The 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, in conjunction with the 36th annual Billboard Latin Music Week, are poised to celebrate the remarkable global ascent and significant impact of Latin music. Billboard and Telemundo announced that merengue sensation Elvis Crespo will receive the prestigious Billboard Hall of Fame Award at the ceremony, scheduled to air live on Thursday, October 23rd, on Telemundo. This honor recognizes Crespo's three-decade career and profound influence, highlighted by global smash hits such as “Suavemente” and “Tu Sonrisa,” which topped Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart in 1998, and his genre-bridging collaborations like “Azukita” and “Bailar.” Crespo will perform at the awards, joined by Ebenezer Guerra, Toño Rosario, and La Insuperable, expressing that the award is a tribute not only to him but also to merengue, Puerto Rico, and his fans.

Latin music has firmly established itself as a mainstream genre, reaching an all-time high revenue of $1.4 billion in 2024 and becoming the No. 5 core genre in the United States by total consumption, according to Luminate. Its overwhelming global appeal will be a central theme of Latin Music Week, taking place from October 20-24 at The Fillmore Miami Beach, featuring a record 31 panels with artists and executives from around the world.

Among the key events and honorees, Peso Pluma will receive the inaugural Vanguard Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, celebrating his groundbreaking achievements in redefining Mexican music and his unprecedented 33 entries on the Billboard Hot 100. Latin Music Week will also host a diverse range of discussions and performances. The Sony Music Publishing Icon Q&A will feature Venezuelan pop star Danny Ocean discussing his unique “tropipop” and merenguetón styles, and the social messages embedded in his music. Suzette Quintanilla and film director Isabel Castro will delve into the new Netflix documentary, “Selena y Los Dinos,” offering never-before-seen footage of the late “Queen of Tejano” and her family band, celebrating Mexican American and Latino pride.

Billboard En Vivo will showcase dynamic performances from Puerto Rican trap pioneer Anuel AA, who will perform in an intimate setting ahead of his album release, and Venezuelan band Rawayana, headlining with special guest Santos Bravos. A panel titled “Cumbia and Tropical Music Explosion” will explore the border-crossing power of these genres, featuring artists like Grupo 5, Guaynaa, Luck Ra, Olga Tañón, and Bebeshito. This discussion aims to highlight the cultural backbone and artistic value of these styles within Latin music’s global evolution.

Industry challenges and innovations will also be a major focus. The “Breaking Artists For The Long Term” series will address issues such as preserving artists' and songwriters’ rights in the digital era and combating oversaturation in music releases. Executives from The Orchard, Live Nation, Rimas Publishing (featuring King Savagge, Machael, Michelle Maciel), Platoon (with Lenny Tavárez), and Sonar (with Matt Louis) will share strategies for artist development and global touring. YouTube’s global head of music, Lyor Cohen, will discuss the platform’s pivotal role in Latin music’s globalization. Additionally, Mexican star Carín León and his manager Jorge Juárez will share insights into their successful artist-manager alliance, preceding León’s historic performance at Sphere in Las Vegas in September 2026. Legal complexities will be addressed in a “Cafecito” session on Artist Visas & Immigration with attorney Lea Salama, tackling visa hurdles impacting Latin artists and industry events.

The intersection of music and sports will be explored through panels like “Behind the World Cup,” featuring Carlos Vives, Wisin, and Emilia Mernes discussing the official song for the Copa Mundial FIFA 2026, and “Music and Sports” with Jowell, De La Ghetto, and former NBA player Carlos Arroyo. Finally, the popular “Making The Hit Live” panel returns for its fifth year, with Spanish pop star Pablo Alborán and producer Julio Reyes Copello collaborating to create a song in real-time, marking its first all-pop edition.