Don Omar Leads the Pack of Billboard Latin Music Awards Finalists

It’s no wonder he’s called Don Omar

The 34-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton singer/actor, born William Omar Landrón Rivera, is the don of this year’s  Billboard Latin Music Awards, earning 18 finalist nods, including Artist of the Year; Social Artist of the Year and Streaming Artist of the Year. Last year, Don Omar was the leader of the pack with 16 finalist nods.

Don Omar

In addition, Don Omar is nominated as Songs Artist of the Year, Male; Albums Artist of the Year, Male and Songwriter of the Year. His album Don Omar Presents MT02: New Generation competes for Latin Rhythm Album of the Year and Digital Album of the Year. Three of Don Omar’s hit songs — “Dutty Love,” featuring Natty Natasha, “Hasta Que Salga El Sol” and “Danza Kuduro” — are finalists in various song categories.

Romeo Santos comes in second, with the bachata star earning 12 nods. Wisin & Yandel and the late Jenni Rivera tied with 11 nods each. Prince Royce and Pitbull, major finalists last year, also returned with 10 and nine nods respectively, while newcomers 3BallMTY earned eight.

Meanwhile  regional Mexican acts La Arrolladora Banda el Limón de René Camacho and Gerardo Ortiz nabbed seven and six nods, respectively, while rockers Maná with five and pop act Ricardo Arjona with three.

The 2013 Billboard Latin Awards will be broadcast live on Telemundo on April 25 from the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami in Florida.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards honor the most popular albums, songs, and performers in Latin Music, as determined by the actual sales, radio airplay, streaming and social data that informs Billboard’s weekly charts during a one-year period from the issue dated February 4, 2012, through this year’s January 26, 2013, issue.

Click here for the full list of nominees.

Prince Royce Ties Romeo Santos for Most Premio Lo Nuestro Nods

Call it a “battle of the bachateros”

Romeo Santos and Prince Royce will battle it out for top honors at Univision’s Premio Lo Nuestro during the show’s 25th anniversary on February 21, 2013.

Prince Royce

The 31-year-old Dominican/Puerto Rican singer, the former front man for Aventura, and the 23-year-old Dominican singer tied for most nods, at seven each. Santos and Prince Royce will battle it ou for Tropical Album of the Year, Tropical Male Artist of the Year, and Tropical Song of the Year.

Reggaeton superstar Don Omar, meantime, received six nods, including Artist of the Year, Collaboration of the Year for his mega duet with Natti Natasha, “Dutty Love,” and Album of the Year for his Don Omar Presents Meet The Orphans 2: New Generation.

Barcelona-raised urban artist Juan Magan is up for Best New Artist, along with four other awards. He faces stiff competition from 3Ball MTY, who cleaned up at this year’s Billboard’s Mexican Music Awards.

Mexican rock group Maná earned six nominations, and will compete against with Don Omar, Jenni Rivera, La Arrolladora Banda el Limon de Rene Camacho and Santos in the Artist of the Year category.

Sibling duo Jesse & Joy, the big winners at the Latin Grammys, are up for five awards, including Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “¡Corre!” as well as Album of the Year for ¿Con Quién Se Queda el Perro?.

Juanes was recognized for his critically acclaimed MTV Unplugged album with four nods, tied with Beto Cuevas and Victor Manuelle.

Daddy Yankee, Alejandro Sanz, Paulina Rubio, Ricardo Arjona, Chino y Nacho, Gerardo Ortiz, La Original Banda El Limón, La Banda El Recodo and Wisin y Yandel each earned three nods.

View the full list of 130 nominations in 33 different categories here and cast your vote until December 23, then tune into Univision on February 21 for the awards show.

3Ball MTY Receives 12 Billboard Mexican Music Award Nominations

The three members of 3Ball MTY are probably blowing Besos al Aire to their fans after earning the most Billboard Mexican Music Award nominations.  

3Ball MTY

The Mexican DJ collective, which is comprised of Erick Rincon, Sergio Zavala (Dj Sheeqo Beat) and Alberto Presenda (Dj Otto), earned nods in 12 categories. 3Ball MTY’s mix of cumbia and electronica is currently at the forefront of the new tribal music movement.

3BallMTY, who had its national television debut at last year’s Mexican Music Awards, broke ground with their infectious single “Inténtalo,” a finalist in the Song of the Year, Song of the Year-Vocal Event and Duranguense/Grupero/Cumbia Song of the Year categories.

Following right behind 3Ball MTY: hard-hitting corrido singer/songwriter Gerardo Ortiz, a finalist in 11 categories, and eclectic singer/songwriter Espinoza Paz, with 11 nods in 10 categories (he competes against himself in the Banda Album of the Year category).

Other leading finalists include perennial hitmakers La Arrolladora Banda el Limón de René Camacho, competing for nine awards, including Artist of the Year and Songs Artist of the Year. La Arrolladora’s hit “Llamada de mi Ex” is also a finalist for Song of the Year and Banda Song of the Year. La Arrolladora’s director, Fernando Camacho Tirado is also a finalist in the Producer of the year category, an award he won in 2011.

Meanwhile, Julión Alvarez y Su Norteño Banda received six nods-including Artist of the year-Duo or Troup and Airplay Artist of the Year– and América Sierra, the featured vocalist in 3BallMTY’s hit “Inténtalo” with five. Alvarez is also a finalist for Producer of the Year.

Finalists up for four awards include Jenni Rivera, Shaila Durcal, Vicente Fernandez and Joan Sebastian. Those up for three awards include Banda el Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga, El Bebeto and Tierra Cali.

The second annual Billboard Mexican Music Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium on Telemundo Oct. 18.

The Billboard Mexican Music Awards are the only nationally televised awards that exclusively honor regional Mexican music. Finalists and winners of the 33 awards are determined by chart performance as chronicled in Billboard Magazine and on Billboard.com. Award categories are based on album and digital track sales data provided by Nielsen SoundScan and radio airplay monitored by Nielsen BDS.