Coming from northern Mexico and just north of the border, the creators of norteño music are often known as the poets of their land. And to many, norteño music is the sound of Mexican pride, heritage and identity. A rustic folk form that has resonated throughout the country’s small towns, working horse ranches and rugged saloons for well over a century, the traditional genre spans several different styles. Corridos, a lyrically cinematic kind of ballad, entered uncharted territory through Chalino Sánchez’s wicked wordplay. His unflinching manner helped give rise to narcocorridos—a subgenre that’s thematically similar to gangster rap. Ramón Ayala’s dramatic wails and his charro code of chivalry marked out rancheras' signature style. Then there’s Bronco, who modernised the old art by adding synths to grupera music. Other variants include the horn-blaring genre of banda and the energetic tambora that follow the rhythms of German polka.