Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga

In a realm defined by familiarity and adherence to form, Sergio Lizárraga’s Banda MS (shorthand for his native Mazatlán, Sinaloa) have managed to breathe new life into traditional Mexican music, while cementing their place at the pinnacle of the pantheon. Since Sergio and his brother Alberto founded the band in 2003 and released their debut, No Podrás, the following year, the group have steadily built a diverse repertoire of foot-stomping numbers, starry-eyed romantic ballads, and rustic corridos. Banda MS’ origins as a huipa band––a term used in Mazatlán to describe for-hire musicians that perform along the coast––are echoed in the anthemic “El Mechón” and the tropical pregón “Cahuates, Pistaches,” both of which became instant staples in dance floors on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Jukebox classics like “Mi Olvido” and “El Color de Tus Ojos” expose the band’s more vulnerable side, while narcocorridos like “El 24” highlight their flair for urban folklore. And their well of ideas is nowhere near running dry: The group have continued to stir up their sounds in unexpected ways, as with 2020's left-field collaboration “Qué Maldición,” which pairs Snoop Dogg’s iconic West Coast hip-hop swagger with the heart-on-sleeve earnestness of norteño/banda slow jams, beckoning a new and younger fanbase that defies categorization.