On the strength of two top-selling albums and a slew of hits, Puerto Rican star Ozuna leads the list of finalists for the 2019 Billboard Latin Music Awards, with 23 nods in 15 categories — a record number in the history of the awards.
Ozuna’s finalist slots include the all-important artist of the year category, as well as Hot Latin Songs artist of the year, male, and songwriter of the year. He also competes against himself in the Hot Latin Song and Hot Latin song Vocal Event categories, where he’s a featured artist in both “Te Boté” and “Taki Taki.” It’s also Ozuna vs. Ozuna in the Top Latin Album of the year category, with 2018’s Aura competing against 2017 Odisea.
Ozuna’s finalist tally reflects the enormous, barrier-breaking popularity Latin urban music is currently enjoying on the Billboard charts and beyond.
And it doesn’t stop with him. Ozuna is followed in number of finalist slots by J Balvin and Nicky jam, with 13 each, Bad Bunny with 12 and Daddy Yankee with eight. Balvin’s and Nicky Jam’s nods include Hot Latin Song of the year and Hot Latin song vocal event for their hit duet “X,” which had six nods, including Hot Latin Song of the year and Streaming Song of the year.
Yankee, Bad Bunny and Balvin are also up for Artist of the year, with Ozuna, underscoring urban music’s dominance across platforms and genres. Finalists for Songwriter of the year, for example, are Daddy Yankee, Balvin, Ozuna and Juan Rivera Vazquez, aka Gaby Music.
This year’s awards, which honor the top performers in Latin music, reveal a diverse group of artists vying for a distinction among 34 different categories that include pop, tropical, regional Mexican and Latin Rhythm (urban) music.
Other leading finalists include Casper Magico, Darell and Nio Garcia with six awards each on the strength of mega hit “Te Boté.” Also up for six awards is Romeo Santos. Banda MS and DJ Snake vie for five awards; and Anuel AA, Cardi B, Raymix, Reik, and Shakira are up for four awards each. Finalists for the Crossover Artist of the Year award are Cardi B, Drake, Demi Lovato and DJ Snake, who all had major collaborations with Latin artists in 2018.
Beyond the sheer numbers, this year’s list of finalists also reflects the rise of female artists on the chart. For the first time in at least six years, women are vying for the coveted Best New Artist win, with Karol and Natti Natasha competing for the honor. In a twist, Karol G is also up against her boyfriend, Anuel AA, in that category.
And while several urban acts had high-grossing tours in 2018, the finalists for Tour of the year were veterans Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Romeo Santos and Luis Miguel.
The 2019 Billboard Latin Music Awards is produced by Telemundo and Tony Mojena/Ants TV Productions and will air live from Las Vegas April 25 on the Telemundo network. The awards are the culmination to Latin Music Week and the Latin Music Conference, taking place April 22-25 at The Venetian in Las Vegas.
Finalists and eventual winners are determined by the actual sales, streaming, radio airplay and social data that informs Billboard’s weekly charts during a one-year period from the rankings dated February 3, 2018 through this year’s January 26 charts.
The complete list of finalists is below:
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Daddy Yankee
J Balvin
Ozuna
New Artist of the Year
Anuel AA
Karol G
Natti Natasha
Raymix
Tour of the Year
Jennifer Lopez
Luis Miguel
Romeo Santos
Shakira
Social Artist of the Year
Anitta
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
Lali
Crossover Artist of the Year
Cardi B
Demi Lovato
DJ Snake
Drake
Hot Latin Song of the Year
Casper Mágico, Nio García, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny, “Te Boté”
Daddy Yankee, “Dura”
DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B, “Taki Taki”
Nicky Jam & J Balvin, “X”
Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event
Bad Bunny featuring Drake, “MIA”
Casper Mágico, Nio García, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny, “Te Boté”
DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B, “Taki Taki”Nicky Jam & J Balvin, “X”
Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Male
Bad Bunny
Daddy Yankee
J Balvin
Ozuna
Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Female
Becky G
Jennifer Lopez
Karol G
Natti Natasha
Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Calibre 50
T3r Elemento
Zion & Lennox
Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year
Flow La Movie
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Warner Latina
Hot Latin Songs Imprint of the Year
El Cartel
La Industria
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latino
Airplay Song of the Year
Casper Mágico, Nio García, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny, “Te Boté”
Daddy Yankee, “Dura”
Nicky Jam & J Balvin, “X”
Reik featuring Ozuna & Wisin, “Me Niego”
Airplay Label of the Year
Flow La Movie
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Warner Latina
Airplay Imprint of the Year
Fonovisa
La Industria
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latino
Digital Song of the Year
Casper Mágico, Nio García, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny, “Te Boté”
Daddy Yankee, “Dura”
DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B, “Taki Taki”
Nicky Jam & J Balvin, “X”
