From Spotify Charts to U.S. Census Stats, Latin Music Is Dominating the Game
The British Invasion of the 1960s was all cool and stuff, but the latest music craze that gripped the United States was Latin music. Our people are cranking out bops, and the Americans are eating it up.
There are a couple of things to consider with the data because while the music is a total bop and obviously worth listening to, our Latino community continues to grow at big rates. Let’s dig in.
Latin Music is a dominating force in the music industry right now
From Becky G to Cazzu to Bad Bunny and so many more, Latin Music artists are driving major streaming numbers. According to Spotify, Bad Bunny reached the top three spots on the list of the Most-Streamed Artists Globally, proving that Latin Music is breaking into mainstream consciousness.
According to Luminate Data, Latin Music was the decisive winner when it came to growth in On-Demand Audio streaming in 2024. The data shows that Latin Music grew “with +0.51 share points in the first half of 2024, powered by a +15.1% growth in On-Demand Audio streaming volume.”
Luminate Data identifies four artists as the driving force behind this incredible growth: Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma, Fuerza Regida, and Junior H.
One subgenre proved supreme for listeners
A deeper look at the data shows that one key subgenre is driving the most engagement and growth for Latin Music: regional Mexican music. Peso Pluma was the leading artist in Regional Mexican music this year. According to Spotify, he was among the top ten Most-Streamed Latin Artists and seventh on the Most-Streamed Artists Globally list.
The increase in Latin Music in the U.S. can be tied to Latino population growth
For years, we have heard that the Latino population in the U.S. continues to grow. The data shows that the Latino population is not only growing but rapidly becoming a significant demographic.
According to Census Bureau data, the Latino population currently makes up 19.1 percent of the U.S. overall population. This means that 1 in 5 Americans have Latino heritage. By 2060, the Latino population will comprise 26.9 percent of the overall U.S. population. That means that in 2060, 1 in 4 Americans will have Latino heritage.
In the same period, the white non-Latino population will continue declining. Currently, 58.9 percent of the U.S. population comprises white non-Latino people. However, projections show that by 2060, the white non-Latino population is expected to dip to 44.9 percent. In our lifetime, we can see the white non-Latino population slip from being a majority of the country to becoming a majority-minority society.
While this will have implications beyond music tastes and streaming data, it is exciting to see how our community is growing and bringing our culture with us. Our music speaks to our souls. In the words of Abuela Claudia from In the Heights, our music is part of how we “assert our dignity in small ways… little details that tell the world we are not invisible.”
