The sound of regional Mexican music has endured for centuries, thanks to Mexican crooners and balladeers like the late greats Vicente Fernández and Jenni Rivera. Now, a new generation of artists — from both sides of the Mexico–United States border — are helping the genre continue to evolve, while also reaching bigger global success than ever before.
Regional Mexican music is a catch-all term that encompasses several music styles that are native to Mexico, including norteño, banda, mariachi, and ranchera music. Along with Fernández and Rivera, artists that have defined the genre over the past few decades include Pedro Infante, Juan Gabriel, Selena, and Ariel Camacho. Though all of them are sadly no longer with us, a new crop of artists are reviving and redefining the sound of regional Mexican music — and helping the age-old genre connect with a younger audience.
Mexican singers Christian Nodal and Natanael Cano spearheaded the movement, pushing regional Mexican music up the charts in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Nodal fused mariachi and norteño music, while Cano ushered in corridos tumbados, which put a hip-hop and trap twist on traditional corridos.
In the few years since, many more Gen-Z acts from both the U.S. and Mexico have put their own stamp on the traditional genre, even breaking records in the process. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, GRAMMY.com is spotlighting six acts who are refreshing regional Mexican music.
Christian Nodal
Hailing from the city of Caborca in Sonora, Mexico, Christian Nodal has become one of the biggest artists of today’s regional Mexican music since he broke out in 2018. His fusion of mariachi and norteño music (mariacheño, as he coined), along with his vocal range and vaquero charm, has helped him connect with regional Mexican music fans young and old. Those have also gained him wide critical acclaim, including four Latin GRAMMYs and two GRAMMY nominations.
While Nodal is putting a youthful touch on the genre, he’s also ushering in new fusions. Alongside Mexican rapper Gera MX, Nodal made history in 2021 with their global hit “Botella Tras Botella,” which was the first regional Mexican song to ever reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2022, Nodal has brought his unique flair to songs with the King of Bachata, Romeo Santos (“Me Extraño”), and Christina Aguilera (“Cuando Me Dé la Gana”).
Ángela Aguilar
Ángela Aguilar is proudly carrying on the legacy of her last name. The Aguilar family legacy runs deep in regional Mexican music: Her grandparents are Mexican legends Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre, and her father is icon Pepe Aguilar.
The Mexican-American artist embraces a more traditional sound of the genre, captivating audiences of all ages with her soulful voice that’s beyond her years. Along with continuing her family’s legacy, she’s proving to be a star in her own right — and one that’s making waves in a male-dominated genre. She scored her second No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart in May with “Ahí Donde Me Ven,” making her just the seventh female act who has had at least one No. 1 in the chart’s 28-year history.
Natanael Cano
Natanael Cano spun regional Mexican music on its head by ushering in the corridos tumbados movement. The emerging genre blends the corridos of his Hermosillo, Sonora roots with the hip-hop flow of L.A, where Cano is currently based.
Cano had a breakout year in 2019 thanks to the swaggering hit “El Drip,” which first gained popularity on YouTube. His fiery follow-up single “Soy El Diablo” captured the attention of Bad Bunny, who jumped on a remix.
Cano continues to take corridos even farther with cross-genre collabs with the likes of Snoop Dogg (“Feeling Good”) and Steve Aoki (“NataAoki”). He took the genre to its biggest stage yet in April, when he performed at Coachella.
Eslabón Armado
Fans of the late Mexican singer Ariel Camacho will love Bay Area-based band Eslabón Armado, who are reviving sierreño music for a new generation of fans. Eslabón Armado’s version of the guitar-driven genre reflects their Mexican-American background, also giving the traditional Mexican sound an emo touch.
Since releasing their breakthrough hit, the haunting love song “Con Tus Besos,” in 2020, the band have landed six songs in the top 20 of Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart — two of which reached the top 5. And just two years in, Eslabón Armado is making history: The trio’s 2022 album, Nostalgia, peaked at No. 9 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart in May, becoming the first regional Mexican album to place within the top 10.
Grupo Firme
Grupo Firme have become mavericks to watch out for in regional Mexican music. Through their brassy banda music anthems, the seven-piece group have amassed millions of fans in and outside of the genre.
That’s been further proven by their impressive streaming numbers: At press time, the music video for their kiss-off track “Ya Superame” has more than 305 million views on YouTube alone, and the raucous “El Toxico” (featuring fellow Mexican singer Carin Leon) has more than 413 million. Their infectious melodies and free-spirited performances also helped them earn a Latin GRAMMY for Best Banda Album in 2021 and a slot on the Coachella bill this year. Perhaps their 2020 album title said it best: Nos Divertimos Logrando Lo Imposible, which translates to “We Have Fun Achieving the Impossible.”
The band has also become a bright spot of LGBTQ+ representation in the genre, as member Jhonny Caz is openly gay. His brother, lead singer Eduin Caz, sings about the band’s message of inclusiveness and tells off naysayers in “Cada Quien,” which features Colombian superstar Maluma.
Yahritza y Su Esencia
Yahritza y Su Esencia is the latest success story in regional Mexican music. The trio is comprised of Yahritza Martínez and her brothers, Jairo and Mando, who hail from Washington’s Yakima Valley.
Yahritza, who is the lead singer, started teasing the band’s debut single “Soy El Unico” on TikTok before the group officially released it in March. The heartfelt corrido that showcased Yahritza’s soulful voice debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart and No. 20 on the Hot 100. With the latter entry, Yahritza made history as the youngest Latin performer to appear on the all-genre chart at just 15 years old.
The family band continued their chart success with their first EP, Obsessed, which opened at No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart in May, showing that the genre’s next generation isn’t just resonating — they’re dominating.
Listen to GRAMMY.com’s Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 Playlist Featuring Anitta, Selena, Bad Bunny, Shakira & More