100 Greatest Reggaeton Songs of All Time

Class will forever be in session as Glou/Glory teaches her students a thing or two about pleasure in this sexy how-to anthem by one of the foremost Black female icons of perreo. A lasting social commentary on dominance and submission, ”Perreo 101” pushed boundaries when it was released in 2005 as part of the rapper’s album Glory, standing out for being a fun and seductive hit that makes a statement in the presence of the genre’s male-driven power dynamics. —K.E.

This gem sparkles even in a genre full of soltera anthems. DJ Nelson hammers out production so unusual, it sounds like reggaeton in outer space. Meanwhile, Ñejo and Tego’s sick flow is delivered with such ease that it’s only once the listener tries to sing along that they realize how deceptively difficult the song’s verses are. The track feels like a paean for all the fiercely independent women who hate the intrusive and ever-present question, “Y el novio?” —V.B. 

Many reggaeton duos split up after achieving fame, but Alexis & Fido have always multiplied their powers together. The two of them grew up in Puerto Rico and saw major success after their 2005 breakout single, “Eso Ehh!!” In 2007, they followed things up with “5 Letras,” a song built on dramatic samples, arhythmic sonic patterns, and futuristic synths that channeled sounds emerging in the hip-hop space while foreshadowing just how experimental reggaeton could — and would — get on later hits. —M.M.

This track served to establish Tego Calderón as a cutthroat lyricist; over four minutes, the Puerto Rican legend spits with ease in what feels like a breathless freestyle. Infused with the island’s colloquial slang, “Güasa Güasa” knows its power. “My lyrics make them feel small,” he raps, roughly translated. Alongside his frequent collaborator Voltio, Calderon goes after his adversaries here, amounting them to nothing but posers. The song stands as a reminder of the genre’s savage roots and a prime example of its proud street/calle reggaeton origins. —E.L.C.

Leveraging a sharp interpolation of Annie Lennox’s “Sweet Dreams,” genre OGs Alberto Stylee and DJ Nelson turned out a crisp hit that was a little ominous — and well ahead of its time. The track predicted an electro-surge that erupted in the 2020s, when reggaetoneros began experimenting more wildly with electronic dance music elements. Doing this in the mixtape era put the twosome at the vanguard of the genre and gave us an early peek at all the places reggaeton would go. —V.B.

A powerful and sexy ode to all that women bring to the table, Lorna’s “Papi Chulo” will forever live at the center of raunchy reggaeton parties. The Panamanian rapper, known for her distinctive voice, was just 19 when she recorded the track after deciding she wanted to pursue music. Her debut single took off in multiple countries, inspiring confidence, emboldening women to flaunt what they have, and encouraging them to assert themselves always. —K.E.

Building an entire track off one word is impressive; making it a genre classic is a complete feat that Puerto Rican rapper Don Chezina achieved effortlessly. Known for his electric, rapid-fire delivery, the early genre pioneer had a singular, slightly nasally tenor that practically leapt off mixtapes — and made it no surprise that his chants of “tra” shot him from the underground to global stages. The late-Nineties hit hasn’t lost any of its staying power: It’s constantly sampled and shouted out on reggaeton songs today. —J.L.

“Despacito” didn’t just break barriers in reggaeton; it changed the rules for the Latin industry in general. The viral super-smash spent more than 55 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts, reaching global heights unprecedented for a Spanish-language track and making history as one of the most streamed songs ever. Certainly, such success and ubiquity had its drawbacks — “Despacito” became virtually inescapable for a while, eclipsing a variety of diverse Latin sounds — but it still opened the floodgates for a new era in Spanish-language pop. —R.D.

Lighthearted and endearing, “Criminal” made a case for putting the reggae back in reggaeton when it premiered in 2017. The slow-grinding ballad, produced by Haze, is built on savvy wordplay and throwback dancehall riddims that provide a gorgeous backdrop for Natti Natasha and Ozuna to shine seductively. In addition to being a chart-topper across Latin America, the video for the track became a super-smash that quickly garnered more than 1 billion views.—K.E.

Calderón’s easy and impeccable flow was on full display on this Mas Flow tape cut from 2003. Dedicated to “shorties en lo’ New Yore’” and “pa’ lo’ maleante’ en la’ prisione” (“the shorties in New York” and “the gangsters in prisons”), “Métele Sazón” featured Luny Tunes distinctive bachata guitar, giving the song a Dominican touch. Tego’s inimitable style throughout his catalog emanates from a deep knowledge of who he is, and “Métele Sazón” is braggadocio at its best, fully backed up by his skillset. —V.B

Early associates of Wisin & Yandel before they were Wisin & Yandel, this Puerto Rican duo broke out in 2005 sporting the monikers (and album titles) Los Pitbulls and Los Reyes del Perreo. Among their early hits was “El Tiburón,” featured prominently on production team Luny Tunes’ classic compilation Mas Flow 2. Joined by Baby Ranks, they deliver an anthem focused specifically on the sweatiest of dance floors. —G.S.

