The Latin Grammy Awards, stylized as the Latin GRAMMYs, are honors presented by the Latin Recording Academy to recognize excellence in the Latin music industry. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements in recordings released anywhere in the world, provided they are tied to Ibero-America—a region defined by the Academy as including Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the Latino communities in the United States and Canada—and are primarily performed in Spanish or Portuguese. Additionally, recordings in other Ibero-American languages or dialects, such as Catalan, Basque, Galician, Valencian, Nahuatl, Guarani, Quechua, or Mayan, may be deemed eligible by a majority vote.
Similar to the Grammy Awards, winners are selected through a peer-review process by Academy members. The inaugural ceremony was held on September 13, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles; its broadcast on the CBS was a landmark event, as it served as the first prime-time program on U.S. television to be broadcast primarily in Spanish by an English-language network. Since 2005, the official U.S. broadcast has been handled by Univision, where it has solidified its position as one of the network's highest-rated events. For instance, the 2013 ceremony drew 9.8 million viewers, making Univision one of the three most-watched networks in the country that evening. The 26th edition took place on November 13, 2025, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
History The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (now the Latin Recording Academy) was formed by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (now The Recording Academy) in 1997. It was founded by Michael Greene and Producers & Songwriters Rudy Pérez & Mauricio Abaroa. Rudy Pérez was the Grammy Florida chapter's first President of the Board. The concept of a separate Grammy Awards for Latin music began in 1989. According to organizers, the Latin Grammy Awards was established as the Latin music universe was deemed too large to fit on the Grammy Awards. The Latin Recording Academy defines Latin music as music in Spanish or Portuguese regardless of an artist's origin.
The Latin Grammy Awards mainly encompasses music released in Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the Latino United States. In 2000, it was announced that the 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards would take place at the Staples Center on September 13, 2000. On July 7, 2000, the nominations were announced in Miami, Florida, United States. The Latin Grammys were introduced with over 39 categories included limited to Spanish and Portuguese-speaking recordings. The first telecast took place at the Staples Center and was broadcast. The following year's show was canceled due to the September 11, 2001 attacks, which was the same day the show was to take place. In 2002, the academy elected its first independent board of trustees. In 2005, the broadcast was moved from CBS to Univision where the whole telecast was in Spanish.
Voting members live in various regions in the US and outside of the US including Latin America and Iberia. For a recording to be eligible for a nomination, it must have at least 60% (previously 51% until 2024) of its content recorded in Spanish or Portuguese and commercially released in North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Spain, or Portugal. Products recorded in languages and dialects from Ibero-America such as Catalan, Basque, Galician, Valencian, Nahuatl, Guarani, Quechua or Mayan may be accepted by majority vote of the committees of the Latin Recording Academy. According to the organization's bylaws, it can also include recognized dialects from countries where Portuguese is an official language as well as music in French or Italian if "specific music categories are created or approved by the Board of Trustees". The Latin Recording Academy also accepts Latin instrumental music from Ibero-America as well as compositions that have been composed or interpreted by an Iberian American musician. The eligibility period is June 1 to May 30 for a respective awards ceremony. Recordings are first entered and then reviewed to determine the awards they are eligible for. Following that, nominating ballots are mailed to voting members of the academy. The votes are tabulated and the five recordings in each category with the most votes become the nominees. Final voting ballots are sent out to voting members and the winners are determined. Winners are later announced at the Latin Grammy Awards. The current President & CEO of the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences is Manuel Abud, who succeeded Gabriel Abaroa in 2021.
Altogether there are four events: the Lifetime Achievement and Trustees when renowned artists are honored for lifetime achievement; the Leading Ladies of Entertainment event presented to women for their work in the Latin entertainment industry; Person of the Year, when one artist is honored at a gala dinner, and Grammy itself, an award that brings together artists from all over Latin America and Iberia and that today is broadcast live to 80 countries, including Brazil, by channel Univision (TNT in Brazil).
