Bad Bunny Becomes First Spanish Album Grammy Winner

Bad Bunny won Album of the Year at Grammy’s

Image Credit: Pitchfork

At the 68th Grammy Awards, Bad Bunny made history by becoming the first act to win album of the year with a record that was sung entirely in Spanish. The win put him at the center of talk about the 2026 Grammy Awards and changed the way Latin music is honored at the highest level of the business.

The award was given to the Puerto Rican star for his sixth album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos. This record was very personal and had themes of loss, memory, and cultural identity. The album came out before albums by Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Sabrina Carpenter. It won the ceremony’s top award and broke long-standing Grammy records.

Bad Bunny looked surprised for a moment when Harry Styles called his name. Before going to the stage, he stopped. He looked emotional as he took in the weight of the moment. As he received the award, he dedicated it to immigrants who have justify their homes in search of better opportunities. This connected the emotional core of the album to more general experiences in the real world.

Things happened that night during a time of high political stress, especially in the US over immigration policy. A number of artists spoke out at the Grammys, making the event more than just a celebration of music. Olivia Dean, who was named best new artist, talked about how her family came to the U.S. as immigrants, and other artists also sent words of unity.

Before, when he won the award for best urban music record earlier that night, Bad Bunny talked about the subject. The last time there was trouble in Minneapolis, which killed two people, he talked directly about immigration enforcement and made his stance clear. People paid more attention to the social background of the event because of what he said, and it became known that he talks about more than just music at big events.

Other performers also talked about the uncertainty that was gripping the country in their victory addresses. Billie Eilish, who won song of the year for “Wildflower,” talked honestly about how hard it is to know what to say when things are bad and advised people to keep speaking up. This was the third time this decade that she won the song of the year award.

Latin music was a big part of the night. Not only was Bad Bunny’s Best Album win a big deal for him, but it was also a big deal for Spanish-language music in general. Latin albums were generally only nominated for specialist accolades for decades, and they seldom made it into the top general awards. This win showed that people and institutions around the world now respect music that isn’t in English more than they used to.

Streaming has been a big part of that change. Last year, Bad Bunny was the most streamed artist on Spotify, with around 20 billion streams throughout the world. That reach has helped break down language boundaries and make Latin music popular all across the world, affecting both fans and award voters.

The ceremony featured a wide range of other notable achievements. Kendrick Lamar won best rap album for GNX, overtaking Jay-Z to become the rapper with the most Grammy wins in history. He later added another award for record of the year, bringing his total to 27. The moment included a brief on-stage mix-up that Lamar handled calmly before paying tribute to Luther Vandross, whose vocals were sampled on the winning track.

Lady Gaga won best pop album for Mayhem, delivering a speech that encouraged women in the music industry to fight for their creative voice. Elsewhere, London-based singer Lola Young claimed best pop performance, while British and American artists dominated the major performance slots throughout the broadcast.

As has become common in recent years, the televised Grammy ceremony focused heavily on performances rather than awards. Only nine prizes were handed out during the broadcast, with the remaining awards distributed earlier in the day at a separate premiere ceremony. That earlier event included wins for artists such as Yungblud, FKA Twigs, and The Cure.

Bad Bunny ended the night with three Grammy wins in total, a result widely viewed as a defining moment for reggaeton and Latin music at the Music Awards 2026. His success underscored how far the genre has come from being sidelined by the Anglophone music industry.

Accepting album of the year, Bad Bunny returned to the emotional foundation of Debí Tirar Más Fotos, dedicating the award to those who have lost loved ones and continued forward despite grief. Speaking in Spanish, he emphasized resilience and memory, themes that have resonated strongly with listeners across cultures.

The moment capped a ceremony shaped as much by social reflection as by celebration. Bad Bunny’s historic win did more than add to his list of achievements. It marked a turning point in Grammy history, reinforcing the growing influence of Latin artists and signaling a broader shift in what global music recognition now looks like.

For more information, visit BBC’s comprehensive article