Daddy Yankee leads all winners, followed by Luis Fonsi, Justin Bieber & Shakira, while Ozuna wins artist of the year and Maluma takes home social artist of the year.
It was the year of “Despacito” and the year of urban music.
The most-played song of 2017 swept the 2018 Billboard Latin Music Awards, winning six trophies: hot Latin song of the year; hot Latin song of the year, vocal event; airplay song of the year; digital song of the year; streaming song of the year; and Latin pop song of the year.
The celebration of “Despacito,” a song that revived global interest in Latin music, was a fitting way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Billboard Latin Music Awards on the Telemundo network, which aired the awards live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas (the show's first time in Sin City) on Thursday night (April 26).
While “Despacito” was not performed Thursday night (the song had its live debut at the 2017 Billboard Latin Music Awards), its effect was far-reaching. Producers Andrés Torres and Mauricio Rengifo won producer of the year for the song, and Daddy Yankee -- one of the track’s co-writers (and featured artists) -- was the big winner of the evening with eight awards. In addition to his “Despacito” wins, Yankee took home Latin rhythm artist of the year, solo, and songwriter of the year for “Despacito” as well as several other songs that hit Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, including “Hula Hoop” and “La Rompe Corazones” with Ozuna.
He was followed in wins by Luis Fonsi and Justin Bieber, both taking home seven awards each. In addition to his “Despacito” trophies, Bieber won crossover artist of the year, while Fonsi, as the lead performer on “Despacito” and the subsequent “Echame la Culpa,” won the Hot Latin Songs artist of the year award.