The path to his historic nomination parallels the genre’s journey from the Latin explosion of the late 1990s — when artists like Shakira and Ricky Martin broke into mainstream radio with predominantly English-language albums — to the border-expanding generation of Bad Bunny. But it also highlights some flaws in the industry.

“It’s overdue,” said Lila Cobo, Billboard’s chief content officer for Latin. “It’s extraordinary that something in Spanish isn’t nominated every year in one of the main categories.”

After all, the nominations — which honor albums for their artistry — have ousted decades of Latin pop heavyweights including Shakira, Martin and Daddy Yankee. However, in many ways, it makes sense that Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is a barrier-breaking artist.

Before releasing his debut studio album in late 2018, Bad Bunny had already become a mainstay on the Latin charts and entered the Billboard 100 with his smash-hit collaboration “I Like It” with Cardi B and J Balvin.

His debut “X 100pre” established him as a socially conscious artist who spoke out against homophobia, transphobia and misogyny — in a genre that has been criticized for its treatment of women and the LGBT community, no less. After Hurricane Maria devastated his native Puerto Rico, he captures the island’s resilience in “Estamos Bien,” telling the public how the government has failed the more than 3 million U.S. citizens who live there.

Bad Bunny reinforced the same themes on each album, often sampling (or trading bars with) the pioneers that influenced him while making room for newcomers. He has collaborated with reggaeton legends (Daddy Yankee, Ivy Queen, Nicky Jam), breakout talents (Raw Alejandro, Sech, Zay Cortez) and underrated MVPs (El Alpha, Archangel, Tony Dizzy).

Now he has become a global star. He is the first artist to perform exclusively in Spanish to be booked as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live,” where he brought Rosalia to sing a duet. He performed at WrestleMania (“Dreams Come True”). He had a recurring role on Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico,” had a cameo in the Brad Pitt flick “Bullet Train,” and is set to helm an upcoming Marvel film. This spring, he’ll co-headline Coachella with Blackpink and Frank Ocean.

“He’s a great example of what people should aim for,” said reggaeton historian Katelina Eccleston, citing Bad Bunny’s entrepreneurial savvy and creative approach to music-making. “He’s breaking barriers in a way that will hopefully set a tone and a way for the industry to move forward [other artists] At this height.”

So of course, he hit the Grammys as well.

For “Supernatural,” Carlos Santana became the first Latin artist to win album of the year in 2000, nearly 40 years after the Grammys began. The project featured songs in both English and Spanish, performed by a genre-hopping list of collaborators including Lauryn Hill, Eric Clapton, Rob Thomas (Indelibly) and Mexican pop-rock band Mana. The following year, Christina Aguilera received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Pop Album for “Me Reflejo,” a reverse crossover album that embraced the singer’s Ecuadorian heritage.

Just two years later, the Grammys completely ignored “Laundry Service,” Shakira’s iconic crossover project peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and scoring several number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

“I think that’s part of the mentality that was so pervasive in the academy that ‘Latin goes in the Latin category — that’s where that stuff goes,’” Cobo said. “Such a notion [albums in Spanish] May appeal to other people – I don’t think anyone is thinking about it.”

In 2017, Latin pop star Luis Fonsi and rapper Daddy Yankee won the Latin Grammys — taking home four trophies, including record and song of the year — with their catchy pop song “Despacito” reaching No. 1 on the Billboard chart (16 after Canadian crooner Justin Bieber hopped on the remix for one). Matching records for weeks.

“Despacito” was ubiquitous — the undisputed song of the summer (and winter, too) — and earned an equally prestigious nomination at the “Gringo Grammys” (as some in the Latin music community glibly call the English-language ceremony). They lost to Bruno Mars. Nonetheless, it helped set the stage for a new era in which Latin artists no longer needed to sing in English to achieve mainstream success.

At the end of 2017, Daddy Yankee became the first Latino artist to reach No. 1 on Spotify. Performance reflection in a The video was posted on his Twitter accountDaddy Yankee recalls how nobody believed in him when he decided to pursue a reggaeton career in 1992. Two and a half decades later, he told his followers, “This genre called reggaeton is the most listened to in the world.”

“This No. 1 isn’t just about Daddy Yankee,” he added. “It’s all about style.”

Part of the “Despacito” effect was solid proof that Latin artists could compete on the same level as pop mainstays like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. “Numbers don’t lie and neither does consumption,” said longtime promoter Cristina Novo, who works with Anuel, Nicky Jam, ChocQuibTown’s Goyo and Manuel Turizo, among other artists.

By the numbers, no one had a bigger year than Bad Bunny, who was named Billboard’s top artist of 2022 — the first time the honor went to an artist recording primarily in Spanish. “It is not ambiguous. It’s not subjective,” Cobo said. “This is the guy whose music was the most consumed last year in the US – and the whole world.”

And Bad Bunny knows it. On “La Jumpa,” a collaboration with reggaeton vet Archangel, he raps, “I ain’t got no competition — ask your friends. The whole world already knows, so I don’t need to brag,” before listing his listeners (hint: it’s everyone): “Grandpas and their naughty grandchildren, shooters and students, doctors and hooligans, natural and implanted, adults and children. .

It might not be the need Bragging, but he sure can. “Un Verano Sin Ti” debuted at number one on the Hot 200 Albums chart upon its release in May, spending 13 weeks (non-consecutive) at the top spot. It was only the second Spanish-language album to top that chart – also the first Bad Bunny album.

Historically, the music industry “didn’t like reggaeton — it was tolerated,” said reggaeton historian Eccleston. “Reggaeton is loved now because of Bad Bunny,” she said, adding that his political outspokenness makes him a refreshing artist for the ever-evolving genre, since reggaeton’s origins are political.

“To be the bridge between old school and new school, and to do it in all these innovative and fun ways, Bad Bunny has created a spark in the genre that reggaeton lovers like myself have been waiting for a long time,” she said.

Bad Bunny’s historic nomination may be the most prominent example of the Grammys acknowledging the popularity of the Latin genre. But there are other notables who reflect the increasingly global nature of music.

Rosalia, the Catalan purveyor of flamenco-infused pop — whose rapid rise to fame and growing acclaim has sparked controversy by highlighting how easily white artists can experiment with hip-hop genres and be celebrated in ways that black artists rarely are — is Latin rock at its best. Or an alternative album (for her reggaeton-influenced “Motomami”) in a class that also includes Chilean musician Mon Laferte and Afro-Cuban rockers Simafunk.

Amid a visible push for diversity and inclusion, the Recording Academy has added or changed categories in an effort to embrace international styles.

Last year, Bad Bunny took home the inaugural trophy for the best award A musica urbana album, a genre previously conflated with Latin pop. And amid the growing global popularity of Afrobeats, the organization introduced an award for Best World Music Album (renamed Best World Music Album).

But his historic nominations this year are other Latin artists Also Nominee, because all credit on the Grammy record for album of the year goes to the artist. So, for example, Rauw Alejandro, who is credited as a featured artist and songwriter on “Un Verano Sin Ti,” could also win an award — among dozens of collaborators who helped produce the album.

“When a record hits the international stage, everybody comes along — the songwriters who wrote the big smashes, all the musicians who played the instruments on the music, the engineers, the mixers, the producers, they all rise to the occasion. a project,” said Harvey Mason Jr., chief executive of the Recording Academy.

Regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s ceremony — where Bad Bunny will also perform — Latin music will be more visible than ever at the Grammys.

“Bad Bunny is breaking all these records for the entire industry,” Cobo said. “And every time he does that, it opens the door a little more for people to hear music in Spanish.”