The following events and new music happened in 2021 in the Latin music industry. Latin regions include Ibero-America, Spain, Portugal, and the United States.
Events
January–March
February 18 – The 33rd Annual Lo Nuestro Awards are held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. YHLQMDLG by Bad Bunny wins Album of the Year. "Tusa" by Karol G and Nicki Minaj wins Song of the Year Nicki Nicole and Camilo win New Female Artist and New Male Artist, respectively March 2Journalist Leila Cobo publishes La Fórmula "Despacito": Los Hits de la Música Latina Contados por sus Artistas. March 10The 2nd Annual Premios Odeón take place virtually from Madrid. David Bisbal wins Best Pop Album for En Tus Planes. Posible by Enrique Bunbury wins Best Rock Album. Back to Rookport by Kid Keo takes the award for Best Urban Album. Amor by Israel Fernández and Diego Del Morao wins Best Flamenco Album. De Vent i Ales by Txarango wins the award for Best Alternative Album. March 12Revelación, the first Spanish-language project by Selena Gomez, is released. It debuted at number 22 on the US Billboard 200, shifting 23,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, marking the biggest sales week for a Latin album by a woman since Shakira's El Dorado in 2017. It also debuted atop the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, becoming the first album by a woman to do so, also since El Dorado. March 14The 63rd Grammy Awards are held at Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Bad Bunny receives his first ever Grammy Award by winning Best Latin Pop or Urban Album for YHLQMDLG. Fito Páez also wins his first Grammy Award by winning Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album for La Conquista del Espacio. Natalia Lafourcade receives her second career Grammy Award by winning Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano) for Un Canto Por México, Vol. 1. Grupo Niche's 40 wins Best Tropical Latin Album.
April–June
April 15The Latin American Music Awards of 2021 take place at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. Bad Bunny wins a total of five awards including Artist of the Year, Favorite Male Artist and Album of the Year for YHLQMDLG. Anitta wins Favorite Female Artist Rauw Alejandro wins New Artist of the Year "De Una Vez" by Selena Gomez wins Favorite Video April 30The Recording Academy drop anonymous nominating committees after controversies surrounding previous Grammy Award ceremonies but remain in-place for Latin Grammys. Urbano music receives its own category at the Grammys named Best Música Urbana Album, expanding to five the Latin categories within future galas. May 4The Latin Alternative Music Conference takes place in New York City. May 9The Latin Recording Academy present Ellas y Su Música to celebrate the experience of women in music with a television special. May 17The Premios Nuestra Tierra 2021 take place virtually from Bogotá to celebrate the best in Colombian music. Camilo wins Artist of the Year. Colores by J Balvin wins Album of the Year. "Hawái" by Maluma wins Song of the Year. Kali Uchis wins Best New Artist. May 19Balearic group Antònia Font announce their reunion concert after an eight-year hiatus, scheduled for June 11, 2022, at Primavera Sound. May 23The 28th Annual Billboard Music Awards are held at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Bad Bunny wins Top Latin Artist. YHLQMDLG by Bad Bunny wins Top Latin Album. "Dakiti" by Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez wins Top Latin Song. May 25Spanish hip hop supergroup La Mafia del Amor announce their reunion concert, scheduled for June 11, 2022, at Primavera Sound. May 27 – The 8th iHeartRadio Music Awards are held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California. J Balvin wins Latin Artist of the Year. YHLQMDLG by Bad Bunny wins Latin Album of the Year. "Tusa" by Karol G and Nicki Minaj wins Latin Song of the Year. Rauw Alejandro wins Best New Latin Artist. June 9The 5th Premios Pulsar take place live from a studio in Santiago to celebrate the best in Chilean music. Cami wins Artist of the Year. Naturaleza Muerta by Como Asesinar a Felipes wins Album of the Year. "Flotando" by Francisca Valenzuela wins Song of the Year. Pau wins Best New Artist.
