Tag: corridos tumbados

How Spotify’s Playlists Captured the Biggest Music Trends of 2023

November 29, 2023

With another year coming to a close, Spotify is back with your personalized Wrapped, our annual recap of your listening highlights from the past 12 months that includes your top songs, artists, and podcasts, as well as your most distinct streaming habits. But we’re also taking a step back and looking at 2023’s biggest music trends on Spotify.

Thanks to the in-the-know editors responsible for creating our editorial playlists as part of the Global Curation Groups, the most iconic musical moments of the year were reflected on Spotify. Whether it was blockbuster movie soundtracks that grabbed the world’s attention, viral social media moments that bubbled up to the mainstream, or classic genres finding new fans in Gen Z, our experts were on top of it all.

For the Record sat down with our editorial team and got the scoop. 

Peso Pluma and Música Mexicana go mainstream

RADAR US artist Peso Pluma made himself known to the world in March with his feature on Eslabon Armado’s “Ella Baila Sola.” Fast-forward to now, and that song is one of the top-five most-streamed songs of 2023 globally—and is about to hit Spotify’s Billions Club. Meanwhile, the Música Mexicana genre at large has enjoyed a surge in popularity, dominating the global charts this summer.

Explore this trend on: Lo Mejor de La Reina 2023, Corridos Perrones, Corridos Tumbados, Today’s Top Hits

Folk rising

In 2023, a slew of indie artists emerged with folk-inspired albums including Mitski, Toro Y Moi, and boygenius. Plus, we heard new folk voices like Searows and 2024 Best New Artist Noah Kahan. 

Explore this trend on: Indie Twang, Juniper

Shoegaze returns courtesy of Gen Z

Shoegaze has been around since the late ’80s, but it experienced a resurgence in 2023 among Gen Z, who found new bands like Wisp as well as aughts stalwarts like Panchiko.

Over the past year, the genre has thrived within various Gen Z internet communities that have fostered pockets of interest and given birth to exciting new acts. Perhaps unknowingly, the emerging class of neo-shoegaze artists is contributing to genre diffusion, blending techniques from various music genres to create something fresh and unique.

Explore this trend on: Shoegaze Now, IRL Angel

Rema carries Afrobeats into Spotify’s Billions Club

Rema has been a hitmaker in Africa since 2019, but it was a collaboration with Selena Gomez on “Calm Down (Remix)” that shot him to international fame in 2023. The global smash earned the Afrobeats star a Grammy nomination, as well as a spot in our highly coveted Billions Club, making “Calm Down” the first African artist-led track to do so. 

Explore this trend on: African Heat, Billions Club, Today’s Top Hits

Taylor Swift’s eras on tour

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour kicked off in March and was the live-music event of the year. Taylor not only picked songs from all 10 of her studio albums to perform in a stunning three-hour show, but she also set aside time each night for acoustic performances of two surprise songs. And according to Taylor’s rules, no two songs could be repeated unless she messed it up the first time. To capture this epic moment, we collected all of the surprise songs in a playlist, which was updated every weekend during the U.S. leg of her tour.

Explore this trend on: Surprise Song Era

Troye Sivan and Hyunjin’s IRL friendship

This past summer, Troye Sivan posted a TikTok that went viral about trying to find Hyunjin of Stray Kids. We joined in on the fun with a playlist and they eventually collabed on a remix of “Rush,” which also featured PinkPantheress.

Explore this trend on: what a moment

Peggy Gou takes house music to the top of the charts

House, one of the original genres of dance music, has grown in popularity since the pandemic. This summer, we saw massive house hits resonate with fans internationally, including Peggy Gou‘s “(It Goes Like) Nanana.” 

Other huge moments for house music include artists like Fred again.., Black Coffee, Chris Lake, and FISHER, who are breaking records around the world, and breakthrough opportunities for exciting artists like LP Giobbi, John Summit, and Dom Dolla

Explore this trend on: Umami, Housewerk presents…Best House of 2023, Summer House

It’s a Barbie world

Ahead of the Barbie release this summer, we saw “Barbiecore” aesthetics manifest in the pop culture zeitgeist. Once we got word that Barbie was going to feature a star-studded soundtrack with hits like Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, and Aqua’s “Barbie World” and Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” we brought all things Barbie to life on Spotify through the “pinkification” of several playlist covers, new editorial playlists, and partner playlists.

Explore this trend on: Hot Pink, Barbie Official Playlist

Hyper techno surges

There was an influx of high-BPM dance pop songs in general, and with it came a new wave of tracks that showcased a harder sound using classic techno and big room beats and basslines. We saw a surge in streams—especially from European Gen Zs—of techno-infused songs like Niklas Dee’s “Not Fair,” Creeds’ “Push Up,” and BENNETT’s “Vois sur ton chemin.”

Explore this trend on: rave, techno party

Jersey Club is everywhere 

Jersey Club production became ubiquitous not only in U.S. hip-hop but around the world. We also saw the genre’s influence find its way into K-Pop and thoughtful electronic music. Pioneers such as DJ Smallz 732, UNIIQU3, and Cookiee Kawaii were tapped to remix some of 2023’s biggest hits, and newcomers such as Kanii, keltiey, and Lay Bankz staked their claims as names to watch.

Explore this trend on: Jersey Club Heat presents…Best Jersey Club Songs of 2023

Tyla’s turns her viral moment into crossover success

South Africa’s Amapiano sound has been winning the hearts of electronic and dance fans after TikTok dances and DJ mixes helped it go viral in 2020. In 2023, RADAR Africa artist Tyla took her career to the next level, blending her R&B sound with Amapiano and South African dance genre Bacardi house on her hit song “Water.” After Spotify Africa’s partnership with the Giants of Africa Festival—a basketball event in Rwanda where Tyla’s viral dance was first seen—many posted their own versions of the dance challenge on social media, which led to “Water” skyrocketing around the world and earning a feature from Travis Scott on the remix.

Explore this trend on: RNB X, RADAR Africa, African Heat, RADAR Global 

Women run hip-hop  

Female rappers continued their reign in 2023, with top names like Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Latto, Ice Spice, Kaliii, Doechii, and the year’s breakout star, Sexyy Red, making some of the most creative and worthwhile hip-hop this year. 

Explore this trend on: RapCaviar presents…Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2023, Feelin’ Myself 

Pop-punk’s greatest legends return

We witnessed the resurgence of pop-punk’s most iconic figures with mainstays like Fall Out Boy, Sum 41, Green Day, and Neck Deep returning in 2023 with a taste of new music. Additionally, blink-182 welcomed back Tom DeLonge and embarked on a global tour to celebrate their new album, ONE MORE TIME…. 

Explore this trend on: Pop Punk’s Not Dead

The nu-metal revival continues

Nu-metal and alternative metal have made triumphant returns this year, with a younger audience discovering and devouring the catalogs of bands like Deftones, Korn, Slipknot, and more. Additionally, we’re seeing a wave of new nu-metal songs from rising artists who are embracing the sound and paying homage to their predecessors.

Explore this trend on: new nü, ALLURE

Alt country crosses over

This trend in country music had a slow build that reached new heights with the release of RADAR US artist Zach Bryan’s American Heartbreak in 2022, and took off 2023 with hits like Dylan Gossett’s “Coal.” This acoustic, gritty sound was typically reserved for alternative country and folk playlists in the past, but it has fully moved into the mainstream with songs that have been fan favorites across our flagship playlists. 

Explore this trend on: Hot Country presents…Best Country Songs of 2023, Hot Hits USA, Today’s Top Hits, homegrown

Looking for more of the songs that have left their stamp on 2023? Check out our flagship playlist Today’s Top Hits. 

Spotify Celebrates the Past and Present of Corridos With ‘La Tierra del Corrido’

August 28, 2023

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.

Spotify Celebra el Pasado y el Presente de los Corridos con “La Tierra del Corrido”

August 28, 2023

Entre los innumerables éxitos y canciones favoritas de los aficionados a la Música Mexicana, ningún género ha estado tan impregnado de historia, tradición y narración como los corridos al ritmo del acordeón. A lo largo de los años, artistas como Chalino Sanchez, Los Tigres del Norte, Ramon Ayala, y Los Tucanes de Tijuana  se han convertido en himnos de los hogares mexicanos y han obtenido un gran reconocimiento mundial por su música.

Aunque el corrido siempre ha sido una parte importante de la cultura mexicana durante sus aproximadamente 200 años de historia, es un género que recientemente ha crecido en popularidad entre una nueva generación de fans y artistas de todo el mundo. Como ha demostrado la lista de reproducción Corridos 2023 de Spotify, hay muchos nuevos talentos  que están llevando a los corridos en nuevas e interesantes direcciones.

En los últimos años, un nuevo estilo conocido como corridos tumbados ha crecido rápidamente en popularidad, con artistas como Peso Pluma, Chino Pacas, y Natanael Cano alzándose rápidamente como los rostros del género. Combinando sonidos tradicionales con temas contemporáneos, esta nueva ola de artistas narra las historias cotidianas de adolescentes y jóvenes mexicanos que buscan salir adelante en su país a pesar de las realidades que viven día con día. Estos artistas no sólo continúan el legado de los corridos en México, sino que también dominan las listas de éxitos mundiales.

El aumento en la popularidad de los corridos es innegable. En los últimos cinco años, el consumo mundial del género ha aumentado un 413%, con un incremento del 42% este año en comparación con el anterior. Y los corridos han dominado el panorama de streaming de Música Mexicana en 2023, representando el 77% de todos los streams dentro del género. En otras palabras, casi 8 de cada 10 canciones escuchadas bajo el paraguas de Música Mexicana son corridos.

Spotify es el hogar de los corridos

Dado el reciente resurgimiento de la popularidad del corrido y su rica historia, hemos lanzado “La Tierra del Corrido”, una campaña que celebra la rica historia del género. Dividida en capítulos compuestos por videos y Spotify Singles, “La Tierra del Corrido” contará la historia de los corridos, a través de las lentes tanto de leyendas de la Música Mexicana como de la nueva generación de estrellas del corrido como Fuerza Regida, Junior H, y Vivir Quintana.

A New Generation of Artists Is Reinventing Mexican Music and Captivating Listeners Around the World

September 16, 2022

Spotify data tells the story of a genre that has emerged as an unstoppable cultural force. At the end of August, worldwide Mexican music listening on Spotify grew by 56% annually, doubling the growth rate of the previous two years. And since 2019, the volume of streams has more than doubled to reach 5.6 billion.

To celebrate this movement, we’re launching a new campaign titled “México es imparable. Reprodúcelo.” At its center are three short films that celebrate artists such as Eduin Caz from the banda septet Grupo Firme, and Julión Álvarez and Yahritza y su Esencia, whose music inspires a generation that returns to its roots to generate different identities.

A genre that brings together a diversity of rhythms such as banda, norteño, sierreño, grupero, and mariachi, Mexican music is becoming one of the fastest-growing local genres on the platform. For reference, the amount of streams of the genre amounts to two-thirds of the volume of reggaeton streams on Spotify. 

In Mexico, one in every four music streams is a Mexican music track. In the United States, Mexican music ranks among the fastest-growing genres. Beyond the traditional strongholds, Mexican music artists are filling ever-larger concert venues in Latin American countries like Colombia and reaching new audiences in geographically remote countries like Chile.

All over the world, industry insiders and fans are wondering why.

Collaboration without boundaries

One key factor that explains the recent revival of Mexican music is that the genre has attracted stars from other genres, like reggaeton, trap, or hip-hop. These crossover artists have embraced the high-pitched guitar requintos that are a staple of corridos, and the wind instruments of banda music to create pop hits.

The number of collaborations between Mexican artists and international artists in the last two years reached 31,000. Which might explain why last year, 66 million listeners on Spotify discovered Mexican music for the first time outside of Mexico.

“Urban Latin music, in its expansion into the mainstream and the exploration of paths towards all kinds of genres, influenced Mexican music artists to make more collaborations,” Alejandro Grageda, Spotify Artist and Label Partnership Lead for Mexico, tells For the Record.

“The ability to find new audiences around the world, in addition to the data and best practices that Spotify for Artists offers, have served as a catalyst to accelerate these collaborations and contribute to the expansion of Mexican music.”

Collaborations have offered discovery opportunities to new fans around the world. Consider Colombian reggaeton-pop ensemble Piso 21 collaborating with Christian Nodal in “Pa’ Olvidarme de Ella.” It’s their third-most-streamed track to date, and 80% of streams come from Mexican fans. Bad Bunny’s collaboration with Natanael Cano on the 2019 remix of “Soy el Diablo” increased the latter’s streams by 172% in one week after its release. Spanish trap star C. Tangana in “CAMBIA!”—his version of a corrido tumbado—introduced Carin Leon and Adriel Favela to fans in Spain.  

