The 50 Best Latin and Spanish-Language Songs of 2025

A decade after not making the cut for Latin boy band CNCO, Johann Vera pushed forward as an indie act. Much of that time was spent in the closet. The Ecuadorian heartthrob celebrated his coming out as a queer man in the jubilant “Nada Importa En Verdad.” Not only has Vera found his footing as a Latin pop star, but also his voice in this liberating anthem. —Lucas Villa

The liminal frustration of being stuck in traffic mutates into a beautiful oasis of nostalgia on “Maluca,” the stand out track from weed420’s generational swan song, Amor de Encava. Layering car horns, Venezuelan salsa baúl, reggaeton bass lines, spliced conversations and DJ tags, the mysterious collective casts the illusion of a cramped bus commute through Caracas, where noisy cacophony coalesces into a loving portrait of home. —Richard Villegas

With his Sendé album, Ryan Castro embraced his roots from Curaçao. The Colombian superstar leaned fully into his island swagger in the tropical banger “Menos El Cora.” The break-up anthem is even more irresistible with heartthrob Manuel Turizo in the mix. The two artists sing about never letting their hearts get the best of them when it comes to living the bachelor life. —L.V.

After years setting the world ablaze with raunchy neoperreo, Isabella Lovestory’s sonic pivot on “Vanity” yielded big rewards. Embracing Eighties synth-pop and strobing house, the Honduran-Canadian diva emerges from the sweaty reggaeton rave into a softly lit, angelic fantasy where she ponders why vanity might be mistaken for cruelty. And who can blame her, when looking so good is nothing short of sinful. —R.V.

The least expected track to go viral on Chino Pacas’ Cristian turned out to be the one that made the biggest waves. Near the end of the album, “Ojitos Mentirosos” blends 30-year-old Peruvian cumbia with a distinctly Mexican music feel, layering trumpets, charchetas, a cumbia bass, and a killer guitar solo at the end. Fans used the song to showcase themselves in clown makeup roaming barrios, à la Gael García Bernal’s 2019 film, Chicuarotes. Far from his usual style, the track opened a new musical landscape for Pacas where his vocals shine too. —Tomas Mier

Out of the Miami club bedlam of Nick León’s A Tropical Entropy, “Millenium Freak” downplays the explosive expectation of heavy hitter collaborators Esty and Mediopicky, instead keeping the focus on the spastic 140-BPM dembow beat. Of course, the buzzy Dominican guests shine through malevolent atmospheres, doling out verses that range between sensual and menacing, making for an eerie dance floor romp that’s too fun to resist. —R.V.

In a year when reggaeton’s biggest stars went folk, Yajaira la Beyaca reminded us of the genre’s uproarious, pearl-clutching infancy. A centerpiece of Caracter Anal, the Venezuelan club entity’s throbbing collaborative album with Colombian producer Genosidra, “Pukita” is a firestorm of perreo raunch that rattles off increasingly filthy one-liners like Plan B Mad Libs. Hilarious and with a beat so sick it’s as if Beyoncé sneezed on it, “Pukita” delivered a master class in reggaeton history and a devilish pitch for its future. —R.V.

After starting out as a children’s telenovela actress, Danna returned to her roots with “Khe Calor.” The Mexican pop princess evoked classics like Fuego En La Sangre, Destilando Amor, and Soy Tu Dueña in the sensual music video with reggaeton Mexa heartthrob El Malilla. While living out her telenovela fantasy, Danna channeled her sensuality into a tribal house banger, bringing the heat with her most daring release yet. —L.V.

This Mexico City duo may not have an expansive catalog yet, but their second single, “Secunena,” quickly went viral for its playful, tongue-in-cheek lyrics about horny high schoolers skipping class to meet boys. “Soy una coqueta desde que era chamaquitaaaa,” Sayuri and Sopholov sing with unmistakable sass. Midway through, a sudden Ixtapalapa cumbia sample ups the chaos, turning the track into a fun listen in true reggaeton mexa fashion. —T.M.

The Latino it boys from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border joined forces. Mexican trio Latin Mafia teamed up with Chicano star Omar Apollo for the soulful “Hecho Para Ti,” which seamlessly blends cumbia beats with R&B. Brothers Milton and Emilio commiserate with Apollo about being sad boys who are hopelessly in love, making the genre-crossing collaboration was a match made in melancholy heaven. —L.V.

