The explosive growth of regional Mexican music has been well documented — including as part of SoundCloud’s mini-documentary series, SCENES: Música Mexicana — and its enormous influence on global music culture cannot be ignored. Mexican music is a juggernaut that encompasses many sub-genres — banda, norteño, sierreño, mariachi — and the narrative thread that runs through all of them is corridos. As a common storytelling mechanism in Mexican music, the corrido can adapt to traditional and modern sounds.The latest iteration that’s proving to be inescapable is electro corridos, a hybrid of corridos and house.
Of course, this didn’t happen overnight. There have been massive clues along the way. In 2019, Bad Bunny hopped on the “Soy el Diablo (remix)” with a then 18-year-old Mexican artist named Natanael Cano. Until then, the world had never heard Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico’s golden child, rapping over a requinto guitar. For Cano, the call from Bad Bunny proved something he suspected all along: that there’s appeal beyond borders for corridos tumbados — a hybrid of traditional music from Cano’s parents’ generation and trap.
By the time Cano dropped “AMG” in 2022, featuring Gabito Ballesteros and Peso Pluma, this new brand of corridos (which Cano created) had become the soundtrack of a generation. There was no turning back. Yet, the Mexican music phenomenon was still largely being filed under the “IYKYK” category outside of Mexico and Mexican American communities. That all began to change in 2023 when “Ella Baila Sola,” a collaboration between Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma, became the first Mexican song to top the Billboard Top 200 chart.
It wasn’t a party that most in the mainstream were familiar with — with its live charchetas, trombone and tololoche instruments — but it signaled a shift in the center of gravity for Latin music. After Peso Pluma became a household name, the biggest global hits in Latin music, besides reggaeton, became those that were undeniably and unapologetically Mexican.
It’s a simple idea: everybody wants to come to el pari (the party), but in order to get in, they have to learn the secret handshakes and the slang. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a party without electro corridos, which serve as a bridge between Ibiza’s hottest clubs and Mexico City’s neon-drenched scene, where champagne flows, rubicon Jeeps line up outside and inside things get out of control — or bélico. There’s a raunchiness to the lyrics that would make your abuela’s head explode, but that’s part of the appeal.
On SoundCloud, fans and artists alike are uploading electro corridos sets everywhere from Cologne, Germany, to Chihuahua, Mexico. Not surprisingly, dance heavyweights have been quick to get in on the momentum behind Mexican music (see “Harley Quinn” by Fuerza Regida and Marshmello, and “Nataaoki” by Natanael Cano and Steve Aoki).
Corridos, at their core, are memorable stories about somebody, somewhere. Through the ages, they have proven to be Mexican music culture’s most enduring instrument, adapting to any given genre, era, vocal tone and subject matter to ensure their survival. In the 1800s, they served as a way to spread news about revolutionary battles from town to town. Eventually, they became known as a means to immortalize famous (and infamous) figures, the occasional cartel boss included. Corridos from OGs like Los Tigres del Norte gave a voice to the immigrant struggle.
In modern corridos, life is a movie, and in that movie anything is possible. Newcomers like the self-proclaimed Avengers of the scene (Kevin AMF, Victor Mendivil, Dani Flow, Tiagz, Sebastian Esquivel and Eugenio Esquivel) are redefining the corrido to fit their blockbuster-sized ambitions. For the more established corridos artists, this type of experimentation with other genres isin their DNA. Supergroup Fuerza Regida, for instance, coined the term Jersey corridos (a fusion of corridos and Jersey club) on their latest album, ‘Pero No Te Enamores.’ Mexican American producer/DJ Deorro, who is signed to Peso Pluma’s Double P Records, recently released a memorable collaboration with Alex Favela (“Ushuaïa”) and Jasiel Nuñez (“Belicosa”), and shows no signs of slowing down.
Dive into this collection of electro corridos tracks to hear how artists across borders and generations are evolving Mexican music.
LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS OF ELECTRO CORRIDOS PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD NOW.
Deorro, Alex Favela, “Ushuaïa”
This 2025 collab between Deorro and his fellow Californian is a non-stop ticket to Ibiza. Here, Favela shows off his romantic side.
Alex Favela, Hector Vargas, Fend, “Full of Hoes”
If Favela, 21, seems like he’s unstoppable, it’s because he’s been working towards this since age 9, when he got his start in his father’s local band in Los Angeles. This track alongside Hector Vargas is perfect for the club but also the pre- and after-party festivities.
Steve Aoki, Oscar Maydon, “Corridos y Alcohol”
By now, Aoki is well acquainted with the corridos lifestyle. Here, the focus is on Maydon, a 25-year-old vocalist from Mexicali whose hits keep on coming back to back.
