18 cañonazos of 301

And because it’s no secret that we love the streets, our country’s culture, and all expressions of our folklore, we decided to pay tribute to 18 cañonazos that have made us dance, enjoy, and maybe even cry… from joy, from nostalgia, from pride in our land.

Because they’re so iconic and widely heard, we thought it would be easy, and it was… well, until about a minute before scheduling all the pieces for social media. We realized that “Cumbia del Caribe,” one of the most characteristic songs of the region, wasn’t actually by the artist we originally thought. And many might say, “Just Google it,” but no, we had to go back, dig a little deeper, and find the real author.

And after that short story, now comes the important part: more reasons behind this campaign and which songs we chose, because we love them and wanted to highlight 18 that are meaningful to us, and maybe also to those who love these rhythms as much as we do:

• Baión de Madrid – Nelson Henríquez
• Tolú – Lucho Bermúdez y su Orquesta
• Tonto Amor – Hernán Hernández
• Fiesta de negritos – Lucho Bermúdez
• La Gaita – Lucho Bermúdez
• El Mecánico – Edmundo Arias y su Orquesta
• La gota fría – Guillermo Buitrago
• Dulce Amor – Los Guayaberos
• Cumbia del Caribe – Edmundo Arias
• Cumbia triste – Gustavo Quintero
• La Guagua – Combo Candela y Piper Pimienta
• El Ciclón Putumayo Presents Colombia – La Sonora Dinamita
• Fuego de Cumbia – Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto
• Amaneciendo – Adolfo Echeverria y su Conjunto
• Rubiela – Los Golden Boys
• La candela viva – Totó La Momposina
• Que viva changó – Celina y Reutilio
• Festival en guararé –  Los Corraleros de majagual

Two of the genres

Cumbia is a characteristic rhythm of Colombia’s Caribbean region and reflects much of the country’s cultural and musical richness. It blends a variety of instruments such as the guache (a variation of the maraca), the gaita (a type of flute originating from the Kogui people), maracas, and drums. It was born from the cultural fusion of African descendants, Indigenous peoples, and Spaniards in the 17th century, during colonial times. It is believed that its name comes from the African word cumbé, meaning celebration, festivity, or revelry.

Salsa, originally from Cuba, gained strength in Colombia around the 1960s, sparking the rise of many artists. Today, the salsa scene is centered in Cali and Bogotá. In Cali, it is a full-on sociocultural phenomenon, woven into the daily life of its people. In Bogotá, on the other hand, it is more underground, but it resonates powerfully through the city’s nighttime streets.

Cañonazos = Musical Hit

In our culture, it’s not just any musical hit, it’s one that speaks to powerful socio-urban phenomena, to the tropics, to our history. These are the songs everyone dances, sings, and enjoys; songs that hit like a blast that ignites the party… because honestly, who hasn’t danced to at least one?

They elevate our joyful, festive, warm, and spirited nature. They represent us faithfully, they inspire us, and they symbolize who we are.

See full campaign