Lists
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Side projects are an exciting component in music, because they offer fans the chance to immerse themselves in disparate sounds from their favorite acts that can be just as captivating as (or fascinatingly contrasting with) their primary outfits. The results may be unpredictable, but they let certain members of a group dive into sounds that might’ve not fit in their original band. Or they may be an extension of the riveting experimentation that already took place in their initial project, but with more emphasis on other instruments or styles.
Enter the electo pop-rock enigma of Astronomía Interior (AI): an electrifying mix of digital configurations that seem to radiate somewhere in outer space. It’s the latest side project of two Zoé bandmates — but this time, Jesús Báez and Ángel Mosqueda joined forces to release songs that “at times seemed to come from another world or a distant future,” as they describe. The duo released their eponymous debut album in January through Universal Music Mexico, and will perform at Vive Latino on March 18.
This is not the first time that members of Zoé have explored on their own. Frontman León Larregui continues to navigate his solo side with great success since Solstis (2012) and Voluma (2016). On Friday (March 10) the singer-songwriter releases his second set of two singles: “Chromocismic Ave,” a multilingual track with psychedelic touches, and “Holidays,” a gentle coo with guitar arpeggios, both from his upcoming album Prismarama due out later this year. (The band’s former drummer, Siddhartha, has also enjoyed a fruitful career on his own.)
Other prominent bands such as Maná have seen their members Sergio Vallín and Alex González launch side projects, and Gustavo Santaolalla, one of Latin America’s most important Latin rock producers, created a fascinating electronic tango project with Bajofondo, while also composing for film and more recently for the world of video games.
Side projects are defined by their inclusion of one or more artists who are primarily known for their participation in another group, such as Jay de la Cueva or De La Tierra, for example. They can also be an artist or band that temporarily and/or radically changes style – like HopPo! or Terri Gender Bender. Sometimes, those initiatives become bigger than what the artist anticipated, as in the case of Kumbia Queers, a rowdy troupe of punks who came from separate independent music projects.
Without further ado, here are 10 outstanding Latin music side projects of the last decade (in alphabetical order).
Astronomía Interior
Members: Jesús Báez and Ángel Mosqueda of Zoé
Astronomía Interior (AI) is the latest musical project of Zoé keyboardist Jesús Báez and bassist Ángel Mosqueda. As an extension of their musical versatility beyond the Mexican troupe, the duo shoots for the stars to “gradually build a constellation full of musical magic” that will form a “musical galaxy based on emotion and visuals,” as they describe in a press release.
In January, AI released its debut album Astronomía Interior, which contains hypnotic pieces of electro-pop brilliance such as “California”, “Un Día Especial” and “Estrella Fugaz.” The duo will be touring the U.S. this year and are confirmed for Vive Latino (March 18) and Pa’l Norte (March 31) festivals in Mexico.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoDDLZqJ0xN
At The Drive-In
Image Credit: Andrew Benge/Redferns
Members: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta; Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjar, and Keeley Davis (their most recent line-up).
It’s arguable that At The Drive-In should’t be considered the side project of The Mars Volta members Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, since At The Drive-In happened first, and also both musicians have a variety of side projects. But given the greater commercial success they had with TMV (a group with whom they have released seven studio albums versus four), we will assert, for the purpose of this list, that the post-hardcore group eventually became their side project.
Formed in the 1990s, At The Drive-In is one of Cedric and Omar’s most recognizable projects. In 2000, they released one of their most acclaimed albums, Relationship of Command, a year before forming TMV. Since then, the original group went on hiatus, until reuniting in 2016 for one more brief period.
Both Omar and Cedric have been incredibly active in diverse spaces, where they have exercised their creative muscles in unpredictable ways. Other side projects of theirs include bands such as De Facto, Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, Bosnian Rainbows and Antemasque.
