Original Pilipino Music stays on top
Steadfast. That is how I describe Filipino music these days. That is as far as sales figures and social media platform performance are concerned. I do not know when the shift took place, but after nearly a hundred years of enslavement to foreign music, Pinoys have learned to appreciate the beauty of their very own sounds.
As a result, local music stars are not only famous, they are also earning very well these days.
Steadfast, too, are the fans and the users who continue to listen, download, watch and give unwavering support to Filipino artists. They really do so in a big way. Just think, this is the only country in the world where the singles from Taylor Swift’s “Life of a Showgirl” did not make No. 1. The Jowahs of Cup of Joe’s (COJ) Multo kept those from reaching the top.
Some weeks ago, there came Swim by BTS, the hit comeback tune by the biggest band in the world today. But it did not become the No. 1 song in this country. The fans of fitterkarma saw to that.
The first half of this year is almost over. So, I thought it was the right time to find out how the music business is faring these days. I checked out Billboard Philippines’ Hot 100 chart. And what do I see? A list filled with the names of some of the country’s biggest music stars. Cup of Joe, fitterkarma, Ben&Ben, IV of Spades, Skusta Klee, etc., and goody goody, there are very few foreign releases in the tabulation. If this is the way the Hot 100 looks right now, then you can be sure that 2026 will be another great year for Filipino pop music.
The sounds that are the most listened to nowadays are pop in varied forms, and they are all original works by the artists themselves. Topping the hit lists are rapper Skusta Klee, who is the most consistent hitmaker among the members of the Ex Battalion collective. There is fitterkarma, also a collective, which has a unique alt-pop style and is the latest No. 1 seller. Then, there is Ben&Ben, another collective that recently added Lifetime to their hit catalogue.
Take a look now at which tracks are on top of the Hot 100 these days. Since Day One by Skusta Clee; Kalapastangan by fitterkarma; Lifetime by Ben&Ben; Multo by Cup of Joe; Pag-ibig ay Kanibalismo II, also by fitterkarma; Kabisado by IV of Spades; Risk It All by Bruno Mars; Libo-libong Buwan by Kyle Raphael; Rosas by Yuridope feat. Skusta Clee; Panaginip by Nicole.
The Cure by Olivia Rodrigo; Tahanan by ElManu; Drop Dead, again by Olivia; Halik Sobrang Diin Pt. 2 by Gat Putch, Louie Grammz and Mi’kel; Beauty and a Beat by Justin Biber and Nicki Minaj; The Man Who Can’t be Moved by The Script; Swim by BTS; Daisies, another one by Bieber; Man I Need by Olivia Dean; and The One That Got Away by Katy Perry.
Just in case you did not notice. The only foreign song in the Top 10 is Risk It All, the very Filipino-sounding R&B ballad by Bruno, who was born Peter Gene Fernandez and is 50-percent Pinoy. Then, two new entries in the Top 20 are The Cure and Drop Dead by another 50-percent Pinoy, Olivia. Make no mistake about it, our musicians are among the best in the world. All that they really need is just the chance. Once they get that, all they do is shine, shine, shine.
Getting a big chance to shine this week is Cup of Joe, which will be performing at the Music Awards Japan at the Toyota Arena in Tokyo on June 13. The COJ’s Multo is a nominee for Best Song Asia. Good luck to the boys from Baguio.
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