Eslabon Armado’s “Desvelado” Makes History on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums Chart with No. 1 Debut

Posted on May 9, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Eslabon Armado is making history…

The Regional Mexican group has earned a place in the Latin music history books with the No. 1 debut of their full-length album Desvelado on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart dated May 13.

With 44,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week, the set scores the largest week for a regional Mexican album since the survey started measuring titles by units in February 2017.

“It means a lot being No. 1 on Top Latin Albums,” Pedro Tovar tells Billboard. “It’s probably our favorite album, but we didn’t expect it to go that high! Mainly because I know that people don’t like something at first, but when four, five, six months or a whole year pass by, there’s always that one song that hits, and then everybody is like, ‘Oh, this is my favorite album!’”

Desvelado was released April 27 via DEL Records. The 16-track effort starts with 44,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. during the April 28-May 4 tracking week, according to Luminate.

As its predecessor (Nostalgia, 2022), nearly all of Desvelado’s first-week total was fueled by streaming-equivalent album units, with 43,000 stemming from the metric. In total, its songs drew 63.51 million official U.S. streams – the most in a week ever for a regional Mexican album.

The set also boasts the fifth biggest streaming opening week among Latin albums, after Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti (365.55 million official streams, May 2022), YHLQMDLG (201.37 million, March 2020) and El Último Tour del Mundo (145.94 million, Dec. 2020), as well as Karol G’s Mañana Sera Bonito (118.73 million streams, March 11-dated list).

On the all-genre Billboard 200, Desvelado opens at No. 6, becoming the highest rank ever for a regional Mexican album, since the ranking started measuring by units in December 2014. It also becomes the second album to hit the top 10, surpassing Eslabon Armado’s No. 9-peaking Nostalgia in May 2022.

“The hardest challenge producing and recording this album was the timing,” Tovar remembers. “We wanted to release it on the 27th and we had such a short time to record everything. Plus, I didn’t really get much time to put in the final touches, so I put it on God’s hands. The result was amazing.”

As Desvelado arrives at the summit on Top Latin Albums, Eslabon Armado maintain their perfect run of six straight top 10s among six chart appearances. Out of those, one other album took the quartet up the penthouse: the one-week ruler VIbras de Noche in August 2020. Plus, Eslabon’s sixth studio effort sends Benito’s Un Verano Sin Ti to No. 2 after its 46-nonconsecutive-week domination. (Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito crowned for five weeks in between.)

Desvelado was preceded by the No. 1 viral hit “Ella Baila Sola” with Peso Pluma — in its fourth week in charge on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart. It concurrently reaches No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, with 34.6 million official U.S. streams, up 2%. It’s the first regional Mexican song to lead the list and the first No. 1 on the chart for both acts. Elsewhere, “Ella Baila Sola” rises 20-9 on the all-Latin-genre Latin Airplay tally with 6.7 million in audience impressions earned during the same tracking week, a first top 10 for Peso Pluma there.

Meanwhile, among the new recruits on Hot Latin Songs, “Así Lo Quiso Dios,” with Luis R. Conriquez, bows at No. 24. “Quédate Conmigo,” with Grupo Frontera, follows at No. 25, while “Quiés Es El?” starts at No. 33.

“Honestly, ‘Quédate Conmigo,’ with Grupo Frontera, is the song I relate to with the most,” Tovar muses. “It’s super romantic and it fits me perfectly because now I am in love. In a way, I am kind of dedicating that song to a special someone.”

About Desvelado’s eight collaborations, Tovar concludes: “I think the best one is with Peso Pluma, mainly because it’s the No. 1 song. Everywhere I go I hear it… everywhere! I don’t get tired of singing that song at all.”

Eslabon Armado Makes History on Billboard 200 Chart

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Eslabon Armado is making history on the Billboard charts…

The California-based Regional Mexican group’s fifth studio album Nostalgia has stormed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart, as well as the top 10 on the Top Latin Albums and all-genre Billboard 200 charts (all dated May 21).

Eslabon Armado — comprised of brothers Brian and Pedro Tovar (18 and 19, respectively), Ulises Gonzalez (20) and Damian Fidel Pacheco (20) — arrives at a new career achievement, scoring the first top 10-charting regional Mexican album ever on the Billboard 200. (Regional Mexican albums are defined as those that have hit Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart.)

Debuting at No. 9, Nostalgia bests the group’s previous three entries there, including a top 20 appearance (Vibras de Noche, No. 18, August 2020).

