Los Ángeles Azules to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Billboard Latin Music Awards

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Los Ángeles Azules have earned an extra special honor…

The Mexican cumbia group will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

The band, known for songs like “El Listón de Tu Pelo,” “Cómo Te Voy a Olvidar” and “Mi Niña Mujer,” among many other cumbia anthems, will be recognized for their enduring, exceptional career that has expanded the reach of Latin music worldwide.

The award will be presented at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, where they will also hit the stage with a special performance.

The ceremony will be held Thursday, October 5, and will be broadcast live on Telemundo from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

“We are very honored to receive this award,” the group — led by the Mejía-Avante brothers — said in a statement. “It is a recognition to our music, which we have shared with our audiences throughout all these years.”

With a 40-year musical career, Los Ángeles Azules have achieved great success, including 14 entries on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, with three songs in the top 10. They also have 16 entries on Latin Airplay, of which six reached the top 10, including “Nunca es Suficiente,” with Natalia Lafourcade, which peaked at No. 3 in 2019. Their 2020 album De Buenos Aires Para El Mundo debuted at No. 8 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart, making it the band’s 12th album to reach the top 10 on the tally.

Past recipients of the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award include Raphael, Paquita la del Barrio, Armando Manzanero, Miguel Bosé, Los Temerarios, Intocable, José José, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona and Maná, among others.

Besides airing live on Telemundo, the Billboard Latin Music Awards will air simultaneously on the Hispanic entertainment cable channel, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

Peso Pluma leads the list of finalists with 21 nods across 15 categories including artist of the year, songwriter of the year, Global 200 Latin artist of the year, and Top Latin Album of the year.

Fuerza Regida Earns Second No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay Chart with Banda MS-Collab “Mentira No Es”

Posted on July 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Fuerza Regida is back at the top of the charts…

The Regional Mexican band and Banda MS’ second collaboration “Mentira No Es” has jumped from No. 6 to No. 1 to lead Billboard’s July 29-dated Regional Mexican Airplay chart.

Previously, Banda MS enlisted Fuerza Regida for “Santo Patrón,” which dips 16-39 after reaching No. 13 in June.

“Mentira No Es” rules with 7.5 million audience impressions earned in the week ending July 20, according to Luminate. That’s a 38% gain from the week prior, an increase that secures the track the week’s Greatest Gainer honor.

As the collaboration advances to the top, Banda MS collects its 19th No. 1, and first since “Hay Que Hacer Dinero,” featuring Eden Muñoz, led for a week in July 2022.

Fuerza Regida, meanwhile, captures its second Regional Mexican Airplay No. 1, following the three-week command of “Bebe Dame,” with Grupo Frontera, this March-April.

As “Mentira No Es” grants Banda MS its 19th ruler, the Mazatlán group breaks from a tie with both Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga and Intocable for the second-most No. 1s overall in the list’s history. Only Calibre 50, with 23 champs, claims more.

Most Regional Mexican Airplay No. 1s:
23, Calibre 50
19, Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga
18, Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga
18, Intocable
17, La Arrolladora Banda el Limon de Rene Camacho
16, Conjunto Primavera
16, Los Tigres del Norte
15, Christian Nodal

Elsewhere, “Mentira No Es” vaults 18-6 for a new best on the overall Latin Airplay chart, also the week’s biggest gainer there. The song becomes Banda MS’ 24th top 10 and likewise first since “Hay Que Dinero,” which hit No. 6 last July. The new top 10 is Fuerza Regida’s second, after “Bebe Dame” led for a week in March.

Intocable Earns Record-Tying 45th Top 10 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay Chart

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a milestone tie for Intocable.

The Regional Mexican band, hailing from Zapata, Texas, has reached a milestone 45 top 10s on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart as “Un Poquito Tuyo” rises 13-9 on the December 10-dated ranking.

Intocable now ties with Los Tigres del Norte for the most top 10s overall.

