The countdown to the big night comes to YouTube with
“Premios Billboard de la Música Latina: El Podcast,” featuring live interviews and special guests every Thursday at 6 p.m. ET / 5c
Tickets to the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards
are now available through Ticketmaster
[Media: Access image HERE, full press site HERE; and request press credentials HERE]
Miami, FL – September 17, 2026 – Latin music legend Rubén Blades will receive the Billboard Icon Award at the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards, recognizing an extraordinary career that has transcended generations, genres and borders. The awards will be presented LIVE Thursday, October 22 at 8 p.m. ET / 7c, on Telemundo and Peacock from the James L. Knight Center in Miami. The event will also be available on Universo and the Telemundo app, as well as throughout Latin America and the Caribbean via Telemundo Internacional. Fans can also experience the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards in person, with tickets now available through Ticketmaster.
The Billboard Icon Award is presented to an artist whose career has not only remained relevant over time, but who has also become one of the most distinguished figures in their genre, a role model who represents the pinnacle of both commercial and artistic success.
For more than five decades, Rubén Blades has been one of the most influential voices in Latin music, helping redefine salsa through a distinctive combination of musical innovation and powerful storytelling. A central figure in New York’s salsa revolution of the 1970s, the Panamanian singer, songwriter and musician expanded the boundaries of classic Afro-Cuban salsa by incorporating influences from rock, jazz, pan-Latin music and sounds from around the world. His songs became known not only for their memorable melodies, but for eloquent, socially conscious lyrics and vivid characters that transformed everyday stories into enduring music.
Throughout his career, Blades has recorded more than 25 albums, composed hundreds of songs and dozens of hits, and collaborated with artists across salsa, rock, jazz, pop, hip-hop and reggaeton. His willingness to explore different sounds while remaining rooted in salsa has allowed his music to resonate across generations and cultures.
“I am grateful to everyone who has contributed over the course of more than fifty years to making it possible for my work to be recognized today. No one succeeds without help. It is important to acknowledge the contributions of all the musicians, arrangers, composers and engineers I have worked with, as well as the group that has been by my side on this journey for the past 16 years, Roberto Delgado y Orquesta de Panamá,” said Rubén Blades.
Rubén Blades continues to record and tour internationally, most recently releasing País Portátil with Roberto Delgado y Orquesta. The album brings together eight interconnected songs that explore themes including migration, corruption, incarceration, social responsibility and hope, continuing Blades’ longstanding tradition of using music to examine the social realities of Latin America while encouraging reflection and change.
As the journey to the awards continues, Telemundo will also launch the Premios Billboard de la Música Latina: El Podcast tonight, a six-episode live video podcast following the road to the Billboard Latin Music Awards through the voices of a diverse group of digital-native content creators.
Each week, the hosts will be joined by surprise guests to explore the artists, stories and moments shaping the countdown to the awards, from confirmed performers and collaborations to special awards, must-see moments and stories from the fans themselves. The live digital-first series will extend the conversation around the awards and connect with the audiences driving music culture online. A new episode of the podcast will stream live every Thursday at 6 p.m. ET / 5c, on Telemundo’s YouTube channel Telemundo Entretenimiento @TelemundoEntretenimiento.
For the latest news, exclusive content and behind-the-scenes access to the Billboard Latin Music Awards, follow:
- Instagram: @Telemundo | @LatinBillboards | @BillboardLatin
- TikTok: @Telemundo|@Billboard
- X: @telemundo | @LatinBillboards|@BillboardLatin
- Facebook: @Telemundo | @LatinBillboards|@BillboardLatin
- YouTube: @TelemundoEntretenimiento |@BillboardLatin
- Join the conversation: #PremiosBillboard2026
The Billboard Latin Music Awards serve as the grand finale of Billboard Latin Music Week, taking place in Miami October 19-22, 2026. As part of the week’s programming, Rubén Blades will sit down for an exclusive Icon Q&A with Billboard Co-Chief Content Officer Leila Cobo for what promises to be one of the most anticipated moments of the week. The industry’s must-attend Latin music event features exclusive performances, one-of-a-kind conversations, workshops, showcases and unique fan experiences, culminating with the Billboard Latin Music Awards on October 22. Learn more and register at billboardlatinmusicweek.com.
BLMA FB/IG Post: Latin music legend @ruben.blades will receive the Billboard Icon Award at the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards on October 22. The honor recognizes his extraordinary career and enduring influence on Latin music across generations. The @LatinBillboards will be presented live on @Telemundo and @Peacock at 8 p.m. ET / 7c from the James L. Knight Center in Miami. #PremiosBillboard2026 #RubénBlades
BLMA X Post: Latin music legend @rubenblades will receive the Billboard Icon Award at the 2026 Billboard Latin Music Awards on October 22, recognizing his extraordinary career and enduring influence on Latin music. Live on @Telemundo and @Peacock. #PremiosBillboard2026
About Billboard Español
Billboard has been responsible for discovering, championing and regularly featuring Latin artists over the course of its 128-year history. As an innovator in the music industry, Billboard recognized a demand for unique in-language content made by our music and industry experts for fans in all Spanish-speaking countries around the globe. Launched in 2022, Billboard Español serves as the premiere in-language global destination for Latin music, offering unique and engaging content with a superior understanding of the Latin music industry and marketplace. Billboard Español also features exclusive video content of artists, many of whom will also be participating in Billboard Latin Music Week. Readers can also expect to find all Billboard charts, including Hot Latin Songs, Top Latin Albums and the Global 200 charts.
About MBS Special Events, Inc.:
MBS Special Events, Inc. is a leading production company specialized in the development, creation, and complete production of many of today’s most important televised live entertainment specials. Under the leadership of Executive Producer Mary Black Suarez, with 30 plus years’ experience spearheading such projects as the Billboard Latin Music Awards, Latin American Music Awards, Premio Lo Nuestro and the Billboard Regional Mexican Awards amongst many others, MBS Special Events is producing this edition of the Billboard Latin Music Awards. MBS Special Events is a driving force behind multiple projects with its signature high quality and industry leading services to continue to deliver the best televised special events to its broadcast partners and clients.
About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises:
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The company serves U.S. Hispanics through its national broadcast network, the cable network Universo, and digital platforms including the Telemundo app, a suite of FAST channels, and streaming services, such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo Network offers Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 96% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 94 affiliate stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station serving Puerto Rico. Anchored on Telemundo Studios, the network is the #1 producer of scripted Spanish-language content in the U.S., and the only network to produce original content specifically for US Hispanic audiences. Offering over 600 hours of reality TV shows a year, and top-rated live specials such as the Billboard Latin Music Awards and Miss Universe, Telemundo is considered the undisputed Home of Live TV in Hispanic media. The network is also the exclusive Spanish-language home of the world’s two most popular sporting events, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
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Press Contacts
Santa Cruz Communications for Telemundo
Claudia Santa Cruz | 786-218-3009 | claudia@santacruzpr.com
Pepe Xicohtencatl | 714-397-5827 | pepe@santacruzpr.com