“We never expected to debut so high, it’s truly a blessing,” Pedro Tovar tells Billboard. “We hope this becomes our best project; we really love it.”

Further, Eslabon is the first group to score a top 10 with a Latin album on the Billboard 200 since Santana’s Africa Speaks arrived and peaked at No. 3 in June 2019.

Over on the Latin charts, Nostalgia, released May 6 via DEL Records, starts at No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with 29,500 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 12, according to Luminate.

The chart ranks the most popular regional Mexican albums of the week in the U.S. based on multimetric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, comprising album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

Nearly all of Nostalgia’s starting sum was driven by SEA units, which equates to 42.82 million on-demand official streams of the album’s 14 songs. That’s the biggest streaming week for a regional Mexican album.

The set’s arrival at the summit of Regional Mexican Albums marks the group’s fifth consecutive No. 1 — the entirety of its charting efforts.

The act previously topped the chart, which launched in 1985, with Tu Veneno Mortal, Vol. 2 (No. 1 for three weeks), Corta Venas (54 weeks), Vibras de Noche (11) and Tu Veneno Mortal (eight).

Corta Venas continues to have the third-most weeks at No. 1 on the chart, behind Christian Nodal’s Me Dejé Llevar (73 weeks) and Selena’s Amor Prohibido (97).

“The most challenging aspect of the creative process of the album was putting everything together, the guitars, the bass, the vocals,” Tovar continues. “Putting it all together with new band members made the magic.”

Nostalgia concurrently debuts at No. 2 on Top Latin Albums, the band’s best start, in terms of rank, since Vibras de Noche arrived at No. 1 with 23,000 equivalent album units in August 2020. The former arrives in the runner-up slot behind Bad Bunny’s monster start of 274,000 units with Un Verano Sin Ti.

As Nostalgia arrives, nine of its songs dot the all-metric Hot Latin Songs chart.

Here’s a recap:

No. 27, “Si Supieras” with DannyLux
No. 28, “Dos Morritas,” with Junior H
No. 31, “Vete a la Fregada”
No. 32, ‘Modo Depre :(”
No. 35, “Hasta La Muerte,” with Iván Cornejo
No. 38, “La Perrie,” with Fuerza Regida
No. 39, “Luces Rojas”
No. 42, “Mente en Alto”
No. 43, “Solo,” with Erre

Eslabon Armado’s “Corta Venas” Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums Chart

Posted on January 1, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Make that three chart-toppers for Eslabon Armado.

The California trio claims its third No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Albums chart as Corta Venas debuts atop the list dated January 2, 2021.

The latest chart reflects sales and streaming data compiled in the week ending December 24, 2020.

The trio’s third studio album concurrently arrives at No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums chart, becoming just the fourth regional Mexican effort to open in the top two on the all-Latin genre chart.

“Corta Venas is my favorite album because I feel all songs are good and reflective,” says Pedro Tovar, lead singer of the group. “This album is different because it has a variety of flows I would say that it is a combination of my two previous albums.”

Tovar composed 22 of the 24 tracks of the set.

Corta Venas was released on December 18 via Del Records. It earns 2020’s second-biggest week for a regional Mexican album in terms of overall units. It comes close to Eslabon Armado’s own Vibras de Noche which started with 2020’s largest week for a regional Mexican set: 23,000 equivalent album units.

Regional Mexican Albums ranks the most popular regional Mexican albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).

In terms of streaming data, Corta Venas also takes the second-biggest streaming week for a regional Mexican album in 2020.

The set bows with 20,000 SEA, which equates to 31.6 million on-demand streams generated by the songs on the album. The group’s own Vibras de Noche spawned 32 million on-demand streams (chart dated August 1).

As Corta Venas arrives, all three of Eslabon’s albums grab a spot on Regional Mexican Album’s top five: the new album at No. 1, Tu Veneno Mortal at No. 3 and Vibras de Noche at No. 4. It’s the only group to place three simultaneous titles in the same chart week in 2020.

“We feel more than happy to be back at No. 1. Thank you to the fans, God, my family and the Del Records company that supports and trusts my ideas,” Tovar says.

