bb latin
Page: 2
There’s a magnetism to Carin León that instantly captures your attention, and his first Boca Chueca Tour date at the United Center in Chicago on Thursday (Sept. 19) was a reminder of how dynamic the Mexican hit-maker can be. Just before 9 p.m., León — clad in jeans, a t-shirt, cowboy boots and one of his signature cowboy hats — took over the stage, which he commanded for over two hours, honoring the past, the present and the future of música mexicana and beyond.
“Tonight, we’re leaving our sorrows behind,” he told a multigenerational crowd that mirrored the artist’s cowboy aesthetic. But it was clear that the sorrows would eventually creep back in at some point during the show since León is one of those artists that can’t help but get emotional, especially when he’s singing some of his most heartfelt songs that can mend broken hearts.
Whether you were ready or not, León took you on a roller coaster, perfectly capturing how nuanced regional Mexican music can be. “Genres no longer exist. Borders no longer exist,” he declared. León is among a new generation of Mexican music artists who have clearly defied expectations that have haunted regional Mexican artists for decades — limiting them to some extent.
Trending on Billboard
León, on the contrary, is pretty limitless and his setlist is a declaration of liberation. With a hefty live band in tow — that quickly adapted from banda to norteño to rock and country — he of course performed fan favorites including “Te Lo Agradezco,” “Según Quién,” “The One (Pero No Como Yo),” “Que Vuelvas,” “La Boda del Huitlacoche,” “No Es Por Acá” and “Primera Cita.”
And he also paid homage to the artists that have influenced him along the way, including Hombres G’s “Te Quiero,” Joan Sebastian’s “Tatuajes,” Banda Zeta’s “La Niña Fresa,” Mi Banda El Mexicano’s “Ramito de Violetas,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen The Rain,” and Banda Toro’s “La Noche en Que Chicago Se Murió.”
His versatility, which he put on full display during the show, is what has made León stand out in a crowded field of a new wave of Mexican music artists since he had a breakthrough nearly five years ago. That and his infectious hip-swiveling cumbia dance moves and mesmerizing zapateado stomping. Since then, León has only cemented his status as one of the most exciting artists of this generation.
“Long live regional Mexican music, Latin music, long live American music,” he said. “At the end of the day, music is what reunited us here tonight.” By this point, León — sporting a Chicago Bulls jersey — had already chugged down some beers and had emptied a Clase Azul tequila bottle, which he took shots from directly while sharing the wealth with his fans. Throughout the show, he handed over the bottle to someone on his team so they could pour tequila in fans’ cups.
“Qué rifados, Chicago,” he said, noting the crowd’s enthusiasm. “Thank you for always showing up for me.”
León’s back-to-back shows in Chicago come on the heels of his four Latin Grammy nominations, including album of the year for Boca Chueca, Vol. 1. Produced by CMN and AEG, the trek continues with stops in Washington, D.C., New York, Austin and Nashville.
Pepe Aguilar rockets to No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Sept. 14) with “Mira Quién Lo Dice,” as the song flies 18-1. That’s the biggest jump to the top in 2024, earning Greatest Gainer honors, awarded weekly to the song with the largest gain in audience.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Mira Quién Lo Dice” registered 5.8 million in audience impressions, up 104%, on U.S. monitored regional Mexican stations during the Aug. 30-Sept. 5 tracking week, according to Luminate. That audience swell arrives from Univision stations WOJO-FM (Chicago), KSCA-FM (Los Angeles) and KLNO-FM (Dallas) during the tracking period.
The new leader gives Aguilar his third champ on Regional Mexican Airplay spanning over 26 years of career entries, since the No. 2-peaking “Por Mujeres Como Tú,” earned him a first top 10 in 1998.
Prior to “Mira Quién Lo Dice,” two other songs landed at the summit. Earlier, a collab with his son Leonardo Aguilar on “Bandido de Amores” gave the San Antonio, Texas-born singer-songwriter his second No. 1 (chart dated July 6). And in 2021, “Tus Desprecios” with El Fantasma, secured Aguilar his first ruler.
