Manila sound
Encyclopedia
Manila Sound is a musical genre in the Philippines
that begun in the early 1970s in Manila
, flourished and peaked in the mid to late 1970s, and waned in popularity by the early 1980s. It is often considered the "bright side" of the Martial Law
era and has influenced all modern genres in the country by being the forerunner to OPM.
band Hotdog
with its many hit singles, "Ikaw Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko" ("You Are the Miss Universe Of My Life"), "Panaginip" ("Dream"), "Langit Na Naman" ("Heaven Once Again"), "O Lumapit Ka" ("Oh, Come Closer") and "Bitin Sa Iyo" ("Left Hanging Over You"), among others. The name "Manila Sound" may have been derived from Hotdog's hit single "'Manila
'", which has come to epitomize this genre. Manila Sound is characterized by catchy melodic phrases. In its later period, Manila Sound was dominated by the disco
mania that swept the Philippines, led by groups such as VST & Co., The Boyfriends
, and Hagibis, among others. Alternately described as "the marshmallow sound", Manila Sound generated a string of calculated radio hits by groups such as Cinderella
, VST & Co.
, Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society
, Florante
, Rico J. Puno, Sharon Cuneta
, and many others. Manila Sound's unprecedented and meteoric appeal provided viability to a Philippine recording industry that until then had relied on cover versions and imitation of foreign hits to entice consumer acceptance. Unfortunately in its later years, formula-addled lyrical bias toward camp humor and parody eventually caused the Manila Sound to devolve into an explicitly theatrical, if not juvenile, sub-genre as exemplified by Hagibis (a parody of the Village People
) and The Boyfriends
, until it diminished in the late 1970s under a wave of disco
and dance-oriented hits from American films such as "Saturday Night Fever", "Grease" and "Footloose". But perhaps more importantly, by the early 1980s, disco had waned in popularity, mirroring disco's serious backlash and decline that occurred earlier in the United States. Moreover, musical tastes had changed, moving away from soft rock into newer musical forms, particularly Adult Contemporary, and to a lesser extent, Punk Rock
and New Wave Music
, and radio airplay reflected these changes.
Manila Sound's laid-back and unpretentious musical style gave way to the intricate, multi-layered, and sometimes symphonic arrangements of OPM (Original Pilipino Music) that dominated popular, radio-friendly Philippine music starting in the late 1970s up until the 1990s. OPM, spawned initially and heavily influenced by the annual Metro-Manila Popular Music Festival, emerged as radio favorites. Two of OPM's early and highly successful releases were the songs, "Anak" by the folk-rock singer-songwriter Freddie Aguilar
, and "Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika" by pianist-composer-conductor Ryan Cayabyab
, both of whom produced a new generation of Original Pilipino Music, represented by artists such as Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Basil Valdez, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera and, later, Regine Velasquez.
A resurgence in interest in the Manila Sound surfaced in recent years with the compilation album, The Best of Manila Sound: Hopia Mani Popcorn
. In 2006, the Apo Hiking Society
relaunched their retro hits in a double-cd package, coupled with reinterpretations of each by Manila's young alternative bands. In 2007, riding on the appeal of this revival, "The Best of Manila Sound: Hopia, Mani, Popcorn" was released, which featured interpretations of a number of classic Manila Sound hits. This album's song listing is: "No Touch" (Rocksteddy), Ipagpatawad Mo" (Mayonnaise); "Hanggang Magdamag" (Kapatid); "Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko" (Soapdish); "Rock, Baby, Rock" (Kala); "Bitin Sa 'Yo" (Up Dharma Down); "Bonggahan" (6Cyclemind
); "Macho Guwapito" (Protein Shake); "Tao" (DRT); "Kapalaran" (Radioactive Sago Project); "Ako Si Superman" (Sound); "Handog" (Join the Club); and "TL Ako Sa 'Yo" (Kitchie Nadal).
: The brothers Dennis Garcia, Rene Garcia and Jerss Garcia created the legendary Hotdog band in the mid-70s, a reconfiguration of an earlier band called Red Fox, which spawned what became known globally as ‘the Manila Sound’.
