Music

23 Oct 2025

Peso Pluma Accepts First-Ever Vanguard Honor, Gushes Over Kenia Os at Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025

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Mexican star Peso Pluma accepted the first-ever Billboard Vanguard Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025. There to present him with the special honor was girlfriend Kenia Os, who spoke about Peso Pluma’s achievements. Minutes later, the corridos hitmaker took the stage to not only accept the honor but to share a passionate kiss with Kenia.

“I didn’t know she was going to give me the award,” Peso said, almost blushing but visibly excited about receiving it from her hands. “I am extremely happy and proud of this remarkable woman,” Peso remarked. “I am delighted that you have given this to me. Thank you to those who support me. Long live corridos!”

Peso Pluma also performed during the awards ceremony. Accompanied by 12 dancers, he sang “Apaga La Luz,” his collaboration with Mexican DJ and producer duo RØZ.

The “Rubicón” singer spoke to Billboard on the red carpet and teased upcoming new music. ” I am working hard, so stay tuned for upcoming announcements,” he noted. “Something special is coming with Tito [Double P]. I am very pleased and excited about the surprises coming next year as I work to release music that everyone is waiting for.”

Hailing from Jalisco, Mexico, and known for hits like “Por Las Noches,” “PRC” and “AMG,” Peso Pluma has notched 25 top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, 33 titles on the Billboard Hot 100, and landed at No. 3 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Artists of 2024.

Most recently, Peso Pluma made history as the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) first Mexican ambassador for New York Fashion Week. 

Hosted by Goyo and Javier Poza and broadcasted live from Miami’s James L. Knight Center on Telemundo, the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025 can also be streamed live on the Telemundo app, Peacock and Telemundo Internacional across Latin America and the Caribbean.

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23 Oct 2025

Laura Pausini Accepts Icon Honor at 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards: ‘Feeling So Latina Is an Enormous Privilege’

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Laura Pausini was recognized with the Billboard Icon Award at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday (Oct. 23), airing live on Telemundo. The Italian superstar received her trophy from Puerto Rican singer Ozuna.

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“Thank you so much, Billboard, for this important recognition,” explained Pausini, elegant in a long black lace and beaded dress, evidently moved. “The fact that you consider me an icon makes me feel like a rare gem. It fills me with pride that after more than 30 years of career, I have the good fortune to be here, in front of all of you.”

“I’ve always said it: being from Italy and at the same time feeling so Latina is an enormous privilege that you have allowed. You have adopted me since I was a teenager,” she continued, adding that this time she would do something she had never done before: “I’m going to thank this hardworking Laura who hasn’t given up when she’s been told no, which has been many times, by the way.” And she went on to perform a cappella part of her hit “Víveme.”

Finally, she dedicated it to her family and her team, to God, and to the songwriters who’ve always inspired her. Moments before, Pausini performed her take of Gianluca Grignani‘s classic “Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos” on a simple stage decorated with fog and white orbs of light.

The Billboard Icon Award honors artists whose careers have not only remained relevant over the years, but also those who have established themselves as some of the most distinguished artists in their genres, celebrated globally for achieving both musical and commercial success.

With over 75 million records sold and 6 billion combined streams throughout her 30-year-plus career, Pausini is the most internationally-recognized Italian voice and a global pop icon. Among other recent achievements, last November she earned her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 with a version of her 1990s hit “Se Fue” featuring Rauw Alejandro. In 2023, she was honored as the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year.

Her latest releases are “Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos” and Bad Bunny’s “Turista,” both to be included in her upcoming covers album Yo Canto 2, while she recently announced a new world tour for 2026.

Additionally, Pausini participated in Billboard Latin Music Week in a highly anticipated “Icon Q&A” session, where she delighted fans with her charm, sang “Turista” and offered details about her upcoming releases.

23 Oct 2025

Elvis Crespo Receives 2025 Billboard Hall of Fame Award: ‘Thank You for Believing in Me’

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Elvis Crespo was honored with the special Hall of Fame award at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday night (Oct. 23).

