How to get a Latin Grammy Award nomination

Here are some tips on getting your music noticed and nominated for a Latin Grammy Award: “Being able to flex your GRAMMY win is not only a personal flex, but a major win in the eyes of this competitive industry we call home.”

by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog

As you watch the Latin GRAMMYs each year, it seems as though the only people who win are always the Karol G’s and Peso Pluma’s of the industry. What you may not know is that there are tons of other winners not shown on tv, most of which are talented independent artists who have been working just as hard as you are now. If you’re a talented Latin musician, it certainly is possible to win as an independent artist. Want to get yourself on the list on nominees? The Online Entry Process (OEP) for the 25th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards starts on April 1st! Here’s how to get involved…

How To Get Nominated For A Latin GRAMMY

Being able to flex your GRAMMY win is not only a personal flex, but a major win in the eyes of this competitive industry we call home. Adding this accomplishment to future press releases, EPK’s, and more is a huge selling point that can definitely secure yourself more interest in your work as you move through your career than you would without. — Even now, when the mainstream isn’t always so mainstream and the landscape of this business is continuously changing, the legitimacy and prestige of a GRAMMY will always be impressive.

To be eligible for submission, your release must meet these requirements:

• Release Date // The recording must have been released during the eligibility period, which usually runs from June 1 of the previous year to May 31 of the award year. For the 2025 Latin GRAMMYs, this would likely be from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025*.
• Language // The recordings must contain at least 51% of its playing time of newly recorded material in Spanish, Portuguese, or any of the recognized Ibero-American dialects.
• Commercial Availability // The recording must be commercially available either through physical sales or digital download/streaming during the eligibility period.
• Originality // The recording must be an original work, not previously released or substantially similar to previous works by the same artist.
• Genre-Specific Criteria // Different categories may have specific criteria that need to be met, such as length, format, or content type.

*To see the official calendar for this year’s Latin GRAMMY considerations, click here.

How are entries submitted for the Latin GRAMMYs?

The Latin GRAMMYs focus on music recorded in Spanish, Portuguese, or recognized Ibero-American dialects, celebrating a wide array of Latin music genres. To be submitted for Latin GRAMMY consideration, a recording must be entered by members of the Recording Academy who are either Professional or Voting members. (It’s important to note that membership in the Latin Recording Academy consists primarily of professionals specifically from the Latin music industry, while the US Recording Academy includes professionals from various sectors of the global music industry.)

Regardless, each member should have an account on the GRAMMY website where they can log in to and submit entries during the submission periods.

How does the Latin GRAMMY voting process work?

The process begins with members and record companies submitting entries, which are then screened for eligibility and category placement. The Latin Academy’s voting members, all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording, then participate in (1) the nominating process that determines the five finalists (10 finalists in the General Field) and (2) the final voting process which determines the Latin GRAMMY winners.

The voting process consists of two rounds:

• ROUND ONE // The Voting Members vote on the entries they believe should receive a nomination in their respective categories. Each specific category only has five slots, which is why even being nominated for a Latin GRAMMY is a major accomplishment. The nominees have already been selected from a field of dozens of submissions in each category.
• FINAL ROUND // Once the nominees in each category are set, the final voting round begins. The Voting Members vote on the nominee in each of their eligible voting categories they believe should win the GRAMMY. The nominee with the most votes wins the award. On the night of the ceremony, the awards for the categories with broader popular appeal are televised. The Latin GRAMMYs have categories specific to Latin music genres, which includes Best Salsa Album and Best Banda Album.

In Conclusion…

You have nothing to lose from shooting your shot. Independent artists get nominated and win GRAMMYs every year. If you’re working hard every day to improve your craft, put out great music, and consistently shape your artistry, your work deserves to be recognized at the highest level. At the end of the day, whether you win awards or not doesn’t define the quality of your work… but boy does it feel good.

🗓 To ensure you don’t miss any important dates, we recommend you frequently check this official Latin Recording Academy calendar for all the deadlines you need to know this year. 

Best of luck!