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Beatport is growing its presence in Mexico as electronic music consumption expands on the digital download platform for DJs.
A representative for the company tells Billboard that download revenue from Mexico on Beatport increased by 25% in 2024, with the percentage of tracks downloaded increasing by 16%.
A number of electronic genres in particular saw large consumptions surges in Mexico on Beatport, with the consumption of Afro-House increasing by 105%, the consumption of psy-trance increasing by 42%, minimal/deep tech going up by 39%, house up by 32%, deep house up by 27%, melodic house and techno up by 26%, tech house up by 21% and dance pop up by 21%.
Meanwhile, Beatport Streaming subscribers in Mexico increased by 28% in 2024.
As such, Beatport is growing its presence in the country, hosting its first ever Beatport Connect summit in Mexico City this Friday, March 21. The event will bring together industry professionals, artists and fans for panel discussions, workshops and DJ sets. The event will also offer Beatport and Beatsource workshops with artists Jessica Audiffred, Zarina/SADGAL and DJ Fucci each participating in sessions focused on trends and insights in music production.
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“Mexico’s music industry is experiencing remarkable growth, with a rapidly evolving electronic music scene and passionate audience,” says The Beatport Group’s Chief Revenue Officer, Helen Sartory. “With Mexico’s digital music segment expected to surpass 26 million users by 2027, the demand for electronic music is stronger than ever. Mexico City, in particular, has earned its reputation as a ‘trigger city,’ shaping international listening habits through its substantial digital consumption. As the country continues to emerge as a major player in the global music landscape, Beatport is proud to invest in this growth.”
Beatport is now also offering subscriptions in local currency and reducing prices of Beatport and Beatsource streaming up to 40%. The Beatport site also now automatically translates into Spanish for users in Mexico, with a “Discover Mexico” page featuring fresh music from the country.
“Mexico has long been a vibrant hub for electronic music, and we’re thrilled to deepen our investment in the region,” says Sofia Ilyas, Chief Community Officer of The Beatport Group. “By launching Beatport Connect: Mexico City and lowering prices for local markets, we’re making it easier for DJs and producers to access the tools they need to create, connect, and perform. As Beatport continues to expand globally, Mexico remains a key market in our mission to provide cutting-edge tools, educational resources, and community-driven events that empower the next generation of DJs and producers.”
David Browne
On Sunday (March 16) the Vive Latino festival closed its 25th anniversary edition with an explosion of sounds, ranging from rock to alternative dance and metal, passing through ’80s pop ballads, regional Mexican music and electronic cumbia — all in a grand eclectic and multigenerational party that brought together 80,000 people on its second day, according to promoter Ocesa.
Zoé, Rüfüs du Sol, Sepultura, Mon Laferte, Keane, Aterciopelados, Edén Muñoz, Astropical, Draco Rosa, Porter, La Lupita and Los K’comxtles, along with a segment titled “Música para mandar a volar” (Music to let go) featuring Belinda and María José singing in tribute to the late Dulce and Paquita la del Barrio, headlined the event’s second day at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City.
The Mexican band Zoé made a triumphant return to the festival after a five-year absence, marking its only show of the year. Meanwhile, Mon Laferte led the charge for women as one of the star performers of the marathon day, making thousands sing along to hits like “Mi Buen Amor” and “Tu Falta de Querer.” Keane delivered one of the standout and most-anticipated performances of the day, underscoring the British band’s long-standing connection with its Mexican fans.
The Colombian duo Aterciopelados invited Café Tacvba’s lead singer Rubén Albarrán for “Adiós Que Te Vaya Bien” and paid homage to late rock en español icon Gustavo Cerati by performing Soda Stereo’s classic “La Ciudad de la Furia,” which vocalist Andrea Echeverri had previously sung on the band’s MTV Unplugged in 1996.
In an unusual turn of events, Kany García fell victim to a power outage on the Telcel stage, which interrupted her debut at the famous Mexican festival. The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter made the best of the situation by performing without a microphone, accompanied by her guitar and the audience singing along to “Confieso.”
On a day where women took center stage, ASTROPICAL — the new supergroup created by Bomba Estéreo and Rawayana — also stood out with its performance. La Lupita, a pioneer of the musical festival, welcomed back singer Rosa Adame to perform the band’s most iconic songs and pay tribute to guitarist Lino Nava, who passed away in 2024.