“I thank God for allowing me to live this unique and different moment,” Crespo said during his speech. “When I decided to get into music, I never thought I’d experience a moment like this. I dedicate this award to my first manager, my mother, Irene, who gave me $5 to take my singing lessons every day in Rio Piedra. To Diómedes, to my father, who recently had corneal surgery, who can’t see me but is listening. Daddy, thank you because the Crespos gave me the ability to make music. To my children who are with me tonight. To the entire industry […] you make lifelong friends here. To the audience, thank you for believing in me.”

Crespo was honored for his 30-year career that includes his timeless hits “Suavemente,” which topped Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart for six weeks in 1998, and “Tu Sonrisa,” which peaked at No. 1 for two weeks that same year.

The Billboard Hall of Fame Award celebrates a career that extends beyond musical performance and takes into account the incredible influence the recipient enjoys as an artist globally in multiple fields, according to a press release. Previous winners include Vicente Fernández, Rocío Dúrcal, Marco Antonio Solís, Joan Sebastian and Marc Anthony, among others.

The 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards coincided with the Billboard Latin Music Week that ran from Oct. 20 to 24 and featured star-studded speakers including Daddy Yankee, Laura Pausini, Kali Uchis, Gloria Estefan, Carín León, and many more.

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23 Oct 2025

The Best Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025 Red Carpet Photos: See All the Looks

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Stars like Peso Pluma, Carlos Vives, Xavi, Kapo, Goyo, Santos Bravos and more walked the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025 red carpet ahead of the ceremony, airing Thursday night (Oct. 23) on Telemundo.

Bad Bunny leads the list of finalists with 27 nods in categories including artist of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and top Latin album of the year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos.

The Puerto Rican superstar is followed by Fuerza Regida with 15 mentions and Rauw Alejandro with 14. Leading the female artists is Karol G with 10 mentions, matching those of rising regional Mexican artist Tito Double P who also has 10, while Peso Pluma is a nine-time finalist.

Bad Bunny and Karol G were among the first winners of the night, alongside Elvis Crespo and Peso Pluma. Both Peso and Elvis received special awards. Elvis was entered into the Hall of Fame, thanking his first manager, “his mom,” for her support. Meanwhile, Peso took home the first-ever Billboard Vanguard Award and thanked fans for supporting his music.

This year the awards will be presented in 49 categories, spanning leading genres including Latin pop, tropical, Latin rhythm and regional Mexican.

Hosted by Goyo and Javier Poza and broadcasted live from Miami’s James L. Knight Center on Telemundo, the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2025 can also be streamed live on the Telemundo app, Peacock and Telemundo Internacional across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Here are the best photos of the artists on the red carpet as they arrived at the gala.

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23 Oct 2025

2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards Winners: Complete List (Updating)

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The 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards have begun, with the industry’s biggest stars gathering at the James L. Knight Center in Miami for a night of excitement and big performances.

Bad Bunny leads the list of finalists with 27 entries, a historic record, and already has one trophy secured: the Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century, for his unparalleled achievements on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and Hot Latin Songs charts between the years 2000 and 2024. The Puerto Rican superstar is followed by Fuerza Regida with 15 mentions, and Rauw Alejandro with 14. Leading the female artists is Karol G with 10 mentions, matching those of rising regional Mexican artist Tito Double P who also has 10, while Peso Pluma is a nine-time finalist.

Other artists who will be honored with special awards this year include Italian superstar Laura Pausini, who will receive the Billboard Icon Award; Mexican star Peso Pluma, with the first Billboard Vanguard Award; and merengue icon Elvis Crespo, with the Billboard Hall of Fame Award.

This year the awards are being presented in 49 categories, spanning leading genres including Latin pop, tropical, Latin rhythm and regional Mexican. Finalists and winners reflect performance of new recordings on Billboard’s albums and songs charts for the period covering rankings dated Sept. 14, 2024 through the Sept. 6, 2025, charts. Determinations are based on key fan interactions with music, including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay and touring, tracked by Billboard and its data partner, Luminate.

Hosted by Goyo and Javier Poza and broadcasted live from Miami’s James L. Knight Center on Telemundo, the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards can also be streamed live on the Telemundo app, Peacock and Telemundo Internacional across Latin America and the Caribbean.