Crafting melodic, radio-friendly pop songs, Hotdog etched an indelible mark in Philippine music history with multi-generational chart toppers like Manila, Annie Batungbakal, Bongga Ka Day, Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko, Pers Lab, Langit na Naman, and Behhh, Buti Nga, among others. Apart from dominating Manila's music charts, Hotdog was instrumental in bringing the quality of local pop music on par with international standards.
Baby Gil, Philippine Star’s influential entertainment columnist, observed: "Hotdog killed colonial mentality in pop music with its phenomenal original music. Suddenly it was cool to talk Taglish
and listen to a Pinoy
band. But a decade before that, the current Filipino songs were God Knows
by Pablo Vergara and "Sapagka't Kami ay Tao Lamang" by Tony Maiquez that teen-aged buyers would never be caught dead with."
The songs of Hotdog (written and produced by the siblings Dennis and Rene Garcia) heavily influenced and sowed the seeds of Original Pilipino Music or OPM that was to later emerge in the late 1970s. Also for the first time, local songs begun to dominate the Philippine music scene (then monopolized by American pop and rock songs) and establish the style and identity of mainstream Filipino music. Since then, songs by Hotdog have been used in movies, television and radio commercials, videoke products, cellphone ringtones, and so forth.
In a nation of musically-inclined people, Hotdog's songs are probably among the most recognized and revered. Hotdog also paved the way for the spectacular solo musical careers of its female singers like Ella del Rosario, Zsa Zsa Padilla
and Maso Diez.
VST AND COMPANY: This group started out with the famous Sotto Brothers. The group scored a number of disco hits such as Disco Fever, Awitin Mo Isasayaw Ko and Rock Baby Rock. Currently, VST and Company has incorporated Bossa Nova influences in its music as evidenced by its album, The Bossa Nova Collection: VST and Company. The group also help launched the careers of some Filipino artists, particularly that of Sharon Cuneta
.
THE BOYFRIENDS
: Band famous for the song Sumayaw, Sumunod, which became a big disco hit. Other popular singles include the two ballads "First Love" and "Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal."
SOUL JUGGLERS
Funk
band that released the singles "Hanggang Magdamag" and "Pinoy Disko".
CINDERELLA
Pop band more commonly known for its love songs, particularly enduring classics such as T.L. Ako Sa'yo, Bato Sa Buhangin, Ang Boyfriend kong Baduy, Superstar ng Buhay Ko, and Tulak Ng Bibig, Kabig Ng Dibdib. The late Yolly Samson was lead vocalist in many of Cinderella's songs. In its later output, Cinderella incorporated Bossa Nova in its repertoire, as exemplified in the album "The Bossa Nova Collection: Cinderella."
APOLINARIO MABINI HIKING SOCIETY
More popularly known as the APO Hiking Society
, their album releases from 1975 to 1980 included many hit singles, including "Softly", "Love Is For Singing", "Mahirap Magmahal ng Syota Ng Iba", "Show Me A Smile", "Bakit Ang Babae Sa Tagal Ng Pagsasama (tila Mas Mahirap Maintindihan)", "Batang-Bata Ka Pa", "Nakapagtataka", " Kabilugan Ng Buwan", and "Pumapatak Ang Ulan". APO started out as a large musical ensemble, but was later reduced to a trio consisting of Jim Paredes, Danny Javier and Buboy Garovillo, which achieved great success during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. In December 2009, APO announced its plans for retiring from active performance, citing "diminished creative processes". After a series of warmly-received concerts in February 2010, the group officially disbanded. "Kami nAPO Muna", a tribute album, is a latter-day release.
SAMPAGUITA
Folk-rock band renowned for the hit singles "Bonggahan", "Tao", and "Nosi Ba Lasi" among other songs.
HAGIBIS
Song-and-dance male group known for its disco hits "Katawan", "Legs", "Nanggigigil Ako", "Babae"and "Ilagay Mo Kid". The group's musical and performing style nearly parallels that of the American disco group The Village People.