Dante Spinetta
Known for: Illya Kuryaki and the Valderramas
Whether solo or with a group, Dante Spinetta is a star in his own right. The rapper/singer formed the pioneering Kuryaki and the Valderramas in the ‘90s in Buenos Aires when he was 14 years old, alongside Emmanuel Horvilleur, to tremendous international success.
At the turn of the decade, Dante released solo material that saw him delving deeper, with the riveting mix of hip-hop, funk and R&B heard in albums like Elevado (2002) and El Apagón (2007). With 2010’s Pyramide, the Argentine artist moved old-school rap and música urbana to the forefront.
Last year, the eccentric artist dropped his fifth solo album, Mesa Dulce, where fans could hear him embracing his funky and soulful side, while also welcoming rising stars like Trueno and CA7RIEL into the mix for a few features.
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De La Tierra
Image Credit: Martin DarkSoul
Members: Andreas Kisser of Sepultura, Alex González of Maná, Andrés Giménez of A.N.I.M.A.L., Harold Hopkins Miranda of Yupa, and previously Flavio Cianciarulo of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
One decade ago, four musicians of internationally successful bands united to usher in Latin metal’s reawakening. It started with Mexican drummer Alex González’s yearning to explore a more hardcore sound outside of Maná’s pop-driven rock ballads. Enlisting A.N.I.M.A.L. frontman Andrés Giménez, bassist Flavio Cianciarulo of Los Fabulosos Cadillacs from Argentina and guitarist Andreas Kisser of Sepultura from Brazil, De La Tierra was born.
The all-star troupe released their eponymous full-length debut in 2015 and second album II the following year, which straddles death metal and slashing hard rock. Adding Puerto Rican bassist Harold to the lineup, after Flavio’s departure, the band released their last rock ballad, “Distintos,” which features Andreas’ crystalline acoustic guitar pluckings against Andrés’ fervent vocals.
Gustavo Santaolalla
Image Credit: César Guekian
Known for: Bajofondo, record producer, composer.
Gustavo Santaolalla’s range as a musician, composer and producer is impressive, and his diverse musical talents make it a bit difficult to see where the main project begins and the side project ends.
As a musician, the multi-instrumentalist co-founded the Uruguayan-Argentinian ensemble Bajofondo, with their gripping formula of tango and electronic music. Santaolalla had already helped establish the pioneering rock nacional band Arco Iris in the hippie era.
As a producer, Gustavo Santaolalla established himself as the man behind many of rock en español’s greatest records of all time. He helped pave the way for the genre’s cross-continental explosion, producing hits for megastars like Café Tacvba, Ely Guerra, Julieta Venegas, Maldita Vecindad, Los Prisioneros, Juanes and many more Latin rock icons.
As a composer, his film scores have been featured in some of the most important Latin American cinema — including award-winning 21st century films like Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Motorcycle Diaries and Babel. His works have also appeared in TV shows and video games.
HopPo!
Members: Rubén Albarrán of Café Tacvba, Juan Pablo “Muñeco” Villanueva, Carlos Icaza, Rodrigo “Chino” Aros, Giancarlo Baldevenito.
While on a break from Café Tacvba, the eccentric frontman Rubén Albarrán took advantage of his creative wanderlust to help form HopPo!, which means “Let’s Go” in the Dakota language. He teamed up with three Chilean musicians to create music that honored the Chilean song movement, including beautiful covers from Chile’s ‘60s protest leader and musician Violeta Parra.
Equipped with a charango, sitar, pan flutes, guitar and drums, the rock-leaning folk combo was a charming homage to the protest music of Latin America in its fight for social and political justice, causes that Albarrán has been very vocal about.
Their last song as HopPo! to date is the Jorge González cover, “El Futuro Se Fue.” González is best known as the frontman of the political pop-rock band Los Prisioneros. Other releases by the side project include the EPs Te Vas al Sur (2014) and La Maga y el Sadhu (2018).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo2k2WulZT6
Kumbia Queers
Members: Juana Chang, Pilar Arrese and Inés Laurencena of She-Devils; Flor Linyera; formerly, Ali Gua Gua of Las Ultrasónicas.
