Decoding "Despacito" (An Oral History of Latin Music)

Reported on and written by Leila Cobo, Billboard's VP of Latin Music and the world's ultimate authority on popular Latin music, The Real Story of Latin Music is a behind- and in-front-of-the scenes look at the music that is currently the soundtrack of the globe

Everywhere you turn, the sounds of Latin music are playing. It has become a global phenomenon like never before, with Latin videos dominating YouTube's global charts, an unprecedented thirty tracks in Spanish entering the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018 and a Latin song, "Despacito," becoming the most-listened to track ever.

This ultimate insider's history of Latin music tracks the stories behind the biggest Latin hits of the past fifty years. From the salsa born and bred in the streets of New York City to Puerto Rican reggaetón and bilingual chart-toppers, this rich oral history is a veritable treasure trove of never-before heard anecdotes and insight from a who's who of Latin music artists, executives, observers, and players. Their stories, told in their own words, will literally place you in the moment in time when hits where conceived and executed. From "Conga," to "Mi gente," The Real Story of Latin Music takes the reader to the inner sanctum of the creative minds, the marketing mavens, and the promotion gurus behind the hits, bringing to new life the magic of melodies that have defined eras and become definitive hallmarks of the personal history of millions of fans.