Fuerza Regida Leads Billboard Latin Music Awards With Eight Wins; Bad Bunny Takes Artist Of The Year
Rosalía, Rubén Blades and Cristian Castro receive special honors as Miami’s ceremony spotlights Mexican music’s momentum and Latin music’s enduring stars.
MIAMI — Fuerza Regida topped the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday night, collecting eight trophies, while Bad Bunny claimed seven, including Artist of the Year, in a ceremony that paired contemporary hitmakers with some of Latin music’s most influential voices. Held October 22 at the James L. Knight Center, the show aired live on Telemundo and Peacock.
The night’s results offered a clear indication of Mexican music’s commercial strength. Fuerza Regida’s “Marlboro Rojo” won four categories, including Hot Latin Song of the Year and Streaming Song of the Year. The group also received the Billboard Vanguard Award, adding an honorary recognition to an evening driven by its chart success.
Bad Bunny, meanwhile, maintained his grip on the ceremony’s biggest individual categories. Alongside Artist of the Year, the Puerto Rican superstar won Tour of the Year and Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year — a combination reflecting his reach across recorded music and live entertainment.
Rosalía supplied another of the evening’s central storylines. The Spanish artist received the Billboard Hall of Fame Award and won Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo, while LUX earned Top Latin Pop Album of the Year. Her three honors brought both commercial achievement and artistic ambition into the night’s conversation.
The ceremony also recognized two careers that helped establish the foundation for today’s global Latin business. Rubén Blades received the Billboard Icon Award, while Cristian Castro accepted the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award. Their recognition placed salsa’s storytelling tradition and the enduring appeal of Spanish-language pop alongside the newer sounds commanding streaming audiences.
Karol G, Peso Pluma and Romeo Santos finished with four awards apiece. Karol G’s haul included the inaugural Fan Favorite Artist honor, introducing a direct public vote to the ceremony. Peso Pluma and Tito Double P scored with their collaborative album DINASTÍA, while Santos and Prince Royce’s partnership delivered wins for “Lokita Por Mí” and Better Late Than Never.
The Billboard Latin Music Awards’ blue carpet isn’t quite the celebrity traffic jam it once was. These days, some artists arrive fashionably late; others apparently decide the most fashionable entrance is no entrance at all. That leaves the up-and-comers plenty of room to practice their poses — and make absolutely sure you know their Instagram handles.
Rosalia. (Photo by Manny Hernandez)
Thankfully, a few of our favorites showed up, including Becky G, Fuerza Regida, Rosalía and Cristian Castro, giving photographers a reason to keep their cameras raised. Rounding out the procession were novela stars, a seemingly endless supply of influencers and reality personalities dressed as though their next storyline depended on it.
Eduardo Antonio, better known as “El Divo de Cuba,” delivered his own celestial event in a white orbital ensemble that looked ready for both the spotlight and a controlled landing. Former Miss Universes Alicia Machado and Zuleyka Rivera crossed paths, briefly raising the carpet’s crown count, while an artist in a Mexican wrestling mask kept everyone guessing whether he was there to drop a single or settle a score.
The superstar turnout may have been lighter, but the blue carpet still delivered in one reliable category: things to talk about on the ride home.
Our funny moment of the night was seeing Colombian singer Manuel Turizo take charge and helping Ninel Conde her dress that spanded across most of the length of the arrivals area.
Hosted by Carmen Villalobos and Javier Poza, the broadcast also paused to remember Juan Gabriel on the tenth anniversary of his death. Carlos Rivera, Jessi Uribe, Pablo Alborán, Paola Jara and Yahritza y Su Esencia participated in the tribute. Performers elsewhere in the show included Ivy Queen, Ozuna, Wisin, Elvis Crespo and Manuel Turizo.
Closing Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami, the awards brought the industry’s business conversations into a televised showcase. The takeaway from the results was a market with several centers of power: Mexican music commanding major song and album categories, Puerto Rican stars retaining global influence, and pop and tropical artists sustaining their own substantial audiences. For the executives watching as closely as the fans, that breadth may have been the evening’s most consequential message.
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