BESTMÚSICA URBANA ALBUM
Saturno
RAUW ALEJANDRO
To hype fans for his third studio album, Saturno, Rauw wrote on Instagram that he was in “Saturn making the most amazing album of the year” — and he wasn’t wrong. On the 18-track set, the chameleonic Puerto Rican artist stepped away from his signature trap and perreo rhythms in favor of a more experimental sound that fused innovative, otherworldly rhythms with hiphop, ’80s and ’90s freestyle and even punk rock. Saturno tracks such as “Lokera,” “Punto 40” and “Dime Quién ???? ” became fan favorites while also setting the tone for Rauw’s new interstellar era, where he has taken his edgy reggaetón beats to outer space. Saturno debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart in November 2022, becoming Rauw’s fourth straight top 10 on the list.
Mañana Será Bonito KAROL G
On her experimental fourth studio album, Karol G dipped her toes in música mexicana with “Gucci los Paños” backed by heavy tuba melodies and infectious requintos; released “Ojos Ferrari,” her first dembow track, alongside Justin Quiles and Dominican newcomer
Angel Dior; and delivered the midtempo punk song “Tus Gafitas,” co-produced by FINNEAS. But far more than flirting with new genres, the 17-track set, which also includes the empowering Shakira-assisted “TQG,” showcased Karol’s vulnerability, healing process and personal evolution. In March, Mañana Será Bonito made history as the first all-Spanish-language album by a female artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and it also won album of the year at the Latin Grammy Awards in November.
DATA TAINY
Tainy’s remarkable knack for crafting hits for A-list artists is reflected on his debut solo album, DATA, which he described to Billboard as “a representation of who I am as a person and as a fan of music.” The 19-track album highlights his unmatched production skills and tastemaking sensibility, as reggaetón bangers meet synth-based dance and pop beats, like on the Jhayco-assisted “Fantasma | AVC” and Bad Bunny collaboration “Mojabi Ghost.” Other stars featured on the album include Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Wisin y Yandel, Feid, Arcángel, Rauw Alejandro, Myke Towers, Julieta Venegas and Young Miko. DATA reached No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums chart, marking the Puerto Rican producer’s return to the top 10 after 16 years.