Corridos

Corridos are narrative ballads rooted in Mexican folk tradition, dating back to the 19th century as a form of musical journalism that chronicled revolution, heroes, and everyday struggles. Unlike the romantic lamentations of ranchera or the celebratory pulse of cumbia, corridos prioritize storytelling—delivered in a straightforward, almost spoken style over accordion-driven norteño arrangements or brass-heavy banda instrumentation. The genre's lyrical DNA centers on real-life events: border crossings, drug trade exploits, political corruption, and tales of survival, making it a sonic newspaper for communities often ignored by mainstream media.

Modern corridos have splintered into subgenres like narcocorridos, which glamorize cartel culture with unflinching detail, and corridos tumbados, blending trap beats with traditional strings. Artists range from old-guard chroniclers like Chalino Sánchez—whose raw, unpolished delivery became legendary—to contemporary acts experimenting with global sounds while retaining the genre's confessional core. This isn't background music; it demands attention, turning listeners into witnesses of triumph, tragedy, and the blurred morality of borderland life.

Corridos matter because they refuse to sanitize history. They give voice to the voiceless, immortalize the forgotten, and spark controversy precisely because they tell truths others won't. Dive in to understand the pulse of a culture that turns lived experience into unforgettable verse.