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Salsa is a music genre that originated in Cuba and became known in the United States through Puerto Rican artists. It became popular in the 1970s in New York City, and many artists from that time have helped keep the genre alive. Most young people today associate salsa music with their parents and older family members. 

 

Bad Bunny’s most recent album Debí Tirar Más Fotos topped the charts, and the #1 song on the U.S. Apple Music chart was the salsa hit “Baile Inolvidable.” The album is dedicated to Puerto Rico, and celebrates his culture. Rauw Alejandro’s recent album Cosa Nuestra pays homage to Frankie Ruiz, one of the most famous salsa singers from the 80s. Today, mainstream artists keep the salsa genre alive by reminding young generations of their roots. 

 

Salsa music is marked by the leading vocals, layered with piano, guitar, and trumpet music. Every song follows the same beat and rhythm so people can dance to it by applying the same steps. At salsa’s peak, people would go out to dance salsa as it was a main component of Latin culture. 

 

Since the early 2000s, salsa’s popularity has declined. The reggaeton genre took over, and more traditional genres were left behind. Many people of the younger generations have never learned how to dance salsa or other traditional dances like bachata and merengue.

 

At the beginning of the year, Bad Bunny released his sixth studio album Debí Tirar Más Fotos (I Should Have Taken More Photos). This album is not just salsa music; it was described as an album of Puerto Rican music. He seamlessly blends reggaeton and trap influence (his most signature styles) with traditional Puerto Rican genres like salsa and plena. The songs include themes of the Puerto Rican experience and showing pride in being Puerto Rican.​ The featured artists are also all Puerto Rican. 

 

Bad Bunny has advocated for Puerto Rico his whole career, getting involved in politics and giving back to his community. Now, his album has encouraged the younger generations to rediscover the salsa genre and learn to appreciate it. According to Times reporter Solcyré Burga, Bad Bunny's album has hoisted salsa back into the spotlight, serving as an expansion of the genre and a way for Latin Americans to re-explore, and perhaps even be reminded of, their roots.”

 

Social media is proof of the album’s influence. Multiple TikTok trends went viral using different songs from the album. The song “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” led to a popular trend where people post pictures of times they appreciate and the people they miss.​​ The song “NUEVA YoL” was used in videos of peoples’ parents reacting to the song’s salsa opening. The main salsa song in the album, “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” has inspired people to learn how to salsa dance. 

 

Rauw Alejandro’s album Cosa Nuestra features a cover of the popular salsa song “Tú Con El” by Frankie Ruiz. Now his highest charting album, Cosa Nuestra is an “homage to Willie Colón and Hector Lavoe’s seminal 1969 salsa album of the same name”.

 

My parents grew up listening to salsa music and salsa dancing. When I asked my mom how she felt about salsa music coming back, she said “It is absolutely amazing to see the young generations listening to salsa and plena. For the younger generations, it is important to know our rich culture and our origins.”

 

With popular reggaeton artists including salsa and themes of Latin pride in their recent music, they are paving the way for salsa to make a comeback. People are being reminded of their roots and reconnecting with Latin culture. With music being an essential component of Latin culture, these reggaeton artists remind people of the importance of knowing where you come from and staying connected to it.