The xylophone-laced melodies that open “Destino Cruel” are nostalgic and evocative, setting the tone for Maidel “La Sista” Canales, a native of Loiza, as she sings about lingering memories she can’t forget: “No se si fue el dulce aroma de su piel que me cativo,” she croons. Her voice is delicately paired with Divino, who harmonizes with her over a heavy bass line for sentimental romantiqueo that reflects the R&B influences at the time. —J.M.

After getting recognition as part of the duo Héctor & Tito, Tito el Bambino branched off on his own and came up with this mammoth, aptly named hit. The song rattled dance floors when it came out, thanks to a kick-drum heavy beat that propels the production forward. All the while, Tito and Randy trade off verses about how they attract all the women with their magnetic sound. —M.M.

Hip-hop arguably occupies as much space in reggaeton’s core as dancehall does, a product of the genre’s formative years and aesthetic. A quick glance at the cover of Yaga & Mackie’s 2007 album, La Reunión, might lead one to think they were rappers, and the Bad Boy-type-beat hybrid behind this iconic single with Arcángel and De La Ghetto speaks to that. —G.S

The reggaeton matriarch built her success on yoking her deep, commanding voice to hard-hitting tracks designed to detonate a dance floor, but on this 2005 hit, she switched things up a bit, mixing reggaeton and bachata for a more-restrained sound that offered a more-nuanced performance. But “Te He Querido, Te Llorado” was anything but soft; Ivy Queen, who had just gone through a breakup, sings about lashing out on a cheating lover in specific, unsparing terms, giving the song a powerful element of personal catharsis. —J.D.

Back in 2013, J Balvin was a little-known Colombian artist who hadn’t made waves across the globe — yet. That all changed when he teamed up with Puerto Rican rapper Farruko for the breakthrough single, “6 AM.” Pretty soon, there wasn’t a speaker at a backyard barbecue that wasn’t blasting the track, which was a perfect combination of upbeat reggaeton and sunshine-bright production. In addition to becoming a giant summertime hit, it put Balvin on the map and set him up for his worldwide expedition. —M.M.

For this ridiculously rowdy club banger, Voltio teamed up with Calle 13’s Residente, a collaboration that brought out their shared sense of humor and playful irreverence. United over a menacing beat, the two of them traded raunchy verses comparing sex to a smorgasbord of foods. The contrasts made the song work: Voltio’s tough edge was rounded out by Residente’s smart-alecky, slightly taunting flow, and their joint refrain of “ojalai, ojalai” was instantly memorable. —L.V.

Before he was one of the biggest stars in the business, Nicky Jam was a teen prodigy who got everyone talking with his precocious sense of rhythm and rhyme. He even caught Daddy Yankee’s attention, and pretty soon, the future reggaeton titans had joined forces for “En La Cama,” a track that leveraged their hyper-fast flows over a full-throttle beat. They mastered the art of collaboration and gave people another hit from Los Cangris, the superduo they formed that remains one of the greatest pairings in reggaeton history. —L.V.

“Pobre Diabla” came out almost 20 years ago, yet it still remains one of the most memorable songs in Don Omar’s repertoire — and in reggaeton in general. As he employs rich guitars he’s been drawn to throughout his career, Omar sympathizes with a woman who hasn’t been treated right by her partner, sending an uplifting message and providing a soft side to his discography. —M.M.

Millennials might remember belting out the lyrics to this Rakim y Ken-Y classic as teens, even if they’d never lived through heartbroken anguish at the center of the lyrics. Released as the first single of Rakim & Ken-Y’s debut album, MasterPiece, in 2006, “Down” shot the Puerto Rican duo to the top of the charts and offered a blueprint for emo reggaeton, custom-made for lovers with their hearts on their sleeve. —E.L.C.

One of the most impressive things about “Dominicana” is its minimalism: Light percussion, the shadow of a cowbell, and a piano element form the beat as Tego Calderón proclaims what he loves most about Dominican women. His unique style fuses multiple genres, such as salsa, dancehall, and hip-hop, indicative of the eclecticism that made him such a towering figure in the early 2000s. An anthem that extolled the beauty of Caribbean women was a welcome breath of fresh air when it came out in 2003 — and continues to be today. —M.M.

