The past decade has been a golden era for Pinoy Pop (P-Pop), gaining international presence through charting in song charts and receiving various nominations for international awards.
From powerhouse vocals and razor-sharp choreographies to breakout comebacks and everything in between, P-pop continues to grow and dominate the charts.
The Pinoy pop movement is taking over the country—and soon, the world—by storm.
A Brief History of Pinoy Pop and Filipino Pop Music
Heavily influenced by K-pop and J-Pop, Pinoy Pop or P-Pop is an umbrella term for a plethora of genres borne from Filipino music, from pop and rock subgenres to ballad and jazz. Its roots can be traced as early as the 1960s during the fame of Original Pilipino Music (OPM pop) and notable pinoy pop artists.
It is only in the 1970s, however, that the term of Pinoy music started to gain popularity when Filipino rapper Francis Magalona released the hit song Tayo’y mga Pinoy (We are Pinoys). While sung with the lyricism akin to American hip-hop, which was gaining popularity in the country at the time, the musicality of the song still retained its folk influence, making for a completely distinct Pinoy Pop sound. Magalona followed up with a single Mga Kababayan Ko (My Countrymen), while Filipino folk singer Freddie Aguilar topped the charts with Anak (My Child), selling 100,000 copies within two weeks of its release. Aguilar is one of the first Southeast Asian act to gain worldwide popularity.
The succeeding years has seen Pinoy Pop going through a metamorphosis due to increasing budget and investment, sound quality, and variety, birthing the emerging P-Pop groups at present.
P-Pop culture’s contribution to the promotion of the Filipino language
Numerous P-Pop songs from the 1980s to the turn of the millennium were created to instill national pride and cultural affirmation. Later on, solo artists and only pop band artist and bands dominated the mainstream, the sentimental character of OPM, similar to Asian style ballads were popularized.
At present, P-pop shines a light on motivating the listeners and providing them with messages of empowerment. P-pop also promotes Filipino ethnic and linguistic diversity by incorporating other regional dialects and languages.
The biggest P-Pop names and groups at present
SB19
Debuting in 2018, SB19 was trained by a Korean entertainment company and became a force to be reckoned with in the P-Pop industry and internationally. With their flashy styles, this powerhouse group gained quick popularity and became the first Filipino act to appear on the Billboard 2019 Next Big Sound Chart.
SB19 also received a Billboard Music Awards nomination in 2021, marking this as the first-ever nomination of a Filipino artist in the Billboard Music Awards.
Their hit songs include Alab (Passion), Nyebe (Snow), Mapa (Map), and WYAT, whose music video garnered a million online million views in three days catapulting them as notable pop artists. SB19 is currently one of the most well-known acts in the Philippines and the current face of P-Pop group.
MNL48
Dubbed the Pioneers of P-pop, MNL48 officially debuted the same year as SB19, paving the way to a Pinoy Pop renaissance. MNL48 is also the fourth international sister group of Japan’s top pop girls group AKB48, handled by a major Japanese music retailer, after Indonesia’s JKT48, China’s SNH48, and Thailand’s BNK48.
MNL48 has been receiving accolades since 2018 through various nominations and wins in the Philippine Pop Music Awards, MYX Music Awards, TikTok Awards Philippines, and more. Their popular songs include Pag-Ibig Fortune Cookie, Palusot Ko’y Maybe, 365 Araw ng Eroplanong Papel, and River. Additional trivia: MNL48 is the only AKB48 sister group that debuted with exactly 48 members on its first generation.
ALAMAT
ALAMAT made its debut in 2021 with its first single, kbye, a song featuring seven Filipino dialects that talked about the heartbreak of being ghosted. Within a month of its release, kbye climbed the charts to No. 2 on the 2023 Billboard Next Big Sound—making ALAMAT the fastest-rising P-pop act on the chart. Their other songs include Sa Panaginip Na Lang, kasmala, and ILY ILY featuring Filipino artist Lyca Gairanod.
BGYO
BGYO is a five-member pop group that officially debuted and quickly rose in the charts in 2021.
Their music focuses on self-love and social issues that are relevant to the youth. BGYO’s song-of-the-summer track Tumitigil ang Mundo earned its first million listens within three months and became one of the top 10 songs in 2022.
At present, the group was featured on Grammy’s The Many Sounds of Asian Pop feature, listed as a part of 10 artists across Asia who “have been responsible for some of the most exciting and eclectic music being released today.
BGYO is also known for its songs such as Magnet, PNGNP, and When I’m With You.
BINI
Also known as BGYO’s sister group, they officially debuted in 2021 with their debut single Born to Win.
Their group name comes from the Filipino word binibini which means young lady, reflecting BINI’s goal to represent modern Filipino women. BINI incorporates local themes into their songs to communicate the Filipino spirit and help their listeners appreciate the Filipino spirit and artistry.
BINI’s other hits include Lagi, Na, and Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi.
The Future of OPM Music Scene and P-Pop Music
One thing is for sure: writing powerful lyrics and composing catchy tunes create an undoubtedly monumental future for the Filipino music industry. The foundation for a positive future of P-pop is already laid out, as it was by earlier Filipino artists with their best hits.
However, while P-pop has been experimenting with idol groups and receiving significant attention worldwide, it still has a long way to go.
This applies to creating a solid idol culture and improving the production value and process of P-pop songs altogether. The current P-pop industry draws inspiration from other Asian artists but is undoubtedly making strides in establishing what it is, what makes it different, what it could be, and what it truly stands for on a cultural and societal level.
Check out our House and Lot for Sale Properties
Discover our house and lot for sale properties in the Philippines
