MIAMI - The 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards kicked off Thursday in Miami with four winners already confirmed: Rubén Blades, Rosalía, Cristian Castro and Fuerza Regida. Before the night's competitive categories were decided, the ceremony had announced its Icon Award for Blades, Hall of Fame Award for Rosalía, Lifetime Achievement Award for Castro and Vanguard Award for Fuerza Regida, recognizing four distinct paths to success in Latin music.
Peso Pluma led the nominations with 17 nods, followed by Tito Double P with 15 and Fuerza Regida with 12. Karol G was the most nominated woman, earning nine nods, while Prince Royce collected eight and Bad Bunny seven. Rosalía received six nominations and Shakira five. The Artist of the Year category pitted Peso Pluma against Tito Double P, Fuerza Regida, Karol G and Bad Bunny, reflecting the prominence of Mexican music and urbano among this year's contenders.