UAlbany Opens New Course Discussing Bad Bunny's Music

This year, the Super Bowl Halftime Show was one of a kind. The NFL brought out Bad Bunny, the most listened to artist in the world. He's a Puerto Rican pop musician, and has fans worldwide, amassing the most fans we've seen an artist have since the likes of Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift.

Now, UAlbany is listening to the messages in his music, and are offering a class looking at his art, his culture, and how we view global current events.

Get our free mobile app

What is the Class?

Starting in the Spring semester of 2026, The University of Albany introduced ALCS 329: Bad Bunny & Reggaetón as Resistance to Neocolonialism. This class focuses on not only Bad Bunny's music, but how it relates to his home of Puerto Rico.

Using songs from Benito (Bad Bunny's legal name), as well as other famed Puerto Rican artists, the class will discuss colonialism, gentrification, language stigma, and more in relation to current events.

How Can You Take the Class?

Unfortunately, this is not offered to just any student. Only Juniors and Seniors at UAlbany are allowed to enroll. The course is worth 3 credits, and will run for a full semester.

Students can also take ALCS 300: The Research Experience in Latin American, Caribbean & Latinx Studies, which focuses more on research, allowing students to dive into the cultures themselves with help from the university and experts in the field. This is also worth 3 credit hours.

For more information on these classes, please reach out to jalonso-regalado@albany.edu for ALCS 300 and srmohamed@albany.edu for ALCS 329.

Upstate New York Country Concert Calendar

Check out all the artists set to make their way to the Capital Region and Upstate New York.

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff

Heartwrenching Look at Beloved Upstate NY Concert Venue Before Demolition

The Starlite Music Theater opened in 1957 and was a popular venue located in Latham. There were many acts that passed through the Starlite until 1997. It was a 3,000-seat theater in the round. In the 1980s, I saw Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go's at the Starlite Music Theater. Kenny Rogers, The Monkees, Weird Al Yankovic, Jonny Cash, Run DMC, Diana Ross, and more graced the stage. The Starlite closed its doors in 1998 and lay dormant for years. Then, in December 2012, the Starlite was demolished. Here are pictures of the venue in the summer of 2012, before it was leveled.

See Vintage Storytown USA Postcards Dating Back to 1961!

We're lucky enough to share with you rare, vintage Storytown USA postcards that date all the way back to 1961 - just a few years after the legendary amusement park opened.

Gallery Credit: Brian Cody TSM Albany