For the second year in a row, and thanks to a partnership with Amazon Music, concerts could be streamed for free through the digital platform. The 25th edition of Vive Latino also set a record for the festival, bringing together 160,000 people in total according to Ocesa.
Below are some of our favorite acts from the second day of the Vive Latino festival, as it celebrated its first quarter-century. For our recap of Day 1, click here.
Zoé Comes Out From Hiatus to Shine
The celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Vive Latino festival turned into a big party on Saturday (March 15), with rhythms like rock and cumbia taking center stage through the voices of some of their greatest exponents, including Mexican bands Caifanes, Los Ángeles Azules, and El Gran Silencio.
On its first day of activities, the musical gathering, which returned after a year to its original venue at Estadio GNP Seguros (formerly Foro Sol), brought together 80,000 people, according to promoter Ocesa.
One of the most anticipated and applauded performances was by the legendary group Los Ángeles Azules, who made a triumphant return to the popular music festival 12 years after their memorable debut. Meanwhile, Caifanes added a social touch by addressing themes such as the crisis of femicides in Mexico and migration during their main stage performance.
There were big surprises, like the highly-awaited debut of emerging artist Macario Martínez at Vive Latino. In addition to his solo act at the Carpa Intolerante stage, he was invited to perform alongside the band Little Jesus. Emotional highlights of the marathon of a day included the appearance of Molotov‘s guitarist and vocalist, Tito Fuentes, who joined his bandmates near the end of their set to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary, after previously announcing he was taking a health-related hiatus.
Emmanuel “Meme” del Real, keyboardist of the popular band Café Tacvba, also delivered one of the most special performances, showcasing new songs from his solo repertoire. Another standout moment came from the German band Scorpions, who fulfilled a promise to their Mexican fans after canceling their performance at the festival last year.
Day one of the festival also saw appearances from Spanish and English-speaking acts, including Nortec: Bostich + Fussible, Él Mató a Un Policía Motorizado, Foster the People, The Guapos, Caloncho and Jesse Baez.
On Sunday (March 16), the festival continues with performances by Zoé, Mon Laferte, Aterciopelados, Sepultura, Keane, Draco Rosa, Los K’comxtles, Eden Muñoz, Kany García, Porter, Rüfüs Du Sol and Cuarteto De Nos, among others. For the second year in a row, and thanks to a partnership with Amazon Music, concerts can be streamed for free through the digital platform.
Below are some of our favorite moments from the first day of the 2025 Vive Latino festival, as it celebrates its first quarter-century.
Caifanes for Women & Immigrants
The legendary Estadio Azteca will be renamed and will now bear the name of a Mexican bank sponsor in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This was announced on Friday (March 14) by Banorte and Grupo Ollamani, the company that owns the venue, through a joint statement. They also revealed a “long-term alliance” encompassing advertising and sponsorship elements.
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“Starting today, the Cathedral of World Football will carry the name Estadio Banorte,” the companies stated in the document, shared on social media.
With Grupo Banorte’s investment, this iconic stadium located in Mexico City is expected to become one of the most modern in the world in terms of technology, sustainability, and connectivity.
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The agreement with Ollamani includes a loan of 2.1 billion pesos ($106 million) from Grupo Financiero Banorte to fund the stadium’s renovation for the 2026 World Cup. The financing terms are set for 12 years, according to the release.
“For Ollamani and the new Estadio Banorte, it is an honor to join forces with the most important Mexican financial institution in the country,” said Emilio Azcárraga Jean, president of Grupo Ollamani and owner of Club América, in the document. “With them, we will modernize this iconic stadium, respecting its essence and architectural designs recognized for decades. It will be the most important venue to showcase Mexico to the world.”
This is the second time the renowned venue, currently undergoing renovations, has changed its name since it was inaugurated as Estadio Azteca in 1966. In 1997, it was renamed Estadio Guillermo Cañedo in honor of one of the key figures behind its construction, but fans did not embrace the new name and continued referring to it by its original one.
El Azteca, witness to legendary football moments featuring icons like Pelé and Diego Maradona, has a capacity of approximately 81,000 spectators. The Mexico City venue will host the opening match and two additional games of the world’s biggest football tournament, set to take place next year across Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Its majestic stage has hosted iconic international music figures such as Paul McCartney, Madonna, U2, and the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. In recent years, Latin music superstars like Shakira, Bad Bunny, and Karol G have joined the list of artists who have performed at this legendary venue. It was also the site of the farewell concert of one of Mexico’s greatest music stars, Vicente Fernández, in April 2016.
