Billboard Philippines’ Year One, Uncovered
Take a peek into Billboard Philippines’ first twelve months through never-before-seen photos, outtakes, and glimpses behind the scenes.
By 2023, OPM had evolved into something bigger than it used to be.
Digital recording and streaming had democratized music production and distribution, putting artists on an even playing field with everyone else, and emboldened even more to create tunes to be discovered by listeners. This led to the rise of even more independent acts from all sorts of genres — from hip-hop to shoegaze — eventually gaining a nationwide following and even attention from abroad.
It was also a year that many Filipino music icons continued to be rediscovered by the public, with their timeless anthems being unearthed at every karaoke session, while certain bands reunited for one more go under the spotlight. Hip-hop, with all its infectiousness and relatability, was at an all time high in terms of popularity. And then there was a relatively new sound (and movement) called P-pop, which was starting to make waves globally.
Music fans were now curating what they listened to, instead of relying on tastemakers or radio to tell them what’s cool, effectively blurring the lines between genres. But at the same time, more and more local albums were being released on vinyl, indicative of a growing and viable market of collectors of physical media.
Indeed, a Filipino music revolution was underway from 2023 to 2024 — and it was the perfect time for Billboard Philippines to come out.
For the last 12 months, it had been our mission to define OPM for a new generation, now that it had become more diverse and inclusive than ever before. On paper, online, or on the ground, we documented the revolution as it happened, in an effort to connect Filipino music to the world, as it deserved to be. On print, we did it by genre, highlighting each one’s legends, movers, and shakers, to show the history and evolution of that particular sound. On digital, we updated music fans with the latest news, gave deserving artists and creatives a platform to tell their stories and showcase their craft, and highlighted some of them during Women’s Month and Pride Month, among others. On the ground, we attended the most noteworthy events from small club shows to major concerts, as well as held our own that brought the Filipino music community closer together while celebrating its achievements and milestones.
What you’ll see below is a selection of mostly never-before-seen images from Billboard Philippines’ first year — outtakes, behind-the-scenes shots, and other noteworthy memories we’ve captured from our documentation of Filipino music. You’ll see our encounters with international acts, homegrown talents at their best in packed clubs and massive festivals, and both respected industry veterans and promising up-and-comers imparting wisdom — and perhaps a song or two — in our studios.
It has been a momentous and eventful first year for Billboard Philippines, and we can’t be prouder of everything we’ve accomplished. But it is only the beginning, and for as long as OPM continues to gain more ground artistically and geographically, Year Two will be even better.
The full 50-page version of this feature appears on Billboard Philippines’ Anniversary Issue, dated October 15 2024.