Streaming Song of the Year
Casper Mágico, Nio García, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny, “Te Boté”
Daddy Yankee, “Dura”
Nicky Jam & J Balvin, “X”
Ozuna & Romeo Santos, “El Farsante”
Top Latin Album of the Year
Anuel AA, Real Hasta La Muerte
J Balvin, Vibras
Ozuna, Aura
Ozuna, Odisea
Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Male
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna
Romeo Santos
Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Female
Karol G
Mon Laferte
Rosalía
Shakira
Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
Aventura
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho
T3r Elemento
Top Latin Albums Label of the Year
Glad Empire
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Warner Latina
Top Latin Albums Imprint of the Year
DimeloVi
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latino
VP Entertainment
Latin Pop Song of the Year
Enrique Iglesias featuring Bad Bunny, “El Baño”
Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato, “Echáme La Culpa”
Reik featuring Ozuna & Wisin, “Me Niego”
Shakira & Maluma, “Clandestino”
Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo
Enrique Iglesias
Marco Antonio Solís
Sebastián Yatra
Shakira
Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
CNCO
Maná
Piso 21
Reik
Latin Pop Airplay Label of the Year
Flow La Movie
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Warner Latina
Latin Pop Airplay Imprint of the Year
La Industria
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latino
Warner Latina
Latin Pop Album of the Year
CNCO, CNCO
Piso 21, Ubuntu
Rosalía, El Mal Querer
Sebastián Yatra, Mantra
Latin Pop Albums Label of the Year
Gateway Music
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Warner Latina
Latin Pop Albums Imprint of the Year
Capitol Latin
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latino
Warner Latina
Tropical Song of the Year
Carlos Vives, “Hoy Tengo Tiempo (Pinta Sensual)”
Romeo Santos featuring Ozuna, “Sobredosis”
Romeo Santos, “Centavito”
Silvestre Dangond & Nicky Jam, “Cásate Conmigo”
Tropical Artist of the Year, Solo
Carlos Vives
Marc Anthony
Prince Royce
Romeo Santos
Tropical Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
Aventura
Buena Vista Social Club
Gente de Zona
La Sonora Dinamita
Tropical Songs Airplay Label of the Year
LP
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Warner Latina
Tropical Songs Airplay Imprint of the Year
Kiyavi
Sony Music Latin
Warner Latina
WK
Tropical Album of the Year
Gilberto Santa Rosa, Victor García & La Sonora Sanjuanera, En Buena Compañía
La Sonora Dinamita, Súper Éxitos Vol. 1
Orquesta Akokán, Orquesta Akokán Canta: José “Pepito” Gómez
Victor Manuelle, 25/7
Tropical Albums Label of the Year
Sony Music Latin
The Orchard
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
World Circuit
Tropical Albums Imprint of the Year
Norte
Sony Music Latin
The Orchard
Top Stop
Regional Mexican Song of the Year
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga, “Mejor Me Alejo”
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga, “Tu Postura”
La Adictiva Banda San José de Mesillas, “En Peligro de Extinción”
Raymix, “Oye Mujer”
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Solo
Christian Nodal
El Fantasma
Gerardo Ortiz
Raymix
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Calibre 50
Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho
T3r Elemento
Regional Mexican Airplay Label of the Year
DEL
Lizos
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Regional Mexican Airplay Imprint of the Year
DEL
Disa
Fonovisa
Lizos
Regional Mexican Album of the Year
Arsenal Efectivo, En La Fuga
Legado 7, Pura Lumbre
Lenin Ramírez, Bendecido
Raymix, Oye Mujer
Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year
DEL
Lizos
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Regional Mexican Albums Imprint of the Year
DEL
Disa
Fonovisa
Lizos
Latin Rhythm Song of the Year
Casper Mágico, Nio García, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Bad Bunny, “Te Boté”
Daddy Yankee “Dura”
Nicky Jam & J Balvin “X”
Reik, featuring Ozuna & Wisin, “Me Niego”
Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Solo
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna
Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Duo or Group
CNCO
Piso 21
Wisin & Yandel
Zion & Lennox
Latin Rhythm Airplay Label of the Year
Flow La Movie
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Warner Latina
Latin Rhythm Airplay Imprint of the Year
La Industria
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latino
Warner Latina
Latin Rhythm Album of the Year
Anuel AA, Real Hasta La Muerte
J Balvin, Vibras
Ozuna, Aura
Ozuna, Odisea
Latin Rhythm Albums Label of the Year
Glad Empire
Rimas
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Latin Rhythm Albums Imprint of the Year
DimeloVi (tie)
Sony Music Latin
Universal Music Latino
VP Entertainment (tie)
Songwriter of the Year
Daddy Yankee
J Balvin
Juan Rivera Vazquez
Ozuna
Publisher of the Year
Ozuna Worldwide, BMI
SONY/ATV Discos Publishing LLC, ASCAP
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., BMI
WB Music Corp. ASCAP
Publishing Corporation of the Year
Kobalt Music
Sony/ATV Music
Universal Music
Warner/Chappell Music
Producer of the Year
Andrés Torres/ Mauricio Rengifo
Chris Jeday
DJ Snake
José Martin Velázquez