One of the most prolific artists in reggaeton and Latin trap, Nicky Jam is a charting, award-winning singer and songwriter who has collaborated with a long list of performers, including superstars such as Daddy Yankee, Farruko, J Balvin, and dozens of others. In addition, his solo material includes the popular albums Vida Escante (2004) and The Black Carpet (2007) as well as its accompanying self-released The Black Mixtape (2009). His single "Hasta el Amanecer," issued in early 2016, contained the singer's trademark catchy, romantic, melodic hooks, and its music video has been viewed over a billion times. His 2017 hit album, Fénix, was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year, while 2019's Íntimo went platinum in three countries. Jam returned in 2021 with the full-length Infinity and continued to occupy the charts with singles like "Sin Novia" (2022) and "Toy a Mil" (2023).

Born Nick Rivera Caminero on March 17, 1981, in Boston, Massachusetts, Jam moved with his family to Barrio Obrero, Puerto Rico at age ten. His father is Puerto Rican and his mother is Dominican. Like many of his generation, Jam initially got into the reggaeton scene during the '90s and made a name for himself on the mixtape circuit. Most notably, he can be heard on some of the seminal mixtapes helmed by DJ Playero around the turn of the century. Early solo albums such as Haciendo Escante (2001), featuring fellow DJ Playero protégé Daddy Yankee on the title track, established him as a rising star in the reggaeton scene, but it wasn't until Vida Escante (2004) that he broke through to a mainstream audience, particularly once the album was re-released with bonus material in 2005. His follow-up, The Black Carpet (2007), proved similarly popular, spawning one of his biggest hits, "Gas Pela" featuring RKM.

Despite Jam's success, he felt he could do more, and decided to move to Colombia in 2010. It provided to be just the career rejuvenation he needed, resulting in a parade of underground hits including "Tu Primera Vez," "Curiosidad," and "Voy a Beber." By 2014 he was charting consistently again, first with the single "Travesuras" and then in early 2015 with "Si Tu No Estas." Both songs appeared on Greatest Hits, Vol. 1. In the spring of 2015, his duet with Enrique Iglesias on "El Perdón" became his first single to hit number one on the Latin charts, and crossed over to the pop charts. After winning accolades at the 2015 Latin American Music Awards and Latin Grammy Awards, as well as the 2016 Lo Nuestro Awards, Jam worked on his first studio album since 2007. That effort, the multi-platinum Fénix, arrived on Sony Music in 2017. Featuring appearances by Sean Paul, J Balvin, Wisin, Daddy Yankee, Arcangel, Enrique Iglesias, and more, the record hit the Top 30 of the Billboard 200 and topped the Latin Albums chart, Jam's first appearance on the list.

The single "X," featuring J Balvin, appeared in 2018, with a remix featuring Maluma and Ozuna following soon after. Jam continued to release stand-alone tracks throughout the year, including "Satisfaccion" with Bad Bunny and Arcangel, "Good Vibes" with Fuego, and "Jaleo" with Steve Aoki. At the end of the year, he issued the charting "Te Robaré" (featuring Ozuna). He also appeared as a featured collaborator on various singles and album tracks including Ozuna's "Haciéndolo," Ginza's remix of J Balvin's "Bruuttal," and Loud Luxury's "Body on My" with Brando and Pitbull.

2019 held no respite for Jam as he collaborated on a slew of tracks including Shaggy's "Body Good," Alejandro Sanz's "Back in the City," and the remix of Karol G's "Mi Cama." He also issued a handful of digital singles across the Caribbean and Latin America including "Mona Lisa" (featuring Nacho), "Atrévete" (featuring Sech), and "El Favor" (with Dimelo Flow and Farruko, featuring Sech, Zion, and Lunay). Jam also spent time filming the movie Bad Boys for Life, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and touring to generate interest for his upcoming sixth studio album, Intimo. In late October, a week before the set's release, he released a documentary trailer titled Behind Nicky Jam's Intimo. It gave viewers an inside look at his battle with drugs, almost losing his career, and his journey toward sobriety. Intimo arrived in November 2019 and entered the Latin Albums chart at number three. A single, "Muévelo," featuring Jam and Daddy Yankee, appeared in January 2020 as part of the Bad Boys for Life soundtrack and topped the Billboard Latin Airplay chart. Later that year, he released the platinum-selling single "Polvo" (featuring Myke Towers), with "Fan de Tus Fotos" (featuring Romeo Santos) arriving in 2021. Along with the Jhay Cortez collaboration "Magnum," both songs appeared on Jam's sixth album, Infinity, that August. A pair of stand-alone singles, “Ojos Rojos” and the Prince Royce- and Jay Wheeler-assisted “Si Te Preguntan...,” appeared in 2022, with “Toy a Mil” and "69" arriving in 2023. He also paired with Trueno for 2024's "Cangrinaje." ~ Jason Birchmeier & James Christopher Monger

DJ, producer, author, fashion designer, and label head Steve Aoki has built his brand around raucous live sets, high-profile remixes and collaborations, and his indie label, Dim Mak Records. Active since the mid-'90s, his official debut album, Wonderland, received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album in 2013, while subsequent releases remained a steady presence in the Top Five of the U.S. dance chart, including a pair of chart-toppers with Neon Future, Vol. 1 (2014) and Neon Future, Vol. 3 (2018). He was back in the Top 20 with Neon Future, Vol. 4 (2020). In the 2020s, Aoki launched a new album series with 2022's Hiroquest: Genesis and 2023's Hiroquest: Double Helix.