Starting off as a side project, Kumbia Queers made a big splash in the late ‘00s with their quirky tropical punk covers of the Cure, Black Sabbath, the Ramones, and Madonna, where they wrote original lyrics catered to their punk and queer lifestyle. With their knack for clever wordplay, signature fusion, and outrageous stage theatrics, the Argentine-Mexican queercore troupe capitalized on this niche and their “side” gig became a huge hit.
Their 2011 release La Gran Estafa del Tropipunk EP was an underground sensation, and songs like “Celosa” and “Daniela” have endured in the Latin alternative music catalog with humorous songwriting and danceable rhythms. They later followed that up with Pecados Tropicales (2012) and La Oscuridad Bailable (2019), in which they continued to embrace cumbia villera, with infectious synthesizers and an irreverent attitude.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmcgCZ-OzK1
Mexrrissey
Image Credit: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage
Members: Camilo Lara of M.I.S.; Ceci Bastida of Tijuana No!; Chetes of Zurdok; Sergio Mendoza of Calexico and Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta; Jay de la Cueva of Moderatto, Fobia and Titán; Adan Jorodowsky of Adanowsky; Alex González of Twin Tones; and Alejandro Flores of Café Tacvba.
Comprised by Morrissey lovers, the Mexican supergroup reimagines songs by The Smiths’ frontman, as evidenced by their only album, No Manchester (2016). Founded by Camilo Lara and Sergio Mendoza, the cast of charro-clad rockers take turns performing songs by Moz. Complemented by a brass section and a vihuela, the album documents Britain’s fascination with bleak humor and Mexico’s knack for melodramas — just seek no further than the telenovela.
Passion, rebellion and melancholy take center stage as listeners watch the journey of a sad loner wandering through a republic full of agony, as heard in the song “Mexico.” With Jay de la Cueva’s angelic coo, Chetes’ swaggering sneer and Adanowsky’s warm vocals, “Estuvo Bien” is a great remake of “Suedehead.” Meanwhile, Ceci Bastida channels Moz’s cool in her surfy remake of “The Last of the Famous International Playboys,” refashioned as “International Playgirl.”
Sergio Vallín
Image Credit: Elishia Perosa
Known for: Maná
In Sergio Vallín’s first solo project, Microsinfonías (2021), Maná’s guitarist ventures into classical music, accompanied by the Prague Symphony Orchestra. For the seven-track, self-produced instrumental album, the Mexican artist composed the intro and outro, and reworked hits by Alejandro Sanz (“Cuando nadie me ve”), Marco Antonio Solís (“Dónde está mi primavera”), Maná (“Vivir sin aire”), and Juan Luis Guerra (“Bachata rosa”), demonstrating his versatility in conducting beautiful arrangements with piano and shimmering strings.
Teri Gender Bender
Known for: Le Butcherettes
Mexican-born singer-songwriter and guitarist Teri Gender Bender, better known as the frontwoman of Le Butcherettes, is stepping out of her usual zone to forge an identity of her own. Last year she released a series of lo-fi bilingual singles and EPs, including Saturn Sex and State of Fear. Her solo work is a sample of avant-garde pop in which the tapatía explores facets of her life with an idiosyncratic and experimental approach, without ever abandoning the distorted sound of her electric guitar.
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For centuries, love stories — in the form of songs, plays, books or films — have used the concept of “forbidden love” as a narrative device to heighten the tension and drive a story forward. So, should it really come as a surprise that LGBTQ artists write some of the best love songs around?
After all, queer folks were told on a regular basis throughout history that their way of loving was wrong (let’s be honest — in many cases and places, we are still being told that). So when given a platform to express themselves openly, it’s no wonder that LGBTQ talents have penned or performed exceptionally moving, deeply affecting love songs. Look no further than Melissa Etheridge’s “Come to My Window” or George Michael’s “Fastlove” for proof.
