When the nominees for last year’s Latin Grammy Awards were announced, it was no surprise that Bad Bunny led with a whopping 10 nominations. He had become the most successful Latin artist of the year and the pop star of the year. In fact, on Billboard’s year-end chart for 2022, he was named the top artist, and his album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” was crowned the No. 1 album of the year, beating out Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House” and Adele’s “30.”
Given Bad Bunny’s success and the fact that his album launched four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, it seemed inevitable that he would receive numerous nominations at the 2023 Grammy Awards. However, to everyone’s surprise, he only garnered three nominations. While he made history by having the first-ever Latin album compete for the show’s top prize – album of the year – it was still far fewer nominations than artists like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift, who earned eight to 11 nominations each during their dominance in the music industry.
This discrepancy highlights an issue within the Grammy Awards and the lack of a major platform for Latin music. Despite Latin music being a global phenomenon and one of the most streamed genres, Latin songs don’t have significant representation at the traditional Grammys. Bad Bunny’s other nominations were for Best Música Urbana Album, which he won, and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Moscow Mule” (he lost to Adele’s “Easy on Me”). His songs didn’t receive enough votes to compete for Record or Song of the Year, but the Grammys currently lack awards for Best Latin Song or Latin Performance.
Some may argue that Latin music already has the Latin Grammys, but the question remains, why can’t Latin music have recognition at both award shows? There is a chance for change at the 2024 Grammy Awards with the introduction of the Best Global Music Performance category. In its inaugural year in 2022, African artists dominated the nominations, and this trend continued in the following year. However, with the rise of Afrobeats, those artists will now compete in the newly created Best African Music Performance category. This leaves a vacant space for Latin songs in the Best Global Music Performance category.
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Latin music is undoubtedly global, which aligns with the Recording Academy’s definition of the Best Global Music Performance category. The category is meant for vocal and instrumental performances with strong elements of global cultural significance that blend various music forms found in pop, R&B, dance, rap, and folk. Latin songs certainly qualify based on these criteria. With Latin acts like Karol G achieving new heights and performing on stadium tours alongside the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, and artists like Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado bringing regional Mexican music to the pop charts, their songs should have a chance to be acknowledged at the traditional Grammys.
It is essential to provide Latin artists with more than just one option at the Grammys. While they should compete alongside pop stars like Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa, they should also have their own categories that recognize the uniqueness and cultural significance of their music. Rock, rap, pop, R&B, and country artists don’t face the same limitations, so it is only fair that Latin artists have equal opportunities for recognition.
When a genre becomes increasingly popular, like Afrobeats, it is common for groups to submit proposals for new Grammy categories. These proposals are then reviewed by the board of trustees and either approved or denied. While the Best Global Music Performance category may serve as temporary recognition for Latin songs, requesting their own category would establish a permanent place for Latin music at the Grammys.
In conclusion, Latin music’s global popularity and streaming success should be reflected in its representation at the Grammy Awards. Latin artists like Bad Bunny deserve more nominations and categories that specifically acknowledge their contributions to the music industry. With the introduction of the Best Global Music Performance category, there is hope for change at the Grammys. However, it is crucial to continue advocating for Latin music and ensure its proper recognition in the future.
