The Philippines
Manila · Luzon · the Visayas · Mindanao
The kundiman love song from the Spanish era, then pop and rock shaped by America. In the 1970s “OPM” (Original Pilipino Music) flowered, singing everyday life in Tagalog.
27 recordings, 1955–2025
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1955
Various Artists, Hanunóo Music from the Philippines
Anthropologist Harold C. Conklin’s Folkways field recordings of the Hanunóo, one of the Mangyan peoples of interior Mindoro — courting chants, flute solos, gong playing and ritual chanting.
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1960
Sylvia La Torre, Heritage Series – Kundiman
Called the Queen of Kundiman, she left recordings of the 19th-century love song and folk songs in a voice familiar from radio and film.
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1962
Mabuhay Singers, Halina't Umawit
The Mabuhay Singers, formed by Villar Records in 1958 by merging two vocal trios, sing Filipino folk and popular songs such as “Cariñosa” and “Paruparong Bukid” as a vocal group.
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1973
Juan de la Cruz Band, Himig Natin
Pioneers of rock in Tagalog. The title song, “Our Song,” is seen as the starting point of Filipino-language rock.
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1974
Hotdog, Unang Kagat
The first album by Filipino band Hotdog: soft rock with catchy choruses that led the mid-1970s “Manila Sound.” A film of the same name followed.
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1978
Freddie Aguilar, Anak
Its title song, “Anak” (Child), about a parent’s love and a child’s regret, spread across the world — including Japan.
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1978
Asin, 18 Greatest Hits
A Luzon folk group that used Indigenous instruments to sing about the environment, peace and minority peoples.
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1980
Apo Hiking Society, Ten Years Together
A group that grew out of friends at Manila’s Ateneo, who became defining figures of OPM — Original Pilipino Music.
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1980
Sharon Cuneta, Sharon Cuneta
A self-titled album issued by Vicor in 1980 by Sharon Cuneta, who had become known as the “DJ’s Pet” after her 1978 hit “Mr. DJ”, written by Rey Valera. It followed her debut DJ’s Pet and 1979’s Sharon.
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1983
Apo Hiking Society, True to My Music
The sixth studio album by Filipino vocal group Apo Hiking Society, recorded in 1982–83 and released by Universal Records in 1983, a year before Feet on the Ground.
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1989
Jose Mari Chan, Constant Change
Singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan’s album, released by Universal Records in May 1989. “Beautiful Girl” became a hit covered across Asia, and the album was certified Diamond in the Philippines and also sold strongly in Indonesia.
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1990
Francis M, Yo!
Francis Magalona’s debut, credited as the first commercially released Filipino rap album. Mixing English and Tagalog with socially conscious lyrics, its patriotic “Mga Kababayan” brought rap into the mainstream.
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1991
Joey Ayala, Panganay ng Umaga
Raised in Davao on Mindanao, he brought Indigenous kudyapi lutes and percussion into songs about land and people.
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1995
Eraserheads, Cutterpillow
A band formed at the University of the Philippines; mixing Tagalog and English, they defined 1990s Pinoy rock.
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1997
Grace Nono, Isang Buhay
A 1997 album by Filipino singer Grace Nono, who has worked through her own independent label, Tao Music, since her 1993 debut and won the Katha award for best world music album three times.
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2003
Sugarfree, Sa Wakas
Sugarfree’s debut, fronted by Ebe Dancel; the title means “At Last,” for the three years it took to release. With “Mariposa” and “Telepono,” it won Best New Artist and Album of the Year at the NU Rock Awards.
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2003
Parokya Ni Edgar, Bigotilyo
The fifth studio album by Parokya ni Edgar, on Universal: comic songs such as “Mr. Suave” and “Chikinini” alongside “Your Song (My One and Only You),” sung by Gab Chee Kee, which became a sleeper hit.
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2004
Bamboo (The Band), As the Music Plays the Band
The debut of Bamboo, formed by ex-Rivermaya members Bamboo Mañalac and Nathan Azarcon. Its lead single “Noypi” — slang for “Filipino” — became a hard-rock anthem of national pride, and the album went double platinum.
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2006
Rivermaya, Isang Ugat, Isang Dugo
Filipino band Rivermaya cover Filipino songs of the 1980s, including works by Joey Ayala. The one new song, “Isang Bandila,” became the theme of a TV news program.
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2008
Up Dharma Down, Bipolar
Manila’s Up Dharma Down — Armi Millare’s voice over quiet rock — define Filipino indie.
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2019
Ben&Ben, Limasawa Street
The big Manila band Ben&Ben, singing in Tagalog and English — among the most loved bands in late-2010s Philippines.
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2019
IV OF SPADES, CLAPCLAPCLAP!
The Filipino trio IV of Spades’ debut album, released without warning: fifteen funk-rock songs. It was their only album before a long hiatus.
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2021
Zild, Huminga
The second solo album by IV of Spades bassist Zild, released in April 2021, barely six months after Homework Machine. Using twelve-string guitars, a Höfner bass and slide guitar, it turned to a more grounded, acoustic sound.
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2021
Ben&Ben, Pebble House, Vol. 1: Kuwaderno
Ben&Ben’s second album, named after the house the band shared during the pandemic: 12 songs in Filipino with guests including SB19, KZ Tandingan and Moira Dela Torre. It won the Awit Award for album of the year and was named one of NME’s 25 best Asian albums of the year.
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2023
SB19, PAGTATAG!
The Filipino five-piece SB19 took Tagalog-language P-pop beyond the country.
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2024
BINI, Talaarawan - EP
The first EP by Filipino girl group BINI, six songs released by Star Music in March 2024. “Pantropiko” and “Salamin, Salamin” topped the Billboard Philippines charts, making BINI the first P-pop group to do so.
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2025
Cup of Joe, Silakbo
Cup of Joe’s debut studio album, released in January 2025. Its single “Multo” became the first song by a Filipino artist to enter the Billboard Global 200 (peaking at No. 80), and the album won album of the year at the first Filipino Music Awards.