This year, Shakira didn’t have the top-selling Latin album in the United States — her “Sale el Sol” landed at No. 4 on the Top Latin Albums year-end chart. Nor did she land any singles within the top 10 on the year-end Hot Latin Songs recap.

But thanks to her formidable digital presence, including the top spot on Billboard’s year-end recaps for Latin Digital Songs Artists and Latin Digital Songs — with “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” — she is No. 1 on this year’s Top Latin Artists and Top Latin Artist-Female list.

Shakira’s performance marks a change in the way Billboard’s year-end charts measure success. For the first time, Latin rankings include general top artist categories determined not only by album sales and radio airplay, but also by boxscore touring revenue, track downloads, Social 50 chart activity, ringtone sales and streaming data.

By that metric, it’s no surprise that the other top five Top Latin Artists — Prince Royce, Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias and Don Omar, respectively — all have a strong online presence, as well as an appeal that extends beyond the traditional Latin base and reaches a more cross-cultural realm. So do Wisin & Yandel, who reign on the Top Latin Artists-Duo/Group and Latin Rhythm Albums Artists recaps, along with the Latin Rhythm Albums chart with Los Vaqueros: El Regreso.

Among this year’s chart leaders is Prince Royce, a new artist who tops a stunning 10 year-end charts, including Top Latin Albums and Tropical Albums with his self-titled debut. Royce is also Top Latin Albums Artist and Tropical Albums Artist, and his combined chart performance across the board led him to rule the Top Latin Artists-Male and Top New Latin Artist lists. As a writer (under the name Geoffrey “Prince Royce” Rojas), he leads the Hot Latin Songwriters recap, while his song “Corazón Sin Cara” tops the year-end Hot Latin Songs chart.

Read the full story at Billboard.com