On October 13, 2023, nobody exactly knew what was going to happen, but what we did know was that Bad Bunny would be releasing his fifth studio album: Nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana. Some stayed up late to listen to it upon its release, while others attended the Listening Party in person at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in Puerto Rico.Several weeks have passed since the release of the new album and there is a lot to say about it. Opinions vary; some love it, others hate it, but in the end, everyone is familiar with it. The cover’s aesthetic, featuring Bad Bunny riding a horse, prompts thoughts that perhaps he is in his “Ken era,” presenting a collection of 22 songs filled with references to pop-culture and a more mature “trap” sound.
As there have been various opinions about this album, and given the fact that it appeals to the larger Gen Z audience, I wanted to know what the students of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, thought about Bad Bunny’s latest release, so let’s dive into it.
Survey questions & answers
Maybe we don’t know what will happen tomorrow (as the album title alludes), but one thing we do know and have is the perspective of sixty students on campus that took their time to answer a survey containing four simple questions regarding their thoughts and their opinions on this topic. The conclusions are as follows:
1. Did you like Bad Bunny’s new album?
Students had the opportunity to choose between three answers:
- I did like it.
- Neutral or indifferent.
- I didn’t like it.
Much like me, the results indicated that 55% of the interviewees liked the album. However, 35% of them felt neutral or indifferent towards it, and only 10% did not like it.
2. To what extent has Bad Bunny’s new album met your expectations in terms of musical taste?
For the following question, students were given five different options where they could express how satisfied they really were with the album, in relation to their expectations:
😞: It didn’t meet my expectations at all.
😐: It partially met my expectations.
🙂: It largely met my expectations.
😃: It completely met my expectations.
😍: It exceeded my expectations.
With 30% of the answers, the students conveyed that the album fulfilled their expectations to a certain extent, while 28% believed it partially met their expectations. 15% of the interviewees expressed that the album completely met their expectations. In a consistent manner, 13% of the students believed the album surpassed them, while an additional 13% concluded that it fell short of meeting their expectations entirely.
3. Choose the song you liked the most.
The third question gave students the option to choose the song they liked the most among the 22 songs on the album.
The song that UPR students liked the most was “Mónaco” with a total of 18%.
Image created by the author
4. Please rate your experience with Bad Bunny’s new album using a scale of 1 to 5 stars, where 1 means an unsatisfactory experience and 5 means a highly satisfactory experience.
Finally, students were asked to rate their experience with Bad Bunny’s new album using a scale of 1 to 5 stars, where 1 means an unsatisfactory experience and 5 means a highly satisfactory experience.
The result was an average of 3.5 stars out of 5.
Image created by the author
My personal take on Bad Bunny’s new album
I’ve noticed a spectrum of opinions among fans, ranging from unwavering loyalty to those who maintain a more objective viewpoint. From where I stand, it’s captivating to witness the diverse reactions the album has stirred. While I acknowledge and appreciate the album’s display of Bad Bunny’s versatility and innovative spirit, some argue it falls short of the vibrant energy found in his earlier works. In my opinion, the album doesn’t quite reach the musical pinnacle set by Bad Bunny. I find certain tracks too similar for my liking, and occasionally, the transition between them lacks clarity. On a strategic note, the album distinguishes itself with its bold and daring lyrics. Moreover, Bad Bunny’s team consistently impresses with their creative promotional efforts for new releases. The blend of genres and experimental production introduces a distinctive flavor, though opinions may differ on whether it resonates universally. This sparks intriguing discussions about his artistic evolution and individual preferences in music. Despite these observations, my loyalty as a fan remains unwavering, and by day’s end, I’ll likely have committed all the album’s songs to memory.