Among its most memorable moments are massive gatherings like Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1999 and the boxing matches of Mexican icon Julio César Chávez in 1993.
Ramón Ayala has revealed the date for his final concert, marking the end of a successful career that began in the 1960s. The final show of the norteño music legend will take place on Sept. 13 at the Arena Ciudad de México, as announced on his social media.
“After 60 years of career, the King of the Accordion is bidding farewell to his audience in style with two concerts on the ‘Historia de un Final’ tour,” the post reads, also referencing his show scheduled one day earlier at the Arena Monterrey. It was in that city where the musician began his journey alongside Cornelio Reyna, with whom he formed Los Relámpagos del Norte, before continuing with his own group, Ramón Ayala y los Bravos del Norte.
In February 2024, Ayala announced the tour El Principio de un Final, which was not completed due to differences with the promoter. Instead, he began that March the ‘Historia de un Final’ trek, with which he has toured dozens of cities in Mexico and the U.S.
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In an exclusive interview with Billboard Español ahead of the tour, Ayala conveyed last May the excitement he felt about going on with his career after more than half a century on the road. “Knowing that there’s a large audience that follows us both in Mexico and in the United States, that fills our concerts and is awaiting our new music, motivates me,” he said.
Ayala’s musical journey began when he was just five years old and he accompanied his father playing the accordion to bring money home in his native Monterrey, Nuevo León, cradle of one of the three strands on which regional Mexican music is based: norteño, mariachi and banda sinaloense.
Throughout his long-lasting career, he has recorded over 100 albums, two of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart: Arriba El Norte (1991) and Antología De Un Rey (2004). He’s also placed 12 songs on Hot Latin Songs, including “Del Otro Lado del Portón”, at No. 12, and “Quémame los Ojos”, at No. 19. And he’s received two Grammy Awards and two Latin Grammys, among other accolades.
An undisputed icon of regional Mexican music, many contemporary artists of the genre often include Ayala classics, like “Tragos de Amargo Licor,” in their concerts — among them Edén Muñoz and Alfredo Olivas, whom the veteran musician has cited among his favorites of the new generation.
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President Donald Trump is facing questions after walking back threatened tariffs on Mexico & Canada for the second time.
On Thursday (March 6), President Donald Trump reversed course and postponed tariffs of 25% of goods that he levied against Mexico and Canada on Tuesday (March 4) for the second time, leading many to question his process. He stated that they would be postponed until April 2. Trump had bragged about the tariffs at his State of The Union address then, claiming they would lead the U.S. to success. “Tariffs are about making America rich again and making America great again. And it’s happening, and it will happen rather quickly. There’ll be a little disturbance. We’re okay with that. It won’t be much,” he said at the time.
Canada, Mexico, and China immediately responded with their retaliatory tariffs, which sent the stock market tumbling on Wednesday (March 5)with the Dow falling 1,300 points in response to consumer concerns stateside about rising prices. On Thursday, Trump spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who said afterward in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that they “had an excellent and respectful call in which we agreed that our work and collaboration have yielded unprecedented results.” Hours later, Trump signed an executive order granting the same postponement to Canada.
Commerce Secretary Harold Lutnick mentioned the possibility of tariff postponements in a CNBC interview, stating that it would cover all goods. “ I think it’s likely that it will cover all USMCA-compliant goods and services,” he said. The USMCA refers to the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that was signed in 2018, and enforced beginning in 2020. Initially, Trump was seeking to relieve tariffs on automakers, no doubt in response to a Fox News segment where an auto dealer explained that the immediate effect of the tariffs would add $20,000 to the price of a car on the lot.
Trump’s backpedaling didn’t come without criticism. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted him in a press conference on Tuesday. “Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense,” he said. China was more direct, expressing that they would “resolutely counter” all tariffs placed on their goods.
Grupo Firme canceled a performance at a carnival scheduled for this Saturday (March 1) in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, after a message on a banner with alleged death threats attributed to a drug cartel appeared in its hometown of Tijuana. The regional Mexican music band confirmed on Wednesday (Feb. 26) the suspension of its concert in an official statement.
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“We deeply regret informing you that the presentation of Grupo Firme for this March 1st at the Mazatlán Carnival is canceled,” reads the statement shared on the band’s Instagram Stories. “For Music VIP, the well-being of those who have accompanied us on this path — our family, which is you, our fans — is and will always be the most important thing. We hope to be able to meet again soon to sing, celebrate and continue making history together.”
