A throwback to grade school and high school days

Pay no mind to anyone who tells you that local music is dead.

The industry is alive and well. And in the hands of Filipino artists like Jess Connelly, Up Dharma Down and Reese Lansangan, it’s actually thriving. Actor and singer James Reid, for one, is giving international solo acts a run for their money (Canada has their Justin; we have our James). Singer and rapper Curtismith continues to give the internet runs they can’t get enough of. Streaming tracks by indie folk groups like The Ransom Collective to soulful sirens like KZ Tandingan, it’s evident that local artists have got various genres covered.

There’s no time like the present for Pinoy musical acts. And while there is a lot to look forward to as far as Pinoy music goes, one can’t help but crave sometimes for the sound of OPM from the years that were. Hey, when nostalgia hits, what else can you do?

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When we talk music and nostalgia, we think of pre-auto tune days. We think pre-EDM. We recall songs that are about thoughtful lyrics (and not just catchy bops). We think about the ‘90s, the prime of Filipino rock. Concert stages were the playground of the likes of Ely Buendia, Rico Blanco, Bamboo Mañalac and Raimund Marasigan. This was the age of bands and heartbreak anthems. Lyrics, beyond self-expression, were a reflection of the times.

For damn sure this era of Original Pinoy Music cannot be replicated. So, instead, we put together a little tribute that doubles as a throwback to the songs that made the soundtrack of our youth.

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“Halaga” by Parokya Ni Edgar