Tag: corridos

Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month on Spotify With Our ‘Estamos Ready’ Campaign

September 20, 2023

Latinx culture continues to set the tone around the world, as evidenced by the rise of genres like Música Mexicana, corridos, and urbano. September 15 through October 15 marks Latinx Heritage Month, and we’re celebrating with our “Estamos Ready” campaign, honoring the stories, the diversity, and the power of Latinx creators and fans. 

On our dedicated Latinx Heritage Month hub, listeners can discover top playlists, including Hyphenated, Mixto, Fuego, and Los Que Mandan, as well as podcasts, like I.E In Friends, Gay & Afraid with Eric Sedeño, The Super Secret Bestie Club, and Fool Coverage with Manny MUA and Laura Lee.

We also wanted to explore the impact of Latin music in the U.S., so we took a look at Spotify listener data from every U.S. state. We discovered that Peso Pluma and Bad Bunny are lighting up the Latin streaming charts, with each standing as the most popular artist in 31 states and 15 states, respectively. Meanwhile, Música Mexicana (26 states), Trap Latino (12 states), and urbano (10 states) represent the most popular genres.

Top 10 U.S. States With the Highest Percentage of Latin Music Streams on Spotify

(June 15–September 15)

  1. Texas
  2. California
  3. Florida
  4. Nevada
  5. Arizona
  6. New Mexico
  7. Illinois
  8. New Jersey
  9. Georgia
  10. Utah

Over the past few years, Latin music on Spotify has also seen rapid growth in some surprising states. Between September 2020 and September 2023, Latin music streams in North Dakota surged an impressive 370%, followed by a 284% bump in Minnesota and a 253% increase in Mississippi. Indiana, the home state of Latinx star Omar Apollo, has seen its Latin music streams grow by 182%.

In addition to our data discoveries, For the Record also chatted with Omar, along with artists Kali Uchis, DannyLux, Elena Rose, and Prince Royce, to find out more about their favorite aspects of Latinx culture. 

How does your culture bring joy to your music?

Prince Royce: I’ve been visiting the Dominican Republic since I was very young, and I think in general, there is a lot of life in the culture. They are always dancing, which comes with genres like merengue and bachata. Dominicans love to party. My family, for example, will come up with any excuse for a barbeque, a birthday party, a baby shower, or a get together, and that definitely reflects a lot in my music. 

Omar Apollo: When I first started doing shows, it was all really young Latino kids in the crowd. I was probably like 19 when I started touring. I am from Indiana, and there wasn’t much of a diaspora of Latino kids. Going around the world showed me there was somewhere that people can find community in the music, celebrate how we grew up, and share the same stories. It’s beautiful. 

Explain your Latinx accent in one sentence.

DannyLux: I think my accent is more of a Mexicali accent from Baja California, because I basically grew up there. Whenever I go to another part of Mexico they tell me that I have a different accent.

Prince Royce: Definitely a very New York/Spanglish accent.

Elena Rose: My accent in one sentence has to be: Caraqueña/Boriqua/Hialeah from Miami. Venezolana because of my parents, so Caracas is there. Puerto Rico because that is where I lived as a kid. And I stayed in Hialeah for almost six years so yeah, I have the Miami right there—the 305, baby!

What is one thing from your culture that you want to share with the rest of the world?

Kali Uchis: One thing I would share with everybody about my culture is definitely our food. I feel like everybody loves food, everybody should have a good arepa, a good Colombian hot dog. All of our snacks, the salty and the sweet combinations, everybody should try it!

Elena Rose: I really like burning palo santo wood. I think it’s been more popular in recent years. And I really like ginger, honey, and lemon tea. That just recently saved me from a very bad cold!

Omar Apollo: It would probably be chilaquiles because I love chilaquiles and I think everyone should have chilaquiles. I am not sure if other Latino communities make chilaquiles, but the ones that my mom makes . . . anyone would go crazy for them!

What’s your favorite Spanish word (or phrase) that’s original to your culture? 

