At the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs, artists will compete in two new Categories this year, including Best Contemporary Mexican Music Album.

The new Category, housed within the Regional Mexican Field, highlights six albums showcasing a rich diversity of Mexican genres. This year’s nominees are Nata Montana by Natanael Cano, DannyLux’s Evoluxion, Jugando A Que No Pasa Nada from Grupo Frontera, Carín León’s Boca Chueca, Vol. 1, Trastornado by Michelle Maciel, and Peso Pluma’s Génesis. The Best Contemporary Mexican Music Album Category reflects the worldwide spread and evolution of Mexican music, and its inaugural nominees embody a generation transforming traditional Mexican sounds and expanding the genre's legacy far and wide.\
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Learn more about the inaugural nominees in the brand-new Best Contemporary Mexican Music Album Category below, and be sure to tune into the 2024 Latin GRAMMYs, officially known as the 25th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, Thursday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. CT) on Univision, Galavisión and ViX to see who wins.

Natanael Cano, originally from Hermosillo, Sonora, revolutionized Mexican music in 2018 by merging traditional corridos' themes and instrumentation with elements of trap and hip-hop. Eight years later, the corridos tumbados pioneer solidified his distinctive and rebellious style by securing his first Latin GRAMMY nomination.

That nomination is for Nata Montana, which opens with "Dirán De Mi" and "Más Altas Que Bajadas." Both songs lay the narrative foundation for Cano's production, anchored in his rise to the pinnacle of Mexican music and the extravagant lifestyle that comes with it.

Nata Montana stands out as Cano's return to the rhythms that propelled his music career: a sound firmly rooted in the Mexican requinto guitar, featuring reflective and raw songs. These tracks chronicle his daily life as well his struggle for industry recognition, alongside common corrido themes: parties, drugs, women, and alcohol.

Out of the 15 tracks, six are solo performances, and the remaining nine showcase renowned figures in contemporary Mexican music, including Luis R. Conriquez on "Viejo Lobo" and Junior H on "Eres."

Learn More: 6 Regional Mexican Music Acts Redefining The Genre: Christian Nodal, Grupo Firme, Ángela Aguilar & More

At just 20 years old, DannyLux stands out as the youngest nominee in this category — a nod achieved with Evoluxion, the deluxe version of his 2023 debut album DLUX. The Palm Springs, California native has revolutionized the subgenre of sierreño, which is characterized by a strong presence of guitars that melodically guide vulnerable and melancholy songs, primarily speaking about love. 

DannyLux solidifies his image as a Gen Z sierreño troubadour in Evoluxion, a lyrically dense 24-track album that explores love, relationships, and vulnerability. DannyLux pushes the boundaries of sierreño by incorporating elements of rock, electronic music, and alternative genres. 

The album features seven new tracks written and produced by DannyLux, including the sierreño "Maldito Alcohol" and "House of Lux 2," a continuation of the namesake song in which DannyLux delves back into electronic music.

Grupo Frontera's story could be the plot of a Hollywood movie. The group went from playing at family parties and local weddings in Edinburg, Texas, to becoming one of the most recognized bands of a new generation of Mexican music.

Their Bad Bunny collaboration, "Un x100to," propelled the group to international stardom (and earned a Latin GRAMMY nomination for Song Of The Year, and a win for Best Regional Mexican Song) as they fully embraced the cumbia genre, which had already been helping them gain recognition locally and on social media. After a 2023 for the books, the sextet arrives with their sophomore album, Jugando A Que No Pasa Nada, a 12-song production that pays tribute to their roots and the genres that shaped the group's musical taste — from hip-hop to corridos and country. 

On Jugando A Que No Pasa Nada, Grupo Frontera collaborate with an array of diverse artists such as the Colombian reggaeton superstar Maluma on "POR QUÉ SERÁ," Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole on "DESQUITE," the Colombian band Morat on "LOS DOS," and Mexican star Christian Nodal on "YA PEDO QUIÉN SABE." 

Grupo Frontera's magic lies in the simplicity of their sound and lyrics. The group favors live instruments over samples and uses relatable lyrics adapted to modern vernacular, winning over Gen Z, the generation behind the global explosion of Mexican music.

Read more: Grupo Frontera On Jugando A Que No Pasa Nada & Fully Expressing Themselves: "This Album Was Made From The Heart"

In Boca Chueca, Vol. 1, Latin GRAMMY-winning artist Carín León proves that Mexican music has no limits. 

His fifth studio album is perhaps the most transgressive of his career and positions León as one of Mexican music's mavericks. Over 19 tracks, León fearlessly delves into the darkness within as he seeks to reconcile "with aspects that are often considered negative but are also part of me," the singer explained in May through a press release. 

The musical and internal exercise produced a profoundly personal and eclectic album. In Boca Chueca, Vol. 1, the star takes a deep dive into genres that are part of his diverse musical upbringing without neglecting the norteño sound that put him on the music industry's radar. The production features songs like the corrido "Casi Oficial" or "Aviso Importante," where Carin vocally masters the emotionality of blues and soul. 

León also explores the sensuality of R&B in songs like "Despídase Bien," country in "The One (Pero no como yo)" alongside Kane Brown and the pop-rock in the ballad "It was always you (Siempre fuiste tú)" featuring Leon Bridges.

Michelle Maciel is defying Mexican music boundaries in more ways than one. The singer is part of a new generation of performers representing the Latin LGBTQ+ community in música Mexicana. 

Maciel's foray into music happened in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many, the uncertain future led the singer to bet on his passion, music. With TikTok as an ally, Maciel began sharing some of his songs, initially in the Latin urban realm, quickly growing a devoted following. 

Recognition on social media led the singer to expand sonically, choosing Mexican music as the next genre to explore. This experimentation resulted in collaborations like "CCC" with Eden Muñoz, marking Maciel's first global hit. 

The single sets the tone for Trastornado, Maciel’s debut album. On this record, the Mexican artist showcases his rich musical versatility by seamlessly navigating genres such as corrido in "El Susto," cumbia in "QPTP" with Yahritza Y Su Esencia, "ABCDARIO," a song that blends Mexican brass and guitars with EDM beats, or the urban-infused "PVTIVUELTA."

Peso Pluma is at the forefront of the new generation of Mexican music and, unlike his colleagues, arrives on this list with a production already awarded earlier this year — by the GRAMMYs. 

Despite being his third studio album, Peso Pluma considers GÉNESIS his real debut in music. The artist's name is a declaration of purpose, influenced by the first book of the Bible. 

GÉNESIS arrived on the heels of a global breakthrough year for Peso Pluma. The singer burst onto the world scene in 2023 thanks to "Ella Baila Sola," his collaboration with the Mexican group Eslabón Armado, which they brought to life on the Latin GRAMMY stage in 2023.

In GÉNESIS, Peso Pluma takes corridos tumbados to the next level through an exemplary play of fast-paced guitars, strident brass, and a defiant interpretation guided by the singer's unique hoarse vocals. 

Drawing inspiration from the hip-hop collaboration spirit, in GÉNESIS Peso Pluma teams up with genre heavy-hitters such as Junior H in "LUNA," Natanael Cano in "PRC," Gabito Ballesteros in the global-smasher "Lady Gaga" (alongside Cano), or Luis R Conriquez in "SU CASA."

Learn More: 5 Takeaways From Peso Pluma's New Album GÉNESIS