The cancelation of the show — originally announced as part of the Carnaval de Mazatlán, which starts Thursday (Feb. 27) and lasts until March 4 — came after the discovery of an alleged narcomanta and a human head in a box on Tuesday (Feb. 25) in Tijuana. The fact was confirmed to Billboard Español by the Baja California State Prosecutor’s Office, which said that an investigation has already been opened.
Requests for comments sent by Billboard Español to Music VIP and a representative for Grupo Firme on Wednesday night weren’t answered at press time.
On Wednesday morning, the Sinaloa authorities had confirmed that the Mazatlán Carnival would go on without changes, after stating that there were security guarantees for Grupo Frontera and attendees. This announcement was made by the Secretary of the Government of Sinaloa, Feliciano Castro, at a press conference. But hours later, the band led by singer Eduin Caz announced what was imminent: The cancellation of their presentation at the event.
There, Grupo Firme was supposed to kick off the Mexican leg of its successful La Última Peda Tour, which included 14 dates in the country and two festivals in the U.S. The trek is produced by an alliance of promoters Music VIP, Music VIBE, Cohumanity and other companies.
The Mexican state of Sinaloa has seen over 800 homicides in the last five months, according to official figures reported by Spanish news agency EFE, since an internal struggle began last September between two factions of the cartel of the same name after the capture of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, co-founder of that criminal organization that now demands that the U.S. repatriate him to Mexico.
Grupo Firme now joins a series of regional Mexican acts that have received alleged threats from drug trafficking groups, forcing the cancellation of their performances in territories in conflict with criminal organizations. One of the most memorable cases is that of corridos superstar Peso Pluma, who had to cancel six shows, including a performance in Tijuana scheduled for October 2023, when alleged threats were issued against him by criminal groups.
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The controversial founder of Fyre Festival announced that the second edition of the concert event will take place on a Mexican island, causing many online to express disbelief.
On Monday (February 24), Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland announced that the second edition of the ill-fated music fest will take place this year. In a press release that was shared on social media, McFarland stated that it would be a “three-day escape to the Mexican Caribbean where you’ll explore by day alongside your favorite talent and come together at night to celebrate with music,” with patrons being hosted in “world-class accommodations” with the ability to take part in “adventures led by international and local talent, taking guests on boundary-pushing excursions by day and uniting for intimate beach-side performances at night.”
Further details revealed that the festival will be held at Isla Mujeres, a luxury tourist destination just off the coast of Mexico from May 30 to June 2. Specifically, the festival will be staged at “Playa Fyre”, which is just west of Isla Mujeres according to coordinates on the event’s website. The local government of Isla Mujeres stated that it has not received any permits from organizers when contacted by The New York Times. 2,000 tickets are now available, with prices ranging from $1,400 to $1.1 million. The latter price is for an all-inclusive “Prometheus” package promising round-trip airfare from Miami to Cancun as one of the perks.
There are no performers scheduled so far for Fyre Festival 2, and in an interview with NBC’s Today, McFarland said “I’m not in charge of booking the talent,” adding that the musical acts would be from different genres including Hip-Hop, rock and electronic pop. “I’m sure many people think I’m crazy for doing this again. But I feel I’d be crazy not to do it again,” McFarland said in a statement, adding: “After years of reflection and now thoughtful planning, the new team and I have amazing plans for FYRE 2. The adventure seekers who trust the vision and take the leap will help make history. Thank you to my partners for the second chance.”
The news of the festival potentially taking place caught the attention of numerous skeptics online, who had jokes for those considering going to the festival after the first iteration failed spectacularly leading McFarland to spend six years in prison beginning in 2018. He was released in 2022. “We have Trump round 2 so why not Fyre Festival round 2,” wrote Blue Sky user Daniel Braten.
Chino Moreno is ready to embark on a new arenas tour with his alternative metal band Deftones, starting Tuesday (Feb. 25) at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. It’s the California band’s first tour since 2022, and it will share the stage with The Mars Volta and Fleshwater during some spring dates in the U.S.
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At the same time, the Sacramento-based band plans to release new music this year, Moreno tells Billboard Español in Mexico City. “So the plan is, obviously, to have a record sometime around that time [during the tour.] It’s getting very close to being ready, so yeah, we’re excited,” he says of what would be the successor to Ohms (2020).
