[1] The award goes to solo artists, duos, or groups for releasing vocal or instrumental albums containing at least 51% of new recordings in the traditional tropical music category which includes genres such as son, danzón, guaracha and bomba interpreted in a traditional style.
[2] Musicians originating from Cuba have dominated the category though the award has also been presented to artists from Puerto Rico, Spain and the United States.
It was first earned by Tito Puente with Mambo Birdland at the 1st Latin Grammy Awards ceremony held in 2000.
[3] Cachao is the only artist to have won this category three times, the last one posthumously (the first one to be awarded in this fashion).
Buena Vista Social Club members have been nominated ten times combined, excluding the two nominations by Juan de Marcos González (with Afro-Cuban All Stars and Sierra Maestra, respectively).