Bad Bunny Secures First Solo UK Top 10 Hits Following Super Bowl Performance
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican global music sensation, has finally broken into the UK Top 10 as a solo artist, thanks to a significant boost from his recent Super Bowl half-time show. Despite being one of the most streamed musicians worldwide, he had previously never achieved a solo Top 10 hit in the UK until this week.
Chart Surge Driven by Super Bowl Exposure
His album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which recently won Album of the Year at the Grammys, leaped an impressive 42 places to secure the No. 2 spot in the UK Top 40 album chart. This marks a substantial improvement from its previous peak at No. 13. Simultaneously, the single DTMF from the album climbed 39 places to reach No. 4 in the singles chart.
Bad Bunny had previously appeared in the UK singles Top 20 twice, but only as a guest artist on tracks by Cardi B and Drake. This week, however, he dominates with three Spanish-language songs from Debí Tirar Más Fotos in the Top 20: Nuevayol at No. 15 and Baile Inolvidable at No. 20. This achievement is particularly notable in the UK, where non-English language hits are rare, and having three Spanish songs in the Top 20 simultaneously is likely unprecedented.
Super Bowl Half-Time Show: A Global Sensation
Bad Bunny's performance during the Super Bowl LX half-time show at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, was hailed by many as one of the greatest in NFL history. According to data from the NFL and Ripple Analytics, the show attracted 128.2 million viewers in the US, making it the fourth most-watched Super Bowl half-time show in US television history, behind Kendrick Lamar's 2023 performance, Michael Jackson in 1993, and Usher in 2024. Additionally, more than half of the social media views came from outside the United States, underscoring its global impact.
The performance faced criticism from some right-wing commentators, with former President Donald Trump labeling it "absolutely terrible" and "a slap in the face to our country." In contrast, there was widespread admiration from figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and commentator Meghan McCain. A five-star review in The Guardian by Stefanie Fernández praised the show as "a thrilling ode to Boricua joy," highlighting how Bad Bunny celebrated love, community, and joy.
Other Chart Highlights
Elsewhere in the charts, Taylor Swift jumped 14 places to No. 1 with her single Opalite, boosted by the release of its music video featuring Graham Norton and guests from his talk show, including Domhnall Gleeson and Lewis Capaldi. In the album chart, Olivia Dean's The Art of Loving holds the No. 1 position for the seventh non-consecutive week, having remained in the Top 5 since its release in September. J Cole debuts at No. 3 with what is billed as his final album, The Fall Off.
The Official Charts Company has also introduced a new classical album chart this week, ranking albums released in the past 12 months based on UK sales and streams. Topping this inaugural chart is 21-year-old South Korean pianist Yunchan Lim, with a live recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations from Carnegie Hall.
This week's charts reflect a dynamic shift in music consumption, driven by high-profile events like the Super Bowl, showcasing the power of global platforms to influence national music trends.
