David Ertischek (Emerson Today) writes about an Emerson College Polling project centering on the social influence of Bad Bunny’s music in Puerto Rico.
When rapper and singer Bad Bunny takes the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show on February 8, his performance is sure to have heightened cultural significance. His music has long been intertwined with the cultural and political realities of Puerto Rico, but new research from Emerson College suggests his influence may be shaping how listeners understand some of the island’s most pressing social issues.
A new survey conducted by Emerson College Polling examined how Bad Bunny’s music affects public perceptions of gentrification and gender-based violence in Puerto Rico. The survey was conducted in conjunction with Communication Studies Senior Lecturer Owen Eagan and students in the School of Communication’s Research Co-Curricular program.
“In a constantly evolving social, cultural, and political landscape, these survey results show the impact that popular music can have on changing people’s views on notable social issues,” said Eagan. “More importantly, these findings demonstrate that Bad Bunny’s music could play a significant role in creating positive change in Puerto Rico and beyond, improving the lives of women.”
Music as a Lens for Social Change
Eagan said the idea for the project emerged when he was studying how media can combat gender-based violence. “I was conducting research for another project on the ways in which entertainment education has been used to combat gender-based violence and discovered that Bad Bunny had used his platform to address this issue as well as other social issues,” he said.
The Emerson Polling survey found that 85% of respondents described gentrification as a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem, while 94% said the same about gender-based violence. Among those who listen to Bad Bunny’s music, 54% said his music had a positive influence on their views of gentrification, and 38% said it had a positive influence on their views of gender-based violence.
The strongest impact appeared among listeners familiar with “Andrea,” a song many believe was inspired by the real-life killing of Andrea Ruiz Costas. However, Bad Bunny has said this song isn’t specifically about her but is meant to promote respect for all women. Sixty-nine percent of respondents who knew the song said it increased their awareness of gender-based violence, and 47% said it led them to discuss the issue with family or friends.
“What stood out to me was the degree to which Bad Bunny’s music had a positive influence on his listeners,” Eagan said. “Since he is one of the most popular artists in the world, I think this research sheds new light on the power that artists have to shape behavior through their music.”
Hands-On Research Through the SOC Research Co-Curricular Program
Makeighly dos Santos ’29, Gray Gailey ’27, Abigail Lincks ’27, and Monica Rivera Sosa ’26 joined Eagan on this project as part of the School of Communication’s Research Co-Curricular program, which is a one-credit, non-tuition course that allows students to assist faculty with research while gaining hands-on experience.
Eagan has done Emerson research through the program for the past decade. As part of the process, students complete CITI Certification, a requirement for conducting college-level research, and work on all stages of the projects.
“My research assistants were involved in all aspects of the research process which included conducting academic research, designing the survey, developing the methodology, and interpreting the results,” Eagan said.
Additionally, Sosa, who is from Puerto Rico, translated the survey into Spanish and helped provide cultural context for the research. [. . .]
Listen to Bad Bunny’s “Andrea” (ft. Buscabulla) here:
For full article, see https://today.emerson.edu/2026/01/27/emerson-research-explores-how-bad-bunnys-music-shapes-social-awareness-in-puerto-rico/
[Photo of Bad Bunny from https://www.musicmundial.com/en/bad-bunny-ft-escabulla-andrea-english-translation-lyrics-and-real-meaning/]
David Ertischek (Emerson Today) writes about an Emerson College Polling project centering on the social influence of Bad Bunny’s music in Puerto Rico. When rapper and singer Bad Bunny takes the stage at the Super Bowl halftime show on February 8, his performance is sure to have heightened cultural significance. His music has long been
