AceShowbiz - Non-English-language music has made a significant mark on the Billboard Hot 100 chart over the decades, despite the dominance of English-language songs in the U.S. market.

While the Billboard Hot 100 primarily features English recordings, global hits sung in other languages have occasionally surged to widespread acclaim, dominating streaming services, radio stations, and popular culture. Notable examples include the Spanish-language sensation Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” which topped the chart for 14 weeks in 1996, and the Korean-language viral hit PSY’s “Gangnam Style” in 2012.

Since the Hot 100’s inception in 1958, a total of 39 songs performed predominantly or entirely in a language other than English have reached the chart’s top 10 as of February 21, 2026. The first breakthrough was the Italian classic “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” by Domenico Modugno, which spent five weeks at No. 1 and won both record and song of the year at the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1959.

Among these 39 hits, Spanish-language songs lead with 23 entries, followed by Korean with eight. German-language tracks have reached the top 10 three times, French and Italian twice each, and Japanese once. This linguistic diversity highlights the growing global influence on the American music scene.

The artist with the most non-English top 10 hits is Bad Bunny, who has achieved 13 entries primarily in Spanish. In addition, he has two more top 10s with mostly English lyrics, including “I Like It” with Cardi B and J Balvin, and “K-Pop” with Travis Scott and The Weeknd. Four of Bad Bunny’s Spanish hits come from his 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti, which dominated the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks—the longest reign for a mainly non-English album. Following him, BTS has five non-English top 10 hits, and PSY has two.

Out of the 39 songs, 11 reached No. 1. This includes the record-tying 16-week chart-topper “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, featuring Justin Bieber, in 2017. The most recent No. 1 is Bad Bunny’s Spanish-language track “DtMF,” which surged to the summit in February 2026 following his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.

The frequency of international hits on the Hot 100 has accelerated in recent years. Since 2012, 27 of the 39 non-English top 10 songs have appeared, marking a dramatic rise after a 16-year gap between “Macarena” and “Gangnam Style.” This trend reflects the impact of streaming platforms, social media, and global superstars like Bad Bunny and BTS in driving worldwide music consumption.

The year 2023 set a new record with seven non-English-language songs reaching the top 10, surpassing the previous high of four in 2022. Regional Mexican music has also gained prominence during this period. After Gera MX and Christian Nodal’s “Botella Tras Botella” became the first song from the genre to enter the Hot 100 in 2021, it achieved its first top 10 placement in April 2023 thanks to Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma.