Latin Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Latin Grammy Award for Song of the Year is an honor presented annually at the Latin Grammy Awards, a ceremony that recognizes excellence, creates a wider awareness of cultural diversity and contributions of Latin recording artists in the United States and internationally. The award is given to the songwriters of new songs containing at least 51% of lyrics in Spanish or Portuguese language. Instrumental songs or a new version of a previously recorded track are not eligible. Due to the increasing musical changes in the industry, from 2012 the category includes 10 nominees, according to a restructuration made by the academy for the four general categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best New Artist and Song of the Year.
Eleven of the thirteen awarded songs have also earned the Latin Grammy for Record of the Year, which unlike this category, is given to songs that were released on a promotional level, and the prize is given to the performer, producer and audio engineer. The exceptions to this were in 2000, 2009 and 2013 when "Corazón Espinado" by Santana featuring Maná, "No Hay Nadie Como Tú" by Calle 13 featuring Café Tacvba and "Vivir Mi Vida" by Marc Anthony, respectively, received the award without a nomination for Song of the Year. In 2014, "Universos Paralelos" by Jorge Drexler featuring Anita tijoux won the Latin Grammy Award for Record of The Year, but not Song of The Year, despite it received a nomination for the award.
Alejandro Sanz is the most awarded songwriter in the category with four wins out of eight nominations. Andrés Castro, Shakira and Carlos Vives have received the award twice. In 2017, Colombian artist Maluma became the first songwriter to have three nominated songs in the same year, with "Chantaje", "Felices los 4", and "Vente Pa' Ca". Pedro Capó, Juan Luis Guerra, Jorge Luis Piloto and Jorge Villamizar have been nominated twice the same year: Capó in 2015 for songs performed by Ricky Martin and himself, Guerra in 2012 for songs performed by Juanes featuring Joaquín Sabina and himself, Piloto in 2009 for songs performed by Andrés Cepeda and Luis Enrique, while Villamizar wrote songs for the band Bacilos. Claudia Brant, Angie Chirino, Joy Huerta, Natalia Lafourcade, Shakira, and Mónica Vélez are the only female writers to be awarded. The current holder, as of the 2019 ceremony is Capó, Gabriel Edgar González Pérez and George Noriega for the song "Calma".
Recipients
An asterisk indicates this recording also won Record of the Year.| Year | Songwriter | Work | Performing artist | Nominees | Ref. |
| 2000 | Angie Chirino Marc Anthony Cory Rooney | Marc Anthony | |||
| 2001 | |||||
| 2002 | |||||
| 2003 | Juanes | Juanes | |||
| 2004 | |||||
| 2005 | |||||
| 2006 | Shakira Luis F. Ochoa | Shakira featuring Alejandro Sanz | |||
| 2007 | |||||
| 2008 | Juanes | Juanes | |||
| 2009 | Claudia Brant Luis Fonsi Gen Reuben | featuring David Bisbal, Noel Schajris and Aleks Syntek | |||
| 2010 | Mónica Vélez | Camila | |||
| 2011 | Rafa Arcaute Calle 13 | Calle 13 featuring Totó la Momposina, Susana Baca and Maria Rita | |||
| 2012 | Jesse & Joy Tommy Torres | Jesse & Joy | |||
| 2013 | Andrés Castro Carlos Vives | Carlos Vives | |||
| 2014 | Descemer Bueno Gente De Zona Enrique Iglesias | Enrique Iglesias featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente De Zona | |||
| 2015 | Leonel García Natalia Lafourcade | Natalia Lafourcade | |||
| 2016 | Andrés Castro Shakira Carlos Vives | Carlos Vives & Shakira | |||
| 2017 | Daddy Yankee, Erika Ender and Luis Fonsi | Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee | |||
| 2018 | Jorge Drexler | "Telefonía" | Jorge Drexler | ||
| 2019 | Pedro Capó, Gabriel Edgar González Pérez and George Noriega | "Calma" | Pedro Capó |
- Each year is linked to the article about the Latin Grammy Awards held that year.
- The performing artist is only listed but does not receive the award.
- Showing the name of the songwriter, the nominated song and in parentheses the performer's name.