The Best Spanish-Language Songs of 2024

San Pedro Bonfim’s latest LP Corazón de Guagua is an ambitious study in Andean songwriting traditions and spoken word theatrics, where the fluttering title track stands out as a paean to the disarming power of love. But while the Ecuadorian troubadour concedes to romance, his affections extend to territory and ancestry, drawing parallels with the delicate eco-diversity of South America and weaving percussive samba nods to his family’s Brazilian origins. —R.V.

“Igual Que un Ángel,” Kali Uchis’ turn toward dreamy disco pop, was a surprise even for an artist who’s down to experiment with most sounds and genres. She practically coos the lyrics, about a woman owning her autonomy, juxtaposing the strength of the message with an air-light touch. Then there’s another unexpected moment: Mexican crooner Peso Pluma slides in for a verse, his gravelly voice suddenly soft and silk-smooth. Their quick chemistry might be why the song made the Top 10 of Billboard‘s Global 200 earlier this year. —J.L.

Latin dreampop had a big moment in 2024, and indie artists like csndra are a huge part of why. The Atalnta-based singer of Puerto Rican roots released her debut EP, Lovers Club, Vol. I, this year and its lead single “cuida” quickly became a fan favorite. Her airy singing, coupled with the mellow production and charming puppy love lyrics, transport you to a simpler time when scribbling your crushes’ name a hundred times over in a notebook was reasonable. And after hearing the song enough, you might ask yourself why something so wholesome was left in the past. —J.A.

Rauw Alejandro’s new LP, Cosa Nuestra, is a treasure trove of songs that could make this list. But “Tú Con Él,” his cover of the Frankie Ruiz salsa classic, stands out as one that checks all the marks: it exemplifies his album’s stated goal of channeling old school Latin culture, it gives him an opportunity to present his range in an undeniable way, and it can attract reggaeton agnostics who still resist the idea that these artists are genuinely talented. It’s a passionate statement track that doubles as an early victory lap, and he earns all of it. —J.A.

Over the last few years, Mexican cumbia legends Los Ángeles Azules have strengthened the impact of their cumbias sonideras by fusing their traditional roots with modern pop productions and lyrics while tapping artists of the moment. This year, Argentine star Emilia joined the cumbia group on “Perdonartre, ¿Para Qué?,” delivering the sass of her own pop sound on the electro-cumbia: “Forgive you? For what? So that you can fail me again?” she questions. “No, thank you.” After corridos took over in 2023, could 2025 be the year of the cumbia? —T.M.

This year, Venezuelan pop and alt-R&B singer Irepelusa released her sophomore album, IRENE ALEJANDRA. She called it her most personal work yet, and songs like “TE AMÉ TEMPRANOp-k8u” show why. Teaming up with Colombian artist Esteman, they trade verses, waxing about the anxiety of suspecting something is wrong in a relationship and the dread that comes with that knowledge. Wrapped in a lively and danceable pop beat, the earnest lyrics take on a new color that fends off melancholy. It’s a fantastic use of pop as a medium, and a showcase of one of LatAm’s underrated best at it. —J.A.

Boza has long stood out as one of Panama’s most melodic crooners, and he had a chance to smooth his suave image out even more on the playful “Orion,” which took over the charts this year. Partway through the track, Elena Rose — the singer and songwriter who has become a secret weapon in the Latin music industry — chimes in with crystal clear vocals, and the two artists basically just charm listeners for four straight minutes with their chemistry and easygoing energy. —J.L.

Shakira channeling her Nineties rock-era energy was not on anyone’s 2024 bingo card, but we sure as hell will take it. On the track off her 12th LP, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, the Colombian singer taps into the angsty soundscapes of her classic 1998 album, Dónde Están los Ladrones?, for an exquisite pop-rock moment. Shakira proclaims, “Life’s a bitch,” before using this grungy cut to essentially say “Fuck it” and remind herself and her listeners to seize the moment, no matter how, where, or when. —M.G.