“Un Poquito Tuyo” lands in the upper reaches of the chart in its fifth week due to a 15% weekly increase in audience impressions earned in the U.S. in the week ending December 4, according to Luminate.

The song was released on October 14 via Good I Music.

“Un Poquito Tuyo” is the second single from Intocable’s forthcoming album (release date to be announced).

It was written by Carlos Preciado and Ricardo Muñoz.

The song advances to the tally’s top region and earns the group its 45th top 10, all spanning four decades, tying with Los Tigres del Norte for the most top 10s since the chart launched in 1994.

Here’s the leaderboard:

45, Intocable
45, Los Tigres del Norte
44, Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga
36, Los Tucanes de Tijuana
35, La Arrolladora Banda el Limón de Rene Camacho
32, Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
32, Calibre 50
30, Marco Antonio Solis
28, Conjunto Primavera
24, Vicente Fernandez

The new top 10 arrives just a month after the sextet earned its second top 10 of 2022 through “Más Muerto Que Vivo,” with Matisse (November 5-dated ranking).

Previously, “Si Me Duele Que Duela” ruled for two week in July.

Elsewhere, “Un Poquito Tuyo” climbs 32-26 on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart.

Alejandro Fernández Earns Fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay Chart with La Arrolladora-Collaboration “Nunca Dudes En Llamarme”

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

There’s no doubt Alejandro Fernández knows how to create hit music…

The 51-year-old Mexican singer, nicknamed El Potrillo, has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart with “Nunca Dudes En Llamarme,” his collaboration with La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de Rene Camacho.

The track rises from No. 3 to the summit on the chart dated September 17.

“Nunca Dudes En Llamarme” takes the Greatest Gainer honors of the week boosted by a 35% gain in audience impressions, to 6.54 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 11, according to Luminate.

The new champ, released July 15 via UMLE, reaches the penthouse in its eighth week on the chart, after its top 20 debut (at No. 16 on the July 30-dated ranking).

“Nunca Dudes En Llamarme” gives La Arrolladora its 17th No. 1 among 45 chart appearances. The band concurrently enters a tie with Intocable for the fourth-most.

Let’s take a look at the leaderboard:

22, Calibre 50
18, Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga
18, Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga
17, Intocable
17, La Arrolladora Banda el Limon de Rene Camacho
16, Conjunto Primavera
16, Los Tigres del Norte

Meanwhile, Fernández scores his first champ in over a year – his fifth in total. He clocked his last No. 1 through another team-up: “Duele,” with Christian Nodal, in April 2021.

Elsewhere, “Nunca Dudes En Llamarme” takes La Arrolladora to the upper region on the all-genre Latin Airplay ranking with a 13-8 lift.

With the move, the Sinaloans claim their 22nd top 10, the fifth-most among regional Mexican acts. Plus, Fernández captures his 21st, also the fifth-most among Latin pop acts.

Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga Earns 18th No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay Chart

Posted on September 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Make that four chart-toppers in a row for Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga.

The Mexican banda’s first collaboration with Grupo Firme, “El Reemplazo,” has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay tally dated September 3.

The original version of “El Reemplazo” finds its home on Grupo Firme’s 2020 LP Nos Divertimos Logrando Lo Imposible.

The new version, alongside Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga, was released May 31 via LGA/Music VIP. It takes over atop Regional Mexican Airplay (rising 4-1) as the Greatest Gainer of the week, thanks to a 28% gain in audience impressions, to 5.7 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending August 28, according to Luminate.

“El Reemplazo” trades places with La Fiera de Ojinaga’s “Luna de Miel” with a 4-1 dip after its one-week reign.

For Banda El Recodo, “El Reemplazo” is its fourth consecutive win among a collection of 18 champs. The 18th No. 1 moves the group into a tie for the second-most No. 1s since the chart launched in 1994. They tie Banda MS’ 18 rulers, while Calibre 50 remains ahead with 22 leaders.