The trend has only deepened, as evidenced by recent releases such as Camilo alongside Grupo Firme on “Alaska,” which performed better than their other songs in countries like Colombia and Chile. There’s also bachata star Romeo Santos duetting with Christian Nodal on “Me Extraño,” which is distinctively popular with Mexican fans. Despite Romeo having similarly sized fanbases in Mexico and America, Mexicans have streamed the song twice as many times as American fans.

Remixing traditions 

Mexican music’s rise in popularity can also be attributed to a new wave of artists who are reinventing their musical traditions and generating sounds that connect with young listeners.

“In Mexico, Christian Nodal and other young artists revolutionized mainstream music by breaking with the conventions of the genre,” says Uriel Waizel, Editor Lead for Spotify in Mexico. “At the same time, a generation of Mexican American artists draw on their own musical roots and dominant cultures, such as hip-hop. The result is an original sound and a narrative that reaffirms the identity of its generation within a multicultural landscape.”

Two genres in particular have captivated Gen Z fans: corridos and sierreño. Some nostalgia animates the resurgence of these genres, but their bucolic flavor has given way to an aesthetic and themes that are closer to urban genres such as hip-hop and reggaeton.

Corridos Tumbados combine guitar requintos with bass-heavy trap beats, which can be heard in songs from Natanael Cano and Junior H. Their more melodic variant, sad sierreño, is represented by acts like Yahritza Y Su Esencia as well as the duet Eslabon Armado, which consists of brothers Pedro and Brian Tovar.  

Grupo Firme also changed the game by mixing banda and norteño style with contemporary rhythms and ditching the traditional sombreros for a unique glam style. The band has achieved cult status for their epic live performances in stadiums across Mexico and the United States and a devotion that reaches K-Pop levels of fandom. 

“The mix of sounds in Grupo Firme’s music has been something very important because many doors have been opened. The stereotypes that Mexican music had have been broken, and fusions have been made with artists from other genres,” says Eduin.

As Mexican music finds ways to connect with new fans across generations and borders, we’ve loved watching its rapid rise across the globe. And through campaigns like “México es imparable. Repordúcelo,” we’ll continue to spotlight the artists and songs who are turning this genre into a global powerhouse.

Discover MEXCLA, the Spotify hub dedicated to Mexican music and its forays into other musical genres, and the playlist that brings together the best fusions.

Una nueva generación de artistas está reinventando la música mexicana y cautivando a oyentes en todo el mundo

September 16, 2022

Los datos de Spotify cuentan la historia de un género que se ha convertido en una fuerza cultural imparable. A finales de agosto, la escucha mundial de música mexicana en Spotify creció un 56% anual, duplicando la tasa de crecimiento de los dos años anteriores. Y desde 2019, el volumen de streams se ha más que duplicado para alcanzar los 5,600 millones.

Para celebrar este movimiento, lanzamos una nueva campaña titulada “México es imparable. Reprodúcelo.” Como eje de la campaña se encuentran tres filmes que celebran a artistas como Eduin Caz de Grupo Firme, Julión Álvarez y  Yahritza y su Esencia cuya música inspira a una generación que vuelve a sus raíces para generar diversas identidades.

Como una categoría que reúne una diversidad de ritmos como banda, norteño, sierreño, grupero y mariachi, la música mexicana se está convirtiendo en uno de los géneros locales de mayor crecimiento en la plataforma. Como referencia, la cantidad de streams del género asciende a dos terceras partes del reggaeton en volumen de streams en Spotify.

En México, uno de cada cuatro streams de música es de música mexicana. En Estados Unidos, la música mexicana se ubica entre los géneros de más rápido crecimiento. Más allá de los bastiones tradicionales, los artistas de música mexicana están llenando foros cada vez más grandes en países latinoamericanos como Colombia y alcanzando nuevas audiencias en países tan geográficamente remotos como Chile.

En todo el mundo, los conocedores de la industria y los fanáticos se preguntan por qué.

Colaboración sin fronteras

Un factor clave que explica el renacimiento reciente de la música mexicana es que el género ha atraído a estrellas de otros géneros como el reggaetón, el trap o el hip-hop. Estos artistas han adoptado el requinto de corridos, guitarras acústicas y los instrumentos de viento de la música de banda para crear éxitos pop con beats urbanos.

