Spotify Celebrates the Past and Present of Corridos With ‘La Tierra del Corrido’
Among the countless hits and fan favorites under the Música Mexicana umbrella, no genre has been more steeped in history, tradition, and storytelling as Mexico’s accordion-laced corridos. Over the years, artists such as Chalino Sanchez, Los Tigres del Norte, Ramon Ayala, and Los Tucanes de Tijuana have become staples in Mexican households and gained strong recognition worldwide for their music.
While the corrido has always been a persistent part of Mexican culture during its roughly 200-year history, it’s a music that has recently grown in popularity among a new generation of fans and artists from around the world. And as the Corridos 2023 playlist on Spotify has shown, there is no shortage of newcomers taking their nostalgia of corridos in new and interesting directions.
Over the past few years, a new style known as corridos tumbados has quickly grown in popularity, with artists like Peso Pluma, Chino Pacas, and Natanael Cano quickly rising as the faces of the genre. Combining traditional sounds with contemporary themes, this new wave of artists narrate the daily stories of Mexican teenagers and young adults looking to make it in their country despite the realities they face every day. And these artists are not only continuing the legacy of corridos in Mexico, but they’re dominating the global charts as well.
The rise in popularity corridos have seen simply can’t be overstated. Over the past five years, the worldwide consumption of the genre has increased 413%, with a 42% rise this year compared to last. And corridos have dominated the Música Mexicana streaming landscape in 2023, accounting for 77% of all streams within the genre. In other words, nearly 8 out of every 10 songs listened to under the Música Mexicana umbrella were corridos.
Spotify is the home for corridos
Given the corrido’s recent resurgence in popularity and its rich storytelling history, we’ve launched, “La Tierra del Corrido,” an on-platform hub and campaign that celebrates the rich history of corridos. Spread out into chapters made up of videos and exclusive Spotify Singles, “La Tierra del Corrido” will tell the story of corridos, through the lenses of Música Mexicana legends and the newest generation of corrido stars like Fuerza Regida, Junior H, and Vivir Quintana.
Kicking things off is the Spotify Single “La Tierra del Corrido,” with contemporary stars Fuerza Regida and Eden Muñoz performing alongside longtime legends Los Tucanes De Tijuana.
With lyrics that tell of parrandas (parties), drinks, and continuing the corrido lifestyle of past generations, “La Tierra del Corrido” is the ultimate blend of traditional sound with contemporary ideals, a combination that has kept the genre going for centuries.
“This song is very important to me because I’m singing alongside new and old legends like Los Tucanes and Eden Muñoz,” Fuerza Regida’s Jesús Ortiz Paz tells For the Record. “We’re doing a very different song here—something very important and, of course, very cool.”
For the Record sat down with corridos stars Luis R Conriquez, Gabito Ballesteros, and Peso Pluma to talk about their connection with corridos and their hopes for the future of the genre.
Why did you want to sing corridos?
Luis R Conriquez: Because it’s the music that I grew up with and have liked since I was little. I used to listen to corridos as a kid while riding in the car with my family.
Peso Pluma: Since I was young I’ve been listening to corridos by the likes of Chalino Sánchez, Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho, and so many other great artists who have shaped the genre. I make corridos tumbados because they are a piece of the large puzzle that makes up Mexico, and I want to be the bridge that unites tradition with the present.
Gabito Ballesteros: Corridos are part of my roots, passed down from my parents. I’ve always listened to Chalino Sánchez, Vicente Fernández, and Pedro Infante, among the many icons of regional Mexican music. I’m proud of my Mexican flag and to me, corridos are symbolic of Mexico. I want to continue representing our country proudly.
As part of the younger generation of corrido artists, why is it important for you to continue performing corridos?
Luis: Because Luis R Conriquez started with corridos. That’s where it began, and I believe it’s what has brought me to where I am. I don’t plan to set aside corridos to pursue another genre of music. Corridos will always be present in my life.
Peso Pluma: To me it’s important to make corridos resonate everywhere. And I believe we’re achieving this, as the genre is no longer regional but a worldwide phenomenon.
What message do you want listeners to take away from your songs?
Luis: I don’t really aim to give them a message. What matters more to me is that people enjoy and like my music, and that above all else, it brings them happiness.
Gabito: I want them to feel what I feel as I’m writing a song. Whether it is happiness, sadness, or any other feelings that we leave marked in each song we write.
Peso Pluma: Just good vibes. I hope that with my songs they have something they can relate to in moments when they’re in love or heartbroken. I want my songs to inspire them.
What is your hope for the future of corridos?
Luis: I feel that corridos are on the rise. It’s a genre that is listened to everywhere, even in places that have never played it before. Everything is evolving and growing more in favor of corridos, and I think that evolution is going very well.
Peso Pluma: I think the future is very promising. There are so many artists right now who are very talented and who will continue to grow the scene in new and exciting ways.
Gabito: The future of corridos will be impressive, just as it is now. What is happening today is raising Mexico up and is opening a great door for the old and new generations of artists to represent Mexico around the world.
Listen to the new class of corridos stars on the Corridos 2023 playlist.