Awards Award categories
Alike from the Grammy Award there is a general field consisting of four genre-less award categories:
Record of the Year is awarded to the performer and the production team of a single song. Album of the Year is awarded to the performer and the production team of a full album. Song of the Year is awarded to the writer(s)/composer(s) of a single song. Best New Artist is awarded to an artist without reference to a song or album.
The rest of the fields are genre-specific.Have You Listened to Hispanic Christian Music Lately? Andree Farias CCM Magazine July 12, 2005 – "Now the Latin GRAMMYs have a category for Hispanic Christian music, and so do the Latin Billboard awards." Unlike the GRAMMYs (which ..." Special non-competitive awards are also given out for more long-lasting contributions to the Latin music industry.
Ceremonies and venues # Year Album of the Year Record of the Year Song of the Year Best New Artist Most wins Most nominations 1 2000 Luis MiguelAmarte Es Un Placer SantanaManá"Corazón Espinado" Marc Anthony"Dímelo" Ibrahim Ferrer Luis MiguelSantanaManá (3) Marc AnthonyShakiraFito Páez (5) 2 2001 Alejandro SanzEl Alma Al Aire Alejandro Sanz"El Alma Al Aire" Juanes Alejandro Sanz (4) Juanes (7) 3 2002 Alejandro SanzMTV Unplugged Alejandro Sanz"Y Solo Se Me Ocurre Amarte" Jorge Moreno Alejandro Sanz (3) Carlos Vives (6) 4 2003 JuanesUn Día Normal Juanes"Es Por Ti" David Bisbal Juanes (5) Juanes (5) 5 2004 Alejandro SanzNo Es Lo Mismo Alejandro Sanz"No Es Lo Mismo" María Rita Alejandro Sanz (4) Alejandro Sanz (4) 6 2005 Ivan LinsCantando Histórias Alejandro Sanz"Tú No Tienes Alma" Bebe Juanes (3) Bebe (5) 7 2006 ShakiraFijación Oral, Vol. 1 ShakiraAlejandro Sanz"La Tortura" Calle 13 Shakira (4) Shakira (5) 8 2007 Juan Luis GuerraLa Llave De Mi Corazón Juan Luis Guerra"La Llave De Mi Corazón" Jesse & Joy Juan Luis Guerra (5) Juan Luis Guerra (5) 9 2008 JuanesLa Vida... Es Un Ratico Juanes"Me Enamora" Kany García Juanes (5) JuanesCafé TacubaJulieta Venegas (5) 10 2009 Calle 13Los de Atrás Vienen Conmigo Calle 13Café Tacuba"No Hay Nadie Como Tú" Luis FonsiAleks SyntekNoel SchajrisDavid Bisbal"Aquí Estoy Yo" Alexander Acha Calle 13 (5) Calle 13 (5) 11 2010 Juan Luis GuerraA Son de Guerra Camila"Mientes" Alex Cuba CamilaJuan Luis Guerra (3) Juan Luis GuerraJorge DrexlerAlejandro Sanz (4) 12 2011 Calle 13Entren Los Que Quieran Calle 13"Latinoamérica" Sie7e Calle 13 (9) Calle 13 (9) 13 2012 JuanesMTV Unplugged Jesse & Joy"¡Corre!" 3BallMTY Jesse & Joy (4) Juan Luis Guerra (6) 14 2013 Draco RosaVida Marc Anthony"Vivir Mi Vida" Carlos Vives"Volví A Nacer" Gaby Moreno Carlos VivesSergio George (3) Carlos VivesIllya Kuryaki and the ValderramasJavier Garza (5) 15 2014 Paco de LucíaCanción Andaluza Jorge DrexlerAna Tijoux"Universos Paralelos" Enrique IglesiasDescemer BuenoGente de Zona"Bailando" Mariana Vega Enrique IglesiasDescemer BuenoGente de Zona (3) Eduardo Cabra (10) 16 2015 Juan Luis GuerraTodo Tiene Su Hora Natalia Lafourcade"Hasta La Raíz" Monsieur Periné Natalia Lafourcade (4) Leonel García (6) 17 2016 Juan GabrielLos Dúo, Vol. 2 Carlos VivesShakira"La Bicicleta" Manuel Medrano Juan GabrielCarlos VivesShakiraManuel MedranoYandelLos Fabulosos CadillacsIllya Kuryaki