‘Uwu^^’ happened almost by accident. Rusowsky mistakenly sent BB Trickz a sparse, hazy track that he wasn’t even thinking about releasing. BB Trickz loved it and helped develop the song, making use of Rusowsky’s muted vocals and a quieter side of her rap abilities. The song ended up being one of this winter’s most heart-bruised moments, tracing two people getting locked into a complicated love affair. (“And I’m spending hours with her/While my girlfriend is crying,” Rusowsky sings.) BB Tricks steps in with a verse about how much the whole thing sucks: “And it hurts a lot more because you’re my friend/Don’t talk to me about love, my heart is cold.” —J.L.

Myke Towers and Bad Bunny have been frequent collaborators throughout the years. But “Adivino” is their most unexpected link-up yet, starting with the song’s dark, dubby production and thudding electronic beat, thanks to work from producers Cruz, Eiby, Finesse, Jarom Su’a, and Tainy. From there, Bad Bunny and Towers keep things unpredictable: Bad Bunny charges in and throws some cryptic lines about an old relationship that instantly got the internet wondering who he was referring to, while Towers goes hard on his verses, even rapping a few lines in English. —J.L.

Alex Anwandter puts a spotlight on pure desire on the dancefloor. “Give me what you want,” he pleads on “Gaucho.” “Can’t you see I’m desperate?” The Chilean pop prince sings to his masculine horseman muse on the Eighties disco-house-inspired track, juxtaposing the rough image of the man he loves with the song’s bright, electric melodies. “I know you have a secret you want to tell me,” he insists. “At dusk you prefer me.” —T.M.

“Tu Boda” delivered some of the most colorful lyrics in música mexicana this year. On the track, Óscar Maydon and JOP’s heartbreak is so intense that they’re thinking of going Romeo & Juliet on a girl who’s ready to marry someone else. Written by El Chachito, Maydon sings, “One hundred guests, and everyone will have to watch that our love will go to the afterlife.” Backed by melancholic sierreño requinto strums, Maydón and Fuerza Régida come to terms with the lost love by the end of the relatable song. For Maydon, “Tu Boda” continued his epic 2024 filled with star-building collabs. —T.M.

For Quevedo, his album Buenas Noches was meant to capture late-night celebrations and late-night thoughts and longing, and no song on the LP did that as well as the title track. Easily one of the best songs in his catalogue, it’s a tender rumination on life before fame and how Quevedo feels like he wants to be two places at once: He dreams of being back home on the Canary Islands with someone who means a lot to him, but his mind also races as he thinks about the demands of his career. All of it is down over a sparkling beat that doesn’t fall into melodrama; in fact, the contrast of how upbeat the song is makes it even more poignant. —J.L.

On “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” — which translates to “If I Had Met You Before” — Karol G pays homage to the Dominican Republic in an uplifting, wistful merengue. Inspired by her time in the country while recording last year’s Mañana Sera Bonito, the song talks about a deeply personal missed connection, with the retrospection of someone who came out on the other side with a newfound maturity. “What would have been, if I had met you before?” she asks, as the song builds layer by layer, culminating in a joyous and communal refrain. —R.C.

Hedonism made a glorious return in 2024 — and leading the charge was Argentine club queen Six Sex with the deliciously horny Satisfire EP. Its strobing centerpiece, “4 NoviosS,” is a King Doudou-produced slice of nasty girl techno about using and losing suitors at the bat of a lash. But it was the music video’s spin class turned rave that sent the track stratospheric, delivering sweaty, glitter-spackled camp for a new generation of revelers. —R.V.

Latino artists have always been overlooked in classic soul, R&B, and funk but recent acts like The Sinseers and Los Yesterdays have made significant inroads with fans. 54 Ultra’s silky “Heaven Knows” snuck in under the radar this summer and wowed listeners with its authentic sound and undeniably catchy Spanglish lyrics. The son of Dominican and Puerto Rican parents, 54 Ultra stands out with his smooth-voiced vocals, inviting old and young listeners to embrace the timeless energy of the track. The accompanying music video makes it clear what era he’s aiming for, and he hits the mark perfectly. —J.A

Venezuelan acts Rawayana and Akapellah doubled their star power by teaming up for the vibrant “Veneka,” a song that went viral almost as soon as a tiny snippet was shared on social media. The track puts Akapellah’s smooth flow on display while deploying the ultra-colorful sound that’s made Rawayana a breakout favorite recently. The song keeps things lighthearted by celebrating Venezuelan women, but its upbeat message of pride and beauty became all the more poignant after a complex and difficult year in the country. —J.L.