El número de colaboraciones entre artistas mexicanos y artistas internacionales en los últimos dos años llegó a 31,000. Lo que podría explicar por qué el año pasado, 66 millones de oyentes en Spotify descubrieron la música mexicana por primera vez fuera de México.

“La música latina urbana, en su expansión hacia el mainstream y la exploración de caminos hacia todo tipo de géneros, influenció a los artistas musicales mexicanos para hacer más colaboraciones”, Alejandro Grageda, Spotify Artist and Label Partnership Lead para México, le dice a For the Record. 

“La capacidad de encontrar nuevas audiencias alrededor del mundo, además de los datos y las mejores prácticas que ofrece Spotify para Artistas, han servido como catalizador para acelerar estas colaboraciones y contribuir a la expansión de la música mexicana.”, agrega. 

Las colaboraciones han ofrecido oportunidades de descubrimiento por parte de nuevos fans de todo el mundo. Ahí está el ensamble colombiano de reggaeton-pop Piso 21 colaborando con Christian Nodal en “Pa’ Olvidarme de Ella”, que es su tercera canción más escuchada hasta la fecha, con el 80% de los streams provenientes de fanáticos mexicanos. La colaboración de Bad Bunny con Natanael Cano en el remix “Soy el Diablo” en 2019, incrementó los streams de este último en un 172% a una semana de su lanzamiento. La estrella del trap español C. Tangana en “CAMBIA!”, su versión de un corrido tumbado, presentó a Carin Leon y Adriel Favela con sus fanáticos en España.

La tendencia solo se ha profundizado como lo demuestran lanzamientos recientes como Camilo junto a Grupo Firme en “Alaska”, que ha sido bien recibida en países como Colombia y Chile, y la estrella de la bachata Romeo Santos, a dúo con Christian Nodal en “Me Extraño”, tema distintivamente popular entre los oyentes mexicanos, agregando el doble de streams que las de los oyentes estadounidenses, lo que destaca considerando que el número de oyentes para Romeo es casi igual en ambos países. 

Remezclando tradiciones

Otra gran razón del aumento de la popularidad de la música mexicana se puede atribuir a una nueva ola de artistas que están reinventando sus tradiciones musicales y generando sonidos que conectan con los jóvenes oyentes.

“En México, Christian Nodal y otros jóvenes artistas revolucionaron la música mainstream al romper con las convenciones del género”, dice Uriel Waizel Editor Lead de Spotify en México. “Al mismo tiempo, una generación de artistas mexicano-estadounidenses abreva de sus propias raíces musicales y de culturas como el hip-hop. El resultado es un sonido original y una narrativa que reafirma la identidad de su generación en un entorno multicultural.”

Dos géneros en particular han cautivado a los fans de la Generación Z: los corridos y el sierreño. Cierta nostalgia anima el resurgimiento de estos géneros, pero su sabor bucólico ha dado paso a una estética y temática más cercana a géneros urbanos como el hip-hop y el reggaetón.

Los Corridos Tumbados combinan requintos de guitarra con un groove, bajos pesados y beats del trap, que se pueden escuchar en canciones de Natanael Cano y Junior H. Su variante más melódica, el sad sierreño, está representada por actos como Yahritza Y Su Esencia, así como el dúo Eslabon Armado, integrado por los hermanos Pedro y Brian Tovar.

Grupo Firme también cambió las reglas del juego al mezclar el estilo banda y norteño con ritmos contemporáneos y abandonar los sombreros tradicionales por un estilo glam único. La banda ha alcanzado un estatus de culto por sus épicas presentaciones en vivo en estadios de México y Estados Unidos y una devoción que alcanza los niveles de fandom del K-pop.

“La mezcla de sonidos en la música de Grupo Firme ha sido algo muy importante porque se han abierto muchas puertas. Se han roto los estereotipos que tenía la música mexicana y se han multiplicado las fusiones con artistas de otros géneros”, dice Eduin Caz, líder de Grupo Firme.

A medida que la música mexicana encuentra formas de conectar con nuevos fanáticos a través de generaciones y fronteras, nos emociona ver su rápido ascenso en todo el mundo. Y a través de campañas como “México es imparable. Reprodúcelo”, continuaremos destacando a los artistas y canciones que están convirtiendo este género en una potencia global.

Descubre MEXCLA, el hub de Spotify dedicado a la música mexicana y sus incursiones en otros géneros musicales, y la playlist que reúne las mejores fusions.