Omar Apollo: It’s probably chambear, which means “to work.” You know, the girls are always working—they are clocked in, they’re ready to go. You can say “chambas,” “estamos en una chamba,” “ando chambeando,” whatever you want to say. That’s my favorite; I say it all the time. 

Kali Uchis: I think my favorite Latin phrases have always been “sin miedo,” but also “sana, sana, colita de rana.”

DannyLux: My favorite phrase is that “everything happens for a reason,” and I always live thinking about that, and I know it has a lot of truth.

Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month by discovering the hottest sounds on our Fuego mixtape.

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.

RADAR US Is Back With Peso Pluma, the Emerging Hitmaker Taking Música Mexicana to the Global Stage

May 23, 2023

peso pluma holds his sunglasses over his eyes while sticking his tongue out

As Música Mexicana (Mexican music) increasingly captivates fans around the world, few of the genre’s stars have risen as rapidly as Mexico’s Peso Pluma. The 23-year-old singer, rapper, and songwriter is booming, evolving from social media sensation to prolific hitmaker.

Now the young star is the latest featured artist in the RADAR US class of 2023.

RADAR is our program that spotlights emerging talent from around the world, helping artists at all stages of their career develop and expand their global reach on their path to superstardom. As part of the program, Peso Pluma will receive marketing, editorial, and on-platform support over the course of the next few months, including a feature as our RADAR US playlist cover star. 

Peso Pluma’s big break came in 2022 with his single “El Belicon,” which features Raul Vega and was supported on playlists like Corridos and Los Que Mandan. Nearly one year later, he cemented himself as Música Mexicana’s newest star with “Ella Baila Sola,” featuring Eslabon Armado. The single became Spotify’s all-time most-streamed Musica Mexicana track in one day globally and the most-streamed Latin song in the U.S in one single day in April 2023. 

peso pluma sitting on a stool in front of a mic with members of his band behind him.

With Peso at the forefront of the genre, Música Mexicana has exploded in popularity over the past five years. Contributing to Latin music’s dominance on the chart, the genre has grown over 431% in streams on Spotify globally. Check out these additional stats: 

  • Peso Pluma is currently #4 on Spotify’s Top Artists globally.
  • “Ella Baila Sola” is currently #1 on Spotify’s Top 50 US and Top 50 Global charts.
  • Peso Pluma has over 48 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and he’s the 48th-most-popular artist on-platform.
  • Today, 10 out of the top 20 songs on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs Global chart are Latin, five of which are by Mexican artists. This is a testament to the increasing popularity of Música Mexicana.

And Peso Pluma isn’t slowing down anytime soon. With his third studio album slated for release this summer, he’s also gearing up for a U.S. tour that kicks off in June. Amid all the excitement, For the Record sat down with Peso to talk about his biggest inspirations, the future of Latin music, and how it feels to be a RADAR US artist.

How did your journey into music begin?

I’ve always enjoyed music, but I actually was more into sports. I started playing around with music because I had friends that enjoyed it. I didn’t think I was that good at first, but I kept practicing and I did it with passion. After a while, I started writing with my cousin Tito. It was definitely a rough journey, but I stayed true to myself!

peso pluma looks down at the floor while wearing sunglasses

What’s your creative process like?

I try to not over think it—I listen to a song and just vibe with it. I imagine how all of the instruments will sound around my vocals, and how I can add my personal stamp to it. If I can’t do that, then the song probably isn’t for me. I like to get involved in production, but my producers and musicians are definitely an important part of the whole process.

What would you like your fans to get out of your music?

I want my fans to smile, laugh, cry, and dance. I want my music to make them feel something, and I want them to enjoy it as much as I do.

Which artists have inspired you the most?

Drake, Bad Bunny, Travis Scott, Natanael Cano. I look up to so many different artists. I love music and I draw inspiration from a lot of people.

What are you looking forward to as a RADAR US artist? 

I’m looking forward to exposing more of the world to Música Mexicana and to my culture. There’s a lot more to us than people might think. We have a lot to offer, and I’m sure we can make an impact out there.

What are you most looking forward to as Latin music, and particularly Música Mexicana, starts to become a beloved genre worldwide?