After breaking out last year with the vulnerable song “¿Cómo Pasó?,” Ela Taubert hit back at the boy who broke her heart with “¿Es En Serio?.” To bolster her cutting lyrics about a good-for-nothing ex, the Colombian it girl teamed up with pop masterminds Max Martin and Rami. Taubert tapped into her admiration for Taylor Swift to write one of this year’s best kiss-off anthems. —L.V.

Colombian experimentalist Lucrecia Dalt has always found unexpected avenues into heady ideas and heavy emotion, and her album A Danger to Ourselves is seeped in surreal tension. The record came just after she’d had a near-death experience she had after experiencing an intense epileptic seizure, and songs like “Caes,” the first offering from the project, feels like an avant masterwork that ties together the corporal and the divine. —Julyssa Lopez

Cuco channels oldies and Chicano romanticism across his Tom Brenneck–produced album Ridin’. And on the floaty ballad “Para Tí,” he sings entirely in Spanish, showcasing the heartfelt storytelling he learned from acts like Los Terrícolas. The track finds him questioning the intentions of the woman he’s courting: “At the end of the day, what am I to you?” Cuco’s tender vocals and nostalgic sound make the song a standout on the album. —T.M.

One of Argentina’s most revered veterans of experimental music, Juana Molina has a vast arsenal that constantly reinvents her sound with each release. She’s been making innovative dreamscapes for decades now, and her album Doga was its own immersive journey filled with twinkling sonic tapestries like “Caravanas.” Built off celestial keys and layered vocals the track transports the listener to another place, much like the title itself. —J.L.

After months of working on a collaboration with Miguel Bueno, Juan Duque asked him to scrap it for another song that he wrote and developed. Bueno trusted Duque’s instincts and the two Colombian heartthrobs teamed up for the soulful serenade “Solcito.” With their radiant love song, Duque and Bueno not only tapped into the Afrobeats wave in Latin music, but also fueled the genre’s global rise. —L.V.

Cumbia is experiencing a revival, and Vanita Leo has emerged as one of its most promising voices. On standout “La Cumbia Wepa,” which didn’t appear on her excellent EP Cumbiamente, Leo’s vocals glide over the sonidito rhythms of Mexico City cumbia before a playful rap verse aimed at Cupid, who “fucked up once again.” The Alan Vega-produced track captures her embrace of freedom after a failed romance: “Un corazón roto, se cura con otro!” Leo’s mix of classic cumbia, experimental delivery, and a Tejano touch makes the San Antonio-born singer’s “La Cumbia Wepa” a standout. —T.M.

There are oblique touches of brilliance in everything Puerto Rican singer/songwriter GALE does, and the visual for “Skittles” is no exception. It begins with choppy home-video fragments of a teenage romance, and is dedicated to Ati — GALE’s first serious love, who died in a car accident. The track is an ode to remembrance, built on a circular, major-key progression that echoes Euro-summer pop. The emotional architecture is immaculate, from the nod to Arecibo — the town where she grew up — to the wistful, Farfisa-like keyboard solo in the outro. —E.L.

Jombriel puts Ecuador’s reggaeton scene on the map with “Vitamina,” his collab with 18-year-old Colombian star DFZM and Jøtta. The trio channeled La Familia Balvin while creating a reggaeton track that feels both nostalgic and modern. “I have your kryptonite / and for your girls I have a vi-ta-meeee-na,” Jombriel flows on the catchy chorus. The track appears on Warner Music Latina’s debut, Jombriel de la Suerte, which also features Ryan Castro on a remix of his breakthrough hit “Parte & Choke.” —T.M.

Cashing in on the afrobeats tidal wave of the past year, corridos tumbados stars Natanael Cano and Gabito Ballesteros teamed up for “Perlas Negras,” a dance floor scorcher about broken-hearted baddies drinking their troubles away. But this wouldn’t be a Natanael joint without some winking double entendres, as the song derives its title from a cocktail of Jägermeister and Red Bull once banned by Mexican. —R.V.

Panamanian power figures Boza and Sech unite in all their silky-voiced glory for a long-awaited collaboration that feels like two titans colliding. The instantly catchy track has a bit of romance and yearning as the guys sing about a lover who has been on their mind again. In addition to feeling like a highlight reel of two of Latin music’s smoothest crooners, while also repping their country. “We wanted to do something together for a while, and we’ve been wanting to release a song and commercialize it with a style from us here in Panama, which is more sweet,” Boza told Billboard recently. —J.L.

