, Iglesias has notched 38 top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, a record surpassed only by Luis Miguel, who has 39. Iglesias has nabbed 18 top 10s since 2005.

“Enrique is one of the biggest global artists ever, so it is an honor that he has chosen Kobalt to support him in both creative and global admin services,” said Kobalt Music founder & CEO Willard Ahdritz in a statement. “He is an amazing singer, songwriter and producer with an extraordinary capacity to write in Spanish and English. The potential for his new music is massive and we’re excited to support him.”

Iglesis was previously signed to Sony ATV, but his contract there expired over a year ago, sources say. By signing to Kobalt, he follows in the footsteps of another major Latin star, Carlos Vives, who signed to Kobalt through its Latin division in October of 2016.

“It is a privilege to work with Enrique, a great human being and extraordinary artist whom I admire,” said Kobalt president of Latin America, Nestor Casonu. “Since the start of his career, he has consistently topped charts all over the world due to his great capacity to work, engage with his fans, as well as the respect and care he gives to the creative process of his songs.

Iglesias is currently signed as a recording artist to Sony Music Latin, where he went in 2015 after being a Universal Music Group (UMG) artist since 1999 (prior to Universal, Iglesias was signed to indie Fonovisa, which was later acquired by UMLE).

Last month, Iglesias accused UMG of “systematically underpaying” his streaming royalties in a lawsuit filed in a Miami federal court.

According to the suit, Iglesias has sought to inspect Universal’s bookkeeping after receiving what is described as a “small fraction” of his 50 percent royalty rate for streaming.

The artist and his legal team believe UMG’s “improper accounting” has resulted in a shortfall running in the millions of dollars, and is demanding the court enforce his streaming rate and force the label to pay lost royalties.

Rosé Makes Billboard History as “Niña de Mi Corazon” Reaches No. 1 on Tropical Songs Chart

He may be a teenager, but Karlos Rosé is already making music history…

At 18 years old, the Dominican Bachata singer becomes the youngest artist to log three No. 1s on Billboard’s Tropical Songs chart as “Niña de Mi Corazon” soars 12-1.

Karlos Rosé

Rosé beats Leslie Grace, who notched two chart-toppers before she was 19.

Rosé first topped the list in 2012 with “Just the Way You Are” and then in 2013 with “Infiel.

“Niña de Mi Corazon” tallied 594 spins at the format for the week, an 85 percent increase in detections, according to Nielsen BDS.

The track is Rosé’s first single to be released under Machete Music/UMLE, and will appear on his upcoming album, due early 2015.