See the complete list of winner below:

OVERALL ARTISTS CATEGORIES

Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny

Fuerza Regida

Peso Pluma

Rauw Alejandro

Tito Double P

Artist of the Year, New

Aleman

Clave Especial

FloyyMenor

Kapo

Netón Vega

Tour of the Year

Aventura

Chayanne

Luis Miguel

Rauw Alejandro

Shakira

Crossover Artist of the Year

Ayra Starr

benny blanco

Bruno Mars

ROSE

Rvssian

Ty Dolla $ign

Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny

Fuerza Regida

Karol G

Netón Vega

Tito Double P

SONGS CATEGORIES

Global 200 Latin Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “Baile Inolvidable”

Bad Bunny, “DTMF”

Bad Bunny, “Nuevayol”

Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”

Óscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “Tu Boda”

Hot Latin Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “Baile Inolvidable”

Bad Bunny, “DTMF”

Bad Bunny, “EOO”

Bad Bunny, “Nuevayol”

Óscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “Tu Boda”

Hot  Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event:

Fuerza Regida & Grupo Frontera, “Me Jalo”

Óscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “Tu Boda”

Rauw Alejandro & Bad Bunny, “Qué Pasaría…”

Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, “Khe?”

Tito Double P & Peso Pluma, “Dos Días”

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Male

Bad Bunny

Netón Vega

Peso Pluma

Rauw Alejandro

Tito Double P

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Female

WINNER: Karol G

Selena Gomez

Shakira

Yailin La Más Viral

Young Miko

Hot Latin Songs Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Clave Especial

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Frontera

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda

The Marias

Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year

Double P

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Warner Latina

Latin Airplay Song of the Year

Fuerza Regida & Grupo Frontera, “Me Jalo”

Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”

Natti Natasha, “Desde Hoy”

Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, “Khe?”

Shakira, “Soltera”

Latin Airplay Label of the Year

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

Sales Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “Baile Inolvidable”

Bad Bunny, “DTMF”

Bad Bunny, “Nuevayol”

Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”

Xavi & Manuel Turizo, “En Privado”

Streaming Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “Baile Inolvidable”

Bad Bunny, “DTMF”

Bad Bunny, “Nuevayol”

Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”

Óscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “Tu Boda”

ALBUM CATEGORIES

Top Latin Album of the Year

WINNER: Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos

Netón Vega, Mi Vida Mi Muerte

Peso Pluma, Éxodo

Rauw Alejandro, Cosa Nuestra

Tito Double P, Incómodo

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Male

Bad Bunny

Junior H

Peso Pluma

Rauw Alejandro

Tito Double P

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Female

Becky G

Cazzu

Kali Uchis

Karol G

Shakira

Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Aventura

Clave Especial

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Frontera

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda

Top Latin Albums Label of the Year

Double P

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

LATIN POP CATEGORIES

Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo

Danny Ocean

Enrique Iglesias

Kali Uchis

Luis Fonsi

Shakira

Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Ha*Ash

Jesse & Joy

Maná

Morat

Sin Bandera

Latin Pop Song of the Year

Danny Ocean & Kapo, “Imagínate”

Maluma, “Cosas Pendientes”

Rauw Alejandro, “Carita Linda”

Selena Gomez, benny blanco & The Marias, “Ojos Tristes”

Shakira, “Soltera”

Latin Pop Airplay Label of the Year

AP Global

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

Top Latin Pop Album of the Year

Cazzu, Latinaje

Danny Ocean, Babylon Club

Kapo, Por Si Alguien Nos Escucha

Latin Mafia, Todos Los Días Todo El Día

Quevedo, Buenas Noches

Top Latin Pop Albums Label of the Year

Insterscope Capitol Labels Group

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Enterprises

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

TROPICAL CATEGORIES

Tropical Artist of the Year, Solo

Elvis Crespo

Jerry Rivera

Marc Anthony

Prince Royce

Romeo Santos

Tropical Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Aventura

Chino & Nacho

Grupo Niche

La Sonora Dinamita

Monchy & Alexandra

Tropical Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “Baile Inolvidable”

Grupo Frontera & Romeo Santos, “Ángel”

Karol G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”

Rauw Alejandro, “Tú Con Él”

Xavi & Manuel Turizo, “En Privado”

Tropical Airplay Label of the Year

Grupo Frontera

Insterscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Warner Latina

Top Tropical Album of the Year

Grupo Kual? Dinastía Pedraza, Los Reyes De La Cumbia Sonidera: En México

Los Hermanos Rosario, Grandes Éxitos

Natti Natasha, En Amargue

Prince Royce, Eterno

Rubby Pérez, Rubby Pérez ¡Grandes Éxitos!