Among Aguilar’s three champs, “Mira Quién” endured the longest wait to the top, a 12-week canter, four weeks longer than his previous slowest, “Bandido,” which wrapped an eight-week run to No. 1 in July.
[embedded content]
As “Mira Quién” rallies to the summit on Regional Mexican Airplay from No. 18, it scores the biggest jump to No. 1 in 2024, and the second-biggest this decade, trailing Maná and Eden Muñoz’s 18-rank climb to No. 1 last November.
In total, “Mira Quién” is the fourth of 407 champs on the 1994-launched Regional Mexican Airplay chart to jump from No. 18 or lower directly to No. 1. Here’s the recap:
Position Change, Song Title, Artist, Date Reach No. 128-1, “Poema De Amor,” Renan Almendarez Coello, Dec. 2, 200021-1, “Volé Muy Alto,” Los Huracanes del Norte, Nov. 24, 200719-1, “Amor Clandestino,” Maná & Eden Muñoz, Nov. 11, 202318-1, “Mira Quien Lo Dice,” Pepe Aguilar, Sept. 14, 2024
Beyond its Regional Mexican Airplay coronation, “Mira Quién” also vaults 31-4 on the overall Latin Airplay tally, for Aguilar’s 13th top 10 there.
The radio achievement follows Aguilar’s performance of “Mira Quién Lo Dice” on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Kelly Clarkson show in July.
All charts (dated Sept. 14, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Sept. 10). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
It’s a third win for breakout singer-songwriter Xavi, as he achieves his third No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart with latest single “#OOTD,” as the song speeds 6-1 to lead the Aug. 31-dated ranking. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news For those not familiar with […]
Piso 21 can cross off a new career milestone thanks to “La Misión,” the group’s first collab with Wisin, which rules Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart. The song, released May 2 via Warner Latina, advances from No. 2 to top the Aug. 17-dated list.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Achieving a No. 1 on U.S. radio with a song like ‘La Misión’ is a double triumph for us: collaborating with Wisin was already a dream fulfilled,” Juan David Huertas, better known as El Profe, tells Billboard.
Trending on Billboard
“La Misión” takes the podium with 4.2 million audience impressions, up 10%, logged in the week ending Aug. 8, according to Luminate. Puerto Rico’s Univision station WKAQ-FM takes the lead among the song’s biggest supporters during the tracking week, while New York’s SBS WSKQ, comes in second.
As “La Misión” lands at the summit on Latin Pop Airplay, Piso 21 achieves its first No. 1 on the tally, and first ruler overall since “Déjala Que Vuelva,” featuring Manuel Turizo, crowned Tropical Airplay for two weeks in March 2022.
“Since ‘Déjala Que Vuelva’ in 2018, we hadn’t reached these heights, and we’re thrilled to be back at the top,” Pablo Mejía, aka, Pablito tells Billboard. “All good things take time, and this is proof once again.”
[embedded content]
Back on Latin Pop Airplay, the Colombians previously secured three other top 10s from 13 total chart appearances, the highest being “Más De La Una” with Maluma for a No. 3 high in 2021.
“We’ve spent many years evolving Piso 21’s sound while staying true to its essence and soul,” David Escobar, who goes by Dim, adds. “‘La Misión’ is a testament to that effort.”
In addition to Piso 21, “La Misión’s” success also secures a Latin Pop Airplay achievement for Wisin, who despite being a reggaetón artist, has become a staple in the ranking with 36 total appearances. Among those, six reached No. 1. The Puerto Rican was last in charge through another Colombian partnership, as “Buenos Días” with Camilo ruled for one week in 2022.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us in this endeavor; we couldn’t have done it without you,” adds Piso 21’s David Lorduy, known as just Lorduy.
Elsewhere, “La Misión” gains territory on the overall Latin Airplay chart, entering the top 20 for the first time, at No. 16. It’s the highest ranking for both acts in over two years.