In recent years, as queer artists have gained more mainstream visibility in the music industry, the content of queer love songs has noticeably shifted in new, bold directions. No longer relegated to writing non-specific ballads of generalized longing, queer artists starting using proper pronouns for their lyrical lovers more regularly, explicitly spelling out the dynamics of relationships and taking the opportunities afforded to straight artists for years to sing frankly about sex and desire. Some of those songs have even gone on to top the Hot 100, making history for the LGBTQ community.
With so many gay love songs to choose from, Billboard decided to offer some help. Below, we list out 30 of our favorite gay love songs — specifically in which men sing about loving men — ranging from sensual dance bangers to tender pop ballads.
Breaking up is hard to do. When a relationship comes to a painful end, however, there is one bright side — you get to enjoy breakup songs in a way you might not have before.
It’s true: Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA (who is Billboard’s 2023 Woman of the Year) just hit different once you’ve actually gone through the tender-hearted scenarios they so poignantly describe in their lyrics. Maybe you, too, have had an ex hang on to your old scarf because it smells like you, even after calling you up again just to break you like a promise. Or, maybe you had to watch as your partner left you for the older blonde girl they had previously told you not to worry about, possibly right before you passed your driver’s license test.
Or god forbid, maybe you’ve even been dumped by someone you uhh … had an intimate moment with at a theater, a la “You Oughta Know” (which is absolutely, without a doubt, 1,000% on this list). Hey, Billboard doesn’t judge.
But just as not all breakups are sad, neither are all breakup songs. Just ask Lizzo, whose self-love, leave-his-behind, booty-shaking bangers will transform listeners from heartbroken to happily single and ready to mingle. Alternately, allow Beyoncé’s discography to remind you just how much you’re worth. Or better yet, take a cue from Ariana Grande and simply say to your ex, “Thank you, next.”
Whether you’re angry, relieved, wallowing in grief or gleefully moving on from your latest romantic split, allow Billboard‘s 55 favorite breakup songs to ease you through the aftermath.
When you think of love songs, artists like Frank Sinatra, Etta James, The Beatles, Al Green and Dolly Parton are probably among the first that come to mind. Sure, it is country, pop and R&B that have seen most of the biggest hits under the everlasting theme — but “love songs” encompass much more than just sentimental ballads.
EDM may have a reputation for heavy bass drops and addictive synth beats, but a growing number of dance tracks feature thoughtful and emotional lyrics, too. Several top 10s have proven EDM’s reach goes beyond the club and rave scenes. DJs like Calvin Harris have made the genre more accessible to all music lovers — with Rihanna, Ellie Goulding, Frank Ocean and Migos being among the collaborators who’ve brought vocals to his skillful arrangements.
When words and EDM’s trademark pulsing beats join forces, it’s no surprise that love is among the most popular subjects. Whether the lyrics detail finding your soulmate or realizing you still having feelings for the one that got away, there are hundreds of electronic tracks pinpointing the fuzzy feeling you get when you’re around that special someone. Billboard has narrowed them down and put together a list of our favorite EDM love songs of all time.
Let’s be honest, saying “I love you” doesn’t always come easy. Or if it does, it can be hard to show it. Thankfully, music is there to do the work for you – or at least encourage you to show the one you love just how much you care. Listen to 55 dance-ready ways to say those three little words below.
Whether or not you celebrate, whether you find it sweet or mawkish, Valentine’s Day is good for one thing — grand, sweeping declarations of love.
Every year as Feb. 14 approaches, many significant others consistently try (to varying degrees) to turn their love lives into a scene from their favorite romantic comedies. Whether they’re channeling Heath Ledger from 10 Things I Hate About You to perform Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” with a full marching band, or evoking the spirit of Say Anything’s John Cusack for a simpler, boombox-assisted rendition of Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” Valentine’s Day is the day to tell your partner — and everyone else in their general vicinity — just how much you fancy them.
