The soundtrack of summer is bilingual: Why music is your shortcut to the Hispanic heart

By Aldo Quevedo – CEO, BeautifulBeast

It’s not a stretch to say that the sound of summer in the U.S. has a distinct beat, and more often than not, it’s bilingual. From Bad Bunny and Karol G dominating the charts to backyard parties thumping with cumbias and reggaetón, music isn’t just background noise for U.S. Hispanics—it’s the cultural glue of summer.

For brands, tapping into this musical landscape offers an authentic, direct pathway to the Hispanic heart.

Music isn’t just heard. It’s felt.

For U.S. Latinos, music plays a significant role in shaping identity, mood, and memory. It serves as the soundtrack for family carne asada gatherings, late-night drives, beach days with cousins, and weekend cleanups with la familia. Music is where generations converge, and nostalgia blends with the now.
A SiriusXM Media study found that 92% of Hispanic listeners feel music connects them to their culture. That connection deepens in the summer months when outdoor living, parties, and travel put music front and center in everyday life.

This is where smart marketers are tuning in.

The bilingual advantage.

Latino Gen Z and millennials are rewriting the rules of how music is made, shared, and consumed. They flow easily between English and Spanish, mixing genres and creating a sonic space that mirrors their bicultural lives.

Amazon Music has experienced remarkable growth in Latin music streaming, reflecting the genre’s increasing global popularity. Building on this momentum, Música Mexicana emerged as the leading Latin genre on Amazon Music in 2024, with a 249% year-over-year growth, according to a report on music:)ally.

On Spotify, Latin music streams have surged by 170% globally over the past five years, with the U.S. contributing significantly to this growth.

Platforms like TikTok amplify this trend, where bilingual music often goes viral, propelled by creators who effortlessly blend Spanglish and cultural nuances.

The takeaway? Brands don’t need to pick a side. They need to speak both languages—musically and culturally.

Music is more than a media buy.

Many brands view music merely as a sponsorship opportunity, attaching their name to a festival or concert. However, music offers deeper engagement when approached thoughtfully:

• Emotional access: Music connects directly to our feelings. A carefully selected song can foster brand affinity more effectively than lengthy copy.
• Identity alignment: Collaborating with the right artists or genres signals cultural understanding, especially when rooted in genuine insight rather than just audience reach.
• Community engagement: Music fosters community involvement, whether through local events or global digital campaigns.

Brands getting it right.

We’ve seen some great examples. Cheetos’ collab with Bad Bunny wasn’t just a celebrity endorsement—it tapped into cultural relevance through style, slang, and snackability. Bacardí’s remix campaigns leaned into tropical rhythms and youth culture to create content people wanted to dance to, not skip.

Even retailers like Foot Locker have launched Latinx-focused music campaigns during summer, bridging sneaker culture with sound and lifestyle.

These brands demonstrate that understanding and integrating into the cultural rhythms of summer—through music—can create marketing that resonates personally and authentically.

What marketers need to know now.

If your brand isn’t audible this summer, it might not be visible either. For U.S. Latinos, music transcends entertainment; it embodies identity, joy, memory, and power. When brands engage with them in this arena, the connection doesn’t merely play; it resonates and endures.

• Start with the vibe, not the volume: Choose music that aligns with your brand’s emotional tone and your audience’s lived experiences.
• Co-create, don’t just co-opt: Collaborate with Hispanic artists and creators to build authentic content. Let their voices lead the narrative.
• Make it seasonal: Summer is a peak time for emotional connection. Don’t wait for Hispanic Heritage Month to “show up.”

The soundtrack of summer is bilingual—and it’s blasting from every backyard, car stereo, and phone screen in America. If your brand isn’t part of the mix, it’s not just missing the beat—it’s missing the moment.