Alex Favela, Código FN, Oscar Ortiz, “ALVRGZO”
Some call this type of track electro corridos, others call it house bélico. No matter what you call it, this collaboration between the two Gen Z artists and Código FN, their more seasoned corridos counterparts, is dance-floor ready.
Deorro, Jasiel Nuñez, “Belicosa”
A fun pairing between two artists on Peso Pluma’s label. Fun fact: Nuñez loves nuggets and responding to fans’ comments.
Sebastian Esquivel, Blessd, Eugenio Esquivel, “EXCESO”
The self-proclaimed kings of electro corridos, who recently completed their first U.S. tour, recruited Colombian rapper Blessd for this ode to a life of excess.
Fuerza Regida, “NEL”
The song that started the Jersey corridos wave. This standout track from Fuerza Regida’s ‘PERO NO TE ENAMORES’ album starts out with an electronic vibe but ends with reggaeton.
Alex Favela, Victor Mendivil, El Padrinito Toys, “TOMORROWLAND”
Kevin AMF, Victor Mendivil, Dani Flow feat. Sebastian Esquivel, Eugenio Esquivel, Tiagz, “Cachondos Session #1”
In this almost five-minute track, there’s reggaeton mexa, Brazilian funk, an accordion, deafening bass, heavy synths, a machine gun and Kevin AMF’s signature maniacal laugh. Like a lot of electro corridos, the song centers around individuals who are self-deprecating in their ostentation.
Eugenio Esquivel, Grupo Marca Registrada, Sebastian Esquivel, “Alucín”
In Mexican slang, the alucín persona is someone who hallucinates about their social status. Brothers Sebastian and Eugenio Esquivel often play up that persona for laughs, with Michael Jackson-like dance moves, chains, cowboy boots and unbuttoned silk shirts. This anthem with Grupo Marca Registrada invites everyone to play the part.
Michelle Maciel, Grupo Marca Registrada, “PLYBOY”
Trans artist Maciel, 27, is breaking barriers in Mexican music in more ways than one. His style mixes pop, urban, and corridos influences. In this track, he and the Culiacan, Mexico veterans take turns fessing up to their playboy ways, and things get downright debaucherous in the club.
Joaquin Medina, Calle 24, DannyLux feat. Sheeno, “KATY PERRY”
It’s no secret that corridos artists love naming their songs after famous women, real or fictional. Here, the muse is a certain California girl.
Fuerza Regida, Marshmello, “HARLEY QUINN”
Marshmello had already done a merengue dance fusion with Manuel Turizo in 2023, and later that year, he immersed himself in Mexican culture with Fuerza Regida. What came about was one of the first high-profile collabs between a big name in the electronic scene and a superstar act from the new Mexican wave.
DannyLux, “HOUSE OF LUX”
The 21-year-old artist, born and bred in the California desert, loves experimenting with genres, including bachata, indie pop and house. On this track from his ‘DLUX’ album, he flirts with an electronic sound, but in his signature laidback mode.
Natanael Cano, Steve Aoki, “Nataaoki”
Aoki was one of the first DJs to see the global potential in Mexican music. In this exclusive Voice Notes interview with SoundCloud, he talks about some of his favorite collabs, including this 2022 track with the king of corridos tumbados himself, Natanael Cano.
Fuerza Regida, “KYLIE”
Led by Jesús Ortíz Paz, a.k.a J.O.P, Fuerza Regida knows how to break with tradition. This track, another standout from their 2024 ‘PERO NO TE ENAMORES’ album, is an ode to a certain member of the Kardashian / Jenner clan.
Luis R Conriquez, Joaquin Medina, “Pura Belicada”
Conriquez, 29, is the architect behind corridos bélicos, a brand of corridos known for depicting a life of luxury while touching on themes of violence. Here, he teams up with Joaquin Medina for high-caliber electro corrido.
Junior H, “LAST SONG”
Not even all the flowers in the world can save this relationship. Here, original sad boy Junior H, a corridos tumbados pioneer, basically cries on the dancefloor.
Steve Aoki, Natanael Cano, “Kong 2.0”
The second collaboration between these two greats shows they have what it takes to drop a whole album together. As Aoki shared in this Sound Advice interview with SoundCloud, he’s always looking for ways to bridge cultures through music.
Kevin AMF, “Rich Kid”
This 2023 track put the 17-year-old Culiacan, Mexico, native on the map. Now he’s a regular on the electro corridos circuit.
Los Esquivel, Prince Royce, Brray, “Bachata Bélica”
The future of corridos may just be in the Caribbean, as proven by this bachata-flavored fusion featuring Dominican American Prince Royce and Puerto Rican rapper Brray.
LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS OF ELECTRO CORRIDOS PLAYLIST ON SOUNDCLOUD NOW.
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