OpinionGuest Essay

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By Noah Shachtman

Mr. Shachtman is a former editor in chief of Rolling Stone. He writes frequently about culture and politics.

The last time the Super Bowl was in Santa Clara, Calif., a decade ago, Coldplay headlined the halftime show. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio was bagging groceries in Vega Baja, P.R. The remix of “Despacito” featuring Justin Bieber — the song that helped build reggaeton into a cornerstone of the American music scene — was still a year away.

So much has changed since February 2016, including in pop culture. That former grocery worker, now better known as Bad Bunny, was Spotify’s most-streamed artist in the world in 2025. At times........

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