El Azul (song)
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name = El Azul
| type = single
| cover = Junior H - El Azul.jpeg
| artist = Junior H and Peso Pluma
| language = Spanish
| released = {{Start date|2023|02|10|df=y}}
| genre = Regional Mexican
| label = *Warner Music Latina
- Rancho Humilde
- Prajin Parlay
| writer = Brandon Daniel Candia Nuñez
| producer = Jimmy Humilde
| chronology = Junior H
| prev_title = Fin de Semana
| prev_year = 2023
| title = El Azul
| year = 2023
| next_title = Ya Corazón
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| type = single
| artist = Peso Pluma
| prev_title = Igualito a Mi Apá
| prev_year = 2023
| title = El Azul
| year = 2023
| next_title = Por Las Noches
| next_version = remix
| next_year = 2023
}}
{{External music video|{{YouTube|1fa_npv6y9I|"El Azul"}}}}
}}
"El Azul" is a song performed by Mexican singer-songwriter Junior H and rapper Peso Pluma. It was released on 10 February 2023, through Rancho Humilde, Prajin Parlay, and Worms Music, and was distributed by Warner Music Latina. The song was written by Brandon Daniel Candia Nuñez and was produced by Jimmy Humilde.
Composition
The song's title is named after Juan José Esparragoza Moreno, who is commonly referred as "El Azul". The lyrics in the song are about the Mexican drug war, mainly about working for Mexican drug lord El Chapo, using the 701 moniker, in lyrics such as "{{Tooltip|En la sangre traigo el 701 / Melena de león, pues vengo de uno.|In my blood I bring the 701 / lion's mane because I come from one}}"{{Cite web|url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2023/04/27/mexico-corrido-singers-peso-pluma-natanael-cano-popularity-explosion/70130265007/|title=Mexico corrido singers Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano popularity explosion|first=Karol|last=Suárez|date=27 April 2023|access-date=19 October 2023|website=Courier Journal}}
Impact
The lyric "{{Tooltip|Como el de aquellos botones|Like the one with those buttons}}" was censored from the song by streaming service Spotify on late April for its allusion to the drug fentanyl.{{Cite web |last=Galaviz |first=Michelle |date=April 29, 2023 |title=Junior H y Peso Pluma: de esto habla la parte eliminada en streaming de la canción "El azul" |url=https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/espectaculos/2023/4/29/junior-peso-pluma-de-esto-habla-la-parte-eliminada-en-streaming-de-la-cancion-el-azul-501713.html |access-date=October 22, 2023 |website=El Heraldo de México |language=es |archive-date=11 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511184154/https://heraldodemexico.com.mx/espectaculos/2023/4/29/junior-peso-pluma-de-esto-habla-la-parte-eliminada-en-streaming-de-la-cancion-el-azul-501713.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Valeria |date=April 30, 2023 |title=¿Por qué censuraron 'El Azul' de Peso Pluma en Spotify y YouTube? |url=https://www.sonica.mx/curiosidades/2023/4/30/por-que-censuraron-el-azul-de-peso-pluma-en-spotify-youtube-21727.html |access-date=October 22, 2023 |website=Sonica |language=spanish |archive-date=11 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230511184154/https://www.sonica.mx/curiosidades/2023/4/30/por-que-censuraron-el-azul-de-peso-pluma-en-spotify-youtube-21727.html |url-status=live }} Previous Peso Pluma songs such as "El Belicon" and "Igualito a Mi Apá" also make such references to cartels, which may be the reason Pluma received death threats by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and had to cancel his October 14 show in Tijuana.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/story/2023-09-20/mexican-artist-peso-pluma-cancels-tijuana-concert-after-threats|title=Mexican singer Peso Pluma cancels Tijuana concert amid apparent cartel threats|date=20 September 2023|access-date=19 October 2023|last=Mendoza|first=Alexandra|magazine=The San Diego Union-Tribune}}
Music video
A music video was uploaded on February 9, 2023, through Rancho Humilde's official YouTube channel. The video was directed by Johnny Ragr and produced by Jimmy Humilde.{{Citation |title=Junior H x Peso Pluma - El Azul [En Vivo]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fa_npv6y9I |access-date=19 October 2023}}
Charts
= Weekly charts =
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for "El Azul" !scope="col"|Chart (2023) !scope="col"|Peak |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|23|artist=Junior H|rowheader=true|access-date=18 October 2023|refname="global200"}} |
| scope="row"| Mexico (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/mexico-songs-hotw/2023-10-21/|title=Mexico Songs: Week of October 21, 2023|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 18, 2023}}
| 3 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|55|artist=Junior H|rowheader=true|access-date=18 October 2023|refname="hot100"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardlatinsongs|8|artist=Junior H|rowheader=true|access-date=18 October 2023|refname="latinsongs"}} |
= Year-end charts =
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for "El Azul" ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| Global 200 (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/billboard-global-200/|title=Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2023|magazine=Billboard|access-date=22 November 2023}}
| 99 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/hot-latin-songs/|title=Hot Latin Songs – Year-End 2023|magazine=Billboard|access-date=22 November 2023}}
| 15 |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "El Azul"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|number=34|Spanish=true|artist=Junior H, Peso Pluma|title=El Azul|relyear=2023|certyear=2024|access-date=October 9, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Junior H}}
{{Peso Pluma}}