There isn’t one specific genre that has dominated the Latin music scene this year so far. Instead, experimental-leaning projects have ruled, and that is reflected in our list of the best Latin albums from 2024’s first six months.
While highly anticipated albums like Shakira’s eclectic Las Mujeres Ya no Lloran and Peso Pluma’s dual Éxodo are of course accounted for, our list is made up of a wide-ranging group of artists (from up-and-comers to established veterans) who represent genres like reggaetón, pop, música mexicana, bachata and Brazilian funk. But even then, the albums themselves are broad-ranging within those sounds, with artists allowing themselves to get out of their comfort zone and incorporate more than one style in their respective sets — showcasing versatility from beginning to end.
For example, there’s Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Kany García, who stays true to her tropical rhythms-infused sound in García, but also collaborates with acts like Christian Nodal and Carín León for música Mexicana-powered tracks. Speaking of León, his Boca Chueca, Vol. 1 is perhaps his most varied set in sound yet, as he dabbles in alt-rock, ska and R&B. And Camilo’s cuatro thrives on a genre-spanning approach, with a musical journey that begins in salsa and also winds through cumbia and bossanova.
As for other noteworthy albums included in our list of the 24 Best Latin Albums of 2024 so far, there’s Danny Ocean’s Reflexa, his contribution to the future of pop, Anitta‘s trilingual Funk Generation, an homage to the style that made her a household name in her native country, and Mau y Ricky’s ultra-personal Hotel Caracas, inspired by a three-month trip through their native Venezuela, where they returned after moving to Miami 15 years earlier.
See the ranked list below of the 24 albums that have impressed us the most through 2024’s first six months.