Becky G and Oscar Maydon’s “Mercedes” accelerates to No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Aug. 3). The track marks Becky G’s second leader on the survey and Maydon’s his first on any U.S.-based tally. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Mercedes,” released April 11 […]
As Selena’s fans celebrate the 30th anniversary of her No. 1 album Amor Prohibido, the set’s remastered version makes its No. 1 debut on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums chart (dated July 20) following its first pressing on vinyl. Released via Capitol Latin/UMLE, it is the second Latin album to debut atop the list in 2024 after Kali Uchis’ Orquídeas in January.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Amor Prohibido blasts in at No. 1 on Vinyl Albums scoring the Latin legend her second No. 1 on the 13-year-old tally. It follows the No. 1-peaking Ones, which spent one week in charge in 2020.
Trending on Billboard
Amor Prohibido bows with 10,000 vinyl copies sold in the U.S. during the July 5-11 tracking week, according to Luminate. Selena almost doubles her previous largest week on vinyl, notched in 2020 when Ones sold 6,000 copies in its second week on the chart (July 18, 2020-dated list). That week, a limited-edition vinyl version of the greatest hits album prompted the set’s re-entry at No. 1. It earlier debuted on the list in 2016 with 3,000 sold in its first week (Nov. 5, 2016 chart). When Ones re-entered the list at No. 1, it became the first Latin album to top Vinyl Albums since the chart launched in Jan. 2011.
The new remastered Amor Prohibido was pressed on four vinyl variants – a standard clear color edition, a Target-exclusive pink color (containing a poster), a Spotify-exclusive coke bottle clear edition, and a picture-disc variant sold via Selena’s webstore.
The new version of Amor Prohibido was also issued on CD, cassette (exclusive to Selena’s webstore) and digital download. All versions – old and new — are combined for tracking and charting purposes. All of the 2024 editions of the album retain the tracklist of the original 10-song 1994 album.
In total, Amor Prohibido marks just the fourth Latin album to reach No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums chart – out of the 499 total No. 1s on the list. The set stands alongside Selena’s Ones (one week, July 2020), Bad Bunny’s Anniversary Trilogy (one week, Jan. 2022) and Kali Uchis’ Orquídeas (one week, Jan. 2024). Uchis also scored another No. 1 effort on Vinyl Albums, through her English-language set, Red Moon In Venus in March 2023.
In addition to its No. 1 debut on Vinyl Albums with 10,000 copies sold, Amor Prohibido re-enters Top Album Sales, after almost three decades, at No. 4, with 11,000 sold (across all configurations, physical and digital, of the album). Plus, it climbs 47-5 on Top Latin Albums and 21-4 on Regional Mexican Albums with 13,000 equivalent album units earned during the same period, 2,000 stemming from streaming activity, which equates to 3.54 million on-demand official streams of the album’s 10 songs.
In 1994, Amor Prohibido became the first Tejano album to reach No. 1 on Top Latin Albums, spending 20 total weeks at No. 1. It was just the second set to top the still-young chart (which launched in July of 1993), after Gloria Estefan’s Mi Tierra ruled for 58 weeks between July 1993 and June 1994.
Three of the album’s songs ruled Hot Latin Songs in 1994: “Amor Prohibido” (nine weeks), “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” (four) and “No Me Queda Más” (seven weeks).
Three weeks after Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs, the song rolls 3-1 on the Tropical Airplay chart (dated July 20), for the Colombian’s first No. 1 there. It’s the second track by a female soloist, unaccompanied by another act, to rule the tally in the 2020s.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” on Bichota/Interscope/ICLG and released June 21, advances to No. 1 on Tropical Airplay –as the Greatest Gainer of the week– with 7.6 million audience impressions during the July 5-11 tracking week, according to Luminate: that’s a 27% gain from the week prior.
Trending on Billboard
While “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” gives Karol G her first champ on Tropical Airplay, the singer-songwriter previously achieved a No. 8 high through “Casi Nada” in 2016, before the chart became genre-based.
The track, produced in partnership with Coke Studio, makes Karol G the second solo woman, unaccompanied by any other act, to lead Tropical Airplay this decade, after Rosalía hit No. 1 with “Despechá” in 2022. Prior, La India ruled with “Dímelo” for one week in 2016.
