Spanish Language Formats Regional Mexican "Regional Mexican" is a US record industry term invented to make buying and displaying music easier for non-Hispanic retailers. The idea behind the name is valid.  "Mexican music" is roughly equivalent to country in the US, but the genre is made up of styles that come from the different areas or regions of Mexico. Banda comes from the northern Pacific Coast state of Sinaloa. Norteña comes from the state of Nuevo León and the area around it. Ranchera comes from the Jalisco zone In Mexico, the radio format consisting of any mix of these elements is called "grupera" or simply, "group music." Some of the Principal Regional Mexican stations in the US Market Station Market Station Market Station Los Angeles KBUE-FM Las Vegas KISF-FM Denver KXPK-FM Los Angeles KDLD-FM Austin KLJA-FM Denver KBNO-AM Los Angeles KLAX-FM Austin KLZT-FM Portland, OR KRYP-FM Los Angeles KSCA-FM Austin KLQB-FM Charlotte WNOW-AM Los Angeles KWIZ-FM Indianapolis WEDJ-FM Riverside KRQB-FM Chicago WOJO-FM Raleigh WYMY-FM Riverside KXSB-FM Chicago WLEY-FM Oklahoma City KTUZ-FM Sacramento KGRB-FM San Francisco KRZZ-FM McAllen KKPS-FM Salt Lake City KDUT-FM San Francisco KSOL-FM McAllen KGBT-FM San Antonio KLEY-FM Dallas KFZO-FM Tucson KCMT-FM San Antonio KXTN-FM Dallas KBOC-FM Fresno KLBN-FM San Antonio KROM-FM Dallas KLNO-FM Fresno KOND-FM San Antonio KSAH-AM Dallas KNOR-FM Albuquerque KLVO-FM Boise, ID KWEI-FM Houston KLTN-FM Albuquerque KJFA-FM Boise, ID KPDA-FM Houston KTJM-FM El Paso XHH-FM  Oxnard- KXLM-FM Houston KQBU-FM El Paso XHIM-FM Oxnard- KOXR-AM Houston KQQK-FM El Paso XHNZ-FM Oxnard- KMLA-FM Atlanta WBZY-FM Bakersfield KMQA-FM Santa Rosa, KXTS-FM Phoenix KLNZ-FM Bakersfield KMYX-FM Palm Springs, KUNA-FM Phoenix KHOT-FM Bakersfield KIWI-FM Corpus Christi, KSAB-FM San Diego KLNV-FM Bakersfield KEBT-FM Corpus Christi, KMJR-FM San Diego XHTY-FM Salinas KLOK-FM Corpus Christi, KLHB-FM San Diego XOCL-FM Salinas KRAY-FM Tyler, TX KMPA-FM Nassau-Suffolk WQBU-FM Salinas KSEA-FM Tyler, TX KOYE-FM Tampa WLCC-AM Wichita KYQQ-FM   Regional Mexican Genres Problems playing clips? 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Banda This style is based on large brass bands with the tuba being featured predominantly.   Banda el Recodo La Arrolladora Banda El Limon Banda Song Clips Banda MS - Increíble El Potro de Sinaloa - El enemgo público La Arrolladora - Niña de mi corazón Los Rieleros del Norte - Ni el Diablo te va a querer Montéz de Durango - Mi necesidad Roberto Tapia - Me duele Sergio Vega - Millonario de Amor Saúl "El Jaguar" - Quién te dio permiso Cuisillos - Mil Heridas Voz de Mando - Miente en blanco Patrulla 81 - Como pude enamorarme de ti* Banda El Recodo - Díme que me quieres Tierra Cali - En cambio tu* Espinoza Paz - Al diablo con lo nuestro Banda los Recoditos - La escuelita Julión Alvarez - Ni lo intentes * Derivatives of banda called Durangüense and tierracaliente. Ranchera Ranchera and mariachi date back to the 19th Century. The music can be festive or romantic, and the orchestrations have not varied over the past 50 years. Vicente Fernández The superstar of the genre A Mariachi accompanies ranchera artists. Song Clips Vicente Fernández - Por tu maldito amor Vicente Fernández - Volver, volver Vicente Fernández - Miedo Norteña A variable mix of pop, dance, Latin house and hip-hop, rock, reggaetón, ballads and other contemporary music types. The overlap with Adult Contemporary is considerable; A/C stations tend to play more oldies and less rhythmic songs. Ramón Ayala Larry Hernández Los Tigres del Norte Norteña Song Clips Larry Hernández - Arrastrando las Patas Chalino Sánchez - La nieves de enero Carlos y José - El chubasco Cardenales de Nuevo León - Se renta Conjunto Primavera - Ave Cautiva Los Tiranos del Norte - Hasta la miel amarga Pesado - Ojalá que te mueras Ramón Ayala - Tragos Amargos Los Tigres del Norte - La mesa del rincón Los Tigres del Norte - La jaula de oro Mariachi Mariachi is not as much a style as a lifestyle. Ranchera artists sing to the accompaniment of a mariachi. There is no "mariachi" format, although the sound of the Mariachi is the most internationally recognized of the Mexican styles. You will seldom hear pure mariachi music on the radio, but you will hear many songs with a mariachi backing the singer. The Mariachi Vargas from Tecalitlán, Jalisco.   Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán - Camino Real de Colima Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán - La Adelita Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán - El Carretero Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán - Las Chapanecas Classic Songs In Regional Mexican music, there should be a saying that "you can't keep a good song down." Many of the most famous songs get recorded again every ten years or so, or are recreated in a different genre. Here are two examples of famous songs done in different styles and in different eras. These examples show the wide range of styles within Regional Mexican music, as well as the consistency over years and years of the basic elements.  "Arboles de la Baranca" Versions by: Los Alteños Lila Downes Juan Valentín Instituto Mexicano del Sonido Chalino Sánchez Banda El Recodo Antonio Aguilar (Karaoke track) Antonio Aguilar "Triste Recuerdo" Versions by: Ramón Ayala Pepe Aguilar y Banda El Recodo Patrulla 81 Mariachi Aguila Fabiola (La Academia, Mexico's "Idol" style show) Banda Jerez Antonio Aguilar Corridos Corridos are "story songs" that date to the Mexican revolution of the early 20th Century. The songs told the stories of heroes and battles and politics during the nearly 10 years of civil war in Mexico, and were the news source for the largely illiterate and rural population. Today, corridos tell stories, too. Some are about love and life and immigration, others about the drug trade and the larger than life kingpins of drug trafficing. Playing the drug corridos is not permitted in Mexico, and in the US many major Spanish language broadcasters forbid them also. Still, those songs tell stories that reflect reality and are a part of the Music of Mexico. Corridos may be done in a variety of styles, including norteña, ranchera and even banda-flavored ones. The distinctive element is the narrative nature of the lyrics.