Top Tropical Albums Label of the Year

Discos Fuentes

Sony Music Latin

The Orchard

Universal Music Enterprises

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

REGIONAL MEXICAN CATEGORIES

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Solo

Ivan Cornejo

Junior H

Netón Vega

Peso Pluma

Tito Double P

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Duo or Group:

Clave Especial

Fuerza Regida

Grupo Frontera

Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda

Los Tigres del Norte

Regional Mexican Song of the Year

Fuerza Regida & Grupo Frontera, “Me Jalo”

Fuerza Regida, “Por Esos Ojos”

Óscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “Tu Boda”

Peso Pluma & Netón Vega, “La Patrulla”

Tito Double P & Peso Pluma, “Dos Días”

Regional Mexican Airplay Label of the Year

Afinarte

Azteca

Socios

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Top Regional Mexican Album of the Year

Fuerza Regida, 111XPANTÍA

Ivan Cornejo, Mirada

Netón Vega, Mi Vida Mi Muerte

Peso Pluma, Éxodo

Tito Double P, Incómodo

Top Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year

Double P Records

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

LATIN RHYTHM CATEGORIES

Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Solo

Bad Bunny

Feid

Kapo

Karol G

Rauw Alejandro

Latin Rhythm Artist of the Year, Duo or Group

Alexis & Fido

Baby Rasta & Gringo

J-King & Maximan

Jowell & Randy

Mambo Kingz

Latin Rhythm Song of the Year

Bad Bunny, “DTMF”

Bad Bunny, “EOO”

Bad Bunny, “Nuevayol”

Rauw Alejandro & Bad Bunny, “Qué Pasaría…”

Rauw Alejandro & Romeo Santos, “Khe?”

Latin Rhythm Airplay Label of the Year

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Warner Latina

Top Latin Rhythm Album of the Year

Bad Bunny, Debí Tirar Más Fotos

FloyyMenor, El Comienzo

Karol G, Tropicoqueta

Omar Courtz, Primera Musa

Rauw Alejandro, Cosa Nuestra

Top Latin Rhythm Albums Label of the Year

Interscope Capitol Labels Group

Rimas

Sony Music Latin

UnitedMasters

Universal Music Latin Entertainment

WRITERS / PRODUCERS / PUBLISHERS CATEGORIES

Songwriter of the Year

Armenta

Bad Bunny

Jorsshh

Netón Vega

Roberto “La Paciencia”

Publisher of the Year

Downtown DMP Songs,BMI

Josa Publishing,BMI

Sony Latin Music Publishing,LLC,BMI

Street Mob Publishing,BMI

Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp,BMI

 Publishing Corporation of the Year

Downtown Music Publishing

Rimas Publishing

Sony Music Publishing

Universal Music

Warner Chappell Music

Producer of the Year

Ernesto “Neto” Fernández

JOP

MAG

Roberto “La Paciencia”

Tito Double P

23 Oct 2025

13 Performing Songwriters Are Nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame: Which 3 Do You Most Hope Get In? Vote!

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The voters who determine the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees have a tough choice ahead of them: narrowing a list of 13 strong candidates in the performing songwriter category down to their top three selections. (They also will be choosing three non-performing songwriters from an equally strong list of 14 contenders.)

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The fact that there are exactly 13 nominees in the performing songwriting category – nine individual songwriters and four songwriting teams – may be a good omen for Taylor Swift, who has long said that 13 is her lucky number. Swift received the SHOF’s Hal David Starlight Award, which goes to newish songwriters who show promise, in 2010. She would be the first person to graduate from the Starlight Award (which dates to 2004) to full membership status.

A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song. Swift’s first single, “Tim McGraw,” was released in June 2006. The SHOF gala is typically held in June, so she just makes it.

