Sertanejo duo Júnior & Cézar release “As Melhores”, a 16-track collection that revisits career-defining hits and the viral single “Cheiro de Culpado”.
A celebratory project marking artistic maturity
Closing 2025, Júnior & Cézar celebrate one of the most important phases of their journey with the release of “As Melhores”. The special compilation gathers key songs that helped shape the duo’s path in Brazilian sertanejo. At the same time, it highlights the recent impact of “Cheiro de Culpado”, now a national phenomenon.
The collection arrives on streaming platforms on 4 December as a commemorative project. It showcases musical moments that built the brothers’ identity over the years. As a result, the tracklist reflects both their history and their current artistic maturity.
“Cheiro de Culpado” and a turning point in 2025
The single “Cheiro de Culpado”, from the audiovisual project “Daquele Jeitão”, played a central role in this new phase. The track went viral even before its official release, reaching 1 million views in 24 hours on YouTube. Today, it has already surpassed 3.5 million views.
The song also reached No.2 among trending videos on the platform. In less than a month, it added over 5 million streams on Spotify and entered the Top 100 in Brazil, peaking at No.88. These numbers confirmed the track as a recent milestone in the duo’s story.
Cézar comments: “A gente sempre amou a música, sempre acreditou muito nela, mas a forma rápida com que ela aconteceu e chegou nas pessoas realmente surpreendeu. Estamos muito felizes, e a música com certeza está marcada em nossa história pela importância dela e por tudo o que ela significa.”
A retrospective of key songs and phases
The success of “Cheiro de Culpado” opened the door to revisit the catalogue and select other songs that marked different stages of their career. In this sense, “As Melhores” serves as an emotional and comprehensive portrait of Júnior & Cézar’s musical journey. The compilation connects earlier chapters to their current moment.
The album includes tracks such as “Fraquinho de Aparência”, “Na Marra ou Na Garrafa”, “Inferno Astral”, “Choro Involuntário”, “Pelo Sim Pelo Não”, “Butecada”, “Garrafa de Água”, “Caixinha”, “Chorei no Abraço” and “Tempo ou Fim”. The track “Picuinha”, featuring Felipe & Rodrigo, stands out for the chemistry between the artists.
The strength of the “Simplesmente” era
A significant part of the material comes from “Simplesmente”, regarded as one of the duo’s most important projects. Recorded in São Paulo, the DVD gave rise to EPs released in 2024 and 2025 before the final album. The project marked a reconnection with their core sound and identity.
“‘Simplesmente’ é, sem dúvidas, o maior projeto da nossa carreira até hoje. É o terceiro audiovisual que gravamos com o Pepato e foi muito bem pensado com relação ao repertório, ao cenário e a todos os detalhes. A gente vinha de uma pausa e conseguimos gravar um trabalho com grandeza,” says Cézar.
“Golzinho Quadrado” and “Clone”: career milestones
The collection also revisits decisive stages that helped establish Júnior & Cézar within the sertanejo scene. One of them is “Golzinho Quadrado”, first released in 2018 on the project “Duas Vidas e um Sonho”. The song remains one of their most emblematic hits.
To this day, “Golzinho Quadrado” has impressive numbers on streaming platforms and is still sung in unison during live shows. The track holds strong emotional value for the audience. It represents the duo’s connection with everyday stories and popular imagery.
Another highlight is “Clone”, released in 2020 as part of “Provou, Gostou”. The single surpassed 100 million streams on digital platforms and 35 million views on YouTube. It became a watershed moment and their biggest hit until “Cheiro de Culpado”.
The artists see these songs as key turning points: “‘Clone’ e ‘Golzinho Quadrado’ são dois xodós nossos. Quando chegamos nos shows, é sempre maravilhoso. São faixas que têm o nosso coração. ‘Golzinho Quadrado’ parece ter uma memória afetiva no público e ‘Clone’ fez a virada que a gente buscava, se tornando o maior sucesso até então.”
2025: a year of structure and growth
In 2025, the duo experienced a particularly positive phase, with packed concerts, rising streaming numbers and constant radio play. This momentum came alongside a broader process of artistic and structural renewal. The period helped reposition their career on new foundations.
They sum up the year by saying: “Foi um ano de conseguir colocar nossa carreira nos trilhos, como sempre sonhamos. Tivemos um grande escritório ao nosso lado, pessoas que acreditam na gente, lançamentos que amamos e um DVD novo. Foi mágico. E essa reta final está ainda mais especial por conta de tudo que está acontecendo com ‘Cheiro de Culpado’.”
16 songs that connect story and audience
The compilation “As Melhores” features 16 tracks that cover different phases of Júnior & Cézar’s discography. It works not only as a retrospective of the duo’s trajectory, but also as a point of identification for listeners. Each song represents a moment shared with the fans.
Born in Rio Grande do Sul, the brothers started their career as teenagers in 1999. Over the years, they have built a solid discography, including “Coisa de Bar” (2008), the DVD “Duas Vidas e um Sonho” (2018), “Simplesmente” (2024–2025) and the current “Daquele Jeitão”. With a strong stage presence and millions of accumulated streams, the duo keeps expanding its audience while reaffirming its place in the sertanejo genre.
“As Melhores” tracklist
1. Cheiro de Culpado (Daquele Jeitão) 2. Clone (Provou, Gostou) 3. Picuinha feat. Felipe & Rodrigo (Simplesmente) 4. Na Marra ou Na Garrafa (Simplesmente) 5. Golzinho Quadrado (Duas Vidas e um Sonho) 6. Fraquinho de Aparência (Simplesmente) 7. Pelo Sim Pelo Não (Simplesmente) 8. Dolve (Provou, Gostou)
9. Choro Involuntário (Simplesmente) 10. Inferno Astral (Simplesmente) 11. Das Duas Uma (Duas Vidas e um Sonho) 12. Garrada de Água (Simplesmente) 13. Caixinha (Simplesmente) 14. Butecada (Simplesmente) 15. Chorei no Abraço (Simplesmente) 16. Tempo ou Fim (Simplesmente)
