

Latin, SpotifyĪntonio Vázquez, head of U.S. Maykol Sanchez, head of artist & label partnerships, LATAM & U.S. Jerry Pullés, Latin music programmer, Apple MusicĪJ Ramos, head of artist partnerships, Latin music and culture, YouTube Music/Google Jennifer Mota, music historian and journalist Julyssa Lopez, senior music editor, Rolling Stone Simon Vozick-Levinson, deputy music editor, Rolling Stone Veronica Bayetti Flores, music journalist Katelina “Gata” Eccleston, reggaeton historian Kat Bouza, senior news editor, Rolling StoneĮcleen Luzmila Caraballo, writer and editor To make our list, we put together a panel of critics, experts, and music industry veterans. We also had input from all corners of the music business. Some people might debate whether a few songs here belong on a reggaeton list however, there were some reggae en español, dembow, and underground rap classics by pioneers such as Nando Boom, El General, and Latin Fresh that were so foundational, we found them impossible to keep off. The reggaeton canon spans decades and continents, and branches into all kinds of music - bachata, EDM, hip-hop, salsa, and so much more. Narrowing down the 100 greatest reggaeton songs of all time was no easy feat. So many songs - whether they’re classic deep cuts from Playero mixtapes, or record-breaking chart-toppers from more recent years - are a reflection of the genre’s complex stories and intricate evolutions. Those sounds thrived in Puerto Rico, in particular, and bloomed in the island’s underground in the Nineties, cross-pollinating with hip hop scenes in New York and eventually erupting across the world. The music has deep roots in Panama, where Black communities in the Eighties and Nineties pioneered reggae en español tracks that traveled across the globe and captured people’s imaginations. The genre also represents a rich cultural history, filled with stories of migration, of resistance, and of celebration. Reggaeton is a global phenomenon and a commercial force that’s changed the Latin music business, despite naysayers, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The genre’s stars are some of the biggest in the industry - Bad Bunny has been the most-streamed artist in the world for two years in a row - and their hits have quickly become international supernovas, played in every country imaginable. No matter how you break it down, reggaeton is one of the most popular styles of music on the planet.