Seven of this year’s nominated songwriters or songwriting teams have had one or more No. 1 hits as songwriters on the Billboard Hot 100 – Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings (The Guess Who), Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (America), Richard Carpenter (Carpenters), Harry Wayne Casey (KC & the Sunshine Band), Kenny Loggins, P!nk and Swift.  

Bachman co-wrote The Guess Who’s 1970 No. 1 hit “American Woman” and was the sole writer on Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s 1974 No. 1 hit “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” Casey co-wrote five No. 1 hits for KC & the Sunshine Band from 1975-80 and co-wrote George McCrae’s No. 1 1974 hit “Rock Your Baby.” (Casey co-wrote all of these hits with Richard Finch, but only Casey is nominated for the SHOF.) Bunnell was the sole writer of America’s first No. 1 hit, “A Horse With No Name.” Beckley was the sole writer of their second, “Sister Golden Hair.”

SHOF voters vote for their top three choices in the performing songwriter category, so we made it so you too can vote for your top three choices. So tell us: If you were a Songwriters Hall of Fame voter, which three candidates would you vote for?

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23 Oct 2025

TWICE Lands Eighth Top 10 on Album Sales Chart With ‘TEN: The Story Goes On’

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TWICE scores its eighth top 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated Oct. 25) as TEN: The Story Goes On debuts at No. 2 with 23,000 copies sold in the United States in the tracking week ending Oct. 16, according to Luminate. The group’s last eight chart entries have all debuted inside the top three, dating back to 2021’s chart-topping Taste of Love.

Also in the top 10 of the latest Top Album Sales chart, new projects arrive from Not for Radio, CxM and Testament.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album (TEA) units and streaming equivalent album (SEA) units.

Holding atop the latest Top Album Sales chart for a second week is Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl, while the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is a non-mover at No. 3. Not for Radio, the solo debut project of The Marías’ frontwoman María Zardoya, bows at No. 4 with Melt. The SEVENTEEN subunit CxM (comprising members S.COUPS and MINGYU) debuts at No. 5 with its first project, CxM 1st Mini Album ‘HYPE VIBES’.

Stray Kids’ chart-topping KARMA falls 2-6 on Top Album Sales, Sabrina Carpenter’s former leader Man’s Best Friend dips 4-7 and KATSEYE’s Beautiful Chaos is steady at No. 8.

Veteran rock band Testament returns to the top 10 for the first time since 2020 with the No. 9 entry of Para Bellum. The band made its overall Billboard chart debut in 1988 with The New Order’s debut on the Billboard 200 in June of that year.

Rounding out the latest top 10 is Laufey’s A Matter of Time, rising 12-10.

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23 Oct 2025

Drake & PARTYNEXTDOOR, Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon, Dijon Lead Best Progressive R&B Album Race for 2026 Grammy Nominations: Our Predictions

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Now that Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop team has posted its Grammy predictions for four of the R&B categories in the 68th annual race — best R&B performance, best traditional R&B performance, best R&B song and best R&B album — it’s time to review the top prospects in the fifth and final category: best progressive R&B album.

Recent winners in the category include Lucky Daye (Table for Two, 2022), Steve Lacy (Gemini Rights, 2023) and SZA (SOS, 2024). Thanks to a tie, two winners took home the gramophone in 2025: longtime independent artist Avery Sunshine (So Glad to Know You) and the R&B/hip-hop super duo NxWorries comprised of Anderson .Paak and producer Knxwledge (Why Lawd?).

Formerly known as best urban contemporary album, the category was renamed best progressive R&B album in 2020. In recognizing “excellence in albums of progressive R&B vocal tracks,” per the Recording Academy’s definition, such entries are rooted in many of the elements comprising R&B but also embrace additional sounds including hip-hop, rap, pop, dance and electronic music. The rulebook further defines the category’s music as having “an emphasis on experimentation and innovation, often through unconventional song structures, dynamic production techniques and multi-genre influences that challenge traditional R&B conventions.”

Albums released between Aug. 31, 2024 and Aug. 30, 2025 fitting this category include familiar vets like Bilal (Adjust Brightness), Gallant (Zinc), Jessie Reyez (Paid in Memories), Kali Uchis (Sincerely) and Allen Stone (Mystery). A host of upstarts also waved the progressive banner in their own inimitable styles, such as SAILORR (From Florida’s Finest), Laila! (Gap Year), Jordan Adetunji (A Jaguar’s Dream) and Cautious Clay (The Hours: Morning).  

