Leading up to the Grammy nominations on Nov. 8, Rolling Stone is breaking down 13 different categories. For each, we’re predicting the nominees, as well as who will (and who should) win on Grammy night.
Latin music keeps reaching new heights: This year, it’s already the fastest-growing genre on streaming, and an RIAA report recently showed that it set a record by generating $685 million in the first half of 2024 alone. So much of that success has been because of urbano genres like reggaeton and trap, and mega-stars like Bad Bunny and Feid. Releases from these artists — plus chart-topping albums from underground favorites like Puerto Rican rappers Eladio Carrion and Álvaro Díaz — make this year’s Grammy category for Best Música Urbana Album a particularly tight race.
Part of what made the year in urbano releases so interesting is that a lot of artists leaned deeper into futuristic production and fusions, reinventing sounds fans are used to. “Latin music on the urbano side was much more alternative and indie, more melodic,” says AJ Ramos, head of artist partnerships, Latin music, and culture at YouTube/Google. “We were hearing more love songs, more fusions with pop, more fusions with rock.” That might explain why the fresh energy on Young Miko’s attn. and the forward-thinking vibe on Díaz’s SAYONARA connected with a younger generation of listeners so much. Even massive releases, like Bad Bunny’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana played around with electronic sounds like Jersey club, while Feid’s playful take on music continues to take over the charts.
Best Música Urbana Album — Our Predictions
Bad Bunny, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana
Eladio Carrion, Sol María
Álvaro Díaz, SAYONARA
Feid, Ferxxocalipsis
Young Miko, attn.
Who Will Win?
Bad Bunny, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va Pasar Mañana
The Puerto Rican hitmaker is already a three-time Grammy winner, so he has the full attention of the Academy — plus it helps that this unexpected record changed up his flow and saw him returning to some of his harder, more trap-driven roots. “Bad Bunny is Bad Bunny,” Ramos notes.
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Who Should Win?
Álvaro Díaz, SAYONARA
Álvaro Díaz made waves with SAYONARA, an edgy, alt-driven take on reggaeton and rap that made his vision clear. Diaz has been at this for a long time; he started rapping on Soundcloud in the early 2010s and has influenced the scene as a songwriter and forward-thinking tastemaker. But on this record, it feels like people are finally catching up to him. “That SAYONARA project was beyond amazing,” says Ramos, “and Álvarito represents on so many levels.”
Editor’s picks
Forecasting the Field
With so many strong contenders, it’s tough to know who will pull out the win, though most signs point to Bad Bunny. Still, Ramos says it would be a mistake to underestimate Feid: The Colombian artist keeps gaining momentum and Ramos notes that his dreamy track “Luna” alone has 161 million YouTube views. “You can’t ignore what he did on that album and the success he’s having.” Bad Bunny also faces tough competition from his labelmate Eladio Carrion, who struck an emotional chord with listeners by dedicating Sol María to his mother.
