It finally happened. After years of being the biggest artist on the planet but somehow missing out on the "Big Three" categories, Bad Bunny walked away with the golden gramophone for Latin Grammy Album of the Year in 2025.
Honestly, it felt like a long time coming. The album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, wasn't just another reggaeton record; it was a sprawling, messy, beautiful love letter to Puerto Rico that forced the Latin Recording Academy to stop looking the other way. Benito—the man we all know as Bad Bunny—has had twelve trophies in his case for a while, but they were always tucked away in the "Urban" buckets. This time, he broke through the ceiling.
The Night Everything Changed in Vegas
The 26th annual Latin Grammys at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas was basically the Bad Bunny show. He didn’t just win; he dominated. He took home five awards in total, but when they announced DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS as the winner for the top prize, the room felt different.
You’ve seen him win before. But this was different.
He actually looked a bit lost on his way to the stage—literally walking in the wrong direction before correcting course. It was a human moment for a guy who usually feels like a curated superstar. During his speech, he wasn't just thanking his producers; he was talking about patriotism. He told the crowd, "There are many ways to show patriotism and defend our land—we choose music." It was punchy. It was real. And it capped off an electric night where the old guard and the new school finally seemed to find some common ground.
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What it Takes to Win This Category
People often confuse Latin Grammy Album of the Year with Record of the Year. They aren't the same. Record of the Year is about a single track—the production, the mix, the performance of one song. Album of the Year is the whole marathon.
The rules are actually pretty strict:
- The album must have at least 51% new material.
- No "Greatest Hits" or reissues allowed.
- At least 60% of the lyrics have to be in Spanish, Portuguese, or another Ibero-American language.
- It’s not just the artist who gets the trophy; the producers, engineers, and mastering team all get one too.
Winning this is the ultimate peer-review stamp of approval. The Latin Academy’s voting members—thousands of musicians, producers, and tech experts—are the ones casting the ballots. It’s not a popularity contest based on TikTok views, though being a global titan certainly doesn't hurt your chances.
The Legends and the New Guard
If you look at the history of this award, it’s a list of titans. Juan Luis Guerra is essentially the king of this category. He’s won it four times as an artist (and once as a producer for Juanes), including his 2024 win for Radio Güira.
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Then you’ve got guys like Alejandro Sanz and Juanes who have basically lived on the podium for two decades. Sanz actually won Record of the Year in 2025 for "Palmeras en el jardín" and even joked on stage about "stealing" it from Bad Bunny. It was a lighthearted moment that showed the mutual respect between the eras.
But the 2025 nominations showed how much the landscape is shifting. Look at the names Benito beat out:
- Natalia Lafourcade: A perennial favorite who has already won this twice.
- Carín León: Representing the massive explosion of Contemporary Mexican music.
- Liniker: The Brazilian powerhouse who continues to break barriers as a trans woman in the industry.
- CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso: The Argentinian duo who actually tied Bad Bunny with five wins that night for their wild, satirical album Papota.
Why Bad Bunny’s Win Matters Now
For a long time, there was this quiet criticism that the Latin Grammys were a bit... snobby? There was a feeling that "Urban" music (reggaeton, trap) was good for ratings but not "artistic" enough for the top prize.
When Rosalía won for El Mal Querer in 2019 and again for Motomami in 2022, it started to bridge that gap. But Benito is the face of the movement. By giving him Latin Grammy Album of the Year, the Academy basically admitted that reggaeton isn't just a sub-genre anymore—it’s the definitive sound of modern Latin culture.
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DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS stood out because it felt risky. It wasn't just a collection of club bangers. It had soul, political undertones, and a production quality that made the "Urban" label feel too small.
The Road Ahead: Super Bowl and Beyond
Winning the big one in Vegas is just the start of Benito’s 2026 heater. He’s already slated to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February. There’s also the "gringo" Grammys to think about, where he’s up for several major categories.
The momentum is insane.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Latin music or want to understand why these awards cause such a stir every November, keep an eye on how the "General Field" categories are evolving. The walls between genres are crumbling. We’re seeing more collaborations, more experimental sounds, and a lot less gatekeeping.
To really get a feel for why the 2025 ceremony was a turning point, go back and listen to the full 2025 Album of the Year nominees. Start with Bad Bunny's winner, then jump over to Liniker's Caju or the sheer chaos of CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso's Papota. It’s the best way to hear exactly where the industry is headed.
Check the official Latin Grammy website or their YouTube channel for the full performance of "Weltita" from the night—it’s a masterclass in how to bring the beach to the Vegas stage.