Billboard and Cerveza Victoria Celebrate the Rise of Música Mexicana
Written by Nitro Pulse Radio on July 2, 2026
This article was written in partnership with Cerveza Victoria
Latin music is more popular than ever before: in the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)’s annual report, the organization shared that Latin music has hit its tenth consecutive year of growth and passed over $1 billion in wholesale revenue.
From dominating global charts to headlining the world’s biggest stages, Latin artists represent their cultures with pride. Among the most popular subgenres is Regional Mexican music, or música mexicana, a legacy genre that has existed for over 100 years. In the first 24 weeks of 2026, música mexicana generated approximately 12.44 million Album Equivalent units in the US, according to Luminate, and the genre has outperformed the main Latin genre label in growth rate.
As the new generation is adopting música mexicana into the mainstream, they are giving it their own unique spin. At the forefront of this movement is Clave Especial. Consisting of members Alejandro Ahumada, Rogelio Gonzalez and Leonardo Lomeli, the California-based group quickly rose to fame with their urban-influenced corridos songs, earning collaborations with established Mexican acts including Fuerza Regida and Luis R. Conriquez.
Clave Especial is partnering with Cerveza Victoria and Billboard to celebrate música mexicana. As Mexico’s oldest operating beer brand, Cerveza Victoria is woven into the fabric of Mexican culture, paired with celebrations filled with music and dancing. Now, Victoria is bringing fans closer to the music they love with an exclusive interview and performance with Clave Especial. Check out their Billboard Live performance of “EA EA EA” from their new EP AFTERAFTER, below.