The collaborative album Los Vaqueros was Wisin & Yandel’s first project under their label WY Records, and “El Teléfono,” featuring Héctor El Father, immediately stood out on the collection. Produced by a then-17-year-old Tainy, the song shines with its sharp-witted approaches, including the recognizable telephone dial that welcomes the beat drop and a heaving bass that provides just the right setting for Hector to launch into electrifying verses.—J.M.

Following the massive success of Barrio Fino and its sensational singles, Daddy Yankee struck perreo gold (actually, RIAA Platinum) with this Monserrate- and DJ Urb-produced banger. Its message was all but designed for the clubs, with boasts and come-ons appropriate for the bleepy thump of the beat. A remix arrived with G-Unit soldiers Lloyd Banks and Young Buck at the height of their commercial powers, a win for all involved. —G.S.

After an eight-year hiatus, Chencho Corleone and Maldy of the duo Plan B released the jam-packed 2010 album House of Pleasure, featuring the futuristic-sounding “Si No Le Contesto.” The song is crisp and polished, incorporating background synths that could easily fit into the scene today. Their forward-looking approach made Plan B an inspiration to younger artists: They’ve been name-checked on Rosalía’s “Candy,” and Chencho has been tapped for Bad Bunny’s “Me Porto Bonito” and Rauw Alejandro’s “Desesperados.” —M.M.

In the early 2000s, Latinos in the U.S. hip-hop scene couldn’t ignore what was happening in Puerto Rico. Not only did they acknowledge the talent bursting out of the island, they wanted to be part of it all. That desire for cross-cultural connections saw Don Omar team up with N.O.R.E., Fat Joe, and LDA on the triumphant “Reggaeton Latino,” part of a compilation released by producer Boy Wonder. Helmed by Don Omar’s noteworthy baritone, the song became a hit, spending 44 weeks on the Billboard charts.

Despite singing on some of the most globally recognizable hooks of reggaeton, Glory has not gotten the credit she deserves for taking genre favorites to the next level. And though her work on these is excellent, it’s her solo work where she truly shines. With its relentless beat, the classic “Erótica Danza” from the beloved Playero tapes — 1999’s Playero 41 to be exact — unveil Glory’s charisma to the fullest and reveal the impressive scale of her talent. —V.B. 

One of the most alluring aspects of the band Aventura has to be Romeo Santos’ fluttering falsetto, so air-light and recognizable that it’s reminiscent of the Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb. It’s that vocal technique that adds so much sex appeal to the Wisin & Yandel classic “Noche de Sexo”: As the famed Puerto Rican duo launch into hard-hitting verses, Santos fully seduces listeners, singing, “Lay on my bed and prepare for sex.” —M.M.

Casa de Leones was a short-lived supergroup, but their biggest hit was enough to leave a huge mark in reggaeton. The members, who included Miguel A. De Jesús, Jaime Borge, Charlie Carlson, Héctor Padilla, and Randy Ortiz and Joel Muñoz of the long-standing duo Jowell & Randy, came together and quickly took over the charts with “No Te Veo.” It was a hit that showed off their musical chops with its instantly hooky chorus and calypso-inspired arrangements. —M.M.

Though “Tu Pum Pum” technically predated reggaeton, it helped bridge the necessary pieces as the genre bloomed from Panama to New York to Puerto Rico. Along with hip hop, Spanish language dancehall tracks like “Tu Pum Pum” traveled to the island through the come and go of the diaspora, creating the conditions for a global phenomenon. The Panamanian pioneer helped kick things off with a Spanish-language cover of Little Lenny’s dancehall hit “Punnaney Tegereg” that boosted him to stardom and laid an important foundation.—V.B. 

J Balvin wasn’t lying when he sang, “El mundo es grande, pero lo tengo en mis manos.” He and producers Jean Rodriguez and Willy William really did have the world in the palm of their hands with the hit “Mi Gente,” which opens with an iconic vocal chop that serves as the track’s unrelenting heartbeat. Just when it seemed the power anthem couldn’t get bigger, a remix brought in Beyoncé, who fired off her verses in flawless Spanish. —J.M.

The original version of “Otro Trago” — which featured Latin trap favorite Darrell — made Sech a Panamanian talent impossible to ignore. Three months later, the remix solidified his space among heavyweights: Trap standout Anuel AA, reggaeton titan Nicky Jam, and honey-voiced artist Ozuna joined the nearly five-minute track, which gave each artist plenty of time to show off their skills and remind people that Puerto Rican and Panamanian MCs are the backbone — and pioneers — of the genre. —E.L.C.