I’m looking forward to showing everyone that we can make global music, too. It’s a really special opportunity to show people that we can reach fans around the world.

Are there any Spotify for Artists tools you use regularly?

I always use my Spotify for Artists app to check on new releases through the real-time Listening Now feature that shows what people are listening to at the moment. It makes me feel connected to them in a way.

What’s something people don’t know about you?

I really care about the details. I always want to make sure I’m giving my best in every possible way. I’m also very specific about the vision for my projects. Overall, I’m just passionate about music and I want to transmit that to the world.

What are some of your rituals before you record a song?

I just go for it. Once we’ve got everything in place with my producers and musicians, everything flows from there. 

Any advice for fellow emerging artists?

Don’t give up on your dreams. It sounds cliché, but don’t stop! Be original and unique in your own way. Hard work pays off, and most importantly, so does being true to yourself.

Listen to Peso Pluma and more rising stars in our RADAR US playlist.

Spotify Celebrates the Enduring Legacy and Momentum of Mexican Music With ‘Orgullosos de la Mexcla’ Campaign

May 13, 2022

cover art for spotify playlist sad sierreno

Mexican music has a rich tradition of storytelling. Songs like “La Jaula de Oro” by Los Tigres del Norte or “Corrido de Juanito” by Calibre 50 bridge generations and have the power to culturally connect those who have migrated. 

Today, those sounds—which have commonly been referred to as “regional Mexican”—have changed to reflect different communities and cultures. A new generation of Mexican and Mexican American artists like Natanael Cano and Fuerza Regida are blending traditional corridos with hip-hop. Grupo Firme is reinventing the festive sound of banda. And acts like Yahritza y Su Esencia and Eslabon Armado are reviving the sound of sierreño. Together, these styles are loudly reclaiming influence on both sides of the border. 

All of these make up a new wave of Mexican music. On Spotify, the genre had over 39 billion streams globally in 2021, fueled by a 39% increase in Mexico and 31% in the United States. In total, this amounted to 150 billion minutes of listening on the platform. In the last five years, listening has increased by 450% globally, and today, one in three listeners of Mexican music is from Gen Z. 

cover art for spotify playlist mexican doomer

A new generation of fans is discovering the music their parents loved and reconciling their musical identity around cultures that once stood apart. To celebrate this unique connection, Spotify has released our latest original film highlighting the evolution of the genre as part of our campaign, “Orgullosos de la Mexcla.” 

The film, narrated by Eden Muñoz, depicts the stories of two generations of Mexican culture. Banda MS’s hit “La Casita,” a song Muñoz wrote about migration and nostalgia for the loved ones left behind, plays over vintage video footage paired with old family photos a father carried on his northbound journey. The video then cuts to the man’s son in Mexico City rushing to a skatepark dressed in the style of the new Mexican wave, where cowboy hats give way to baseball caps. The two cultures are visibly merged with the creation of a Blend playlist on screen, representing how borderless the music is today and how it has evolved with new sounds, rhythms, and aesthetics.

Spotify is also expanding our latest Blend feature to allow fans to create a merged playlist with both Eden Muñoz, whose hit “Chale” topped the Spotify Mexico chart, and Banda MS, the all-time most-streamed Mexican group globally in the forthcoming days. This ability to bring fans together with their favorite artists also speaks to the essence of Mexcla.

“The idea of Mexcla has multiple meanings for me,” Muñoz told For the Record. “More than the mixing of sounds we do in the studio, it carries much more meaning when we speak to the fusion of cultures and all the different trends in the music itself.”

cover art for spotify playlist flow tumbado

To catch up with the fluidity of Mexican music, we’ve created genreless playlists like Los Que Mandan and coined definitions for emerging genres like Sad Sierreño and the fusion of Mexican music with hip-hop in El Barrio MP3, as well as Latin urban in Flow Tumbado. So whether you grew up listening to the classics or are just now discovering what Mexican music has to offer, these playlists are the perfect place to start. 

