\n\tLast year saw the return of Latin albums as cohesive works versus collections of previously released successful singles. That trend has only accelerated with multiple conceptual albums that balance commercial appeal with artistic prowess, widening the window of possibilities for album of the year at the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards.<\/p>\n
\n\tHistorically, voters have favored encore performances of legacy artists: In the category\u2019s 25 years, seven artists have won more than once, including Juan Luis Guerra (a record-high five times), Alejandro Sanz and Juanes (tied with three each). But recent wins by Karol\u00a0G and Rosal\u00eda demonstrate there is openness to the new and ascendant alongside the venerable.<\/p>\n
\n\tCome Sept.\u00a017, 10 nominees will be announced \u2014 here are five of the most likely.<\/p>\n
\t\tRauw Alejandro, Cosa Nuestra (Sony Latin)\t<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Puerto Rican star has never been nominated for album of the year, but his meticulously crafted Cosa Nuestra could change that. An ambitious album with roots in New York and a clear storyline, it features collaborations with Bad Bunny, Romeo Santos and Laura Pausini, among others. But the star is Alejandro, who infuses tropical music with modernity. Witness the delicious title track, a mix of retro Cuban son with R&B soneos (improvisations), or danceable gems like the hardcore New York salsa \u201cT\u00fa Con El.\u201d Released in November 2024, Cosa Nuestra set the stage for later roots-based albums, including Bad Bunny\u2019s DeB\u00cd TiRAR M\u00e1S FOToS, while Alejandro has showcased the music in an equally ambitious theatrical arena tour.<\/p>\n
\t\tBad Bunny, DeB\u00cd TiRAR M\u00e1S FOToS (Rimas)\t<\/p>\n
\n\tBad Bunny has been \u00adnominated four times for this award (including his nod for Oasis, his album with J\u00a0Balvin) but has yet to win. DeB\u00cd TiRAR M\u00e1S FOToS, however, has many elements that voters will find compelling: a nostalgic premise; its professed love of homeland, particularly at a fraught political time for the Latin \u00adcommunity; thoughtful use of revered genres and music (the opening \u201cNUEVAYoL,\u201d sampling El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico\u2019s classic \u201cUn Verano en Nueva York,\u201d is a modern take); and employing a new generation of young musicians from the island in the production. It doesn\u2019t hurt that Bad Bunny is at the height of his popularity as an artist shaping the global zeitgeist.<\/p>\n
\t\tGloria Estefan, Ra\u00edces (Crescent Moon Records\/Sony Music Latin)\t<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile speaking with Billboard in May<\/a>, Estefan described her 30th album, and her first entirely in Spanish in 18 years, \u201clike a modern Mi\u00a0Tierra.\u201d It\u2019s a reference that will make voters take note. Mi\u00a0Tierra, released in 1993 as a love letter to Estefan\u2019s native Cuba, was her first album in Spanish, and it ruled Billboard\u2019s Top Latin Albums<\/a> chart for 58 weeks. Ra\u00edces, however, is more than nostalgia. Its roots are Cuban, with its impeccable production \u2014 courtesy of husband Emilio Estefan\u00a0Jr. \u2014 bringing yesterday and today to the forefront through the voice of Latin music\u2019s original groundbreaking diva.<\/p>\n \t\tFuerza Regida, 111XPANTIA (Rancho Humilde\/Streetmob\/Sony Latin)\t<\/p>\n