Ritmo Caliente: La Explosión del Reggaetón

Daddy Yankee dominates the top slots in this collection of songs, with company from Wisin & Yandel and the clever alternative-reggaetón duo Calle 13. Also included are "Oye Mi Canto," the song by NORE that broke reggaetón to a mainstream audience, and the omnipresent "Reggaetón Latino," by Don Omar. Yankee's duet with Andy Montañez fuels salsa dancers.

Early hits like Hector & Tito's "Gata Salvaje" did much to define the high-energy dance power of reggaetón, while recent hits like Wisin & Yandel's "Llame pa verte" show how far the genre has come in technical values. The bizarre "Latigo" by Andy Boy and the old favorite "Pu Tun Tun" by El General make for more hipshaking chaotic fun.

Reggaetón's lesser-known stars, like Zion & Lennox, Nicky Jam, and Don Chezina are featured here. Lisa M & Tony Touch's "Toca Me La" balances a New York sensibility with teasing lyrics, and Yaga & Mackie's "Fuego" features a very strong Tego Calderón performance.

The biggest reason reggaetón broke through to a mass audience was its infectious danceability. English-speaking listeners, and even Spanish-speaking fans unaccustomed to the idiosyncratic Puerto Rican accent, could barely make out what Daddy Yankee was rapping about on his massive hit song "Gasolina," but they gyrated busily on the dance floor. The "doggie-style" perreo dance leaves little to the imagination and these songs give even beginners plenty to bump and grind to.