July–September
July 1The 5th Heat Latin Music Awards take place in Dominican Republic. Nicky Jam wins Best Male Artist Danna Paola wins Best Female Artist "Mi Niña (Remix)" by Wisin, Myke Towers and Maluma featuring Anitta wins Best Video "Ella No Es Tuya" by Rochy RD, Myke Towers and Nicki Nicole wins Best Collaboration Boza wins Best New Artist July 23The 23rd Annual Premios Gardel take place live from a studio in Buenos Aires to celebrate the best in Argentinian music. La Conquista del Espacio by Fito Páez wins Album of the Year. "Ladrón" by Lali featuring Cazzu wins Song of the Year. "Buenos Aires" by Nathy Peluso wins Record of the Year. Nathy Peluso wins Best New Artist and becomes the most awarded act of the night after also winning Best Alternative Pop Album for Calambre and Best Urban/Trap Song for "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 36". August 1Gabriel Abaroa steps down as the CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, with Manuel Abud taking his place. Abaroa is named president emeritus. September 12 – "Lo Vas a Olvidar" by Billie Eilish and Rosalía wins Best Latin at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. September 23 – The 28th Billboard Latin Music Awards take place at Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. Bad Bunny wins Artist of the Year. Myke Towers wins New Artist of the Year.
October–December
October 18 – Billboard celebrates the 2021 Latin Power Players event in Miami with more than 65 executives representing top music companies. October 22 – El Alfa becomes the first dembow artist to sell out Madison Square Garden. November 8 – Spotify launches a new campaign titled Elevando Nuestra Música around the platform's flagship Latin music playlist, Viva Latino. November 12 – The 16th LOS40 Music Awards take place at Velòdrom Illes Balears in Palma de Mallorca. Vértigo by Pablo Alborán wins Best Spanish Album. "Portales" by Dani Martín wins Best Spanish Song. Sebastián Yatra wins Best Latin Artist. "Todo de Ti" by Rauw Alejandro wins Best Latin Song. November 14 – The 28th MTV Europe Music Awards air on MTV live from Budapest. Maluma wins Best Lati Manu Gavassi wins Best Brazilian Act. Alemán wins Best Latin America North Act. Sebastián Yatra wins Best Latin America Central Act. Tini wins Best Latin America South Act. Diogo Piçarra wins Best Portuguese Act. Aitana wins Best Spanish Act. November 18 – The 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards take place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Salswing! by Rubén Blades and Roberto Delgado & Orquesta wins Album of the Year. "Talvez" by Caetano Veloso and Tom Veloso wins Record of the Year, becoming the first Portuguese-language song to do so. "Patria y Vida" written by Yotuel, Gente de Zona, Descemer Bueno, Maykel Osorbo, Beatriz Luengo, and El Funky wins Song of the Year. Juliana Velásquez wins Best New Artist. Camilo becomes the most awarded act of the night, winning four out of ten nominations. December 19 – Aventura's reunion tour finalizes at the Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo.
Number-one albums and singles by country List of Billboard Argentina Hot 100 number-one singles of 2021 List of number-one albums of 2021 (Portugal) List of number-one albums of 2021 (Spain) List of number-one singles of 2021 (Spain) List of number-one Billboard Latin Albums from the 2020s List of Billboard number-one Latin songs of 2021
Awards
Latin music awards 33rd Lo Nuestro Awards 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards 2021 Latin American Music Awards 2021 Latin Grammy Awards 2021 Heat Latin Music Awards 2021 MTV Millennial Awards
Awards with Latin categories 28th Billboard Music Awards 63rd Grammy Awards 8th iHeartRadio Music Awards 16th Los40 Music Awards 38th MTV Video Music Awards 23rd Teen Choice Awards 2nd Premios Odeón
Spanish- and Portuguese-language songs on the Billboard Global 200 The Billboard Global 200 is a weekly record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks the top songs globally based on digital sales and online streaming from over 200 territories worldwide. So far, in 2021, a total of 14 Spanish- and Portuguese-language songs have debuted in the Billboard Global 200.