One of the types of music I listened to a lot as a child has been OPM, otherwise known as Original Pilipino Music. Looking back, the songs I have liked through the years feel like a good example of the evolution of OPM. Join me as I look back on my journey with OPM and discover the diversity of Filipino music in this post!
My First Exposure to OPM
Music has always been a huge part of my life. I found myself discovering different types of music at an early age. Ever since I discovered music, I haven't been able to imagine my life without it.
OPM has been a part of my life from the start. In grade school, our teachers often used Filipino music as part of our activities. I remember there was a song called Mamang Sorbetero (Ice Cream Man) by Celeste Legaspi that we used in a school program one time (most likely because it was an age-appropriate song?). I also remember dancing along to songs like Princesa from APO Hiking Society. Back then they were a famous group that became my first exposure to groups doing vocal harmonies.
Pinoy Folk-Rock
At home, my father had a variety of OPM artists on vinyl. I remember learning about the music of Asin (Salt), a folk-rock band that he loved singing along to. Looking back, their music had an interesting sound. What made them unique was how they used indigenous instruments in their music. They also had nationalistic messages in their songs.
Early Ballad Hits
The rest of the artists that my father loved were of the pop ballad genre. He had vinyl from Basil Valdez, Nonoy Zuniga, Ric Segreto, and Kuh Ledesma. My father loved to sing, so it was no surprise that most of the albums he had were from artists he could sing along with.
I was a fan of Basil Valdez’ version of Corner of the Sky and Kuh Ledesma’s Till I Met You (such a classic!). I used to love playing it on my father’s record player at our childhood home.
I also loved Nonoy Zuniga’s Araw Gabi. This is a timeless song that has had a lot of remakes. Ice Seguerra, Regine Velazquez and Troy Laureta feat. Loren Alred (my favorite out of all the versions) all have versions of this.
The Loren Alred version is so good! For an American, it surprised me to hear her sing in Tagalog so well and with such a balance of power and finesse. You can’t help but fall in love with the song all over again. Araw Gabi is such a timeless song, and I am happy that it has such staying power.
Theme Songs
As I grew up, I began to discover more Filipino singers through movies and (surprise!) TV commercials. For a time OPM grew with the help of movies and commercials that used them as theme songs. I remember learning and loving songs because of the movies or commercials that they were in.
I became a Gary Valenciano fan because of the movies he starred in that featured his music. It helped that the producers of his movies also had a record label to capitalize on this. Back then movies and OPM worked together to help make each other popular.
Another example of an artist whose movies made her music more popular was Sharon Cuneta. Her movie theme songs were always iconic parts of her films that became hits with fans in the country.
I also became a fan of songs from toothpaste commercials. Those commercials (from Close Up) made them so popular. Songs like Gino Padilla’s Closer You and I and Jaime Gatchitorena’s Just a Smile Away are classics! They still make me smile when I hear them today.
Band Scene
The Filipino band scene is also something that I listened to. There are R&B bands, pop, rock, ska, and reggae. There is something for everyone back in those days when bands were the big thing.
Here is a list of some of the bands that made a mark with me through the years. If you listen to their music, you will realize there is such a diverse number of sounds in the world of OPM:
The band scene is still flourishing in the country, but it doesn't seem to be the way it was back then. I'm glad bands old and new are taking part in festivals that help promote their music. It helps people to rediscover musical legends and introduces them to future stars.
OPM and Hip Hop
One group that I was a fan of that I would like to think is OPM is Kulay. They are a hip-hop group that had songs that became popular overseas. Unfortunately, they didn't get the chance to achieve greater success despite their fame. One of their members died right around the time they got signed with an international label. The group got a replacement, but it wasn’t the same anymore and they ended up disbanding.
Pinoy Rap
The Filipino rap scene is something that has been going on since the 80s. Rap became big in the 90s, with the most popular ones at the time being Andrew E and the late Francis Magalona. Here are two videos of Francis Magalona featuring collaborations he had with Parokya ni Edgar and Ely Buendia of the Eraserheads:
Among the notable groups that came out from the Pinoy rap scene at the time were Mastaplann and Sun Valley Crew. From the 90s to the present there have been a wealth of rap artists in the country. The underground rap scene is also very active, although I am not familiar with most of them. These days the only rappers I know of are Gloc 9 and Ez Mil (who has recently signed with Eminem and Dr. Dre’s label).
Pinoy Pop
Filipino music is often placed in the pop category even if it is not the only thing they produce. This might be because Filipinos love pop songs and ballads. As a country of people who love to sing (and sing well), it is not surprising that these types of songs are common in OPM.
Solo artists in this category have had the most following in the country for as long as I can remember. Among them are these artists who have been on my playlists for years now:
Artists like Morisette and Moira Dela Torre, as well as bands like Ben & Ben, have also become popular in OPM. This is not only due to their ballads and easy listening style but also because of their talent as singers.
There has also been an emergence of boy and girl groups lately in the country. Most of these groups formed under similar styles as those in K-Pop are sprouting up in the world of OPM.
Boy and girl groups are not new in OPM, but it may be the first time that they become popular on a global scale through SB19. I'm always amazed when I see videos of them performing overseas. It is so good to hear the cheers of fans for the group. I also love how artists from other countries are dancing to their songs online.
As a former fan of boy bands and girl groups, I am happy that we have Filipinos now getting into the mix globally. I love that they are getting success with their work.
The Future of OPM
OPM has evolved a lot through the years. This is a clear reflection of how Filipino music has adapted to global trends. Artists are starting to embrace other influences and create a style of their own with it.
I know most people still lump OPM under the ballad category and that would be a misconception. Many believe that OPM lags behind other countries due to a lack of style and generic genre but that is a mistake.
There is a wealth of genres and artists under the OPM umbrella. This is because you cannot box or limit OPM into one category. It's great that there is a greater opportunity to reach more people with music online these days. It can help OPM to continue to grow and evolve. It can help artists show the best of Filipino talent to the rest of the world.
I have seen members of BTS show that they have listened to OPM artists in the past. RM posted about Nina’s Someday years back. V shared a vlog listening to Sorry by Paolo Sandejas. Jungkook also has a video listening to Give Me Your Forever by Zack Tabudlo. If world-class artists such as BTS can like OPM, it means the new generation of OPM artists is good!
Some famous foreign artists are of Filipino descent. Here are some of those artists who have acknowledged their Filipino heritage:
While they are not under the OPM category, it's great that people are learning they are part Filipino. This will help others to recognize how talented (and diverse) Filipinos are.
There are still so many OPM artists that I haven’t mentioned who are all amazing and have such a good following. The ones I mentioned are the ones whose music I listened to through the years. I hope that I get to listen to a lot more for years to come. I can’t wait to see OPM turn global. Who knows, one day it might happen.
Are you an OPM fan? Which artists do you love and what songs are your favorites? Share some recommendations in the comments section!
Here is the episode of the Fandesals Podcast about OPM that I mentioned earlier. If you understand Tagalog, please give it a listen!
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