The 10 Best Don Omar Songs of All-Time
Few singers have helped turn reggaeton into such a massive force as Puerto Rican artist Don Omar. After making a splashy introduction with his 2003 debut album, The Last Don, Omar’s career went stratospheric in 2006 with his sophomore outing, King of Kings, a multi-platinum sensation that’s since been confirmed as the most successful album of the decade in Latin America, not to mention the most successful album in the history of reggaeton. Since then, he’s continued to dominate the airwaves with singles like Danza Kuduro and Taboo. Revisit some of his finest moments with our pick of the 10 best Don Omar songs of all time.
10. Conteo
King of Kings, Omar’s second studio album, was a critical and commercial triumph, spending a stonking eleven weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in 2006, becoming the best selling reggaeton album of all time after selling over 4.1 million copies, and picking up a nomination for Best Urban Music Album at the 2006 Latin Grammy Awards. One of its highlights is Conteo, which took Omar to number 36 on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay chart on its release as the album’s second single.
9. Zumba
A thrilling fusion of tropical-flavored pop and reggaeton, Zumba is one of the many gems from Omar’s mega-selling fifth studio album, Meet the Orphans 2: New Generation. Released as a digital download in October 2012 to coincide with its appearance on the video game Zumba Fitness Core (which was released on Wii and Kinect that same month), the song became a major hit in the US, topping the Latin Rhythm Airplay, Latin Airplay, and Latin Pop Airplay charts and reaching number 2 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.
8. Virtual Diva
In 2009, Omar dropped his third studio album, IDon. Described by his record label as “one of the most anticipated albums in the history of Latin music,” it became another smash hit for the singer, reaching number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and picking up the Billboard Latin Music Award for Latin Rhythm Album of the Year. It produced three singles altogether, including the upbeat electro urban hit, Virtual Diva. Despite representing a change in musical direction for Omar, fans lapped it up, sending the single to number 1 on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart.
7. Dale Don Dale
In February 2003, Omar exploded onto the scene with his debut single, Dale Don Dale. After being promoted heavily across Puerto Rican radio stations, the song started flying off the shelves, selling over 100,000 copes in Spanish-speaking countries and making it to number one across several charts. Several hugely successful remixes later, it picked up a nomination for Best Latin/Reggaetón Track at the 2007 International Dance Music Awards, eventually losing out to Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie.
6. Hasta Que Salga El Sol
Meet the Orphans 2: New Generation is stuffed with classic tracks, with barely a single duff note across the entire album. Its second single, Hasta Que Salga El Sol, is particularly glorious, with hypnotizing Brazilian rhythms and dancefloor-ready beats. If you’re still in your seat by the end of it, you weren’t listening hard enough. Released in June 2012, it topped the US Hot Latin Songs chart and reached number 5 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. At the following year’s Latin Grammy Awards, it took home the title for Best Urban Song.
5. Dutty Love (featuring Natti Natasha)
Flavored with tropical and Caribbean-influenced beats and featuring a sublime interplay between Omar and guest vocalist Natti Natasha, the phenomenal Dutty Love bought in another stack of number ones for Omar’s collection, topping the Hot Latin Songs, Tropical Airplay, Latin Pop Airplay and Latin Rhythm Airplay charts and peaking at number 14 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart
4. Hasta Abajo
In 2010, Omar picked up a nomination for Best Urban Song at the Latin Grammy Awards for this scorching single from Meet the Orphans 2: New Generation. Listen out for a slightly different version of the chart-topper on the soundtrack to the 2010 movie, Unstoppable.
3. Taboo
Described by AOL Radio Blog as “a down-and-dirty dance number that melds traditional island rhythms with a techno-friendly undercurrent and bright synthesizer melodies,” Taboo became one of Omar’s biggest hits to date in 2011. Recorded alongside Lucenzo for the collaborative album Meet the Orphans, the song topped multiple charts (including Billboard’s Latin Songs, Latin Rhythm Airplay and Tropical Airplay), as well as picking up the award for Urban Song of the Year at the 2012 ASCAP Awards.
2. Angelito
A reggaeton classic of cinematic proportions, Angelito tells a twisted tale of revenge, death, and remembrance. Widely considered a milestone moment in both Omar’s career and the history of reggaeton in general, its grandiose ambitions propelled it to number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100. The accompanying video, which was set in Rome and directed by David Impelluso, picked up the Video of the Year award at the Premio Lo Nuestro 2007.
1. Danza Kuduro
In at number one on our list of the 10 best Don Omar songs of all time is Danza Kuduro. Released as a single in 2010 from the album Meet the Orphans, the song picked up rave reviews. After storming the charts in Latin America, it eventually went global, topping multiple charts across Europe and certifying 5x platinum in the US.
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