When Young Miko was making her album Do Not Disturb, she put her phone on mute and dug deep into an arsenal of influences. One reference that kept popping up was the upbeat playfulness of 2000s-era throwback pop and hip hop, and “Wassup” honors that spirit fully. It’s bouncy, risque, and instantly catchy, putting her silky smooth rap delivery on display  — and it’s tied together with a hilarious, perfectly placed Lil Jon cameo that drives it all home. —J.L.

One of Mexico’s leading hip-hop stars took an unexpected turn. Santa Fe Klan traded in his usual hard-hitting bars and tapped into the cumbia sounds of Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia. The alluring gem on the Mexican rapper’s Baile Cholo album is “Claves.” Santa Fe Klan channels a run-in with the law into a certified cumbia banger with plenty of bite. —L.V. 

There’s plenty of sex, guns and booze in the cinema verité-styled visual of “Poloché,” the high-voltage collaboration between the Dominican Republic’s producers outfit Los Sufridos and local rapper N.I.T.O. Previous singles found the band working with tropical legend Anthony Santos and Spanish star Bad Gyal, but “Poloché” embraces a grittier sound — a deconstructed bachata that harks back to the genre’s música del amargue credo with deep bass accents. The restless guitar line sways, slashes, and burns throughout the entire track. —E.L.

Puerto Rico’s rising star Pink Pablo feels like the new prince of dark-wave urbano and reggaeton, and he’s known for crafting super cinematic videos to go with his songs, which often straddle moodiness and a little whimsy. His latest project ALL I DREAM is full of his signature sounds, and perhaps no track captures his emotional vibe like the standout “ME QUEDO AKÍ,” featuring Latin music’s favorite sad girl Paopao. Pablo and Paopao take turns singing about a romance they can’t let go of, all while the music twists and turns into unexpected and increasingly urgent electronic arrangements. —J.L.

RØZ, the Mexican EDM duo of Manolo Cabrera and Hugo Lara, pull Peso Pluma into a new sonic world on “Apaga La Luz.” The darker, electronic track showcases Pluma’s softer, seductive side, contrasting his usual raspy vocals, as he sings about being entranced by a love interest: “I love her kisses, smoking in the club / In every position, we do it real hard.” —T.M.

Within Rusowsky’s adventurous full-length debut, DAISY, “ALTAGAMA” stands out as an exquisite braid of the mad Spaniard’s talents in electronic production, acoustic arrangements, and crooner vocals. An inner dialogue about his gradual succumbing to the piercing gaze of a young beauty, the rollercoaster track swerves through a plethora of moods including hypebeast label flaunting and Plain White T’s earnestness. —R.V.

Throughout his career, Ivan Cornejo has seamlessly blended his love for rock and música mexicana in his music. The Mexican-American crooner once again masterfully combines those worlds in the heartbreaking “Me Prometí.” Backed by strum of an acoustic guitar, Cornejo sings about having to face the reality of a moving on from a toxic relationship that had him hooked. —L.V.

Wampi has helped bring Cuba’s burgeoning reparto genre to the global masses, and his song “RICA Y TO” is a solid example of his sleek star power. A video shows Wampi gliding along his neighborhood in Cuba, bouncing to the rhythmic track while showing the world where he comes from. The whole thing ends up feeling like a metaphor for how much the reparto scene has brought new eyes — and fresh energy — to the island. —J.L.

Judeline is in full yearning mode on “Chica de Cristal,” and she makes it clear from the start: “The glass is half-empty, the flower’s about to die: I’m feeling a bit sad.” Her signature vocals float over a melancholic, retro-leaning sound that evokes classic ballads like Jeanette’s “Frente a Frente” but with an even darker perspective. Following her cohesive 2024 debut, Bodhira, Judeline steps further out of her comfort zone with “Chica” contrasting significantly with the previous “Tú et Moi.” —T.M.

The transition from música mexicana to reggaeton has become a natural rite of passage for young Mexican stars in search of a wider demographic. Netón Vega’s gift for perreo party vibes yielded one of the year’s bounciest Latin hits. The robotic downbeat and cartoonish synth lines are addictive, as Vega sprinkles his joyful paean to single life debauchery with a couple of hilarious rhymes — his mother-in-law didn’t care for him, but the feeling was certainly mutual. —E.L.

