Every Song on Maluma’s ‘The Love & Sex Tape’ Ranked: Critic’s Picks

Billboard Staff
·4 min read
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Maluma is showcasing a darker, naughtier side on his new album, The Love & Sex Tape, which he surprise-dropped on Friday (June 10) without giving fans much of a warning — except for a racy video and photo he posted on Instagram that didn’t leave much to the imagination.

In his new eight-track set, the Colombian star stays true to his urbano essence singing about love, lust and heartbreak, but does so with slightly more raunchier lyrics. For Maluma, the about-face is simply going back to the style that inspired him from the very beginning. After all, he is the self-described Pretty Boy/Dirty Boy.

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“More than a decade into my career, I was missing that essence that inspired me from the beginning and I felt a need to connect with the streets as well as fans who love the urban rhythm that has defined me from the start,” the 28-year-old artist said in a statement. “That’s why I decided to make this album. The Love & Sex Tape represents my duality and a 2022 version of my original sound.”

Produced by The Rude Boyz, the album — which features collaborations with artists such as Lenny Tavárez, Chencho Corleone and Feid — follows Maluma’s 2021 set #7DJ (7 Días En Jamaica), which peaked at No. 14 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart (dated Feb. 13, 2021).

Here are all the songs on Maluma’s The Love & Sex Tape, ranked:

8. “Happy Birthday”

Maluma is saying farewell to a failed relationship in the most honest yet sensual way possible. A sultry Afrobeat melody fused with weeping electric guitars, “Happy Birthday” tells the story of a man who caught his girlfriend cheating (on her birthday) and penned her a mature goodbye. “Before you leave, listen to me/ I don’t hate you, I want things to go great for you/ I know you’ll find someone who loves you,” he chants, assuring that he forgives but doesn’t forget.

7. “La Vida Es Bella” 

With a happy-go-lucky attitude, Maluma sings about the convenience of being in an open relationship, which makes him remember that life is beautiful. “I know exactly how you are because I am the same way, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s how we get what we want.”

6. “Cositas de la USA”

The single’s name translates to “Little Things From the USA,” referring to the gifts he brings back to his home country. Maluma’s sweet voice ushers in the classic reggaeton beat as he sings about how he could become a bad boy if your heart desires.

5. “Sexo Sin Título,” feat. Jay Wheeler & Lenny Tavarez

This collaboration doesn’t disappoint. Vocally, it’s very sensual, and as the single’s name suggests — “Sex Without Labels” — it talks about sexual encounters that don’t need to be explained. The fusion of their voices and explicit lyrics makes this a total trifecta.

4. “Tsunami,” feat. De La Ghetto & Arcangel

In “Tsunami,” the Colombian artist not only reeled in former duo De La Ghetto and Arcangel, but also sampled Arcangel’s classic banger “Hacer Mucho Tiempo,” which starts off the song. Like most of the songs on Love & Sex Tape, the collab is sexy in its entirety, from its hard-thumping reggaeton beats to its lustful lyrcis, featuring three of the best voices in the genre. The lyrics in “Tsunami” hail the beauty and sensuality of a woman.

3. “Mal de Amores” 

Turns out Maluma isn’t bulletproof after all. One of the best songs on the album, the Colombiano is as vulnerable as ever singing about heartbreak. “Why give it your all if they end up paying you like this? Why didn’t you tell me there was someone else? There’s no detox that can cure this feeling,” he sings with such pathos.

2. “Nos Comemos Vivos,” feat. Chencho Corleone

On the heels of collaborating with Bad Bunny, Anitta and Rauw Alejandro, Chencho Corleone now teams up with Maluma for this certified hit. The song kicks off with Chencho saying, “Tu sabes que naciste pa’ mi” (from Plan B’s “Es Un Secreto”) and immediately becomes a saucy, midtempo reggaeton track about friends with benefits who are on-and-off, and often contradict each other. “We made a pact with a rupture that has no ending,” Maluma chants.

1. “Mojando Asientos,” feat. Feid

This song talks about trying to get someone back after remembering the good old days. The catchy urban thumping beats feature the unique sound of Colombian reggaeton along with Maluma and Feid’s slang throughout the song. “Baby, let’s go back to that time, mischief night, here in my car wetting seats; I know you remember it as I remember it. I passed you the Phillie, and you gave me ‘guaro, what good times.”

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