Latin music’s status as a mainstream genre both in the United States and globally has been firmly established. Latin is now the No. 5 core genre in the United States in terms of total consumption, according to Luminate, and, according to the RIAA, it’s the fastest-growing, reaching revenue of $1.4 billion in 2024, its highest ever. But overwhelmingly, Latin’s appeal and power are global, and that globalization is reflected in this year’s Latin Music Week, with a record 31 panels featuring artists and executives from around the world.
The 36th edition of the longest-running Latin music conference will take place Oct. 20-24 at the Fillmore Miami Beach, and festivities include the Billboard Latin Music Awards (airing on Telemundo on Oct. 23) — as well as the following highlights. (For the full schedule, visit billboardlatinmusicweek.com.)
The Sony Music Publishing Icon Q&A With Danny Ocean
Venezuelan pop star Ocean will sit for an in-depth conversation about his music and the unique flavors of his “tropipop” and merenguetón styles. “It is not a genre that was born in Venezuela,” he has previously said. “But I think it is a genre that we adapted to our own culture.” Discover the creative process behind the artist’s biggest hits and explore the impact of his songs, which carry social messages and express his deep pride for Venezuela.
Selena on Netflix
Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister and former drummer, and film director Isabel Castro will sit for a candid discussion on the new documentary Selena y Los Dinos, set to stream on Netflix. The forthcoming film — which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival — follows the late “Queen of Tejano” and her family band, from performing at quinceañeras to selling out stadiums, through never-before-seen footage from the family’s personal archives. “This film means so much to me, and it’s a highlight of my career bringing this archival film,” Castro said. “This is a reminder of the pride and real honor of being Mexican American and Latino.”
Anuel AA & Rawayana Ignite Billboard En Vivo
This year’s Billboard En Vivo will feature reggaetón and tropical music with two of Latin’s hottest stars. Puerto Rican trap pioneer Anuel AA, who’s currently touring arenas, will play in a rare intimate setting on Oct. 21 as he prepares to release Real Hasta la Muerte 2, the sequel to his 2018 debut album, Real Hasta la Muerte. In addition, Venezuelan band Rawayana, fresh off a U.S. tour with Bomba Estéreo and about to release new music and return to the road, will headline Oct. 22 with special guest Santos Bravos, the Latin pop band that formed on the HYBE Latin America talent show of the same name.
Tropical Music’s Rise
The “Cumbia and Tropical Music Explosion” panel, presented by Andrea Ramírez PR, will gather some of the genres’ artists for a conversation that will go beyond the charts and viral trends. Peru’s cumbia family dynasty Grupo 5, Puerto Rico’s versatile Guaynaa, Argentina’s cuartetazo force Luck Ra, Puerto Rican merengue queen Olga Tañón and Cuba’s rising reparto sensation Bebeshito will discuss how their respective genres have the power to cross borders. “It’s an honor that the most important week for Latin music gives space to these genres that are culturally the backbone of our roots and what make us Latinos so joyful, because it’s in our DNA,” Grupo 5 vocalist Christian Yaipén said. “This space highlights our artistic value and allows new generations to understand where we come from and that our roots are the past, the present and the future of Latin music worldwide.”
Peso Pluma: Vanguard Award
The Billboard Latin Music Awards will honor the remarkable achievements and impact of Peso Pluma with the inaugural Vanguard Award. This prestigious accolade celebrates artists who dare to go beyond the conventional. As he has redefined Mexican music’s boundaries, Peso has established a groundbreaking presence for the genre on the Billboard charts with an unprecedented 33 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, including such hits as “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado (No. 4), “La Bebe” with Yng Lvcas (No. 11) and “Por Las Noches” (No. 28). In addition to receiving the honor, the Mexican superstar will participate in a panel discussion during Latin Music Week.
Breaking Artists For The Long Term
Few issues galvanize executives today as much as preserving artists’ and songwriters’ rights in the digital era and the challenge of breaking new music and acts in the midst of a flurry of releases.
Oversaturation is the biggest issue facing the industry, says Laura Tesoriero, The Orchard’s senior vp/managing director for Latin-Iberia. “Nearly 120,000 Latin tracks hit the [digital service providers] every week, and the noise floor keeps rising.”
For Latin indie labels and artists, the struggle is even more acute. But distributors, labels and promoters are offering solutions.
At this year’s Latin Music Week, multiple companies will offer their expertise and their artists to discuss new philosophies and actions to develop artists for the long term.
Live Nation will host a conversation on the rise of global touring, which has powered many new careers. Rimas Publishing singer-songwriters King Savagge, Machael and Michelle Maciel will participate in a conversation focused on building artists’ bases beyond the stage. Platoon, which is quickly expanding its Latin footprint, will have hit-maker Lenny Tavárez discuss the indie model from A&R to distribution. And Sonar, the Rimas label that works with developing artists, will address the issue of breaking acts with the panel “Beyond the Hype,” featuring Puerto Rican artist Matt Louis.
Another key player in artist development in the Latin industry is YouTube, an early adopter that played a pivotal role in the globalization of Latin music by providing it a platform back when there was no other. Today, the company remains an essential partner in taking the music to all corners of the world. No one is better versed in telling that story than Lyor Cohen, YouTube’s global head of music, who will participate in a one-on-one fireside chat during Latin Music Week.
The Dream Team: Carín León & Jorge Juárez
In September 2026, Mexican star Carín León will become the first Latin artist to perform at Sphere in Las Vegas. The milestone follows León’s relationship with his manager and business partner, Jorge Juárez, who began overseeing his career nearly two years ago. “A manager and artist need to be a power couple,” León told Billboard. This “power couple” will participate in a first-ever conversation to discuss what makes for a successful artist-manager alliance. For starters, León said, it requires a shared vision and “great ambition. Making history is important to us.”
Artist Visas & Immigration
President Donald Trump’s immigration policies “impact all of us in every facet of our lives, from the food we eat to the music we listen to,” says Ben Patterson, president of Downtown Artist & Label Services. The complexities of today’s visa and immigration processes will be addressed by Florida-based immigration attorney Lea Salama of Behar Law Group, who will take center stage in a “Cafecito” morning session. The timely conversation will dive into the unprecedented visa hurdles that have shaken up the Latin music industry over the past few months — affecting regional Mexican artists and beyond — and have led to derailed promotional plans and the cancellation of multiple festivals and tours in the United States.
The Music Behind Sports
Ahead of the highly anticipated Copa Mundial FIFA 2026 — set to be co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico — the “Behind the World Cup” panel will feature a chat between Colombian stars Carlos Vives, Wisin and Emilia Mernes about the making of the Telemundo network’s official song for the tournament and the broadcasting of the world’s biggest sporting event. Plus, Puerto Rican reggaetón icons Jowell and De La Ghetto will take the stage for the “Music and Sports” panel, where they and former NBA player Carlos Arroyo will discuss the culture and community at the intersection of two mega industries.
Making The Hit Live
In its fifth consecutive year, the crowd-favorite panel will host Spanish pop star Pablo Alborán and mega producer Julio Reyes Copello as they collaborate to create a song in real time with Reyes Copello on the keyboard. The Billboard-exclusive panel — which previously has hosted mainly regional Mexican or urban acts such as Grupo Frontera, Carín León with Pedro Capó, Blessd and Lunay — will mark its first all-pop edition and follows Alborán’s recent singles “Clickbait,” “KM0” and “Vámonos de Aquí” (with Indiara Sfair).
This story appears in the Oct. 11, 2025, issue of Billboard.
This story originally appeared on Billboard