Naturally, the catalyst for many a romcom romantic gesture is the music that accompanies it. Some love songs are just naturally thought of in moments like this — Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” Beyoncé’s “Love on Top,” Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are” and John Legend’s “All of Me” come to mind as perfect soundtracks for Valentine’s Day romanticism.
But what about artists from the LGBTQ community? In the extensive history of romcoms, queer folks don’t usually get to have their voices represented when it comes to the saccharine storytelling genre — so why not show your support by tracklisting your Valentine’s Day with songs from a community that often finds itself left out of the proceedings?
Below, Billboard lists 20 loves songs performed by LGBTQ artist for you to jam out to this Valentine’s Day.
Songs have been written about every topic imaginable, but the best ones — from swooning ’50s ballads to contemporary club bangers — have been penned about the ups and downs of being in love. We are counting down the top 50 Hot 100 hits with a form of the word “love” in the title. The romantic tunes cover every era of the Hot 100’s history, ranging from 1958’s “To Know Him Is to Love Him” by the Teddy Bears to 2019’s “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi. Love is a many splendored and many faceted thing, and this list has all types of love songs: tunes about “The Power of Love” (Huey Lewis), “The Greatest Love of All” (Whitney Houston), eternal love (Donna Lewis’ “I Love You Always Forever”) and NSFW lovin’ (Madonna’s “Justify My Love”).
It’s sonic proof that while musical fads and fashions will change with every generation, love — and the songs inspired by it — will never go out of style. And we have the numbers to prove it: 9.6% of all Hot 100 No. 1s feature the word “love” in the song title.
The ranking is based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart. Billboard’s Top 50 Love Songs of All Time ranking is based on weekly performance on the Hot 100 (from its inception on Aug. 4, 1958, through Feb. 4, 2023) and comprises songs that have the word “love” in its title (or a variation, like “lover,” “loving,” “lovely,” etc.). Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower spots earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates during various periods. Songs are ranked based on a formula blending performance, as outlined above, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years.
Ever since Rihanna was announced as the headliner of the Super Bowl LVII halftime show over four months ago, part of the fun for longtime fans has been trying to guess which of her many, many hits her setlist will include. Typically, Super Bowl halftime performers are given between 12 and 15 minutes to play on the world’s biggest stage — so even if Rihanna opts to perform an ultra-efficient mega-mix at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Sunday night (Feb. 12), she probably won’t be able to squeeze in anywhere close to her 14 career Hot 100 chart-toppers, let alone all of her 31 career top 10 singles.
So which hits are making the Super Bowl, and which ones are being left outside the stadium? Although Rihanna’s setlist is being kept tightly under wraps, it’s safe to assume that some of her defining smashes (“Umbrella,” “We Found Love,” “Diamonds,” “Rude Boy,” “Work,” “SOS”) will be featured alongside a combination of notable hits that work in a Super Bowl context (“Only Girl (in the World),” “Where Have You Been,” “Pon de Replay,” “Disturbia,” “Don’t Stop the Music,” “This is What You Came For”).
Toss in a ballad or two, and save some time for recent single “Lift Me Up” (which is nominated for the best original song Oscar — Rihanna would be smart to appeal to Academy voters on the largest platform possible!), and you’re looking at a robust setlist, full of hits and stuffed to the brim. But the truth is, Rihanna could create a memorable Super Bowl show using none of those aforementioned songs — that’s how many career hits she’s accrued. And while there’s a good sense of which Rihanna hits won’t be performed at the Super Bowl, a fair amount of them deserve to be hoisted back up for the world to see.
Here are 10 Rihanna songs that, in all likelihood, won’t be played during the Super Bowl halftime show… but if we’re being honest, they really should be.
Linda Ronstadt’s illustrious voice is back in the spotlight, thanks to her 1970 song “Long, Long Time” being featured in the HBO series The Last of Us.
