After beating allegations of Narco ties by US authorities in 2017, Mexican singer Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda achieve their ninth No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart, with “Buscándole a La Suerte” reaching the top spot on the list dated January 13. After spending seven weeks in the top 10, the song secures its position with 6.7 million audience impressions during the tracking week of December 29 to January 4, a slight increase of less than 1% from the previous week, as reported by Luminate.
Julión Álvarez’s music has made its return to Spotify only in 2022, after U.S. authorities cleared him of any links to Mexican drug kingpin Raul Flores Hernandez.
Following his removal from the Office of the Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals Black list on May 27, Álvarez and his label, Universal Music Group/Fonovisa, worked on the legal aspects to reinstate his music on digital platforms. Despite facing illegal attempts to upload his music by various accounts, Spotify became the first platform where fans could once again stream Álvarez’s albums, including the 2017 release “Ni Diablo Ni Santo,” which reached No. 9 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart.
Addressing the allegations that led to his ban in 2017, Álvarez vehemently denied any connections to the drug trafficking organization and explained that he unknowingly associated with a construction company in 2013, leading to his association with individuals under government scrutiny. He shared his personal growth through the experience, expressing newfound patience and calmness, and emphasized his ability to manage his finances independently.
Raúl Flores, known as “El Tío,” a discreet and methodical 71-year-old cartel kingpin recently received a 22-year prison sentence in the U.S.
Flores’ operations included money laundering through a network of 21 Mexican citizens and 42 companies, spanning various industries such as casinos, soccer teams, restaurants, bars, and the music industry. With a history dating back to the 1980s, he initially gained attention for importing fayuca from the U.S. before transitioning to cocaine trafficking under the protection of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Over the years, El Tío expanded his connections, working with various criminal organizations and adapting to changes in the drug trade, including collaborations with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Despite a brief stint in politics and a previous arrest in 2013, Flores continued his illicit activities, evading the law until his 2021 trial in the U.S.
During the trial, Flores pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine but disputed key details with prosecutors. The case shed light on his involvement in soccer player transfers for money laundering and diverse methods of drug trafficking. Despite attempts to cooperate, the prosecution viewed him as unreliable, and he ultimately received a 22-year prison sentence and a $280 million restitution order.
This week La Fiera de Ojinaga replaces Álvarez with their second No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart, dated January 20, with the ascent of its latest single, “Neta Que No,” moving from No. 2 to No. 1. The group had previously claimed the top spot with “La Luna de Miel” in 2022.
“Neta Que No” secures its position at the pinnacle of the chart following a remarkable 17% increase in radio airplay audience impressions, reaching 7.3 million in the U.S. during the tracking week of January 5-11, as reported by Luminate. The track is bestowed with the chart’s Greatest Gainer accolade, recognizing the song with the most significant gain in audience impressions among the chart’s 40 titles.