Notably, Banda El Recodo is just the third band, alongside Intocable and Los Tigres del Norte, to score No. 1 titles in four decades.

Here’s a recap of his No. 1s in the 1990s, 2000s, ‘10s and now ’20s:

Peak, Title, Artist
Feb. 20, 1999, “Adorable Mentirosa,” Juan Gabriel Con Banda El Recodo
Dec. 4, 1999, “Te Ofrezco Un Corazón,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
May 20, 2000, “Yo Se Que Te Acordarás,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
March 31, 2001, “Y Llegaste Tú,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Aug. 24, 2002, “No Me Se Rajar,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
April 19, 2008, “Tómame O Déjame,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Feb. 14, 2009, “Te Presumo,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Dec. 5, 2009, “Me Gusta Todo De Ti,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
June 19, 2010, “Dime Que Me Quieres,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Dec. 10, 2011, “Te Quiero A Morir,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Aug. 11, 2012, “Sin Respiración,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
April 6, 2013, “La Mejor De Todas,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Nov. 23, 2013, “Vas A Llorar Por Mí,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
July 25, 2015, “Mi Vicio Mas Grande,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Oct. 9, 2021, “Qué Tienen Tus Palabras?,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Feb. 19, 2022, “Esta Vida Es Muy Bonita,” Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
June 11, 2022, “Brindo,” Mario Bautista & Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Sept. 3, 2022, “El Reemplazo,” Grupo Firme & Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga

The new win gifts Grupo Firme its fifth No. 1.

In October of 2021, Grupo Firme marked a career milestone as the third act to score an entry on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 with a regional Mexican song — when “Supérame (En Vivo Desde Culiacán, Sinaloa)” (one of their five Regional Mexican No. 1s) entered the Hot 100.

Beyond its Regional Mexican Airplay coronation, “El Reemplazo” concurrently makes progress on the all-genre Latin Airplay chart with an 18-12 trek.

Raphael to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Billboard Latin Music Awards

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Raphael is being feted for his extraordinary career…

The 79-year-old Spanish singer and actor will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards, according to Telemundo.

Raphael will be recognized for his “exceptional professional career and his artistic and personal contributions” that have influenced the development of Latin music around the world.

The singer will also perform during the awards show, which will take place on Thursday, September 29, at the Watsco Canter in Miami and will be broadcast live on Telemundo beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards — where Bad Bunny leads the list of finalists with a whopping 23 nods across 13 categories — will be simulcast on Telemundo, Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

With a musical career that spans more than 60 years, Raphael — known for anthemic songs such as “Yo Soy Aquel,” “En Carne Viva” and “Mi Gran Noche” — has garnered worldwide recognition as a pioneer of Spanish-language romantic ballads.

In 1962, he began his professional career, where he soon earned first, second and third prize at Spain’s Festival Internacional de la Canción in Benidorm. He also performed two consecutive times at the Eurovision Festival, starred in various films and hosted a radio show called The Raphael Show.

To date, he’s recorded more than 60 albums and has sold over 70 million records. Raphael is currently on tour in support of his Raphael 6.0 LP.

He’s slated to release a new album at the end of the year.

Past recipients of the Billboard lifetime achievement award include Paquita la del Barrio, Armando Manzanero, Miguel Bosé, Los Temerarios, Intocable, José José, Marco Antonio Solís, Ricardo Arjona and Maná, among others.

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs to Perform at Next Year’s Chicago-Based Ruido Fest

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs are ready to make some ruido…

After a year away, Chicago’s Ruido Fest is set to return in August with a star-studded lineup that includes the Argentine ska band, Café Tacvba and Panteón Rococó as headliners.

Marking the return of one of Latin music’s biggest festivals to the Midwest since the COVID-19 pandemic, the alt-rock fest is set to take place on August 20-22 at Union Park. Other artists set to perform throughout the three-day event include Moenia, Los Amigos Invisibles, La Doña, Lido Pimienta, Mexican Institute of Sound and Little Jesus, among others.