With such an expansive, left-of-center sound, Calle 13 always elided labels: Were they hip-hop? Were they reggaeton? When the brother duo, made up of rapper René “Residente” Pérez Joglar and Eduardo “Visitante” Cabra, released the impish hit, the strong cumbia rhythm, clever wordplay, and elaborate instrumentation didn’t exactly clear up any questions — but it did establish them as rebels who would always find a way to upend expectations and speak their minds about politics and the music industry. —R.D.

This one was undoubtedly for the girls. “Tusa,” Colombian slang for heartbreak, seesawed between acknowledging grief and delighting in self-love. Co-written and produced by Ovy on the Drums, who helped shape Karol’s soulful approach, the song was the Colombian star’s defining moment, establishing her as the genre’s passionate princess while taking her to global ascension. Nicki Minaj, no stranger to the urbano sphere, was the perfect addition, filling the track with iconic lines and ad-libs in Spanish. —E.L.C.

“Ellos Benia” remains one of the most foundational tracks in reggaeton’s history, representing the reggae en español movement in Panama that set the stage for reggaetoneros everywhere. When Nando Boom, the Panamanian rapper with a deep baritone and an immediately hooky flow, re-created Shabba Ranks’s “Dem Bow,” his engineers dropped in sharp, digital timbales and a few production flourishes that set a blueprint: From then on, reggaeton producers had a model for cutting up dancehall riddims into classic dembow loops that followed the genre through multiple generations. —J.L.

Produced primarily by Eliel and Luny Tunes, 2004’s Barrio Fino was a veritable hit factory, yielding no fewer than five slam-dunk singles at a time when reggaeton was finally gaining greater global awareness. Following the sensational success of “Gasolina,” Yankee’s “Lo Que Pasó, Pasó” had a daunting task ahead of it. Thanks to its motivational message and salsa fusions, it became one of his signature songs. —G.S.

“Ven Bailalo” contains so much of what made the mid-2000s such a fertile period for the genre. Duos were dominant and prevalent at the time, and the tag team of Angel y Khriz did not disappoint with this bona fide reggaeton classic. Produced by Luny Tunes and Mr. G, it beckons listeners to the dance floor with rhumba elements and a thumping beat, not to mention the vocalists’ romanticizing of the Caribbean. —G.S.

When Bad Bunny released “Yo Perreo Sola,” it was a distinctive and intentional reclamation of space for independent women — reminiscent of Ivy Queen’s “Quiero Bailar.” Though the original listed Bad Bunny as a solo performer despite Nesi’s voice echoing throughout the track, a blockbuster remix gives credit where it’s due: Released live at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, the reworked version puts Nesi front and center and highlights Ivy Queen in what feels like a sign of respect from la nueva escuela. —E.L.C.

The first single from Don Omar’s debut album, The Last Don, “Dale Don Dale” foreshadowed the bounty of classics that the multi-hyphenate artist would release throughout his career. Assembled by Luny Tunes and Cheka, the beat consists of steel string guitar and soft synths. Between Omar’s brawny bars, you can hear a few lines — “Dale, papi, que estoy suelta como gabete ” — delivered by one of reggaeton’s most sensual, iconic voices: Glory “La Gata” Gangster. —J.M.

A timeless anthem by one of the most prolific lyricists in all of reggaeton history, this infectious hit landed at many intersections when it came out in 2004. Sonically, it highlights the excellence of Caribbean sounds with its merengue and bachata fusions. Then there’s the innovative composition and celebration of biculturalism that give it even more layers, keeping it relevant and massively popular as reggaeton continues to grow at an outsize scale. —K.E.

Built on Chencho and Maldy’s unmistakable vocals and spare production by Blin Blin Music & Barbosa, this freaky cut from Plan B’s 2002 Guatauba XXX made the most of the Bam Bam riddim from Chaka Demus & Pliers massively popular “Murder She Wrote.” It also cemented the duo as artists who embraced racy provocations, knowing their risks would pay off. They were right: Though the song was considered pornographically explicit at its release, 20 years later, millions of people will casually hear “Guatauba” emanating from Balenciaga ads on IG. —V.B.

“Mayor Que Yo” has seen many iterations over the years, but the best version brought together some of the biggest names in the business: Wisin & Yandel, Daddy Yankee, Baby Ranks, Héctor El Father, and Tony Tun Tun joined forces and sharpened one another’s skills, rapping over prominent bachata guitars and deep, brash reggaeton drums that enhanced each of their verses. A supernova of talent, the song continues to attract artists today: Natti Natasha recently tipped her hat to the seismic collaboration with “Mayor Que Usted.” —M.M.