Discover all the new exciting trends in Spotify’s Mexican music hub and listen to flagship playlist La Reina: Éxitos de la Música Mexicana:

Spotify Celebra el Legado y Empuje de la Música Mexicana con la Campaña ‘Orgullosos de la Mexcla’

May 13, 2022

cover art for spotify playlist la reina

La música mexicana tiene una rica tradición narrativa. Canciones como “La Jaula de Oro” de Los Tigres del Norte o “Corrido de Juanito” de Calibre 50 unen generaciones y tienen el poder de conectar culturalmente a quienes han migrado.

Hoy, esos sonidos, a los que se les ha llamado “regional mexicano,” han cambiado para reflejar diferentes comunidades y culturas. Una nueva generación de artistas mexicanos y mexicoamericanos como Natanael Cano y Fuerza Regida están mezclando corridos tradicionales con hip-hop. Grupo Firme reinventa el sonido festivo de la banda con emoción. Y actos como Yahritza y Su Esencia y Eslabon Armado están reviviendo el sonido del sierreno. Juntos, estos estilos reclaman con fuerza su influencia en ambos lados de la frontera.

Todos estos conforman una nueva ola de la música mexicana. En Spotify, el género tuvo más de 39 mil millones de streams a nivel mundial en 2021, impulsado por un aumento del 39 % en México y del 31 % en Estados Unidos. En total, esto ascendió a 150 mil millones de minutos de escucha en la plataforma. En los últimos cinco años la escucha ha aumentado un 450% a nivel mundial, y hoy en día, uno de cada tres oyentes de música mexicana es de la Generación Z.

cover art for spotify playlist mexican doomer

Una nueva generación de fanáticos está descubriendo la música que amaban sus padres y reconciliando su identidad musical en torno a culturas que alguna vez estuvieron separadas. Para celebrar esta conexión única, Spotify ha lanzado un cortometraje original que destaca la evolución del género como parte de nuestra campaña, “Orgullosos de la Mexcla”.

El corto, narrado por Eden Muñoz, retrata las historias de dos generaciones de la cultura mexicana. El éxito de Banda MS “La Casita”, una canción que Muñoz escribió sobre la migración y la nostalgia por los seres queridos que quedaron atrás, se reproduce sobre imágenes de video antiguas combinadas con viejas fotos familiares que un padre lleva en su viaje hacia el norte. Luego, el video muestra al hijo del hombre en la Ciudad de México corriendo hacia un skatepark vestido al estilo de la nueva ola mexicana, donde los sombreros de vaquero dan paso a gorras de béisbol. Las dos culturas se fusionan visiblemente con la creación de una playlist Fusión en la pantalla, que representa cuán sin fronteras es la música hoy y cómo ha evolucionado con nuevos sonidos, ritmos y estéticas.

Spotify también está ampliando nuestra innovación Fusión para permitir a los fans crear una playlist con Eden Muñoz, cuyo éxito “Chale” encabezó el chart de Spotify México, y Banda MS, la agrupación mexicana con más escuchada de todos los tiempos a nivel mundial, que estarán disponibles en los próximos días. Esta capacidad de reunir a los fanáticos con sus artistas favoritos también habla de la esencia de Mexcla.

“La idea de Mexcla tiene múltiples significados para mí”, dijo Muñoz a For the Record. “Más que la mezcla de sonidos que hacemos en el estudio, tiene mucho más significado cuando hablamos de la fusión de culturas y todas las diferentes tendencias en la música misma”.

cover art for spotify playlist flow tumbado

Para ponernos al día con la fluidez de la música mexicana, creamos playlist sin género como Los Que Mandan y acuñamos definiciones para géneros emergentes como Sad Sierreño y la fusión de música mexicana con hip-hop en El Barrio MP3, así como música urbana latina en Flow Tumbado. Entonces, ya sea que creciste escuchando los clásicos o recién ahora estés descubriendo lo que la música mexicana tiene para ofrecer, estas playlists son el lugar perfecto para comenzar.

Descubre todas las nuevas y emocionantes tendencias en el hub de música mexicana de Spotify y escucha la lista de reproducción insignia La Reina: Éxitos de la Música Mexicana.