The announcement arrives as cities across the country are beginning to loosen COVID restrictions, including Chicago, which is currently in its “bridge phase” of its reopening plan.

Max Wagner, co-founder of Ruido and owner of event production company Metronome, tells Billboard that production will follow state and city guidelines.

“The hope is that by late August things are somewhat back to normal,” Wagner says. “We will try to keep everyone safe. There will be more people cleaning and all of our staff will be required to have masks across the grounds. With fans attending, we’ll follow CDC guidelines and whatever they’re saying at the time of the festival in terms of mask or no masks outdoors.”

Launched in 2015, Ruido Fest has featured an array of Latin artists, including Enanitos Verdes, Hombres G, Zoé, Molotov, Vanessa Zamora, Bomba Estéreo, Intocable, El Tri, Los Tigres del Norte and Maldita Vecindad.

For more information on the festival and how to buy tickets, visit ruidofest.com.

Here’s the Ruido 2021 lineup in alphabetical order:

Ambar Lucid
Café Tacvba (Sunday headliner)
El Chisme
El Shirota
Evil Empire
Inner Wave
Kaina
La Armada
La Doña
Las Nubes
Lido Pimienta
Little Jesus
Los Amigos Invisibles
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (Friday headliner)
Margaritas Podridas
Maye
Mexican Institute of Sound
Moenia
Nahuales Underground
Nanpa Básico
Panteón Rococó (Saturday headliner)
Rosalba Valdez
Silverio
The Mini Projects
Tone Zone Skam

Calibre 50 Scores 19th No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay Chart with “Vamos Bien”

Posted on May 7, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Calibre 50 is celebrating another chart-topper…

The Mexican norteño-banda group’s “Vamos Bien” rises on No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart dated May 8.

Calibre 50 captures its 19th leader on the 26-year tally and extends its record for the most No. 1s.

“Vamos Bien” ascends 2-1 with 7.1 million in audience impressions, up 17%, earned in the week ending May 2, according to MRC Data.

The title track of Vamos Bien (No. 12 high, Regional Mexican Albums, February 20-dated list), is the third song from the album to land atop the Regional Mexican Airplay chart. It trails “Barquillero” (four-week champ, July 2020) and “Te Volvería a Elegir” (six- week winner, Dec. 2020).

With the songs move, Calibre 50 extends its record for the most No. 1s, raising its career count of No. 1s, ahead of Conjunto Primavera and Intocable, both with 16 No. 1s.

Here are the groups with the most leaders on Regional Mexican Airplay:

No. 1s, Artist
19, Calibre 50
16, Conjunto Primavera
16, Intocable
15, Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga
15, Los Tigres del Norte

In addition to its Regional Mexican Airplay coronation, “Vamos Bien” speeds up the all-genre Latin Airplay pushing 12-5. As Calibre 50 adds a 22nd top 10 to its career, it continues to hold the record for the most top 10s by a regional Mexican group.

Ivonne Galaz Releases Tribute Song to Murdered U.S. Army Soldier Vanessa Guillén

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Ivonne Galaz is raising her voice to honor murdered U.S. army soldier Vanessa Guillén.

The Mexican singer, one of the young female singers leading the emerging corridos tumbados movement, revisits Guillén’s tragic fate in a tribute song she’s uploaded to her Instagram account.

“JusticeForVanessaGuillen with much respect to Vanessa’s family,” wrote Galaz, who titled the track “Vanessa Guillén.”

After Guillén’s disappearance made national headlines, the lawyer for her family confirmed on Sunday that the U.S. Armypositively identified the soldier’s remains near the Leon River in Texas last week.

Guillén, 20, a soldier in Fort Hood, was declared missing by her family since April, but the search for her only intensified last month when the family went public with appeals to find her.

