Premios Lo Nuestro

Premios Lo Nuestro (literally "Ours") is the longest-running Latin music awards show in the United States, presented by TelevisaUnivision and broadcast on Univision. Established in 1989, it honors the best Latin music across pop, tropical, regional Mexican, and urban genres. The trophy is shaped like a treble clef. The 2026 edition marks the 38th ceremony, making it older than the Latin Grammy Awards, which began in 2000.

How Premios Lo Nuestro Works

The awards follow a multi-stage process:

1. Eligibility: The eligibility period runs from October 1 to September 30 of the following year. Releases within this window qualify for nomination.

2. Nominations: Nominees are selected based on Latin music sales, streaming data, radio airplay, and industry input. Originally, Univision and Billboard magazine jointly selected nominees. The process has evolved to involve program directors from Spanish-language radio stations across the United States.

3. Voting: Winners are chosen through a combination of industry professional voting and public participation. Radio station program directors and the public both contribute to final results.

4. Excellence Award: The Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia is a lifetime achievement honor given to artists with sustained contributions to Latin music. Recent recipients include Laura Pausini (2025), Galilea Montijo (2024), Adrian Uribe (2023), Paulina Rubio (2022), and Gloria Trevi (2021).

Before the Latin Grammy Awards were created in 2000, Premios Lo Nuestro was considered the Grammy equivalent for Latin music. The ceremony was moved from May to February after the first Latin Grammy Awards in September 2000 to maintain its distinct identity.

Real-World Example: Records and Recent Ceremonies

As of the 2026 edition, Shakira holds the all-time record with 40 Premios Lo Nuestro wins. Bad Bunny and Marc Anthony share the male artist record with 30 wins each. Intocable holds the group record with 25 wins.

The single-ceremony record is 9 awards, shared by Ozuna (2019) and Karol G (2024). Daddy Yankee (2020) and Bad Bunny (2021) follow with 7 wins each in a single night. These records demonstrate how streaming-era Latin artists can dominate across multiple categories in a single year.

The 2025 ceremony honored Laura Pausini with the Excellence Award, recognizing her three-decade career bridging Italian and Spanish-language music. The 2026 edition continues the tradition of combining competitive awards with lifetime achievement recognition, broadcast across the Americas on Univision and its partner networks Las Estrellas (Mexico) and TeleOnce (Puerto Rico).

The awards have expanded from their original four genre fields (Pop, Tropical/Salsa, Regional Mexican, and Music Video) to include Rock, Urban, and additional subgenre categories as Latin music has diversified.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Premios Lo Nuestro combines industry voting with public participation, which creates a path for independent artists who build both streaming numbers and radio presence. The eligibility period aligns with the standard October-to-September release cycle, so timing your release within this window is essential.

The show's long history and pan-American broadcast reach make it one of the most visible platforms for Latin music recognition. A nomination or win can significantly boost streaming numbers, concert bookings, and media coverage across the Americas.

Independent Latin artists who have built streaming audiences independently have increasingly appeared in nominations as the selection process incorporates digital performance data. Artists like Carin Leon, who built his career through regional Mexican streaming success, now appear alongside major-label acts in the winner lists.

If you are an independent Latin artist, ensure your music is registered with the appropriate PRO and distributed to platforms before the October eligibility cutoff. Build relationships with Spanish-language radio program directors, as their input feeds into the nomination process. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to track your performance, and visit the Premios Lo Nuestro website for eligibility details.

Related Resources

• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance across platforms
• Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals for awards eligibility
• 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside awards recognition
• When and How to Hire a Music Manager - A manager can help coordinate radio and awards campaigns
• What Is an Artist Development Deal - Understand label deals before pursuing awards strategy