Reggaeton | |
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Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | Late 1980s in Panama[1][2] Early 1990s in Puerto Rico[3][4] |
Typical instruments | |
Subgenres | |
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Fusion genres | |
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Regional scenes | |
Reggaeton (UK: /ˈrɛɡeɪtoʊn, ˌrɛɡeɪˈtɒn/,[5][6] US: /ˌrɛɡeɪˈtoʊn, ˌreɪɡ-/)[7][8] is a modern style of popular and electronic music that originated in Panama during the late 1980s, and which rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s through a plethora of Puerto Rican musicians.[9][10][11] It has evolved from dancehall, with elements of hip hop, Latin American, and Caribbean music. Vocals include toasting/rapping and singing, typically in Spanish.
Reggaetón, today, is regarded as one of the most popular music genres worldwide;[citation needed] it is the top music genre among the Spanish-speaking Caribbean nations and one of the primary modern genres within the Spanish-language music industry. Seemingly endless artists from the Caribbean have risen to fame (Puerto Rico, Panamá, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Colombia). Argentina has seen a modern surge in young artists inspired by the reggaetón style, fusing their music with Spanish rap verses, trapetón and R&B-style vocals (such as the "Los Del Espacio", including LIT killah, Tiago PZK, Duki, Emilia, and María Becerra, as well as Argentine pop star Tini).
Several established, world-famous performers—notably Puerto Rican-American Jennifer Lopez and Shakira from Colombia—have embraced the style, recording numerous duets and collaborations with top reggaetoneros. Several other emerging international artists are seeing success in the genre as well, including Catalán-Spanish singer Bad Gyal (from Barcelona) and trilingual Brazilian star Anitta (from Rio de Janeiro). Mexican-American singer Becky G (from Los Angeles, California) has experienced huge success in recent years, as a Latino American artist in the reggaetón genre.[12] In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his smash single “Gasolina”, regarded by many as the first globally-successful reggaetón song; Daddy Yankee is credited with bringing the style to western pop music listeners. By the 2010s, the genre had seen increased popularity across Latin America, as well as modern acceptance within mainstream Western music; during the 2010s, several new award categories (focusing on reggaetón and Latin music) were unveiled at various American music awards shows, notably the English-language American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Grammy Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards.[13]