2024 ushered an exciting new age of Dominican electronic music with boundary pushing gems of techno, ambient, and jerk. But producer and animator Adriel.sfx managed to cut through the stylized noise with a series of singles colliding future funk nostalgia and glitchy asymmetry. “Euforia Checkpoint” is a throbbing, psychedelic Internet collage that manipulates jittery breakbeats and anime samples, defying SoundCloud hashtags while banking on pure, unabashed fun. —R.V.

Letón Pé has been one of the most imaginative rising stars out of the Dominican Republic, and “¿Cuándo Se Va’ir El Calor?” is another showstopper that introduces the world to a sound she coined “demvogue.” The moniker refers mixing the rapid-fire rhythm of dembow and with flashy club flourishes for a high-octane summer anthem that captured how stifling delicious insanely hot days can feel. “I felt the need to do it on my own terms,” Pé told Rolling Stone. “Being such a fan of Nineties house music, we decided to intersect these two, creating a fresh sound that represents my culture and my influences.” —J.L.

Villano Antillano, or Villana to her diehard fans, broke barriers with her hit debut album La Sustancia X in 2022. This year, she came back for more and put out the even better LP Miss Misogyny. She wastes no time in reminding people who she is, dropping the crackling boast rap “1-800-CRISTAL” out of the gate. Her furious style hasn’t missed a step, nor has her wealthy encyclopedic knowledge which she weaponizes with aplomb, taking references like forgotten Nick Cage movies and Manifest Destiny and lyrically wielding them against her doubters in the savage way she knows best. —J.A.

Natanael Cano and Óscar Maydon go pop, playing lover boys for the girls on “Madonna” without straying too far from their signatuere lifestyle-flaunting lyrics. “You tamed my animal instincts,” sings Maydon in the chorus dedicated to a “güerita” who looks like Madonna. “How many Rolexes do you need me to buy you for just a kiss?” The pair go to lengths to please their love interest with luxuries, as they take a note from other stars in the genre by naming their song after a pop icon. —T.M.

Colombian pop singer Ela Taubert had a breakout year, scoring the 2024 Latin Grammy for Best New Artist. Part of the reason she attracted so much attention has to do with her instantly catchy, heart-on-her-sleeve songwriting, and ‘Para Que?’ is a solid example. The kiss-off to an ex who wants her back borrows folk and pop-rock sounds and showcases just why so many people have been drawn to her confessional lyricism and bubbly production style. —J.L.

On “Un Día Nos Vamos a Morir,” Mexican singer-songwriter Luisa Almaguer unspools the existential dread that hangs over a romance on its last legs. A standout from her emotionally harrowing LP, Weyes, the song eloquently captures fear of finality, rehashing sensual memories over a mercurial canvas of acoustic strums and rapturous alt-rock. The result is a furious rejection of loneliness, and a universal plea for more time with those we love. —R.V.

Argentine rap auteur Dillom is nothing if not brazen, and on “Buenos Tiempos,” the definitive banger from his conceptual opus Por Cesárea, a night of drug-addled exploits sends his protagonist spiraling into oblivion. In the song’s uproarious chorus, he leaps from sniffing poppers with the gays to fantasizing about the death of President Javier Milei, plunging ever further into madness and grabbing ass on the way down.  —R.V.

FloyyMenor and Cris MJ’s low-fi reggaeton hit has been everywhere this summer. The track found an audience on TikTok first and then started winding up the charts at the start of the year. Part of its appeal lies in its stars: FloyyMenor was a mysterious, hard-to-pin-down Chilean artist whose face and identity had been hidden from the internet before he teamed up with fellow Chilean and rising star Cris MJ. Now that the song has blown up, it’s spent the past few months ka-booming out of cars and shadowy clubs across the globe. —J.L.