In recent months, regional Mexican music genres like Banda and Corridos have surged to the top of streaming charts, including securing No. 1 positions in the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard Global 200 and Spotify Charts.
Roma Bustillos, a graduate assistant in Multicultural Student Affairs, said this global recognition has filled regional Mexican music fans with pride.
“I’ve been enjoying the way modern artists can turn predominantly Mexican music to be not just appealing to only the Mexico population, but how it can bring different communities in or how it’s bringing that attention and also managing to blend in with the different genres,” Bustillos said.
Rising star Peso Pluma has conquered worldwide stardom as the first Mexican artist to claim the No. 1 spot on both the Global Spotify Charts and the Billboard Global 200.
Pluma’s feature in “Ella Baila Sola” with California-based group Eslabon Armado marked a significant milestone as the first-ever regional Mexican song to earn No. 1 on Billboard Global 200 chart and reach top 10 on the Hot 100. This achievement led to his appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, making history as the first regional Mexican artist to perform on the show.
Bryan Salazar, fourth-year studying history and economics and president of the Multicultural Greek Council, said he appreciates the representation of Mexican culture on a global scale.
“Those are songs that always bring me back home to my roots and remind me of waking up as a kid and my mom telling me to clean,” Salazar said. “It reminds me of moments that you take for granted.”
Pluma became the first Mexican artist to perform at this year’s VMA awards. His collaboration with Mexican-American Becky G in “Chanel” opened the doors for a guest appearance at Coachella, where they performed together.
“I really appreciate that he’s been doing what he’s doing,” Salazar said. “I love that he’s repping and being himself still because that’s what our culture is about: being yourself. Like the gritos [on stage] and all that. He did that. He was not shy to be himself, and that’s the type of person I want to be.”
In addition to Pluma’s achievements, several Mexican artists are making notable success. Banda artists, Grupo Frontera, Fuerza Regida and singers Natanael Cano, Junior H and Chino Pacas have each secured at least four songs throughout the Billboard Hot 100 and Global 200 charts.
Texas-based group Grupo Frontera reached No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 with their song “un x100to,” featuring Puerto Rico’s international star, Bad Bunny. However, this isn’t the first time El Conejo Malo has ventured into the world of música Mexicana.
In 2019, Bad Bunny collaborated with one of the Corridos Tumbados pioneers, Natanael Cano, on “Soy El Diablo (Remix).” Since his debut, Cano and fellow Corridos Tumbados leader Junior H have received recognition for paving the way for many artists, including Pluma.
“One line that stuck out to me is from the song, ‘Se Amerita,’ when [Junior H] mentions a guy being his brother, not by blood but by loyalty, and it’s little lines like that that are sprinkled into music that mean so much to me,” Salazar said.
Beyond Bad Bunny, other Latin artists such as Maluma, Nicky Jam and Farruko have worked with regional Mexican artists as well as hip-hop artists like Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube.
“I feel like it’s an amalgamation of the different genres, voices and ideas that people bring to the table, and I think it’s been just really beautiful seeing how the community of Latinx in general is helping each other out in different forms,” Bustillos said.
Música Mexicana artists have also performed in past Coachella concerts. Artists Natanael Cano, Los Ángeles Azules and Los Tucanes de Tijuana have all been invited to perform, growing the influence and appeal of regional Mexican music on an international scale and stage.
“I think you see so much of that globalization piece into [the music], where it’s getting a lot more attention because of the artists’ positions,” Bustillios said.
Get an introduction to Música Mexicana on this playlist.
