With the dawn of a new year, there’s no harm in looking back at how fast time flies. 1994 was officially 30 years ago, and despite its implications on various joint pains and lines around our eyes, it was a year chock-full of historic and underrated releases. The year was smack dab in the midst of the rise and dominance of Pinoy Rock. Legendary albums from the likes of the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Yano, and more were released in 1994.
On the other side of the spectrum, it was also a spectacular year for pop. Regine Velasquez, Roselle Nava, and others released tunes that are still sung today.
With that, go back in time with us and check out 11 albums that turn 30 years old this year.
Circus — Eraserheads
The Eraserheads’ 18-track album features some of the band’s biggest tracks of their career. There’s “Alapaap” (Clouds), “Minsan,” “Magasin” (Magazine), and of course, who could ever forget “With A Smile.” Last year, the Ely Buendia-led record label Offshore Music announced that they would be doing a limited reissue of Circus on vinyl, with only 3,500 copies for sale. It has since been considered a “holy grail” item for record collectors.
Listen Without Prejudice — Regine Velasquez-Alcasid
Regine Velasquez-Alcasid‘s stellar Listen Without Prejudice is officially 30 years old this year — and it seems just like yesterday when she released “In Love With You” featuring Cantonese singer Jacky Cheung. The record also features the powerhouse’s cover of the GRAMMY-winning “What Kind Of Fool Am I?” from the musical, Stop the World – I Want to Get Off. Listen To Prejudice was also her first Asia-released album under Polygram Records, and reportedly sold over 700 thousand copies in the region.
Rivermaya — Rivermaya
Pinoy Rock was forever changed when Rivermaya released their self-titled debut album in 1994. With hits like “214,” and “Awit Ng Kabataan” (Song of the Youth), this chart-breaking record saw the rise of one of the most celebrated bands in the country’s history. The record (as well as the two albums after it) have yet to be officially released on streaming platforms, so fingers crossed that the self-titled’s 30th anniversary is the final push the band needs to finally release it.
Album Na Walang Pamagat – The Youth
Punk band The Youth also released Album Na Walang Pamagat in 1994. The record has some of their biggest songs, like “Mukha ng Pera” (Greedy) and “Multo Sa Paningin (Multong Bakla)” [Ghost In Vision (Gay Ghost)]. Today, those two songs have racked up millions of streams, with other tracks on the record having hundreds of thousands of streams.
Kapayapaan — Tropical Depression
One of Pinoy reggae’s pioneering bands Tropical Depression also released their multi-hit album Kapayapaan (Peace) in the same year. The love for the album has stayed constant over the course of 30 years — I mean, “Bilog Na Naman Ang Buwan” (The Moon Is Round Again) has a little over 14 million streams on Spotify, with the title track close behind at 13 million. Another iconic song from the album, “Mahal Kita” (I Love You) continues to gain over a million streams today.
Yano — Yano
Rock band Yano also premiered their self-titled debut album in 1994. “Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo” (Holy Dog, Saint Horse) is still one of the most iconic Pinoy Rock songs today. While the actual record hasn’t been officially released on streaming platforms, you can still find some of the tracks on Yano’s Best Of Yano album, like “Kumusta Na,” (How Are You) and “Tsinelas” (Slippers).
At Nakalimutan Ang Diyos — Wuds
Trailblazing punk band Wuds released their At Nakalimutan Ang Diyos (Forgot God) on cassette in 1994 — and the rest, as they say, is history. The title track has continued to be as prominent as ever, with Bobby Balingit’s performance of the song on the Wish Bus garnering over a million views. “At Nakalimutan Ang Diyos” has been hailed as a ’90s punk anthem, and for good reason.
Roads — Martin Nievera
This underrated 1994 Martin Nievera album is a new way to rediscover the Philippines’ Concert King’s illustrious career in music. The record features songs like “Never Said Goodbye” and “The Road Of Your Lives,” as well as hidden gems like “Make Me Your VIP” and “Alyssa’s Eyes.”
Hindi Kita Malilimutan — Basil Valdez
OPM legend and hitmaker Basil Valdez also released his album Hindi Kita Malilimutan (I Won’t Forget You) 30 years ago. The title track gained a resurgence over the past few years, as netizens would use it as background music for funny skits and videos on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. The record has a number of would-be karaoke staples, like his unforgettable renditions of “Say That You Love Me” and “Tuwing Umuulan At Kapiling Ka” (Every Time It Rains And I Hold You).
Roselle — Roselle Nava
Biritera Roselle Nava probably didn’t foresee that “Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita” (Why Do I Love You) off her record Roselle would become an all-time Filipino karaoke hit when she released the album in 1994. As we commemorate this album’s anniversary, look back at some of the hidden gems on her album, like “You,” and “Is It My Imagination.”
Hataw Na — Gary Valenciano
“Mr. Pure Energy” and the “Michael Jackson of the Philippines” Gary Valenciano’s 1994 record Hataw Na (Let’s Dance) spawned one of the most defining songs of the decade: the titular track, “Hataw Na.” No one could ever forget the iconic dance that came along with it, and the song still makes an appearance in his concerts until today.
What’s your favorite album from the list? Tell us in the poll below.