New in Latin Music: Peso Pluma, Eslabón Armado, Anitta and stars galore vie for Summer's hottest track

Peso Pluma, Eslabon Armado new song — Courtesy Nevarez PR

MIAMI - The heat is on—both literally and metaphorically—in the world of Latin music. This week, some of the biggest names in música en español released tracks, each vying for the coveted title of "song of the 2024 summer."

Surprisingly, by the second week of May, there is still not a track that is beginning to dominate the charts, but perhaps this latest batch of albums and songs will change everything, starting with "La Durango." This song has it all: it's a classic corrido tumbado by the artists who revolutionized Latin music last year: Peso Pluma and Eslabón Armado.

La Doble P and the Mexican-American quartet scored the biggest hit of 2023 with "Ella baila sola," and they're clearly aiming to repeat that success, this time with the help of their compa, Junior H.

Releases in Latin urban music this week

Anitta's name appears twice in this week's list of top new Latin music tracks. The Brazilian supernova features in a remix of Omar Monte's "Sal y Arena," alongside artists such as Sech, Saiko, FMK, Lil Killah, and Tunvao. Fresh from spending the previous weekend with Madonna at her historic, massive concert in Rio de Janeiro—attended by 1.6 million people—Anitta also shines in Wisin's "Peligrosa," with Shaggy and Maffio.

"Pueblo de Medallo" is the lead single from Ryan Castro's new album, "El Cantante del Guetto." This powerful collaboration with Yandel represents just a glimpse of the Colombian artist's impressive 18-track record, which is set to elevate his status in the Latin music scene.

The standout track among the latest Urban Latin music releases is "Tonight" by the Black Eyed Peas, featuring Becky G and El Alfa. This song, the theme for the upcoming movie "Bad Boys: Ride or Die," the fourth installment of the franchise led by Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, promises to be a hit.

New Latin music albums

Colombian artist Camilo has released "tres," the continuation of his delightful musical experiment, which includes two previous mini-albums. Like its predecessors, "un" and "dos", this record is a delightful exploration of Latin tropical music, starting with its focus track, "Misión Imposible."

Peruvian uber singer-songwriter Gianmarco delivers a powerful lyrical album in "Aún Me Sigo Encontrando" (I Am Still Finding Myself), featuring immortal songs like the title track with salsa legend Rubén Blades, and "Dicen en Mi Barrio," a beautiful collaboration with Nicaraguan salsa icon Luis Enrique and Colombian pop artist Gusi.

Grupo Frontera's sophomore album "No Pasa Nada" is a wonderful blend of cumbias norteñas, country songs, and even bachatas. Notable appearances include Maluma, Nicki Nicole, Christian Nodal, and Morat.

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Last but not least is Reik's "Panorama." The Mexican trio has been releasing singles for the album since last year, successfully building anticipation that peaked with their dramatic appearance at the Canelo-Munguía fight last weekend, where they escorted Munguía to the ring. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Chui, Bibi, and Juli return to the pop roots that established Reik as a powerhouse in Latin music.

In addition to their hit "El Correcto" ft. Carin León, the album features collaborations with Lagos and Leo Rizzi, and a collection of 13 tracks, including "Es lo que hay," "Pasajero," "Detenme," and the heart-wrenching "Gracias por nada." The Mexican artists are kicking off their "Panorama Tour" this weekend in South Florida.