[embedded content]
Notably, only six women have seated atop Tropical Airplay in the ‘20s with or without collaborators: Natti Natasha, La India, Rosalía, Maria Becerra, Shakira and now, Karol G. Out of those, Rosalía has successfully managed three champs, while Becerra, two. Here is their collection of No. 1s:
Title, Artist, Peak Date, Weeks at No. 1“La Mejor Versión de Mí,” Natti Natasha & Romeo Santos, Oct. 26, 2019, 15 (seven of its weeks at No. 1 were in 2020)“Victimas Las Dos,” Victor Manuelle & La India, May 29, 2021, one“La Fama,” Rosalía Featuring The Weeknd, May 14, 2022, two“Te Espero”, Prince Royce & Maria Becerra, May 28, 2022, four“Despechá”, Rosalía, Oct. 1, 2022, four“Monotonía,” Shakira & Ozuna, Dec. 3, 2022, nine“El Pañuelo,” Romeo Santos & Rosalía, Feb. 4, 2023, four“Así Es La Vida,” Enrique Iglesias & Maria Becerra, Dec. 9, 2023, eight“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” Karol G, July 20
Over on Hot Latin Songs, “Si Antes” remains at its No. 2 debut and peak for a third week. Meanwhile, advances 5-2 on the overall Latin Airplay list.
Marc Anthony banks his record-extending 37th No. 1 on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart as “Ale Ale”rises to rule the chart dated July 13. The single from the salsa juggernaut lands atop Tropical Airplay – after five consecutive weeks in the runner-up slot – with 6.1 audience impressions on reporting stations to the chart in the […]
New York Mets’ infielder Jose Iglesias – recording under the moniker Candelita – is just getting started on a chart winning streak as he debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Digital Song Sales survey (dated July 20) with his debut single, “OMG.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The Cuban-American baseball player, and now also Latin pop artist, sang “OMG” live for the first time after a 7-2 Mets’ win over the Houston Astros at Citi Field in Flushing, N.Y., on June 28. According to Luminate, the single sold a little over 1,000 downloads in the United States during the June 29-July 4-tracking week.
The high-spirited song, adopted as a Mets anthem, about overcoming hard times, and penned by Iglesias in 2023, has translated into a fastball of positive energy for the Mets (who are now up to 45-45 on the season following a win on July 9), and Iglesias, who captures his first Billboard No. 1 entry on a first try.
Trending on Billboard
Notably, Iglesias’ new No. 1 matches the uniform number that’s he’s worn over the years; he now sports No. 11 for the Mets. The 34-year-old broke through to the majors in 2011 with the Boston Red Sox and has played for seven Major League Baseball teams. He’s currently hitting .313, having compiled a .279 average in over 1,000 big league games.
Iglesias/Candelita, meanwhile, joins other baseball players-turned artists who have scored hits in the musical field, and on Billboard rankings. Here’s a team of five such notable stars:
Deion Sanders: The former baseball and football player – aka, “Prime Time” – played 14 years in the NFL and nine in MLB. He made his Billboard chart debut in 1995 with Prime Time, his debut album released in 1994 through MC Hammer’s Bust It Records. The 16-track effort hit No. 14 on Heatseekers Albums and No. 70 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Also, an actor and football coach, Sanders won Super Bowls XXIX and XXX and earned eight NFL Pro Bowl selections between 1991 and 1999.
Bernie Williams: The Puerto Rican-born former all-star baseball player and four-time World Series winner for the New York Yankees, secured his first entry on the Billboard 200 as The Journey Within debuted in 2003 and reached No. 57. The 13-track set concurrently took Williams to No. 3 on Jazz Albums. In 2009, he topped Smooth Jazz Airplay with “Go for It” after his LP Moving Forward gave him another No. 3 peak on Jazz Albums. “Ritmo De Otoño,” featuring Dave Koz, marked Williams’ second Smooth Jazz Airplay No. 1, holding strong at the summit for seven weeks in 2010.
Bronson Arroyo: In 2005, the Cuban-American baseball player, a veteran of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks, achieved his first entry on Billboard 200 with the No. 123 debut and peak of his collection Covering the Bases, which also reached No. 2 on Heatseekers Albums. The set capitalized on the pitcher/musician’s popularity after the Red Sox, for whom he won 10 games in 2004, won the World Series that year, ending a famed 86-year title drought.
