Quick answer: Ask for a dembow rhythm, keep the tempo around 88 to 100 BPM, and write the lyrics directly in Spanish with the vocal language set to Spanish. Add one or two production colors (deep sub bass, plucky synth, Latin guitar) and a mood: party, romantic or dark. Short, repeated chorus lines suit the genre.
Genre guide · Reggaeton
Reggaeton with AI: start from the dembow
Reggaeton is recognizable from one bar of drums. The dembow pattern, a steady kick with a syncopated snare, is the genre's signature, and almost everything else (synths, guitars, the vocal) sits on top of it. Ask for it by name and write the lyrics in Spanish.
- Tempo
- Usually 88 to 100 BPM
- Feel
- Dembow: steady kick with a syncopated snare pattern
- Harmony
- Short minor-key loops, often two to four chords
- Core sounds
- Dembow drums, deep sub bass, synth plucks, Latin guitar, percussion
- Vocals
- Spanish, sung and rapped, with a chantable chorus
Defining traits
What makes it reggaeton
- 01
The dembow rhythm
Reggaeton grew out of Jamaican dancehall and Spanish-language reggae in Panama and Puerto Rico, and kept a rhythm called dembow at its center. Writing "dembow rhythm" in the prompt is the most direct way to get the groove.
- 02
Spanish-language vocals
The genre is sung and rapped mostly in Spanish. Write the lyrics in Spanish rather than translating English lines, and set the vocal language to Spanish so the pronunciation and phrasing fit.
- 03
Hooks made to chant
Reggaeton choruses are short and repetitive so a crowd can join in. Two or three lines that return several times work better than a long, changing chorus.
Try it
Prompts that work
PromptReggaeton94 bpm
reggaeton, classic dembow rhythm, deep sub bass, plucky synth melody, confident male vocal in Spanish, party lyrics about a summer night out, short chantable chorus
PromptReggaeton90 bpm
romantic reggaeton, soft dembow beat, Spanish guitar, warm pads, smooth female vocal in Spanish, lyrics about meeting someone again after years
PromptReggaeton96 bpm
dark reggaeton, minor-key synth stabs, heavy dembow drums, distorted sub bass, cool male vocal in Spanish mixing rap verses and a sung hook
PromptReggaeton98 bpm
reggaeton pop crossover, dembow rhythm, bright synths, catchy chorus, female vocal with Spanish verses and an English chorus
Substyles
Tempo by substyle
- Romantic reggaeton86–94
- Perreo90–100
- Latin trap130–150
80120160 bpm
Romantic reggaeton
86–94 bpmSofter drums, guitar or pads and a smooth vocal. Love songs that still move.
Try this style →Perreo
90–100 bpmParty reggaeton built for the dance floor: heavier drums, bass up front, chant-style chorus.
Try this style →Latin trap
130–150 bpmA close cousin: trap drums and 808s with a half-time feel, Spanish rap vocals and a darker mood.
Try this style →
Prompting
What to write, what to skip
Works
- Write "dembow rhythm" in every reggaeton prompt.
- Write lyrics directly in Spanish and set the vocal language to Spanish.
- Keep the chorus to two or three repeated lines.
- Switch languages only at section boundaries in bilingual songs.
Doesn't
- Pasting a word-for-word translation of English lyrics.
- Switching between Spanish and English inside one line.
- Tempos far outside 88 to 100 without asking for a different style.
- Naming a famous reggaeton artist instead of describing the sound.
Go deeper
Guides for this genre
- How to Make an AI Song in Spanish, Turkish or JapaneseWrite non-English lyrics that an AI can sing well: picking the vocal language, counting syllables the way each language does, fixing pronunciation and avoiding translation traps.12 min read
- Can AI Sing a Song in Two Languages?What happens when lyrics mix languages, how to set up a bilingual song so pronunciation holds, which section layouts work best, and how to fix accent drift.11 min read
- Can AI Rap in Spanish or Other Languages?What to expect from AI rap in Spanish and other languages: how rhythm and rhyme change by language, how to set the vocal language, why native writing beats translation, and example bars and prompts in Spanish.12 min read
- Beat Tempo Guide: BPM Ranges by GenreA reference of BPM ranges for hip hop, trap, drill, house, techno, afrobeats, reggaeton, lo-fi, R&B, pop, rock and drum and bass, with half-time explained.12 min read
- AI Songs for TikTok and Reels: Short Hooks That LoopHow to generate short, loopable AI songs sized for vertical video: hook-first structures, lengths for 7, 15 and 30 second clips, loop-friendly endings and prompts that work.13 min read
Questions
The short answers.
- What BPM is reggaeton?
- Reggaeton usually sits between about 88 and 100 BPM. Romantic songs lean toward the lower end and party perreo toward the upper end. Latin trap, a related style, is written around 130 to 150 BPM with a half-time feel.
- Can MusicVivo sing in Spanish?
- Yes. Spanish is one of the 10 vocal languages. Write your lyrics in Spanish or ask MusicVivo to write them, set the vocal language to Spanish, and respell any unusual names phonetically so they are pronounced the way you want.
- Can a reggaeton song mix Spanish and English?
- It can, and it works best when each section stays in one language, for example Spanish verses and an English chorus. Set the vocal language to the language used most in the song.
- What is the dembow rhythm?
- Dembow is the drum pattern at the heart of reggaeton: a steady kick on every beat with a syncopated snare and percussion pattern on top. It takes its name from a dancehall song and is what makes reggaeton recognizable within a bar.
Related genres
Try a neighboring sound
Make a reggaeton song in Spanish
Free to start. Ask for dembow, set the vocal language and get a finished song with lyrics and cover art.
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