2026 Grammy Awards: Who Will Win in Latin Categories? Billboard Predicts

The 2026 Grammy Awards are sneaking up on us, and while Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s nominations with nine nods, the Billboard Latin and Español teams are on the look out to see what the outcome will be for Latin artists this year. 

Notably, Bad Bunny is one of the most-nominated artists this year, following artists such as Lamar, and Lady Gaga, who has seven nods. The Puerto Rican artist received six mentions, including in three of the coveted “Big Four” categories: album of the year for Debí TiRAR MáS FOToS, and both record and song of the year for “DtMF.” 

He’s also nominated for best música urbana album, best global music performance for “EoO,” and best album cover. Now, if the 2025 Latin Grammys are any indication, where Bad Bunny won five awards including the all-important album of the year, chances are it will be a memorable night for Benito (his real name).

But which other Latin artists will walk away with their golden gramophone award on Feb. 1? The Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors predict the winners in each Latin category below:

Best Latin Pop Album

JESSICA ROIZ: I would love for Rauw Alejandro to win the Grammy award for Cosa Nuestra — a set inspired by the genre-defining 1969 salsa album by Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe of the same name. On the album — which debuted at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums and at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 — the Puerto Rican artist fused his signature perreo, electro-funk and R&B sound with his roots, bomba, salsa and bachata, for a sound entirely his own. However, I have a feeling that one of the ladies, either Karol G or Natalia Lafourcade, will win the award this year.

SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS: Natalia Lafourcade is a Grammy and Latin Grammy sweetheart, having received four and 20 of these awards, respectively. Cancionera already won the 2025 Latin Grammy for best singer-songwriter album, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it gets recognize again this Sunday. But I, too, would love to see Rauw Alejandro get his first American Grammy Award, out of five nominations in his career. Cosa Nuestra also competed in November for album of the year at the Latin Grammys, and I feel that Rauw deserves some more love and recognition for this beautiful set.

ISABELA RAYGOZA: It’s tempting to think popularity alone can determine Grammy wins, but history has shown us that artistry often prevails. Natalia Lafourcade, a Grammy favorite with four wins under her belt, is no stranger to capturing voters’ hearts. On the other hand, the timeless appeal of Cosa Nuestra positions Rauw Alejandro as a strong contender this year — an album rooted in his Nuyorican heritage (his dad is from NYC) and inspired by salsa greats of the 1970s. If voters choose to lean toward something a bit more unpredictable, but with swagger abundance, Rauw will take that Grammy home — and I’d love to see that happen.

Best Música Urbana Album

RAYGOZA: The Argentine rappers here both brought compelling entries to the table. Nicki Nicole delivered an unflinching project by tapping into her old-school rap roots, while Trueno remains an undeniable force in the Latin hip-hop scene, as showcased in Eub Deluxe. However, the clear frontrunner here is Debí Tirar Más Fotos by megastar Bad Bunny. Armed with cultural relevance, introspective lyricism and genre-defying artistry, this album further cemented his dominance not just in música urbana but in popular culture overall, elevating him to true household-name status. Yes, popularity plays a role here, but it’s also for all the reasons mentioned above.

ROIZ: These are all great albums, but I’m especially obsessed with Yandel’s Sinfónico (En Vivo). I believe he raised the bar very high with this ambitious project that strips down his greatest hits as a solo act and as part of reggaetón giants Wisin y Yandel, powered by a live philharmonic orchestra. But being realistic, and looking back at who won this same category at the 2025 Latin Grammys, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS is a clear winner in this category.

RATNER-ARIAS: I hear you Jess! I was also impressed by Yandel’s album, but I don’t think that Bad Bunny has any real competition here. He may or may not win the general category of album of the year, but I think it would be a real and unlikely snub if DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS doesn’t win here.

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

ROIZ: If their five Latin Grammy wins last fall, including one for best alternative music album, are any indication, I believe that Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso will and should win this Grammy award. The magnetic nine-track PAPOTA — named after the slang term that describes gym supplements — combines new songs “Impostor,” “#TETAS,” “Re Forro,” and “El Día del Amigo,” plus five others from their ultra-viral NPR Tiny Desk set. On this set, the Argentine pair is daring, humorous, and witty on each track, and delivers a genre-defying blend of funk, jazz, pop, soul, and hip-hop.

RAYGOZA: If Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso hadn’t set fire to a (possibly fake) Latin Grammy in their recent music video for “Gimme More,” I would’ve said the clear winner here is the irreverent PAPOTA! They’ve been Latin Recording Academy darlings, after all. But hey, stardom burns people out, and I think Fito Paez’s funky Novela has a real shot here. Still, my pick is Astropical by the power duo Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana — a cosmic-tropical oasis bursting with vibrant sonic textures that feel both exhilarating and otherworldly.

RATNER-ARIAS: I did love Bomba Estéreo & Rawayana’s joint album ASTROPICAL, which was not nominated at the 2025 Latin Grammys. And Fito Páez’s Novela was a very ambitious project that already won best rock album in November. But clearly, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso brought something very new and exciting to the table with their critically acclaimed PAPOTA — and their fun, extravagant style — and they will most likely take this trophy home on Sunday.

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)

RATNER-ARIAS: I do love all the acts nominated here. The problem when an artist competes twice in the same category, is that it inevitably dilutes votes for both sets, so we’ll have to see what happens with Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera. On the other hand, I was really happy to see Paola Jara making history as the first female singer of Colombian regional music to achieve this nomination, and a win would be a big achievement for the genre. But having said that, I lean towards Carín León, and I’ll be cheering when he wins.

RAYGOZA: With two entries in the mix, Grupo Frontera doubles their odds this year. My personal vote is for Mala Mía by Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera — a short but impactful five-track EP that blends Tex-Mex swagger and SoCal grit over heartfelt themes and sierreño guitar interplay. On the other hand, Carín León’s Palabra De To’s (Seca) brings a unique twist to the table, weaving country-blues influences into his regional Mexican music foundation. Both made solid contributions to música mexicana this year, so for me, it’s a tie!

ROIZ: Chances are that either Bobby Pulido or Carín León might win this category. Reason being because the former won best Tejano album and the latter won best contemporary Mexican music album at the 2025 Latin Grammys, respectively. Now, seeing that two productions by Grupo Frontera are also in the mix, I would love to see either Mala Mía or Y Lo Que Viene get their flowers in this category.

Best Tropical Latin Album

ROIZ: On a personal level, I would love to see Grupo Niche win the Grammy award. This album gives me a sense of nostalgia and pride that connects me with my childhood and best memories with my father (Grupo Niche is his favorite group). But, I believe that — similar with the música mexicana category —either Rubén Blades or Gloria Estefan could be winners, because their respective sets already won at the Latin Grammys last year: Blades for best salsa album and Estefan for best traditional tropical album.

RATNER-ARIAS: I agree with Rubén Blades having the best chance here, based on the fact that he has already won 12 Grammy awards — including three consecutive ones in this category between 2022 and 2024. But not all Latin Grammy winners end up being recognized at the Grammys, and we’ve also seen Grammy-Award winners who weren’t even nominated to the Latin awards. Gloria Estefan could win too, deservingly so. But I would be ecstatic for Grupo Niche if they took the award (they won this category five years ago with the album 40).

RAYGOZA: It’s hard to pick a favorite here, but if we’re going by legacy and impact, Gloria Estefan’s Raíces feels like a top contender. A heartfelt return to her Cuban roots after 18 years (!), the album taps into rich traditions while connecting with listeners in a way only she can. That said, Rubén Blades’ Fotografías could just as easily take the Grammy with its timeless salsa brilliance.