The Role of Narcocorridos and Popular Music in the Non–State Cultural Diplomacy of Mexico

The objective of this work is to analyze the phenomenon of narcocorridos in Mexico, in light of the influence that this musical genre can have on the country’s popular culture, and, derived from this, on Mexican Cultural Diplomacy. To this end, a content analysis of the lyrics of some narcocorridos performed by different musical groups on the national scene was carried out, to identify significant elements in them that allow us to understand the essence, motivations and intentions of the genre, and then link it with possible explanations about why this style of musical composition is so attractive to many people in the country, especially young people. In this order of ideas, we will talk about the influence of cultural, psychosocial and historical factors that promote this phenomenon.