and the ValderramasFonseca (2) DjavanFonsecaJesse & Joy (4) 18 2017 Rubén BladesSalsa Big Band Luis FonsiDaddy Yankee"Despacito" Vicente García Luis FonsiDaddy Yankee (4) Residente (9) 19 2018 Luis Miguel¡México Por Siempre! Jorge Drexler"Telefonía" Karol G Jorge Drexler (3) J Balvin (8) 20 2019 RosalíaEl Mal Querer Alejandro SanzCamila Cabello"Mi Persona Favorita" Pedro Capó"Calma" Nella RosalíaAlejandro Sanz El Guincho (3) Alejandro Sanz (8) 21 2020 Natalia LafourcadeUn Canto por México, Vol. 1 Alejandro Sanz"Contigo" Residente"René" Mike Bahía RosalíaNatalia LafourcadeCarlos Vives (3) J Balvin (13) 22 2021 Rubén Blades Roberto Delgado & OrquestaSALSWING! Caetano Veloso Tom Veloso"Talvez" YotuelGente De ZonaDescemer BuenoMaykel OsorboEl Funky"Patria y Vida" Juliana Velásquez Camilo (4) Camilo (10) 23 2022 Rosalía Motomami (Digital Album) Jorge Drexler & C. Tangana"Tocarte" Angela AlvarezSilvana Estrada Jorge Drexler (6) Bad Bunny (10) 24 2023 Karol G Mañana Será Bonito Natalia Lafourcade "De Todas las Flores" Bizarrap & ShakiraShakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 Joaquina Karol G Shakira Bizarrap Natalia Lafourcade Edgar Barrera Santiago Alvarado (3) Edgar Barrera (13) 252024Juan Luis Guerra 4.40 Radio GüiraJuan Luis Guerra 4.40 "Mambo 23"Jorge Drexler "Derrumbe"Ela TaubertJuan Luis Guerra (4)Edgar Barrera (9)262025Bad Bunny Debí Tirar Más FotosAlejandro Sanz "Palmeras en el Jardín"Karol G "Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido"Paloma MorphyBad Bunny Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso (5)Bad Bunny (12)272026TBDTBDTBDTBDTBDEdgar Barrera (10)
Venues
The Latin Grammy Awards are held in Las Vegas the most. The ceremony has been held there 14 times. The ceremony spent its first few years being held in Los Angeles and in 2003 took place in Miami. The ceremony had also been held once in New York City and Houston. In Las Vegas the ceremony has been held at three different venues over the years; the Michelob Ultra Arena, the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the T-Mobile Arena. The Michelob Ultra Arena has hosted the show seven times.
The 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards were held on November 16, 2023, at the FIBES Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain, which marked the first time the awards were held outside of the United States.
Leading winners
With 29 Latin Grammy Awards, Residente and Edgar Barrera are tied to have won the most Latin Grammy Awards, followed by Juan Luis Guerra who has won 28 Latin Grammy Awards. Natalia Lafourcade is the biggest winner among female artists with 20 awards. Calle 13, with 22 Latin Grammy Awards, holds the record for most awards won by a group.
TV broadcasts and ratings
Year Network Viewers (millions) Reach (millions)Source 2000 CBS 7.52001 colspan="4" 2002 CBS3.9 20034.920043.3 2005Univision5.120065.720076.220085.811200912.820106.212.520115.711.120125.01120134.69.820144.89.920154.09.020163.29.020172.78.020182.68 7.020193.44 8.020202.15.720212.35.920222.55.320232.518.920241.94.220251.8
Criticism As with its Grammy Awards counterpart, the Latin Grammy Awards has also received criticism from various recording artists and music journalists.