- Reggaeton began in Puerto Rico in the 1990s as a variation on the dancehall reggae style called raggamuffin. Musicians added rap lyrics and salsa and bomba elements to raggmuffin's electronic beats to form a new style.
- Reggaeton spread from Puerto Rico and Panama, where it was also popular, to Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, and then on to U.S. cities with large Latino populations like Miami and New York City.
- Reggaeton originally flourished in urban environments as an underground style. It is closely associated with a sexually suggestive dance style called Perreo.
- Early reggaeton stars included El General, DJ Blass and Vico C. Artists like Don Omar and Daddy Yankee continued to fuel reggaeton's popularity in the 2000s.
- Reggaeton's evolution continues as the music encounters different styles and cultures. Some European countries, including Spain, have embraced reggaeton and combined it with their own club culture, for example.
