The nominations for the Billboard Latin Music Awards were announced today. With 14 nominations each, Puerto Rican superstars Bad Bunny and Ozuna lead the pack, showing música urbana as the dominant genre in Latin music.
The nominees, or finalists for the Billboard Latin Music awards are determined by their success on the charts, by way of sales, streaming activity, radio airplay and social media data. Just behind Bad Bunny and Ozuna is Puerto Rican icon Daddy Yankee and Colombian reggaetoneroJ Balvin with 12 nominations each. Fellow Puerto Ricans Anuel AA and Farruko follow with 11 and 10 nominations each respectively. The main categories are filled with música urbana’s biggest stars.
For Artist of the Year, Bad Bunny, J Balvin and Ozuna face the king of bachata, Romeo Santos. Up for the Hot Latin Song of the Year category are Bad Bunny and producer Tainy’s “Callaíta,” Daddy Yankee’s “Con Calma” with Canadian rapper Snow, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Pedro Capó’s “Calma” remix with Farruko and Panamanian breakthrough act Sech’s “Otro Trago” remix with Nicky Jam, Ozuna, Anuel AA and Darell. Top Latin Album of the Year sees Bad Bunny’s X 100PRE up against his collaborative Oasis album with J Balvin, Sech’s Sueños and Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito”-containing Vida.
Sech is up for New Artist of the Year with Argentine singer Paulo Londra, Colombian reggaetoneroManuel Turizo and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Jhay Cortez. The top female artist nominees include Colombian reggaetonera Karol G, Mexican-American pop star Becky G and Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalía with three nominations each. The women are up against Dominican reggaetoneraNatti Natasha for Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Female. Becky G, Karol G and Natasha face recent Super Bowl halftime performer Shakira for Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Female.
Santos, his reunited band Aventura and Dominican-American pop star Prince Royce are standout names in the tropical categories. Top nominees in the regional Mexican music categories include Christian Nodal, Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga and corridos urbanosacts T3R Elemento and Fuerza Regida. The Billboard Latin Music Awards will air on Telemundo live from Las Vegas on April 23.