Dim Mak, founded in 1996, went on to count indie bands and electronic acts such as Gossip, Bloc Party, the Kills, Klaxons, MSTRKRFT, and Bloody Beetroots among its stable of signees. Aoki is one of the most collaborative producers around, with hundreds of features and remixes under his belt, including the Top Ten dance hits "A Light That Never Comes" featuring Linkin Park, "Just Hold On" featuring Louis Tomlinson, "All Night" featuring Lauren Jauregui, and "Waste It on Me" featuring BTS.

Born in Miami in 1977, Steven Hiroyuki Aoki grew up in California -- the Japanese-American son of former wrestler and restauranteur Rocky Aoki -- where he balanced academics, athletics, and social activism with his love of music, double-majoring at University of California, Santa Barbara while also playing secret shows from his college apartment. In 1996, Aoki took his D.I.Y. record production hobby and made it official with the formation of indie label Dim Mak Records. On the side, Aoki continued to perform in bands and solo sets.

In 2007, he released his first official compilation, Pillowface & His Airplane Chronicles, on Thrive Records. Featuring tracks by Justice, Klaxons, Mystery Jets, Peaches, Datarock, Yelle, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, and Scanners -- most of them remixed -- Pillowface & His Airplane Chronicles represented Aoki's renown as a taste-making dance party DJ. The mix peaked in the Top Ten of the U.S. Dance chart.

In 2009, his remix work brought rapper Drake's single "Forever" to the dancefloor, while 2010 saw him release the "I'm in the House" single with Zuper Blahq, alter ego of Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am. Further high-profile artists' material was also reworked by Aoki during this period, with tracks by Michael Jackson, the Killers, and Lenny Kravitz all benefiting, while collaborations with like-minded producers such as Armand van Helden and the Bloody Beetroots continued to appear on Dim Mak. By the end of 2011, the early fruits of sessions for his debut album had materialized as the singles "Earthquakey People" -- a collaboration with Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo -- and "Tornado," on which Aoki combined forces with the multi-award-winning Tiësto. Wonderland arrived in early 2012 and marked Aoki's first appearance on the Billboard 200. The album was later nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards.

In late 2012, he released his first EP, It's the End of the World as We Know It. More collaborations followed, including a single between Aoki and Linkin Park titled "A Light That Never Comes," which was expanded as an EP featuring remixes by Rick Rubin, Vicetone, and Coone. The track became Aoki's highest-charting single to date.

In 2014, he announced details of his sophomore effort, Neon Future, Vol. 1. Marketed as a two-part record, the first installment arrived later in the year, topping the Billboard Dance chart with the help of guests such as Fall Out Boy, will.i.am, and Waka Flocka Flame. Neon Future, Vol. 2 followed in 2015 with appearances from Rivers Cuomo, Snoop Dogg, and J.J. Abrams. The next year, Aoki collaborated with One Direction's Louis Tomlinson on the single "Just Hold On," which debuted at number two on the U.K. singles chart and just outside the Top 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Aoki's fourth effort arrived in the summer of 2017. Kolony featured appearances by trap rappers Migos and Lil Yachty ("Night Call"), Gucci Mane ("Lit"), Lil Uzi Vert ("Been Balling"), and 2 Chainz ("Without You").

The next year, Aoki released the single "Azukita" with Daddy Yankee, Play N Skillz, and Elvis Crespo. He followed with a quintet of big-bass, high-energy singles -- featuring guests Hardwell, Laidback Luke, Loopers, and even his mother -- which all landed on the 5OKI EP. 2018 continued to be a busy year for Aoki, with collaborations (including "Pretender" with Lil Yachty and AJR and "Be Somebody" with Nicky Romero and Kiiara) and remixes (including the star-studded "Girls" by Rita Ora, Cardi B, Bebe Rexha, and Charli XCX) occupying much of his output. He was also featured on a pair of tracks on the record-breaking Love Yourself: Answer by K-pop group BTS, lending his talents to the ballad "The Truth Untold" and a remix of "MIC Drop."

A third BTS pairing, "Waste It on Me," was just one of many high-profile collaborations on Aoki's chart-topping Neon Future, Vol. 3. Landing at the end of 2018, the third installment in the series included appearances from blink-182, Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins, Lady Antebellum, Daddy Yankee, and even Bill Nye "the Science Guy." Neon Future, Vol. 4 arrived in April 2020, featuring Icona Pop, Desiigner, Monsta X, Sting, Backstreet Boys, Maluma, Travis Barker, will.i.am, Matthew Koma, Alan Walker, and Zooey Deschanel among its many guest artists.

A handful of non-album singles appeared throughout 2021, including "Mambo" with Willy William, "Used to Be" with Kiiara and Wiz Khalifa, and the multicultural anthem "Equal in the Darkness" with MAX and Jolin Tsai. 2022 saw the release of Hiroquest: Genesis, an album featuring tracks like the Taking Back Sunday collaboration "Just Us Two" and the MT11-assisted "Da Homies." Aoki also teamed with Afrojack to curate a series of remix EPs revisiting their 2011 single "No Beef." No Beef (REMIXES), Parts 1 and 2 featured new takes on the song by Goodboys, Crankdat, R3HAB, and others. Aoki kicked off 2023 with the stand-alone "New York" (featuring Mazie) and collaborated with Argentine singer Tini on her single "Muñecas." Singles like "Older" with Dixie D'Amelio and Jimmie Allen and "Lighter" with Paris Hilton paved the way for Hiroquest: Double Helix, released that November. ~ Jason Birchmeier & Neil Z. Yeung