Four cuts off the set arrive on the Hot Latin Songs chart, including one top 10. Here’s a rundown of Eslabon’s new arrivals to the list:

No. 10, “Ando Más Que Mal
No. 26, “La Mejor De Todas”
No. 28, “Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos”
No. 47, “El Tiempo Nos Cambió”

Beyond its No. 1 start on Regional Mexican Albums and its No. 2 arrival on Top Latin Albums, Corta Venas also secures the trio their second entry on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, with a No. 56 debut.

Coronel Among Artists Featured on Tribute Album for the Late Ariel Camacho

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Luis Coronel is paying tribute to a regional Mexican music legend…

The 21-year-old Mexican American singer is one of the artists featured on a tribute album for the late Ariel Camacho, who passed away two years ago.

DEL Records recently released the album, which features duets with Coronel, Gerardo Ortiz, Régulo Caro and other artists.

Titled Ariel Camacho Para Siempre Duetos Vol. 1, the album also includes a 15-minute DVD with never-before-released footage of the chart-topping artist, who died in a car accident at age 23 on February 25, 2015.

The new set, which includes songs like “Te metiste” and “Arrodíllate,” is a “celebration of Camacho’s life and legacy,” DEL Records Founder & CEO Ángel del Villar tells Billboard.

“Ariel’s career was about to kick off when this happened. We had big plans for him here at DEL Records and after he died, it’s been my personal project to continue his legacy. We have worked so hard to continue his dream with the help of the people who still consume and listen to his music,” Del Villar adds.

Following the death of Camacho, his band Ariel Camacho Y Los Plebes del Rancho became Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho, eight-time 2017 Billboard Latin Music Awards finalists up for awards like artist of the year and top Latin album of the year with Recuerden Mi Estilo.

While Recuerden Mi Estilo is under DEL Records, the group Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho is no longer with the label.

“Regardless of what happened with Los Plebes, in the nine years I’ve worked in this industry, I’ve never seen the main artist of a band pass away and add a new vocalist and still have the same success as the original lead vocalist. We created a new group to continue Ariel’s legacy and we produced a great album (Recuerden Mi Estilo) that Ariel’s fans accepted and loved. It’s a lot of hard work but I give a lot of credit to the fans.”

Recuerden Mi Estilo debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart dated March. 10, 2016. The album was also No. 1 on Billboard’s 2016 year-end Regional Mexican Albums, and the Mexican group crowned the year-end Regional Mexican Artists Albums.

“When I met Ariel I asked him what he wanted to accomplish and he told me that he dreamed about performing in big venues. That kid was so humble that it motivated and inspired me and I knew he was the type of artist I need in my label.”

Ortiz’s Concert Film “Como Un Sueño” to Debut in Nine AMC Theaters

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Gerardo Ortiz is headed to the big screen…

On October 9, AMC Theaters will debut the 25-year-old Mexican American singer-songwriter’s concert film in nine U.S. cities.

Como Un Sueño chronicles Ortiz’s life against the backdrop of his tour and the release of his album Hoy Más Fuerte.

The 90-minute film was produced by the directed by Jessy Terrero, who along with being a film director, is known for directing high concept, high production videos for the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias and Daddy Yankee.

The film was produced by Big Vida Entertainment and Del Studios, an arm of Del Records, the indie label Ortiz is signed to (with distribution by Sony Music U.S. Latin).

According to Ortiz, “Film goers will see moments that have never been filmed.”

Coronel Releases His Latest Single “Nada Más Por Eso”

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

There’s “nada mas” left for Luis Coronel…

The 19-year-old Mexican American singer has release his new single “Nada Más Por Eso.”

Coronel, who has a growing social media presence and has rapidly ascending career within regional Mexican music, dedicates the new track to his die-hard Coronelas, who first took notice of him when he began uploading videos to YouTube in 2012.

That’s right around when Del Records’ Angel Del Villar signed him to his roster.

“Nada Más Por Eso” is Coronel’s first single since “Cuando La Miro,” released five months ago as part of the final promotional run of his highly successful sophomore set, Quiero Ser Tu Dueño.

Upon its release in October 2014, the album made history, making the then 18-year-old singer the youngest solo artist in 13 years to top Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart.

But he’s now looking ahead, offering Billboard an exclusive scoop on what’s shaping up to be his third, hotly anticipated album.

“With my voice I definitely feel that I’ve taken a dramatic change, since the first album to the second album, just day by day I feel that I’m improving and I’m learning from everything that I go through and I’m adapting,” Coronel tells Billboard from Miami, where he is promoting the new single.

