The FMA 2026 Genre Awards Show the Many Sounds of OPM
Presented by IQOS, the Genre Awards celebrated the artists and songs giving Filipino music its distinct range, from pop and alternative to hip-hop, rock, folk, and R&B.
OPMOPMShort for Original Pilipino Music, the body of songs created by Filipino artists, spanning genres from ballads and rock to hip-hop and pop. OPM expresses Filipino identity and heritage, andGo to OPM Glossary has never been defined by a single sound. Across generations, Filipino artists have continued to find new ways to write, produce, perform, and connect with audiences, allowing the local music scene to grow across musical identities.
That breadth took center stage at the Filipino Music Awards 2026, where the Genre Awards recognized standout songs and recordings that exemplified six distinct corners of contemporary OPMOPMShort for Original Pilipino Music, the body of songs created by Filipino artists, spanning genres from ballads and rock to hip-hop and pop. OPM expresses Filipino identity and heritage, andGo to OPM Glossary. Presented by IQOS, the awards highlighted the different sounds shaping Filipino music today, giving each genre its own space within the larger OPM landscape.
The ceremony, held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on October 6, brought together established names, emerging artists, and some of the country’s most closely followed acts for the second edition of the Filipino Music Awards. Across its four major award groups, the ceremony recognized standout achievements in Filipino music, including the songs and recordings defining its many genres.
Six Genres, Six Different Takes on Filipino Music
The Genre Awards offered a snapshot of how varied the current OPM landscape has become.
VVINK, DJ Love, and Pio Balbuena’s infectious and budots-laced “Baduy” took home Pop Song of the Year, winning over fellow nominees “Unang Kilig” by BINI, “Oohh Lala Baby” by Baby Dolls, “hulog” by KAIA, and “habangbuhay pansamantala” by Maki.
For Alternative Song of the Year, IV OF SPADES claimed the award for “Kabisado,” a win that further underscored the reunited band’s continuing presence within the country’s evolving alternative and indie music landscape. The category also featured tracks from fitterkarma, SUYEN, ena mori, and Cup of Joe.
Hip-hopHip-HopA cultural movement and music genre that began in the Bronx in the 1970s, built on rapping, DJing, beatmaking, and sampling. Hip-hop has a strong Filipino scene, with artists writingGo to Hip-Hop Glossary brought together two of the scene’s prominent voices as Skusta Clee and Flow G won Hip-Hop Song of the Year for the chart-topping single “Since Day One.” The collaboration also went on to receive the night’s Song of the Year honor, giving the track recognition across both its genre and the entire soundscape of Filipino popular music itself.
Meanwhile, Rock Song of the Year went to Typecast for “What Would It Take (For You To Realize The True Evil In This World?),” adding another accolade to the veteran band’s longstanding position as trailblazers in the homegrown rock and punk scene.
Ben&Ben took Folk Song of the Year for “Lifetime (Reimagined),” joined in the category by songs from Angela Ken, shirebound, Jan Roberts and Johnoy Danao, and Clara Benin. The category reflected the continued space for intimate, songwriter-led music within contemporary OPM.
The night’s R&B Song of the Year ended in a tie between Denise Julia’s “LOVE AGAIN” and Alamat’s “Sinigang.” The shared win marked the first tie among the 2026 Genre Awards, bringing two distinct approaches to contemporary R&B into the same spotlight.
Taken together, the Genre Awards winners show how fluid OPM can be within the categories themselves. “Baduy” placing budots at the center of Pop Song of the Year pushes against expectations of what a P-pop track can sound like, while Alamat’s “Sinigang” sharing the R&B Song of the Year win with Denise Julia’s “LOVE AGAIN” shows how differently contemporary R&B can take shape. Both wins point to categories that can accommodate artists bringing their own musical backgrounds and sensibilities into the sound.
The same range came through among the Alternative and Folk nominees. Alternative brought together ena mori’s electro-pop, fitterkarma’s gothic art rock, and SUYEN’s acoustic-driven indie pop, with IV OF SPADES ultimately taking the award for “Kabisado.” Folk moved between Ben&Ben’s expansive “Lifetime (Reimagined)” and the more stripped-down songwriting of Clara Benin. The range within these categories reflects an OPMOPMShort for Original Pilipino Music, the body of songs created by Filipino artists, spanning genres from ballads and rock to hip-hop and pop. OPM expresses Filipino identity and heritage, andGo to OPM Glossary landscape where genre can be a starting point rather than a strict boundary.
Let Your Curiosity Take the Lead
That spirit of discovery also aligns with IQOS’s broader relationship with music and creativity. In its 2025 Filipino Music Awards partnership, the brand presented the Genre Awards through a lens of curiosity and exploration, emphasizing how engaging with different sounds can open new ways of experiencing the local music scene.
The same idea continues into the rest of 2026, with IQOS drawing from the energy of music through initiatives such as its ILUMA i REMIX Limited Edition, a music-inspired collaboration built around the excitement of discovering what comes next.
Discover more about IQOS and its latest music and culture experiences at IQOS Philippines.
This content is for adults only. IQOS products contain nicotine, which is addictive, and are intended only for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use nicotine products. IQOS is not risk-free.
The Filipino Music Awards 2026 is co-presented by IQOS.