Is Bad Bunny really the new 'King of Pop'?
Updated | By Tamlyn Canham
Taylor Swift recently dethroned Bad Bunny as Spotify's most-played artist, but according to Forbes, he is the new 'King of Pop'.
There's no denying that Bad Bunny is currently one of the most successful male artists on the planet, but is he the Michael Jackson of his generation?
Forbes recently dubbed the Puerto Rican rapper and singer the new 'King of Pop'.
"El Rey del Pop' the magazine wrote in Spanish on its '30 Under 30' cover.
ALSO READ: Forbes 2023: Taylor Swift is the fifth most powerful woman in the world
If there’s one constant about 29-year-old Bad Bunny (@sanbenito), it’s that whatever he creates becomes a world-wide hit. https://t.co/W8eTdENhUv#ForbesUnder30 pic.twitter.com/CMxoG7tvGX
— Forbes (@Forbes) December 4, 2023
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Shortly after Forbes released its '30 Under 30' list - which included Bad Bunny's girlfriend Kendall Jenner - Spotify Wrapped announced its most streamed artists of the year.
Bad Bunny was the most-played global artist on the platform in 2020, 2021, and 2022. However, Taylor Swift dethroned him in 2023.
Her music was streamed more than 26-billion times by fans around the world this year. Bad Bunny came in second. The Weeknd, Drake, and Peso Pluma also made the top five.
He might have dropped on the global artist list, but Bad Bunny's 2022 album 'Un Verano Sin Ti' held onto the #1 spot on 'The Top 10 Albums Globally' list. Taylor's 'Midnights' album came in second.
Miley Cyrus, meanwhile, beat both Bad Bunny and Taylor on 'The Top Songs Globally'. Her flowers 'Flowers' song was number one followed by 'Kill Bill' by SZA.
Check out all of Spotify Wrapped's 2023 lists here.
ALSO READ: Kendall Jenner reveals reason for being scared to have children
Bad Bunny (@sanbenito) is the archetype of a modern pop idol. “He has a finger on the pulse of culture like no one else,” says Jeremy Erlich, Spotify’s head of music. “He’s dictating what culture becomes.” https://t.co/d9wFJnDjJw #ForbesUnder30 pic.twitter.com/2QMBd4SaRm
— Forbes (@Forbes) December 6, 2023
Despite his overwhelming music success, social media users continue to debate whether Bad Bunny is worthy of the 'King of Pop' title.
Many cried foul and called Forbes "disrespectful" for making such a bold declaration.
"Bad Bunny is fire but King of Pop is a stretch," one X (Twitter) user wrote.
Some even joked that his team paid Forbes to give him the title.
Bad Bunny is not the first artist to be called the 'King of Pop' after Michael Jackson.
Rolling Stone magazine named Harry Styles the 'new King of Pop' in 2022. It also gave Justin Timberlake the title in 2003.
"First it was Harry Styles now Bad Bunny. The King of pop can [never] be replaced. We laid that title to rest when Michael died," an X user said.
ALSO READ: Rolling Stone slammed for calling Harry Styles the "new King of Pop"
Main image credit:YouTube/ Bad Bunny ('Moscow Mule' music video)
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