Taylor Swift vs Bad Bunny: Who dominates music in the Americas?

A new regional breakdown of streaming dominance across North and South America shows a clear split between Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny, with each artist commanding vast swathes of the continent.

The above map shows a striking cultural divide. The United States, Canada and parts of Brazil lean towards Taylor Swift, while Mexico, Central America and most of Spanish-speaking South America favour Bad Bunny.

The split reflects more than fan preference. It mirrors language, streaming behaviour, touring revenue and the globalisation of pop music.

Taylor Swift dominates much of the English-speaking Americas.

The United States and Canada remain core markets for Swift, who has consistently ranked among the world’s most streamed artists. According to IFPI’s Global Music Report, Swift was the world’s best-selling recording artist in 2023, driven by the massive success of her Eras Tour and re-recorded albums.

Her commercial power is equally visible on streaming platforms. Spotify has repeatedly listed her among its most-streamed artists globally, while Billboard reported that the Eras Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour in history, surpassing $1 billion in revenue.

In Brazil, one of the largest music markets in Latin America, Swift’s strong touring presence and streaming numbers have helped cement her popularity beyond English-speaking borders.

On the other hand, Bad Bunny dominates Mexico, Central America and most of South America.

The Puerto Rican superstar has become one of the most influential Latin artists in modern history. Spotify confirmed that Bad Bunny was the platform’s most-streamed artist globally for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, a historic achievement for a Spanish-language performer.

His album Un Verano Sin Ti became one of the most-streamed albums of all time and earned a Grammy nomination and award for Album of the Year, a rare milestone for a primarily Spanish-language release.

According to the map, Spanish-speaking countries across Latin America overwhelmingly favour Bad Bunny, whose reggaeton and Latin trap catalogue resonates culturally and linguistically across the region.

Meanwhile, English-speaking markets lean towards Swift’s pop and country-pop catalogue.

Brazil: The notable exception

Brazil stands out.

Despite being a Portuguese-speaking nation with its own vibrant domestic music industry, the map places Brazil in Swift’s column. Brazil is one of the world’s top ten music markets, according to IFPI, and international pop artists regularly perform strongly there.

Swift’s sold-out stadium shows in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro underline her commercial strength in the country.