The Best of the Latin America Music Awards 2016

The Latin America Music Awards (LAMAs) are back for 2016 and we’ve got all the highlights from the show! From the best dressed celebrities to the biggest winners, check out our roundup of the best of the LAMAs 2016.

Best New Artist

Maluma

The Best New Artist award went to Maluma at the Latin American Music Awards 2016. Maluma is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and record producer. His music is a mix of reggaeton, Latin pop, trap, and hip hop. He has released two studio albums, “Magia” and “Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy”.

Carlos Vives

Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo is a Colombian singer, composer and actor. Born in Santa Marta, Magdalena, Vives began his musical career as a teenager in the 1980s singing and playing guitar in various local rock bands. In 1989, he released his first album, Por amor. In 1994, he won two Latin Grammy Awards for his album Corazón Profundo.

Best Urban Fusion/Performance

The Latin America Music Awards were held on November 17, 2016, at the Forum in Inglewood, California. The show was hosted by Alejandra Espinoza, Giselle Blondet, Pedro Jimenez, and Roselyn Sanchez. The awards ceremony recognizes the achievements of Latin American recording artists in the United States.

J. Balvin

J. Balvin is a Colombian reggaeton singer who has taken the Latin music world by storm. His fusion of reggaeton, hip-hop and electronica has made him one of the most popular performers in Latin America, and his 2016 album Energia has cemented his place as a top artist. He won the award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance at the Latin America Music Awards in 2016, and he is sure to continue to wow audiences with his unique sound in the years to come.

Gente de Zona

Gente de Zona is a Cuban reggaeton group founded in 2008 by Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom Martinez. The duo’s musical style is a mix of Cuban reggaeton and trap, with lyrics often focused on Cuban life and culture.

The group rose to prominence in Cuba with their debut album Visualízate (2014), which became the country’s best-selling album of all time. Their popularity increased further with the release of their single “Baila Baila Baila” in 2015, which topped the charts in several countries.

Gente de Zona has been described as one of the most popular music groups in Cuba, and their success has been credited with helping to popularize Cuban music internationally. The group has won numerous awards, including three Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Latin Music Awards, and two Premios Juventud Awards.

Best Urban Song

It is no doubt that 2016 has been an excellent year for music, and the Latin America Music Awards 2016 were no exception. The awards ceremony, which was held on October 27th in Mexico, was full of talented artists and great music. One of the highlights of the night was the performance of the song “Ginza” by J. Balvin.

“El Perdón” – Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias

“El Perdón” (English: “Forgiveness”) is a song recorded by American singer Enrique Iglesias and Spanish singer Nicky Jam. It was written by Iglesias, Jam, Marty James Garton, Nicandro Díaz Gloria and Juan Vélez, and produced by Sergio George. The song was released on 10 July 2015 as the second single from Iglesias’ tenth studio album Sex and Love (2014).

“Ginza” – J. Balvin

“Ginza” is a song recorded by Colombian reggaeton singer J. Balvin for his second studio album Energía (2016). The song was released as the second single from the album on August 14, 2015. It was written by José Osorio Balvin, Juan Pablo Rendón and Lewis Stephens, and produced by Sky, The Rude Boys and Panda. “Ginza” peaked at number one in several countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Spain. In the United States, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in October 2015, making it Balvin’s first chart-topping single on that chart.

The song won the award for Best Urban Song at the Latin America Music Awards 2016.

Best Alternative Song

It was a close battle between two powerhouse songs, but in the end, “Tarde” by Argentinean group Miranda! took home the Latin Grammy for Best Alternative Song. Miranda! is a well-known name in the Latin American music scene, and “Tarde” is just another example of their great work.

“El Mismo Sol” – Alvaro Soler

“El Mismo Sol” is a song recorded by Spanish singer Alvaro Soler. It was released on 15 May 2015 through Airforce1 Records and Universal Music Spain as the first single from his first studio album, Eterno Agosto (2015). The song peaked at number one in Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, the single reached number three on the UK Singles Chart.

The song was written by Soler, fr!NK and Redd Clover. The music video for “El Mismo Sol” was released on 22 May 2015 and was directed by Nobody’s Child.

“Cuando Te Besé” – Beck G

“Cuando Te Besé” is a song by Mexican-American singer Beck G. It was released on October 28, 2016, as the lead single from her debut studio album, Los Videoclips Vol. 1 (2017). The song peaked at number one in Spain and Latin America, and reached the top 10 in the United States and France.

Best Regional Mexican Song

The Latin American Music Awards are an annual awards ceremony to recognize outstanding achievement in the Latin music industry. The awards are presented by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. The 2016 Latin American Music Awards were held on October 6, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

“El Perdón” – Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias

“El Perdón” (English: “Forgiveness”) is a song recorded by American singer Enrique Iglesias and Colombian singer Nicky Jam. It was released on 10 July 2015 as the lead single from Iglesias’ fourth studio album Sex and Love (2014). The song was written by Iglesias, Jam, Juan Vélez, Carlos Battey, Steven Battey and Gente de Zona. Production of the song was handled by Mauricio Rengifo, Andrés Torres, Christopher Vanegas and Jam.

It peaked at number one in Spain, Ecuador and Panama, and number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. In 2014, “El Perdón” won Latin Song of the Year at the Lo Nuestro Awards.

“El Taxi” – Osmani Garcia

Release Date: July 1, 2016 | 3 minutes and 33 seconds
“El Taxi” is a song recorded by Cuban artist Osmani Garcia. It features vocals from American rapper Pitbull and was released on July 1, 2016 as the lead single from Garcia’s upcoming studio album.

The song peaked at number one on the Latin Billboard chart and number thirty-three on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Best Urban Album

The Latin America Music Awards were held on October 26, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The show was hosted by Becky G and Mario Lopez. The awards celebrated the best Latin American music of the year.

Energía – J. Balvin

Energía is the third studio album by Colombian reggaeton singer J. Balvin, released on June 30, 2016, through Capitol Latin. It is supported by the singles “Ginza”, “Bobo” and “Safari”. Balvin became the only Colombian artist to receive a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for his album Energía. The album peaked at number two on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and number eight on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.

A Quién Quiere Volver – Gente de Zona

A QUIEN QUIERE VOLVER is the best urban album of 2016. Gente de Zona is a Cuban reggaeton group based in Miami, Florida. The album features the hit single “La Gozadera” featuring Marc Anthony, which topped the Billboard Latin Songs chart for five weeks.

Best Alternative Album

Music experts and fans around the world agree that the Latin America Music Awards 2016 was one of the best shows in recent memory. From the red carpet to the awards ceremonies, the night was filled with excitement and surprises. One of the biggest awards of the night went to the Best Alternative Album.

Amor Prohibido – Reykon

Amor Prohibido is the debut album by Colombian reggaeton artist Reykon. It was released on November 10, 2016, by Sony Music Latin. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard Latin Albums chart and at number one on the Venezuelan Albums Chart.

The album features the single “Señorita”, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart.

Latin Americana – Aterciopelados

When it comes to Latin Alternative music, Colombia’s Aterciopelados are one of the most influential and important bands of the last two decades. They’ve been at the forefront of the Latin Americana movement, fusing traditional Colombian sounds with rock, pop, electronic, hip hop, and more. Their 2016 album “Latin Americana” is a culmination of their career so far, and it’s one of the best albums of the year.