Rubén Blades to receive Billboard Icon Award

Panamanian singer, composer, and actor Rubén Blades will be honored with the 2026 Billboard Icon Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 22 in Miami.

The award recognizes Blades for his career spanning more than five decades and his significant contributions to Latin music. Throughout his career, he has recorded over 25 albums and collaborated across various genres, including salsa, rock, jazz, pop, hip-hop, and reggaeton. He was a key figure in the salsa movement in New York during the 1970s, known for incorporating diverse musical influences and lyrics addressing social issues and daily life.

In a statement, Blades expressed his gratitude to those who contributed to his career, specifically acknowledging the musicians, arrangers, composers, and engineers he has worked with, as well as Roberto Delgado y Orquesta de Panamá, his group for the past 16 years. His recent work includes the album ‘País portátil’, which explores themes such as migration, corruption, and social responsibility.