The Billboard charts continue to illustrate the impact of major labels, but smaller labels proved to be mighty as well during the eligibility period for this year’s Billboard Latin Music Awards, presented by State Farm in association with Pepsi.
Finalists in the label categories are chosen based on sales and radio airplay data, as reported on Billboard’s charts between Feb. 4, 2012, and Jan. 26, 2013, with data from Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BDS. Here are highlights of some of these achievements.
Finalists for Latin airplay label of the year are Sony Latin Music, Top Stop Music, Universal Music Latin Entertainment (UMLE) and Warner Latina. Top Stop, a smaller indie label based in Delray Beach, Fla., had a strong showing based on bachata artist Prince Royce, who recently signed with Sony Music Entertainment after departing Top Stop.
Royce’s tenure with Top Stop includes three top 10s on Hot Latin Songs, with “Las Cosas Pequenas” reaching No. 1. Sony had 14 top 10s on Hot Latin Songs and seven No. 1s, including Michel Telo’s “Ai Se Eu Te Pego,” Juan Magan’s “Bailando por el Mundo” (featuring Pitbull and El Cata), Victor Manuelle’s “Si Tu Me Besas” and Carlos Vives’ “Volvi a Nacer.” Romeo Santos’ “La Diabla,” “Promise” (featuring Usher) and “Mi Santa” (featuring Tomatito) round off the label’s portfolio.
UMLE’s offerings during the eligibility period include 26 top 10s and nine No. 1s on Hot Latin Songs. The top-charting tracks include Wisin & Yandel’s “Algo Me Gusta de Ti” (featuring Chris Brown and T-Pain), Don Omar’s “Dutty Love” (featuring Natti Natasha) and Alejandro Sanz’s “No Me Compares.”
Warner Latina is a finalist with three top 10s on Hot Latin Songs including two No. 1s–Mexican rock band Mana’s “El Verdadero Amor Perdona” featuring Prince Royce and “Hasta Que Te Conoci.”
Finalists for top Latin albums label of the year are Atlantic Group, Sony Latin Music, UMLE and Warner Latina.
Based on the strength of Royce’s bilingual projects, Atlantic Group had two No. 1s on Top Latin Albums. In this category, Sony had 19 top 10s on Top Latin Albums and eight No. 1s including Thalia’s “Habitame Siempre,” Santos’ “The King Stays King: Sold Out at Madison Square Garden” and regional Mexican singer/songwriter Gerardo Ortiz’s “El Primer Ministro.”
UMLE posted 47 top 10s and 13 No. 1s on Top Latin Albums, including Roberto Tapia’s El Muchacho, Jenni Rivera’s “La Misma Gran Senora” and Wisin & Yandel’s “Lideres.” Warner had six top 10s on Top Latin Albums. Four were No. 1s–Tommy Torres’ “12 Historias,” Ricardo Arjona’s “Independiente” and Mana’s “Exiliados Es la Bahia: Lo Mejor de Mana” and “Drama y Luz.”
Publishers are also recognized at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.
Finalists for publisher of the year include ARPA Musical (BMI), Del Melodies (BMI), EMI Blackwood Music (BMI) and Los Cangris Publishing (ASCAP).
For publishing corporation of the year, the contenders are EMI Music, Sony/ATV Music, Universal Music and Warner/Chappell Music.
For the Latin rhythm airplay imprint of the year, the finalists are El Cartel, Machete, Orfanato and Sony Latin Music.
For regional Mexican albums imprint of the year, the finalists are Del, Disa, Freddie and Fonovisa.