In addition to those on-the-cusp contenders, there are others of note to consider. Chief among them is the group FLO (Access All Areas), KWN (With All Due Respect), Destin Conrad (Love on Digital), Fridayy (Some Days I’m Good, Some Days I’m Not), UMI (People Stories) and Kelela (In the Blue Light).

With such a cornucopia of projects to choose from, predicting the nods in this category isn’t an easy task. One scenario could have Kali Uchis, Destin Conrad, Fridayy and Jessie Reyez fighting for the last spot. Or perhaps there could be another surprise from left field a la Avery Sunshine at the 67th annual ceremony.

So which five albums will score nods for best progressive R&B album when the Recording Academy unveils its slate on Nov. 7? Check out Billboard’s predictions below.

23 Oct 2025

Ariana Grande’s Mini-Me Revealed in New ‘Wicked’ Teaser as Young Glinda Makes Her Debut

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In the first Wicked film, fans of the musical got to see Elphaba as a child — and, as revealed in a new teaser, they’ll now get to see little Glinda when Wicked: For Good hits theaters in November.

In a preview shared by Universal Pictures on Wednesday (Oct. 22), an elementary-school-age Glinda appears in a dress in her signature pink shade while telling someone off camera, “I want to be magical — for real.”

The video then shows scenes of adult Glinda — played by Ariana Grande — embracing her new role as Glinda the Good, serving as a spokes-witch of sorts for The Wizard of Oz and his agenda. We see her ceremoniously putting on her tiara and testing out her flying bubble, which we learn is operated by a pedal.

The young actress playing Grande’s mini-me in the second Wicked film is Scarlett Spears, whom the pop star shouted out in a sweet post on Instagram after the casting reveal. “my tiny girl in the bubble, played by the wonderful and talented @miss.scarlett.brielle,” Grande wrote, sharing a black-and-white photo of herself and Spears hugging while decked out in their Glinda gowns.

“thank you for your beautiful work and for allowing the world to understand our Galinda more deeply than ever before,” she added. “i adore you so.”

The additions of little Glinda and little Elphaba — who was played in the first Wicked by Karis Musongole — exemplify the advantages of adapting musicals for the big screen, with director Jon M. Chu getting the chance to add to the beloved characters’ origin stories. The films will also see the additions of two brand new songs — “No Place Like Home” sung by Cynthia Erivo and “The Girl in the Bubble” performed by Grande — composed by Stephen Schwartz, who crafted the music for the Wicked Broadway musical.

See young Glinda in the new Wicked: For Good teaser below.


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23 Oct 2025

Summer Walker Speaks on Ex-Boyfriend Lil Meech’s Alleged Infidelity: ‘His Life Is Terrible Now’

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Summer Walker has addressed the infidelity accusations surrounding her ex-boyfriend Lil Meech.

In a new interview on 360 With Speedy, host Speedy Morman asks Summer to briefly elaborate on the infamous “grocery” video that led to Walker and Lil Meech’s breakup back in 2023. The video in question involved leaked Ring cam footage that showed Meech helping a random woman bring groceries into her home. After some blowback, Meech claimed the woman was his cousin, which Walker has consistently pushed back on.

When Speedy asked if that whole incident was “infuriating,” Summer agreed.

“It was. That was really ignorant,” Walker said. “But, hey, I was like, ‘That’s trifling as f—.’ I literally don’t even have to say anything on that because his life is terrible now, so yeah.”

Lil Meech’s cousin claim inspired dozens of “groceries” memes on the Internet, which Walker referenced in a promotional clip for her forthcoming album, Finally Over It. The trailer saw the Grammy-nominated singer linked up to a lie detector test, answering a series of “yes” or “no” questions.

“Was it his cousin’s groceries?” the polygraph examiner asked. Summer laughed in response.

“Hell nah, it was not his cousin’s groceries,” she replied. The examiner determined her response to be “truthful.”

Elsewhere in the trailer, Walker confirmed that her new album would have more than 12 tracks and that Latto would be a featured guest. The album drops Nov. 14.

Check out her full interview with Speedy Morman below.

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