Bad Bunny Becomes the Unexpected Star of the World Cup Final
A surprising crossover between football and music in the lead-up to the World Cup final, Bad Bunny emerges as an unexpected figure.
The impact after the semifinal
This Sunday, Spain will play its second World Cup final against Argentina at MetLife Stadium. After beating France, music became a reflection of the fervor, and Spotify recorded a boom in plays. Bad Bunny's "NUEVAYoL" increased by 40% in the hour after the game, turning the Puerto Rican artist into an unexpected symbol of the run-up
The soundtrack of La Roja
The players and fans found their own anthems. “La Graciosa” by Quevedo and Elvis Crespo became a celebration song and has been the most listened to since May. Aitana also joined in with "Superestrella," which rose more than 220% after the semifinal. Even unusual songs like "Alice's Theme" from Alice in Wonderland grew by 470% due to its connection with the memory of the 2010 World Cup
The return of World Cup classics
The contagion effect reached old anthems. “La Roja Baila,” by Sergio Ramos with Niña Pastori and RedOne, saw its streams skyrocket by 24,000%. “Wavin' Flag” by K'NAAN and David Bisbal grew by 6,200%, Shakira's “La La La” by 3,500%, and “Waka Waka” by 2,800%
