Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio at the premiere of “Caught Stealing” at Regal Union Square on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in New York.
2025 Invision
Global superstar Bad Bunny will be honored as Billboard’s Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century during the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards. The announcement comes as buzz continues around his selection as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show headliner.
The Puerto Rican artist’s albums and singles have repeatedly topped Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and Hot Latin Songs charts, often with multiple tracks debuting simultaneously in upper positions. That unprecedented performance has set a new standard for Latin music and earned him the special recognition.
Streaming Dominance
Bad Bunny’s influence extends well beyond traditional metrics. Spotify named him the platform’s most-streamed artist worldwide for three consecutive years. He currently boasts more than 80 million monthly streams, a three million increase from last week.
His popularity keeps soaring. Bad Bunny’s streams jumped 26% in the United States following his Super Bowl halftime show announcement, according to Luminate data reported by the Associated Press. The singer’s on-demand streams rose from 173 million in the nine days before the September 28 announcement to 218.5 million in the eight days after.
He holds multiple records, including most videos in YouTube’s Billion Views Club and highest-grossing tour in a single year. He also became the first Spanish-language act to headline Coachella.
Bad Bunny performs live during “No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí; Una Más” Residencia at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on September 20, 2025 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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His final Puerto Rico residency show, “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí,” became the most-watched single-artist performance in Amazon Music history through its global livestream.
A three-time Grammy winner, he recently won several awards at Premios Juventud and picked up 12 Latin Grammy nominations.
Cultural Impact
The artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has expanded his influence beyond music into fashion and film. He co-chaired the Met Gala and led campaigns for major global brands. His acting projects with acclaimed directors have reinforced his position as a crossover cultural figure.
He recently appeared on the October 1 cover of Billboard and 13 global editions as part of an exclusive interview conducted at Puerto Rico’s Coliseo.
Bad Bunny also hosted Saturday Night Live’s season premiere on October 4, doubling down on his roots and cultural identity by speaking some Spanish during his monologue. It was his third appearance on the show this year. He was the musical guest for the SNL 50th anniversary special and the season finale.
The 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards ceremony will broadcast live on Telemundo October 23 at 8 pm ET / 7pm CT from Miami’s James L. Knight Center. The show will also stream on the Telemundo App and Peacock, with international coverage on Telemundo Internacional throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
The awards ceremony caps Billboard Latin Music Week, running October 20-24 in Miami. The industry event features performances, conversations, workshops and showcases leading up to the main awards show.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/veronicavillafane/2025/10/09/billboard-names-bad-bunny-top-latin-artist-of-the-21st-century/
