Mexico and the U.S. might not agree on how to end the drug war or where to store El Chapo, but say this for international unity: we both love us some Banda MS. The banda’s uncharacteristically snappy “Piénsalo” continues at #1, both on the Mexican “Popular” chart and on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican chart, which measures U.S. airplay. Within the genre, they occupy the same position Arrolladora did a couple years ago, where any single they release is guaranteed to inundate radio playlists and hang out high on the charts for a couple months. (Not that Arrolladora’s doing badly for themselves lately — see #7 below.) I for one welcome our new romantic overlords and would like to encourage them to play a unity concert for the Supreme Leader of Iran.
New and notable this week:
At #12, Noel Torres’ ballad “Me Interesas” finally enters the Mexican chart, more than a year after topping U.S. airplay. More notable as an accordion hero and corridero, Torres also knows how to do banda romance right, largely because he knows his own voice. Nobody’s ever gonna mistake him for the world’s greatest crooner, so he skimps on the vibrato and instead delivers each lyric with forthright efficiency that cuts through the sentiment. Hearing him grow more confident with ballads has been an unexpected pleasure of following his career. (Don’t confuse “Me Interesas” with El Komander’s “Me Interesa,” returning to this chart at #16 and not nearly so interesante. Nobody’s ever gonna mistake El Komander for the world’s greatest crooner either, but he has fewer coping strategies for ballads.) An unenthusiastic Pick to Click!, then — did I mention this song is really old?
Happy 25th anniversary to Jalisco’s Banda Pequeños Musical! They’re at #11 with “Perdón,” featuring some sweet bachata guitar licks amid the brass, as well as some creepy Korg keyboard lines from a supremely mulleted individual. I know this because of the video, which depicts a married office cad trying to pick up his attractive new coworker by spilling coffee on her and offering her an “apology” gift. Offices across the continent should show this video as part of harassment orientation.
Up one at #10, this time it’s the mujer doing the cheating. Luis Antonio Lopez — “El Mimoso” (“The Cuddly One”) to his friends — gives us “Típico Clásico,” a so-so ballad that’s nevertheless a good showcase for his voice. El Mimoso used to sing for genre giants Banda El Recodo; here he is in 2007 doing “No Hay Novedad,” whose very funny video shows us a man in the grip of psychosis.
Saul “El Jaguar” is down at #19, singing a song less memorable than bubbling under hits from Luz María (“Maquillaje”) and Remmy Valenzuela (“¿Por Qué Me Ilusionaste?”).
These are the Top 20 “Popular” songs in Mexico, as measured by monitorLATINO. Don’t confuse “Popular” with the “General” list, which contains many of the same songs but also “Worth It,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” Calvin Harris/Disciples’ “How Deep Is Your Love” (#5!), and a piano ballad by Jesse & Joy that sounds like it should soundtrack an especially poignant jewelry commercial.
1. “Piénsalo” – Banda MS
2. “La Peda” – Banda Los Recoditos
3. “La Miel de Su Saliva” – Banda El Recodo
4. “El Viejon” – La Adictiva Banda San Jose
5. “Te Cambio El Domicilio” – Banda Carnaval
6. “Aunque Ahora Estés Con Él” – Calibre 50
7. “Para Qué Pides Perdón” – La Arrolladora Banda El Limón
8. “La Revancha” – Banda La Trakalosa
9. “Pongámonos de Acuerdo” – Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda
10. “Típico Clásico” – Luis Antonio Lopez “El Mimoso”
11. “Perdón” – Banda Pequeños Musical
12. “Me Interesas” – Noel Torres
13. “Después de Ti ¿Quién?” – La Adictiva Banda San Jose
14. “Ya No Soy El Mandadero” – Fidel Rueda
15. “Por Qué Terminamos” – Gerardo Ortiz
16. “Me Interesa” – El Komander
17. “Amor de la Vida Alegre” – Marco A. Flores y Su Numero Uno Banda Jerez
18. “Soltero Disponible” – Regulo Caro
19. “Mi Niña Adorada” – Saul “El Jaguar”
20. “Sin Esencia” – Espinoza Paz
¡Adios!
“Entre Ella Y Tú” – Leandro Rios
“Besos Nuevos” – El Bebeto
“Por Si No Recuerdas” – Banda Los Sebastianes
“Debajo Del Puente” – Los Huracanes Del Norte
“Se Va Muriendo Mi Alma” – La Séptima Banda
“Estoy Con Otro En la Cama” – Los Horóscopos de Durango
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