Daddy Yankee Named Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year 2026

The Latin Recording Academy will honor Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez — a.ok.a. Daddy Yankee — as the 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. The legendary Puerto Rican musician, a pioneer and driving drive behind the globalization of reggaeton music, might be honored for his almost three-decade profession as a singer, songwriter and performer, in addition to for his humanitarian efforts.

“This recognition from The Latin Recording Academy is a dream come true,” Daddy Yankee said. “It means a lot because it represents more than just a successful career; it’s recognition of years of discipline, struggle, faith and commitment to our culture. Receiving something like this is to honor Puerto Rico, to honor all Latinos, and specifically to that entire generation that believed in our music when no one else understood it.”

Latin Recording Academy CEO Manuel Abud added, “Daddy Yankee has been a defining force in the global rise of Latin music,” said “His leadership, discipline and vision opened the doors for a genre and inspired an entire generation of creators, and he remains as relevant today as ever. We are proud to honor him as our 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year.”

Daddy Yankee might be celebrated at a non-public gala on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, as half of Latin Grammy Week. The tribute live performance will feature renditions of his famend repertoire carried out by an array of worldwide artists and shut associates.

+ Atlantic Music Group and Fader Label have announced a multi-level partnership with three key parts, according to the announcement: a 50/50 three way partnership — merging Fader Label’s “singular taste and aesthetic with AMG’s expertise and global reach” — to signal and develop the careers of new and established artists; distribution and help providers for the independently operated Fader Label’s roster and catalog; and expansion of the providers that Fader Label’s impartial distribution arm, Fader Distribution, can supply to creating artists.

The Fader journal was established in 1999 by founders Jon Cohen and the late Rob Stone as a media arm of their profitable Cornerstone Agency. Fader Label was launched three years later. Over the years the company has launched early recordings by Clairo, Yuna, Matt and Kim and others.

“Fader Label has established itself as an artist-forward home to a thoughtfully curated roster of creatives,” said Elliot Grainge, chairman and CEO of Atlantic Music Group. “Through the years, it has solidified itself as a reputable tastemaker with a proven track record for artist development. This partnership is important to Atlantic Music Group as we have a shared spirit—identifying and nurturing artists who are intentional in their craft that will continue to shape music in new and exciting ways.”

“We are excited to join the Atlantic Music Group family,” says Jon Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Fader Label. “They are fearless in a business that needs more leaders brave enough to break the rules. Above all, they put the artists first and show endless commitment to artist development, and that is what the Fader is built on.”

+ MusiCares has opened its 2026 Wellness in Music survey, which asks the simple yet pressing query every yr: what does it take to maintain a life in music today? Since 2020, the Wellness in Music Survey has served as a year-over-year temperature test on the health, monetary stability and general well-being of music professionals across the United States. Last yr, a file of almost 3,200 music professionals responded, and the responses assist form how MusiCares reveals up for the community.

Over the years, MusiCares has supplied more than $135 million in help to music professionals. Last yr alone, the group distributed over $17 million in help, spanning each its year-round providers and catastrophe aid efforts. This help included psychological health care, habit recovery providers, emergency monetary help, plus assets for touring professionals and those working behind the scenes.

The 2026 survey is now open from April 6–17. It is:
•    Open to music professionals across all roles and genres
•    Available in English and Spanish
•    Completely nameless

To entry the survey in English, click on right here.
To entry the survey in Spanish, click on right here.

+ Sony Music Publishing U.Ok., in partnership with JV associate Second Songs, has announced a new global publishing settlement with songwriter Bastian Langebaek, which incorporates future works. Langebaek has labored extensively with Grammy best new artist winner Olivia Dean, which incorporates six co-writes across her most-recent album, “The Art of Loving.” His credit also embrace songs with Anderson.Paak, Aurora, Jessie Ware, Nilufer Yanya and more.

+ Private fairness platform Round Hill Music has appointed Chad Doerge as president and deputy chief government officer. Doerge brings more than 30 years of experience spanning institutional finance, funding research and monetary technology.

Working in shut partnership with Round Hill’s Founder and CEO Josh Gruss, Doerge will serve on the company’s government administration, funding and valuation committees, and can oversee key operational areas, including acquisitions, portfolio administration, investor relations and data analytics.

Prior to becoming a member of Round Hill, Doerge was President and Chief Revenue Officer of Aiera, the AI-powered monetary intelligence platform he helped build over eight years as a member of its founding team, rising the company from 4 staff to more than 70. Earlier in his profession, he spent almost twenty years in funding banking and capital markets, including as a founding member of Deutsche Bank’s Global Capital Sales group before turning into a Partner at Evercore ISI.

+ Virgin Music Group has announced a global distribution partnership with music curator and government Ari Elkins and A&R government Joey McCarthy for his or her new label Suede Records. Virgin Music Group will present global distribution and advertising providers for the label.

Jacqueline Saturn, VMG’s president of North America and EVP of global artist relations, said, “We were fans of Ari before we even got to sit together last year due to his online presence and knowledge of music and ‘what’s next,’ but after meeting we immediately knew that his passion for music discovery and engaging with digital audiences would be an amazing fit with our ethos at Virgin Music Group.”

Elkins started his profession at Warner Music Group and later co-founded and ran an impartial label in partnership with Avex Music Group before launching Suede Records. McCarthy started his profession at Adidas, creating model campaigns, before transitioning into A&R and later constructing the music division at administration company Fourward.

+ Creative Artists Agency has promoted Noah Bryles, Andrew Dominijanni and Rachel Green to music agent in the Global Touring division. Bryles, based in Los Angeles and can concentrate on supporting CAA’s roster of artists in the digital and dance area. Dominijanni, based in Nashville, has been promoted to music agent, the place he’ll help artists across CAA’s nation music roster. Green, based in Los Angeles, will guide non-public and company event performances for CAA’s roster of artists. She joined CAA in 2022 and beforehand labored at PwC and the Bullitt Agency (Bryles and Dominijanni each began at CAA as interns).