Bad Bunny has won 2 Grammys in the past, so he’s not a newcomer to the Grammy Awards. Still, this year, he broke records when “Un Verano Sin Ti” was nominated for best album of the year, breaking 64 years of Grammy history and becoming the first Spanish album to be considered for the biggest awards of the night.
It’s competing alongside Beyonce’s “Renaissance”, Adele’s “30”, Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House”, and more. How did he do it?
While it’s unlikely for Bad Bunny to take home best album of the year, the importance of this moment cannot be ignored. Bad Bunny’s global notoriety comes in the wake of a bigger and larger understanding of Latin music in the U.S., with listeners of multiple nationalities giving music performed in Spanish a chance. As of a few years ago, the Grammys launched various categories for Spanish-music, showing a glimpse of what the Spanish-musical landscape looks like. These categories, which range from pop to urban to alternative, allow various musicians to shine, expanding the list of nominees.
Bad Bunny’s achievement is something that no other Latin artist has done, no matter their international recognition, a list that includes Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, and more. Bad Bunny’s achievement is due to a combination of factors, including his trajectory and the worldwide growing interest in Spanish music.
Bad Bunny has released five studio albums over the course of his career, with his first, “X 100pre”, establishing him as one of the most progressive and exciting voices in reggaeton, someone who deviated from the standard musicians of the genre.
Bad Bunny has known how to imbue his music with political statements in a time when the world is receptive of these topics. Issues like homophobia, misogyny, and the politics of his home of Puerto Rico have launched him as a millennial and Gen Z icon. He’s achieved a unique level of fame and notoriety that no other reaggaeton artist comes close to. It makes sense then that he’s the first artist performing in Spanish to break the Grammys’ glass ceiling.