El Poder Del Norte

Formed in 1993, Mexican band El Poder del Norte, known as "El Auténtico y Unico" (the one and only), debuted with Mi Decisión. That album was followed by Como Llama, and they achieved their first gold record with El Autentico y Unico. Performing corrido, norteño, and ranchera, El Poder del Norte became a top-selling group in the late '90s. The single "A Ella," from the band's 2000 collection 15 Exitos, spent 12 weeks on the Latin Airplay chart. A year later, "Ni Que Valieras Tanto" spent 17 weeks on the chart, and peaked at number 22. Their 2002 album Imaginate Sin Ellos landed on the Top Latin Albums chart and remained there for 20 weeks, due in large part to the success of the title track and "Vestido Blanco" as singles. Those cuts and the album spent multiple weeks on the Heatseekers and Latin Airplay charts. For the next few years, whether releasing compilations, live recordings, or new studio albums, El Poder del Norte scored again and again. New recordings such as 2004's La Decada and 2005's Ranchero spent multiple weeks on the Top Latin Albums chart, while their singles not only received massive airplay in Mexico and the United States, but did even better in sales.

Over the next three years, El Poder del Norte toured throughout Mexico, the United States, and South America, and made several television appearances. Most of the releases were comps, but the live audio-video 13 Años de Exitos en Vivo proved particularly successful and was followed by the studio offering Por Siempre in 2007. It offered three charting singles in "Que Me Parta un Rayo," "Hablemos," and "Ya Vez." The 15-year anniversary of the group was marked by XV and its charting single, "Ultimas Noticias." The full-length got to number 25 in the Top Latin Albums chart. In 2012 they hit the list again with Que Diosito Te Perdone, with even more success on download charts. In 2016, the group marked its 22nd anniversary with the appropriately titled XXII - Veintidos. The album's second single, "Quizas," ran high in the Latin Airplay and Mexican Regional charts. The set also included two special guest vocal appearances: Alicia Villarreal was showcased on "No Querías Lastimarme," and Big Javy y los Tenampa on "Como Quieres Que Te Olvide." ~ Drago Bonacich