Fifth Harmony Named to This Year’s Billboard 21 Under 21 List

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Ally Brooke Hernandez, Camila Cabello and Lauren Jauregui are hot young stars…

The Latina singers and their fellow Fifth Harmony members have earned a spot on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, the annual ranking of music’s most powerful minors.

Fifth Harmony, the all-girl group created by Simon Cowell on the second season of The X Factor, has moved up from No. 21 last year to No. 5 on the 2014 list.

Since their formation, Hernandez, Cabello, Jauregui and the gang have earned love from a million Harmonizers, one of the most passionate online fanbases today, helping the ladies of Fifth Harmony continue to thrive a few years removed from their X Factor introduction.

Following their debut EP release last October, Fifth Harmony has spent much of 2014 on the road supporting artists like Demi Lovato and Austin Mahone on tour, winning over new fans while preparing for the release of their debut full-length album, Reflection.

The first single, “Bo$$,” flaunted a rhythmic new sound and became 5H’s biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit to date, ahead of Reflection’s November release.

Recently, Fifth Harmony has added some impressive honors to their list of accomplishments, earning the MTV Artist to Watch award at the MTV Video Music Awards, as well as the Favorite Band on Social Media award at the Shorties.

They recently released the second single from Reflection, “Them Girls Be Like.”

But Fifth Harmony’s Latina singers aren’t the only Hispanic artists on the list…

Becky G makes her first-ever appearance on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list.

The 17-year-old Mexican American singer, rapper, actress and CoverGirl model comes in at No. 9 on the list.

The L.A.-born Gomez has continued to build momentum since her Dr. Luke-produced debut single “Shower” reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2014. “Can’t Get Enough,” featuring Pitbull, spent a week at No. 1 on the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart in June and recent TV performances on the Today show and the 2014 Teen Choice Awards, among others, have brought even more attention to the Latina teen queen. Her strong social media following (she’s quickly approaching 5 million Facebook likes) has continued to rise as she tours with Katy Perry, Demi Lovato and Jason Derulo. With her debut full-length album set for release later this year, Becky G is on her way to becoming a bona fide power brand.

Meanwhile, the first Latino on this year’s list is Luis Coronel.

The 18-year-old regional Mexican singer, who comes in at No. 11, hadn’t even finished high school before he was trending on social media and showing up on the Billboard charts in 2013. One year later, he has a major teen following in the U.S. and beyond, as well as a thriving career under his belt.

The Del Records artist spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart with Con La Frente En Alto in October 2013 and his single “Tenerte” spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Airplay charts earlier this year.

He’s also had two top 10 hits on the Hot Latin Songs chart, has won trophies for new artist of the year at the 2014 Billboard Latin Music Awards and social media sensation on Telemundo‘s Premios Tu Mundo awards show, has served as a judge on the Mexican singing competition show La Academia Kids and has toured with major recording acts Julion Alvarez to Gerardo Ortiz. Next up for Coronel: a new album, Quiero Ser Tu Dueno, due on September 30.

Last, but certainly not least, Scotty McCreery comes in at No. 16 on this year’s list, down eight spots from his No. 8 position last year.

The 20-year-old part-Puerto Rican country singer has come a long way since winning season 10 of American Idol. The past year has seen the North Carolina native continue to grow his career. “See You Tonight” became his first top 10 hit on the Billboard charts, and became his third gold single. His sophomore album of the same name topped the Country Albums chart upon its release in October 2013, and also became his third straight song to hit the top 10 on the Billboard 200.

McCreery is also proving himself as a live commodity — his See You Tonight tour put him in front of thousands of fans each night, and continues to roll across the country through December. As he approaches 21 in just a few weeks, this will be Scotty’s last appearance on our 21 Under 21.

Torres’ “Me Interesas” Reaches No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Songs Chart

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Noel Torres has plenty of reason to celebrate…

The Mexican singer/songwriter has earned his first-ever No. 1 song on the Billboard charts.

This week, Torres’ “Me Interesas” earned greatest gainer honors as it reached the summit on the Regional Mexican Songs chart.

Torres’ 2011 album Al Frente y de Frente was a hit on the Billboard charts. He released the album on Del Records in association with Sony and released the song “El Tiempo Contigo” as a single.

A year prior, Torres was featured as a guest vocalist on the Gerardo Ortíz single “Comando del Diablo.”

Since then, Torres has seen his popularity rise, leading to his first chart-topping single.

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