Ronstadt first rose to prominence during the folk-rock scene of the 1960s and later became a blazing country-folk musical force throughout the 1970s, putting her stamp on the musical landscape as a formidable vocal stylist and interpreter possessing a supple voice capable of enviable musical diversity. Over the course of more than two dozen albums, Ronstadt traversed genres including rock, folk, country, jazz, Mexican folk, the Great American Songbook and opera. Several of her songs reached the upper echelon of the Billboard’s Hot 100, and in 1975, she crowned the chart with her hit “You’re No Good.” In total, she placed 34 entries on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
She also notched hits on the Billboard Latin chart (“Frenesi,” “Perfidia”) and country charts (1975’s “When Will I Be Loved,” and the Dolly Parton/Emmylou Harris collaboration “To Know Him is to Love Him”).
Ronstadt has 11 Grammy wins to her credit, in a diverse spectrum of categories including best musical album for children, best country vocal performance, best Mexican-American album, best pop vocal performance, and the all-genre record of the year category. Further demonstrating her versatility, Ronstadt also earned a Primetime Emmy Award in 1989 for outstanding individual performance in a variety of music program, for Canciones de Mi Padre (Great Performances), and was nominated for a Tony Award for best performance by a leading actress in a musical, for her role as Mabel Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance.
Ronstadt earned a lifetime achievement award from the Latin Grammys in 2014, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and was a Kennedy Center Honors recipient in 2019.
Here, we look at 15 songs that highlight Ronstadt’s stylistic range.
Nothing goes together better than summer heat, cold drinks, good friends and country music. Throughout much of the year, country music fans gather at events across the nation (and abroad) to see their favorite country music artists perform.
Below, Billboard looks at many of the top country music festivals slated for 2023, including some of each festival’s top performers, from established artists such as Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert to hot-shot newcomers including Bailey Zimmerman, Megan Moroney and Zach Bryan. Names including Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson and Zac Brown Band proliferate several festival lineups this year, headlining festivals including Country Thunder festivals, C2C and Windy City Smokeout.
Taken altogether, these numerous country fests offer a glimpse into the breadth of the country music moment, from Texas natives like Lambert, Johnson and Parker McCollum, to pop-leaning vocalists Dan+Shay, to ’90s country stalwarts Brooks & Dunn and Dwight Yoakam.
In addition to stellar lineups, these festivals also offer a range of activities and food offerings, including camping, line-dancing, food trucks, and merch vendors selling an array of items. See below.
As the music industry evolves, so do expectations surrounding new music. With trends and listening patterns shifting at a break-neck pace, artists are expected to usher in each new project as a brand new “era,” creating a recursive loop of authenticity, followed by slight reinvention, followed by re-established authenticity.
But when Sam Smith reintroduces themselves on Gloria, the pop superstar’s long-awaited fourth studio album, it feels different. This is not a pop star merely trying to make headlines or fulfill a promise of something “new” — Gloria sounds like it’s coming from an artist who finally feels comfortable enough to take risks with their sound in the name of honesty.
For that reason, Gloria can sound a lot like whiplash. In one moment, you’re listening to a slowed-down, smooth R&B-tinged song about a selfish ex; in the next, the sonic landscape has shifted to reggae-pop, where Smith is singing frankly about sex and desire. Bouncing around from song to song with wildly different sounds, this LP refuses to be pinned down to any specific label of genre or lyrical atmosphere.
That spirit of eclecticism is not for its own sake; in creating a sound this varied, Smith is making a point. For the last decade of their career, Smith has often been perceived as the crooner-next-door: a soulful, comforting voice conveying their own heartbreak as a means of soothing their pain — and in the process, their fans’ as well.
But alongside that image has always been a sharper, more fun Smith, crafting dance-adjacent anthems of elation and anger and sex. Gloria is Smith’s proof of concept — they contain multitudes, not just the sad broken heart of the person from In the Lonely Hour.
To celebrate Gloria’s release, Billboard takes a closer look at each of the album’s 11 original tracks and ranks them (we’re not including the album’s “Hurting” or “Dorothy” interludes here — ranking two less-than-30 second tracks against the rest feels unfair). Check out our picks below: