Pit5 Music News Cache

By Leila Cobo Sat Nov 10, 12:06 AM ET

MIAMI (Billboard) - Colombian rocker Juanes may have a hit tune on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, but that does not mean Spanish-language music is spreading to non-Spanish speakers.

In the realm of radio, as tempting as it may be to think that crossover hits are becoming more common, they aren't. And when they do happen, almost invariably, they're tied to an uptempo, easy-to-dance-to track.

Juanes' new single, "Me Enamora," stands at No. 75 on the Hot 100, but its ranking is driven by strong digital sales and airplay on virtually every Spanish-language station in the United States. Only a minimal percentage of non-Latin stations are playing the song.

In 2005, Shakira's "La Tortura" with Alejandro Sanz rose to No. 23 on the Hot 100. But it also had digital sales attached to it, and, most important, Shakira, a crossover name.

If we look at purely Spanish songs from other artists, the biggest recent hits belong to Daddy Yankee with "Rompe" in 2006 and, prior to that, "Gasolina." Both made it to the top 40.

Aided by a remix featuring Lil Jon, "Gasolina" gained traction on hip-hop and top 40 stations that later embraced the original version. Earlier in 2005, another track, N.O.R.E.'s "Oye Mi Canto," featuring Yankee, Gem Star, Big Mato and Nina Sky, climbed to No. 12 on the Hot 100. These are all reggaeton tracks, synonymous with danceable.

The last big Spanish-language hit on mainstream U.S. radio was "Macarena," the queen of easy-to-dance-to tracks. That was a decade ago.

Beyond the United States, music fans' ears are a bit more open but still attuned almost singularly to music that moves their feet. The most patent example is Juanes' "La Camisa Negra." While certainly not reggaeton, its Colombian rhythm was utterly infectious. It was No. 1 in more than 30 countries -- many of them non-Spanish-speaking -- and landed at No. 10 on Europe's year-end singles chart, a mega-achievement for a Latin artist who doesn't sing in English.

Juanes' "Me Enamora" is currently No. 77 on the European charts, still remarkable for a Latin song. Its only Spanish-language competition is "Diras Que Estoy Loco" by Spaniard Miguel Angel Munoz, a pop/dance club track that sits at No. 95.

Reuters/Billboard