I don't know how to construct this post. I didn't fully research to justify what I'm going to say. But thoughts are overflowing and I want to shout them all. I wish I'll be fair all the way to the end.
It has been evident of the switching of my music interest. Ever since school days had ended and exposed myself again to the Japanese media, I already failed to update myself on our own. I remember someone asked me "Why JMusic?". I only replied "I just like it" but with a follow-up question on my mind "How about you? Why Western Music?" It makes sense isn't it? Many of us don't fully support our music yet we are aware of the Filipino in-born talents. We know Filipinos love music and can create good music; but we are not nationalistic. Our music market isn't big and there are questions of who's to blame and why did it happen. It is the audience who don't buy the music or the industry which doesn't invest on music. It's like the story of the chicken and the egg. And even though there's Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Parokya ni Edgar, Bamboo, Kamikazee, and others which we think as "cool bands", yeah they are popular but they're only popular here. We can name Christian Baustista, Charice, and others whose names reached other nations but they are few to mention. We only listen to selected genres (most prefer rock--TAGALOG Rock particularly), we view our novelties and rap as "jologs". And I believe these are true. Will you listen to a compilation of Novelty, Rap, Non-Tagalog rock songs, and songs of Filipino boybands out of your everyday music needs? Yeah you can listen if you want stimulants to an all-nighter work, or for a jolly intermission number but other than those, I don't know.
As for the bands we admire, they boomed recently. But now, OPM is going down again. What I noticed is the inconsistent music creation and simultaneous lie-low of the industry. Nagsabay sabay sila 3 years ago lumabas, tas ngayon, sabay sabay din silang nawala! Walang masyadong nagrerelease. Kung meron man, wala tayong alam! While for the solo performers, Sarah is the only one I know on top. Although many will react, "this person too, that person too", well still, Sarah is much accepted. There were many contest with regards to music but where are the contestants now? The public accepted them for months but again, where are they now?
I've read a forum discussion about Filipino music and I agree with the answers like these:
"come to think of it, the true essence of OPM is lost in this generation."
"our native song like the songs of Bayang Barios are what we call Filipino music... but it seems that these kind of song are less appreciated by our generations today... most Filipinos are more attached to the English pop music because we can clearly understand them.. while our Asian neighbors mostly don't understand the lyrics that is why their own music flourished."
"I guess the reason why filipino music is less popular in other parts of the world is because the songs arent "catchy" and *i really dont know what word to put* enough. Unlike j-music and k-music, we are stucked in group bands and try to be "cool" or in our words "astig".. And the message of the song is too plain and the lines are used again and again by different groups that the listener would easily know what the next line would be."
"the problem here is publicity, only those in Manila / Luzon has the main focus..."
"hmmmm, filipino music can be considered a chimera(hehehe, sori just had to use the term) its not purely filipino its a combination of various music from different countries, songs these days are normally revival of older classics may it be local or foreign-hey i have nothing against revivals since most of the songs in my phone playlists are revival by filipino artists, its just that it would be better if we could create our own genre thats totally pinoy..."
I think the gaps between the Filipino music industry and the Filipinos made some of us, including me, to divert to other variety of music to fill in those gaps. It just so happen I chose JMusic. Although I don't fully understand, it's the same satisfaction which brings me that counts as the satisfaction brought by Western music to many of us. I don't plan to throw Filipino music; I'm a Filipino and I will reach for it involuntarily. I'm just hoping our music will make me loyal to it in the future and become as big as those of our neighboring countries. We'll see but for now, let's respect each others interest.
Jaa ne~! :D
