Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti is IFPI’s Global Album of the Year sounds familiar

MANILA, Philippines — Un Verano Sin Ti, the gloriously exhilarating and irresistible album by the Puerto Rican pop idol Bad Bunny, was conferred the Global Album of the Year Award by the IFPI. That means that the recording sold more than all others, and was the most streamed, most downloaded, most listened to, and I must add, most danced to, etc., in 2022.

The IFPI is the International Federation of Phonographic Industries. The organization is charged with protecting the rights of the music industry in 70 countries. It also helps members increase their economic value and create growth with jobs and investment. Credibility here is very high. So, when the IFPI says that an album sold more than all others during a given year, it has the records to prove it.

Un Verano Sin Ti, which translates to A Summer Without You, is the first Latin American production to receive the IFPI award. Not only that, despite all of its 26 tracks being in Spanish, it spent 13 weeks atop Billboard’s Top 200 Albums list and was nominated for Album of the Year in the 2023 Grammy Awards. That has not happened to a foreign language album in a long time.

It was really no surprise. Un Verano Sin Ti was a summer album and with merrymaking returning to normal times after the pandemic, it provided just the right sound for the season. All of a sudden, people wanted to enjoy being outdoors. They were dancing to the reggaeton, the merengue, and other Latin beats with Bad Bunny rapping and singing about fun and heartbreak. As of this writing, the album has been streamed over six billion times on Spotify.

I saw Bad Bunny with the album Un Verano Sin Ti and singles like Ti Ti Me Pregunto as the leader of the “Latino uprising” that occurred last year. All of a sudden, the Latinos were releasing one exciting album after another and generating global interest in artists like Karol G, Rosalia, Maluma and even the sexy, ageless Shakira. The success of the animated feature Encanto also helped. It was like a revenge reaction to the South Korean onslaught.

By the way, this is still happening right now. The No. 1 selling album this week is Manana Sera Bonita by Karol G, while the No. 1 global single is TGQ, a grand collab between Karol G and Shakira. The Latinos have now certainly hit their stride, hit-wise.

Back to the IFPI and the hit list for 2022. It reads like this: Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny; Midnights by Taylor Swift; Harry’s House by Harry Styles; Proof by BTS; Encanto Soundtrack Album by the Encanto cast; MAXIDENT by the Stray Kids; Face the Sun by SEVENTEEN; BORNPINK by BLACKPINK; SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo; = (Equals) by Ed Sheeran.

MANIFESTO: DAY 1 by ENHYPHEN; Dangerous: the Double Album by Morgan Wallen; Planet Her by Doja Cat; ODDINARY by the Stray Kids; Dawn FM by The Weeknd; Moonside 2 Thursday’s Child by TOMORROW X TOGETHER; RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé; SECTOR 17 by SEVENTEEN. F*CK LOVE (Mix Tape); Certified Lover Boy by Drake.

Looks like the American and I must say also the British dominance of the global music industry is now coming to an end. While recordings from those markets still top the hit charts, it is now a fact that music from other countries have invaded the list.

Well, Un Verano Sin Ti is still technically American, Puerto Rico being a territory of the U.S. of A. But do note that among the Top 20 are eight albums from South Korean acts. That is almost half of the list and there might be more next year.

And hopefully, from other countries, too, like the Philippines, perhaps. I can dream, can I?