“Verano Rosa” was famously left on the cutting-room floor during Karol G’s sessions for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season); the star revealed the song was a collaboration with fellow Latin music titan Feid in her 2023 Rolling Stone cover story. After two years, Karol and Feid delivered with a wistful, summer-ready track. Against a sunny reggaeton beat, the two musicians embody former flames who long for each other over drunken mid-party phone calls, liquor bottles in hand, and remember their unmatched love. —M.G.

Argentine techno vixen Six Sex was the favorite featured player of 2025, but nowhere were her raunchy talents better matched than on “Ya Cogí Con Otro,” the viral hyperpop-meets-perreo gem from Yeri Mua’s debut, De Chava (Deluxe). Though the pair are giants of oversexed camp, Mua actually manages to out-filth Six Sex with uproarious bars about fruit-flavored bodily fluids that make for some of the most pearl-clutching fun of the year. —R.V.

Puerto Rican rapper PJ Sin Suela kept his momentum going after his 2024 album Toda Época Tiene Su Encanto, this time with a feverish, drum-and-bass/perreo fusion called “FAVORiTE” that sees him joining forces again with breakthrough powerhouse RaiNao. The song was released Sept. 23, an important date for many Puerto Ricans. It’s the anniversary of what has become known as the “Grito de Lares (Cry of Lares),” referring to a short-lived but major revolt that occurred in 1868 in the town of Lares. —J.J.A.

The first preview from Natalia Lafourcade’s gorgeous album Cancionera was a sumptuous track of the same name that cherished her own identity as a spiritual songstress. It put her voice front and center while touching on vintage folk and bolero traditions, creating a theatrical ode to letting your true self sing. “It speaks to me about the importance of being, of existing both in this world and in my own world, walking my truth — without fear, without repressing anything. It sings to that something that we should never allow to fade within us,” Lafourcade said of the track. —E.L.

Carin León and Kacey Musgraves’ “Lost in Translation” blends norteño and rancheras, creating a bilingual duet that intertwines Musgraves’ soft country tones with León’s Mexican roots, layered with strings and tubas, and all. “Yo te quiero yo… robarte un pedacito de corazón,” León sings in Spanish. “I want you, I want to steal a piece of your heart.” A sweet, cross-cultural moment, the track feels like a gentle moment of connection in a tense political climate. —T.M.

Rauw Alejandro’s embrace of bomba — Puerto Rico’s oldest traditional music genre — has been one of the more endearing side-quests the superstar has made, and “Carita Linda” is a testament to how much respect and fondness he’s channeled into putting a spotlight on the sound. Better known for his racy songs, here he presents an affecting homage to bomba and the communities that keep it alive that shines because of its authenticity and instantly becomes one of the best songs of his catalog. —J.J.A.

Mon Laferte brought together Latin music’s leading songstresses for an epic collaboration. The Chilean rocker joined forces with Mexican singer-songwriters Natalia Lafourcade and Silvana Estrada for the melancholic “My One And Only Love,” where the three women beautifully harmonize and take turns serenading their scarred lovers with sweet words of affection and healing. —L.V.

The biggest hit in Elena Rose’s much anticipated debut following years of slick singles, “Cosita Linda” is all chorus — a romance-by-the sea groove filled with woah-woahs and joyful Afrobeats, as the Venezuelan-American diva exchanges sweet nothings with Justin Quiles. It’s a seamless pop confection, but the most seductive element here is Elena’s voice — textured, raspy in all the right places, ready to conquer the world. —E.L.

The most accessible cut off Milo J’s neo-folk masterpiece La Vida Era Más Corta, “Gil” kicks off with acoustic guitar and the Argentine rapper’s gravelly voice before unleashing a rollicking loop that pulsates with the frothy spirit of Brazilian MPB. Trueno’s autobiographical rhymes touch on his parents’ moral fiber and the resilience that allowed him to survive the music industry. The wordless vocals, sampled chorus, and jazzy piano add depth to this nueva canción gem. —E.L.

Guitarricadelafuente burst onto the scene with heartfelt folk elegies, drawing on traditions from his native Spain on his stunning 2022 album, La Cantera. But his latest, Spanish Leather, focuses instead on the present, and perhaps no song on the LP captures that feeling like the carefree, sun-dappled “Port Pelegrí.” He lays out his ethereal voice over upbeat guitars — but quickly contrasts it with pitched-down backup vocals, building the energy before the song detonates into a dance-worthy pop gem. —J.L.

