How did "Despacito" increase interest in Spanish-language Latin music?

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ceramic flute — Latin American music Flute, slip-painted ceramic, Nopiloa, southern Veracruz, Mexico, 300–500 ce; in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 35.56 × 17.15 × 10.80 cm.

The 2017 release of "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee served as a major catalyst for the global popularity of Spanish-language music. By blending pop music with reggaeton, the track became the most-streamed song at the time within just six months, drawing significant renewed attention to the genre and Latin music more broadly.1

The impact of "Despacito" on the music industry was measurable through its influence on Billboard charts. While there were only two mostly Spanish-language songs on the Top 100 in 2015 and four in 2016, that number surged to 19 during the height of the song's popularity in 2017, eventually reaching 41 such songs by 2020.1

Furthermore, the song's success—bolstered by a bilingual remix featuring Justin Bieber—encouraged a wave of high-profile collaborations between mainstream artists and reggaeton performers. Notable examples include Drake working with Bad Bunny and Madonna collaborating with Maluma, further cementing the presence of Latin music in the global mainstream.1