Luis Figueroa’s ‘Bandido’ Tops Tropical Airplay Chart: ‘It Has Become a Fan Favorite!’

Luis Figueroa adds his second No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart as “Bandido” lifts to the top of the Oct. 21-dated ranking.

“I am so excited with the reaction from everyone with this song … it has become a fan favorite!” Figueroa tells Billboard. “I am also proud to represent this new salsa movement. Salsa es lo que hay!”

“Bandido” lands at the summit with a 23% gain to 5.7 million audience impressions on reporting radio stations during the Oct. 6-12 tracking week, according to Luminate. The song was released Aug. 17 via Magnus Media/Sony Music Latin, with Figueroa one of its six writers.

“It was amazing to work with so many talented musicians and lyricists on this song,” Figueroa adds. “I have been looking forward to putting this record out for a while, so for everyone to finally listen to it, and the reaction it has received, is so gratifying.”

Notably, “Bandido” becomes the first salsa track to crown Tropical Airplay among the five tropical tunes that have notched their first weeks at No. 1 in 2023. Let’s look at the winners, by core style:

Peak Date, Artist, Title (style)
Feb. 4, Romeo Santos & Rosalia, “El Pañuelo” (bachata)
April 8, Marshmello & Manuel Turizo, “El Merengue” (merengue)
July 8, Prince Royce, “Me EnRD” (bachata)
Aug. 5, Chayanne, “Bailando Bachata” (bachata)
Oct. 21, Luis Figueroa, “Bandido” (salsa)

“Bandido” is the first salsa No. 1 on Tropical Airplay since Marc Anthony’s “Mala” in March 2022.

“Bandido” concurrently translates into a new No. 1 for Magnus Media. The label last ruled Tropical Airplay through another Figueroa song, “Hasta El Sol de Hoy,” for one week in July 2021.

Beyond its Tropical Airplay coronation, “Bandido” rebounds to its No. 18 high on the overall Latin Airplay chart. It became Figueroa’s second top 20 entry there, following the No. 15-peaking “Todavía Te Espero” in 2022.

The Puerto Rican’s new achievement follows his first-time nomination for a Billboard Latin Music Award this year, for tropical artist of the year, solo.