Galaz, the first female signee on corridos tumbados label Rancho Humilde, uploaded the song to Instagram on Sunday night. Corridos tumbados (sometimes referred to as trap corridos) are a new take on the traditional Mexican song from the perspective of the youth in the streets of the U.S.

Backed by an acoustic guitar, Galáz sympathizes with Guillén’s family in her heartbreaking corrido. “Her suffering family asking, ‘Where is the girl?'” she sings in Spanish. Galáz sadly notes Guillén’s “light has been put out” while highlighting her heritage in the haunting final line: “The Mexican people, we will be there so that her case is not forgotten.”

Many Latino artists, including Becky G, Chiquis, Salma Hayek and Intocable, have posted about Guillen in social media, demanding answers from authorities at her base.

The main suspect in Guillén’s murder, Spc. Aaron David Robinson, who was stationed with the her at Fort Hood, killed himself last Wednesday as investigators were closing in. Robinson’s reported girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, says Robinson murdered Guillén and that she tried to help him dispose of her body. Aguilar was charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

Galáz hails from Senora, Mexico, the same state as her labelmate Natanael Cano. She made her debut last year as a featured artist on Cano’s “Golpes de La Vida” from his Mi Nuevo Yo EP. On Rancho Humilde’s recent Corridos Tumbados Vol. 2 album, Galáz recorded with Cano again and also teamed up with Natalie Lopéz on the girl-powered “La Rueda.” A solo project from Galaz is due out soon.

Intocable Offering Fans “Concert Meets Drive-In Movie” Experience This Weekend

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Intocable’s showing the band’s drive…

Keeping in line with their role as musical and industry trendsetters, the The Tejano and Norteño band from Zapata, Texaswill lead the return of live music in Texas following a more than two-month absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a drive-in concert on Saturday, June 6, 2020, in Poteet.

The event is a “concert meets drive-in movie” experience, according to the group’s website, and Intocable’s lead vocalist/accordionist Ricardo Muñoz shared details about the event during several Instagram Live videos posted this week.

The informal videos, featured a bearded Muñoz, who at times puffed away on a cigar, as he addressed a wide and varied range of topics from the reason for the concert to the availability of portable bathrooms.

Muñoz, who spoke in Spanish, said the concert, which will be a full live audio and video production, is an opportunity to support the two-time Grammy-winning group’s behind-the-scenes staff and crew who have been grounded for months due to the coronavirus pandemic putting an end to live touring, and most importantly, to make music again.

Muñoz even discussed the issue of portable bathrooms in one video, encouraging concertgoers to limit their food and drink intake so as to avoid bathroom breaks and having to leave their vehicles.

Concertgoers could pay anywhere from $75 to $300 per car – with a maximum of four people per car – for the June 6 event which will enforce social distancing with space between parking slots and strict rules enforced which include that concertgoers remain inside of their vehicles for the concert’s duration.

Muñoz said the concert’s site in Poteet near the Poteet Strawberry Festival grounds was chosen as the venue, that they were get the required permission to host the event, and that they coordinated the concert to meet safety standards and guidelines regarding the coronaviruspandemic.

Other drive-in concerts, including a May 14 free concert for first responders by country star Keith Urban in Tennessee, took place recently and could possibly be music lovers’ only option for live music during this pandemic.

Intocable’s drive-in concert will allow attendees to bring their own food and drink, including alcohol for those ages 21 and up, as long as refreshments are consumed inside the vehicle.

Fans will also have two large video screens on each side of the stage and the option of tuning in to a designated FM radio station to enjoy the concert.

Intocable Drive-In Concert Event Details
Saturday, June 6, 2020
9477 N State Highway 16, Poteet, Texas
Gates open at 6;30 pm; Music starts at 7:30 pm
Tickets valid for four (4) guests per vehicle.
Prices: $75 to $300 for VIP. (Extra tickets: $25 each)

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