The straightforward piano riffs on the “Te Bote” remix are simple, yet effective, marking a moment when reggaeton acts took the global stage as bona fide superstars. Specifically, the track helped launch a young Puerto Rican grocer named Bad Bunny into the pop stratosphere, highlighting the talent that was soaring out of Puerto Rico. The song also took on some political applications: During the 2018 midterm elections, Latinx voters made “Te Boté ” a de facto anthem in the dumping of Trump-supporting politicians. —V.B. 

As much as reggaeton gets framed as Puerto Rico’s story, the genre also boasts plentiful New York roots and branches. The city’s sizable boriqua population has played a vital role in music, from the days of boogaloo and Latin jazz through hip-hop’s epic come-up. Bilingual and brawny, “Oye Mi Canto” unites the diaspora with an elevating anthem that nodded to the late Big Pun amid a broader celebration of Latinidad. —G.S.

With a long and ongoing string of hits to El Conejo Malo’s credit, one could debate when exactly he transcended to superstar status. Even after massive chart successes like the Drake-assisted “MIA” and the star-studded “Te Boté,” there’s a strong case to make for “Safaera.” Bridging reggaeton’s past and present, with no less than Jowell & Randy by his side, Bad Bunny’s single storms through a variety of gratifying beat switches and epic vocal hooks. —G.S.

Seventeen years later and the word “Salte!” alone triggers a frenzy at a club. The sonic masterpiece, produced by Luny Tunes and Nely La Arma Secreta, blends a mix of spangling synths, while the onomatopoeic chorus of “Rakata! Rakata!” emphasizes the timbal sound at the center of the song’s classic dembow loop. The track embraced the very essence of reggaeton and added a sense of modernity right when the genre was reaching a mainstream fever pitch. —J.M.

Whether you call it sandungueo or perreo, the Carolina-based duo’s “Yo Voy” was primed to bring out the raunchiest and rawest from dancers. With Luny Tunes on the beat and the “Gasolina”-fueled Daddy Yankee in tow, Zion y Lennox scorched the clubs with their relentlessly thumping track. It endures to this day as one of the genre’s most beloved staples. —G.S.

Well before becoming a recognizable Fast & Furious franchise fixture, El Rey was one of reggaeton’s biggest stars. Its title a nod to Mario Puzo’s renowned Mafia novel, The Last Don marked the genre’s commercial peak at the time. Produced by hitmaker Eliel with a notable sample of Colombian salsero Joe Arroyo, “Dile” serves up cocksure braggadocio as Omar gradually persuades his secret lover to dismiss her man. —G.S.

Getting listeners to dance and then think was the career-changing advice that Tego Calderón’s father gave him. As a result, he created a perfect equilibrium on his debut album, El Abayarde, which celebrated Afro-Caribbean sounds while projecting social awareness. The DJ Joe-produced track “Pa’ Que Retozen” is most identifiable by guitar patterns found in bachata, making the song one of the first highly acclaimed “bachatón” classics and one that continues to inspire the genre. —J.M.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of “Quiero Bailar”: Undeniably the biggest feminist anthem in reggaeton history, the song was ahead of its time and profound beyond its creator’s years. Ivy Queen raised her voice, despite being outnumbered in a genre full of men, and told the collective story of women across the globe who wanted to celebrate their bodies and explore their sensuality while setting boundaries and empowering themselves on the dance floor. The message was a game changer, and one that continues to shift social paradigms in a culture mired by misogyny two decades later. —K.E.

By 2004, Daddy Yankee was already a proven talent in reggaeton’s underground scene, but he was busy preparing his next big move. He’d been planning an album — he wanted to call it Barrio Fino —that would set the standard in the genre, and he looked for inspiration wherever he went. A stroke of brilliance came unexpectedly: He was sitting at home, in his apartment in the housing projects of Villa Kennedy in San Juan, when he heard a man shout to a girl on the street: “Cómo le gusta la
gasolina!”

It was a funny, off-hand flirtation, a way of teasing girls who went after guys with fast cars in town, but Daddy Yankee heard magic. With his go-to producer Luny Tunes, he masterminded an explosive, revved-up hit that brought the genre to the rest of the world. The song shone a mega-watt light on what had been brewing in places like Panama and Puerto Rico, and officially announced that reggaeton was a global phenomenon here to stay. Decades later, it still holds up: The revered veteran launched a farewell tour this year after announcing his retirement from music, and in every stadium “Gasolina” is the legendary staple that gets legions of fans screaming loudest.–M.M.