Romeo Santos - Golden [2LP]

Romeo Santos wears the crown of modern bachata with ease, and Golden, his third studio album from 2017, spreads its 18 tracks across two LPs.

The Bronx-born former frontman of Aventura has spent his solo career pushing bachata's guitar-driven romance toward R&B and hip-hop. Golden takes that ambition further, with Santos executive producing a team that stretched from Swizz Beatz to Tainy, plus guest turns from Ozuna, Jessie Reyez and Julio Iglesias. The result is his most ambitious album, balancing traditional bachata with sleek modern touches.

Lead single "Héroe Favorito" is classic Romeo, sweet-voiced and slyly dramatic, while "Imitadora" leans into heartbreak with that trademark high tenor. "Bella y Sensual" teams him with reggaeton heavyweights Nicky Jam and Daddy Yankee, and "Carmín" pairs him with Dominican legend Juan Luis Guerra for a gorgeous meeting of generations.

The requinto guitars still sparkle and the bongos still swing, but the production gives everything a polished, cinematic sheen that makes the album feel built for arenas rather than dance halls. Santos's voice stays front and centre, sweet and pleading.

For fans of Latin pop and bachata, Golden is a high-water mark from one of the genre's biggest stars, and the double LP lets all 18 tracks play out with plenty of room to breathe.