Breakups are not for the faint of heart — take Alejandro Sanz’s word for it. More than a postmodern ballad, “Palmeras En El Jardín” is a three-minute cardiac arrest of despondence and rejection, as the Spanish crooner’s inimitable rasp details the end of an affair, enveloped in a brutal cloud of loops and glacial synth patches. An astute choice: the sudden swoosh at the end mirrors the abrupt emptiness of solitude. —E.L.

Macario Martínez gave us one of the year’s most heartening viral success stories. The former street sweeper from Mexico City captivated the world with an acoustic performance of the heartfelt “Sueña Lindo, Corazón” on TikTok. Martínez’s sweet and assuming serenade positioned him as a promising new voice in the Mexican folk-music scene, and he spent the rest of the year following up on that promise. By dreaming out loud, he transcended the algorithm and became a star. —L.V.

After making the jump from a go-to music producer in Latin music to a singer-songwriter, Venezuelan artist Andry Kiddos has poured all his feelings into his music. He’s not afraid to tug on people’s heartstrings by laying out his deepest thoughts and most layered emotions, and his tender ballad “Asimilando” did that beautifully this year. It’s full of nostalgia and a longing simpler days while making amends with the passing of time and growing up. —J.L.

Alvaro Diaz has gone from underground favorite to full-blown star, in large part because of his blockbuster of an album SAYONARA from 2024, but he hinted that there’s more to come when he dropped the moody break-up banger “PARANOIA.” Diaz is always at his best when he taps into a bit of his sad-boy vulnerability, and no one brings it out of him better than Tainy, who builds the song off weepy synths and anxious yearning. —J.L.

 Saso and AKA the Darknight, the two members of the punk-minded Bronx duo Planta Industrial, have been one of the most interesting acts to watch this year with thrashing, unapologetic blasts of dembow and metal that don’t sound like anyone else. Their most effective calling card might be “Anormales,” an instantly sticky track that puts AKA the Darknight’s slick verses next to Saso’s deep, spooky chorus for an unexpected ride that nods to rock, rap, and New Wave. Add in a Calle 13 reference, delivered in Saso’s dark, guttural baritone, and you have a genre-agnostic banger that ties together sounds and decades. —J.L.

As the title track of DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, there was a lot riding on “DtMF.” That it ended up being an international anthem, embraced by listeners around the world who took the song’s poignant message to heart (and broke records in the process) makes it nothing short of an electrifying success. That message — of capturing moments and memories before they slip away — wouldn’t have hit as hard if it weren’t for Benito’s relatable lyrics and his band’s stirring notes. —J.J.A.

“Marlboro Rojo” was the beating heart of Fuerza Regida’s excellent 111Xpantia, the clearest example of what frontman JOP called the “old Fuerza.” And while the album went into new sonic territory, the single leaned into the tuba, charchetas, and guitars that built the group’s original sound. It also extended the winning streak of songwriter Armenta, who’s the pen behind some of Fuerza’s biggest hits, including “Bebe Dame” and “Sabor Fresa.” —T.M.

The first release from Rosalia’s stunning album Lux was a shock to the system. From the second it starts, ‘Berghain’ feels like a surge of adrenaline — all urgent, frenzied strings and soaring operatic vocals, signaling a dark grandeur few were expecting. If that wasn’t striking enough, she keeps burying surprises into the labyrinthine arrangement, packing in a cameo from Bjork, vocals from Yves Tumor, and nods to the ever-nocturnal German nightclub the track gets its name from. The effect is intense — and breathtaking. —J.L.

On “#Tetas,” the irrepressible Argentine duo Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso lampooned cringe-y TikTok dances and boy-band schlock with a brilliantly tongue-in-cheek R&B-pop earworm. The sonic change-up may have soured longtime fans who exulted the zany pair throughout their underground trap and hardcore days, but its subversive provocation proved they can create meta-narratives that are just as sharp as their absurdly sculpted chins. —R.V.

Bad Bunny delivered plenty of highlights on his culture-shifting 2025 landmark Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, and the album’s most poignant facet is his take on salsa. For “Baile Inolvidable,” Benito enlisted an ensemble of young musicians from Puerto Rico’s esteemed school, Escuela Libre de Música Ernesto Ramos Antonini, to play the trombones and claves that dominate the track. The soulful storytelling and nostalgic lyrics were already enough to make this song an instant classic, but it’s the personal P.R. touch that makes it hit that much harder. —M.G.