Almost eight years have passed since Deftones last visited Mexico, where — as in the rest of Latin America — it has a solid fan base. But with his other project, Crosses, Moreno was in Mexico City last December. Here, he and his bandmate, guitarist and producer Shaun Lopez, closed the tour of their album Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete (2023) at the Pabellón Oeste of the Palacio de los Deportes, after being on the road between 2023 and 2024.
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“We made it happen! We were gonna do a full Latin America tour, but it was just gonna be too much time and it was close to the holidays, so we decided we at least have to go to Mexico City,” Moreno says.
It was Crosses’ first show in the capital and it was an incredible experience for him and Lopez, who had never been here before. Lopez, a former member of the now-defunct group Far, created an unexpected close bond with Mexico when he served as a producer of Mexican trio The Warning‘s album Keep Me Fed (2024) — it was thanks to the Villarreal Vélez sisters that the musician obtained his first Latin Grammy nomination last year, for best rock song, as co-author of their song “Qué Más Quieres.”
“When we wrote it, it wasn’t in Spanish,” Lopez tells Billboard Español. “Sometimes when you do songwriting sessions like that, you don’t hear anything for like a year. And usually when you don’t hear anything, you think ‘Oh, they didn’t like it, they didn’t like me’ or whatever, you know? And then the manager hit me up a year later and he said: ‘Can you send me a session for that song?’ He’s like, ‘The good news is the girls are going to convert it to Spanish, which is going to be actually really cool because it’ll be the only song on the album that’s Spanish.’”
In 2025, Moreno will spend much of the year touring with Deftones, so Crosses will have to take a break before returning to the recording studio. “I don’t know how soon it’ll be, but we definitely want to work on more music,” Lopez says. “We enjoy making it and yeah, I just would like to thank everybody for showing interest in our project.”
As Deftones is soon expected to announce tour dates in Mexico, Moreno confirms that the band is considering the possibility of bringing the festival they have been organizing annually since 2020 in San Diego, California — Día de los Deftones, whose name is a clear reference to the popular Mexican tradition Día de Muertos celebrated on Nov. 1-2 — to Mexico.
“We talked about it a lot recently, so it’s definitely in discussions to do so. We would love to do!” Moreno says. “I mean, I can’t promise, but, you know, it’s been growing really great.”
Hundreds of people participated in a heartfelt posthumous tribute to the iconic Mexican singer Paquita la del Barrio on Friday (February 21). Her remains were transferred to her restaurant in the Guerrero neighborhood, in the Historic Center of Mexico City, where a mass was held in her honor and the doors of her establishment were opened to all those who wanted to give her a final farewell.
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The procession carrying her ashes departed from a funeral home in the central Juárez neighborhood, traveled along part of the touristy Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, and reached the iconic Plaza Garibaldi. There, around midday, her fans, mostly women, and groups of mariachis awaited, performing her most famous songs, including “Tres Veces Te Engañé” and “Rata de Dos Patas.”
The route included a stop at a public market, where merchants interrupted their activities to bid farewell to the famous singer, who passed away at the age of 77 on Monday (Feb. 17) from a heart attack while sleeping in her home in her native Veracruz, as confirmed to Billboard Español by her manager, Francisco Torres.
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Paquita la del Barrio rose to fame with her anthems about infidelity and heartbreak.
“Thank you for your songs that brought so much joy to my heart!” said a visibly moved resident of the Guerrero neighborhood to Foro TV, holding a bouquet of white flowers. “Paquita was a brave woman to sing to men in that way,” commented another woman, who mentioned that the artist was a great influence on the trans community.
Dozens of anecdotes about Paquita la del Barrio were shared by her neighbors with the press, remembering her as a “very humane,” “affectionate”, and “forward-moving woman.”
Some women were crying inconsolably while a private mass was held, and a crowd of people gathered around the artist’s restaurant, Casa Paquita, waiting for the doors to open to enter the place, undeterred by a light rain that covered that part of the city.
While Paquita la del Barrio, whose real name was Francisca Viveros Barradas, was not originally from Mexico City, she made this central area of the country’s capital her “second home,” opening her restaurant-bar in the late 1970s. With over a five decade-spanning career, Paquita la del Barrio was an idol in popular music. In 2011, she received the Billboard Regional Mexican Music Award “La Voz,” and 10 years later, she was awarded the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award for her exceptional career.