Barry Zito: The former American baseball player, who pitched for the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants, reached No. 18 on Heatseekers Albums with his EP No Secrets in 2017. He now focuses on producing and writing music. “My dream in music was always to be a writer-producer, even in my early baseball days, when I was able to hang out with some amazing producers in L.A.,” the 2002 American League Cy Young Award winner and 2012 World Series champ told Billboard earlier this year. “After I came to Nashville in 2015, [I] was a little more into the songwriting, which I view now as so necessary. Writing with a lot of great writers and published writers helped me so much in my role now as a producer.”
Yoán Moncada: In 2021, the Cuban-American, and Chicago White Sox infielder since 2017, reached a No. 16 high on the Tropical Airplay chart with “Desastre Personal.” This week, he began a rehab assignment following an injury that has limited him to 11 major league games this year, although he hit .282 when playing. He scored single-year bests of 25 home runs and 79 runs batted in and a .315 average in 2019.
[embedded content]
A week after Grupo Firme scored its first career No. 1 on Latin Airplay, the group replaces itself at the summit with new single “El Beneficio De La Duda,” as the song flies 24-1 on the July 13-dated list. The new leader follows the one-week reign of “Te Va a Doler,” the group’s first collab with Thalia.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“We are grateful to our audience for supporting each one of our crazy ideas,” Eduin Caz, lead singer for Grupo Firme, tells Billboard. “Both songs are completely different and the fact that they have accepted them as such, to take them to No. 1 one after the other is incredible and only motivates us to keep going.”
Trending on Billboard
“El Beneficio De La Duda” scores 6.2 million audience impressions, up 56%, earned during the June 28-July 4 tracking week, according to Luminate. “Te Va a Doler,” meanwhile, falls to No. 26 with a 48% decline in audience (down 48%) after one week on top.
Thanks to the 56% gain in audience, “El Beneficio De La Duda” takes home the Greatest Gainer trophy, a weekly award for the song with the largest increase in audience among the 50-title radio ranking. A pair of California stations lead the way with the most plays, KLAX in Los Angeles and KRZZ in San Francisco, in the latest tracking week, while KFZO in Dallas, rounds up the top three.
[embedded content]
“El Beneficio De La Duda,” composed by singer-songwriter Joss Favela and released May 28 via Music VIP, grants the label its first ruler on the overall Latin radio ranking. Music VIP came close when “Que Onda Perdida,” another Grupo Firme song, with Gerardo Coronel, reached No. 3 in July 2023.
“For us, it is wonderful to continue to represent our Mexican music in the highest possible way,” Music VIP’s Isael Gutiérrez, founder and CEO of Music VIP Entertainment, tells Billboard. “Every achievement and every record we break drives us to keep innovating and creating music that continues to break boundaries.”
As “El Beneficio” lands at the summit on the overall Latin radio tally, Grupo Firme replaces itself at No. 1, the second act to achieve the feat in 2024, following Myke Towers whose “Borracho y Loco” with Yandel ceded the throne to his own “La Falda,” after the latter’s one week in charge (Feb. 24-dated list).
Beyond its Latin Airplay coronation, “El Beneficio” takes the lead on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart, for the group’s 10th No. 1 there, tying with Christian Nodal for second-most champs this decade, both trailing only Calibre 50’s 11 No. 1s since 2020.
“When Joss Favela sent me the first take of the song, he simulated the accordion with his voice because the song wasn’t produced yet,” Caz adds. “I still liked how his voice hummed the melody and decided to incorporate it, and that is one of the most special details of the song.”
Grupo Firme, comprising Eduin and Johnny Caz, Abraham Hernandez, Joaquin Ruiz, Christian Gutierrez, Jose Rubio and Dylan Camacho, celebrates its second No. 1 on the heels of the group’s La Última Peda Tour 2024, the 32-date run that launched in San Antonio, Texas on May 10 and will wrap up Nov. 2 at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.