REY VALERA
Soul artist and singer-songwriter known for releasing a string of romantic ballads including "Kung Kailangan Mo Ako", "Maging Sino Ka Man" ), "Pangako Sa Iyo", "Kung Tayo'y Magkalayo", and "Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok ko", among many others. He made his first appearance in music with the group "Electric Hair Band".
SHARON CUNETA
Pop singer/screen actress who started her musical career as a twelve-year old in 1979 when she released a Rey Valera
composition entitled Mr. DJ. She also recorded a cover version of "I-swing Mo Ako", which was a VST & Co. original release. Another single, "High School Life" also received considerable airplay. She later successfully crossed over into OPM, retaining and even increasing her commercial appeal.
FLORANTE
Folk-pop artist who recorded the inspirational song, Handog. He is also known for the hit singles Ako'y Isang Pinoy, "ABaKaDa", "Pinay", and "Sana".
RICO J. PUNO
Soul
- and sometimes macho-styled balladeer acclaimed for a number of hit singles, including Lupa, Damdamin, May Bukas Pa, Kapalaran, Macho Gwapito and Babaero, among many others. After the collapse of the Manila Sound, he remained popular with the emergent OPM (Original Pilipino Music) genre. At present, he continues to perform locally and internationally. He is likewise famed for recasting American pop songs (e.g. "The Way We Were") with Tagalog lyrics with the aim of reaching a bigger sector of the listening public.
Other artists/bands that contributed to Manila Sound include ABC Express ("Magandang Binibini) I Love You", Asin ("Itanong Mo Sa Mga Bata"), Azul ("O Pag-ibig"), Blue Jeans ("Paniwalaan Mo"), Bong Peñera and the Batucada ("Samba Song"), Celeste Legaspi ("Saranggola Ni Pepe", "Mamang Sorbetero"), Cherie Gil ("Boy"), Ella del Rosario ("Mr. Disco", "Lagi Na lamang", "Shake It Baby"), Fred Panopio ("Ang Kawawang Cowboy", "Bilmoko", "Pitong Gatang"), Labuyo ("Tuloy Pa Rin"), Rainmakers ("Binibini", "OK Sa Akin", "You And Me", "Miss Maganda"), and Tito Mina ("Ikaw Pa Rin", "Honey", "Both In Love").
(Mareco Broadcasting Corporation), Alpha Records and Vicor Music Philippines
(and its subsidiary imprints, Sunshine Records and Blackgold Records) were recording companies that pioneered the Manila Sound.
("Langit Na Naman"), Donna Cruz
("Boy"), Freestyle ("Bakit Ba Ganyan"), Janno Gibbs
("Binibini","Ipagpatawad Mo"), Jolina Magdangal
("T.L. Ako Sa Iyo"), Manilyn Reynes
("Mr. Disco", "Shake It Baby"), Manilyn Reynes
& Kempee De Leon ("Nais Kong Malaman Mo"), Prettier Than Pink
("Ang Boyfriend Kong Baduy"), Sitti Navarro
("Samba Song"), Tina Paner ("Sana"), Vina Morales
("Pers Lab"), and White Lies ("First Love Never Dies").
, appeared in the music scene with its retro-sounding first single, Jeepney, which became a major hit. According to the Philippine Inquirer, the band revived and redefined the Manila Sound genre through their funk-rock-hip music. Rene Garcia (co-founder of the Hotdog band) praised Kala by "carrying out the funky groove of the 1970s with the sounds of today." The multi-awarded band also took part in the tribute album, Hopia Mani Popcorn. Kala's funky cover version of VST and Co.'s Rock Baby Rock was a number one hit.
The resurgence, rediscovery, and remodelling of the Manila Sound is a boost to the Philippine music industry.
/soft rock
, sometimes fused with funk
, light jazz
and disco
. It typified the then-prevailing pop sound of the era and drew its influences from the singer-songwriter
genre of American music during the 1970s. The songs of Manila Sound were mostly written in taglish
, sometimes with "juvenile lyrics" and less frequently, "swardspeak
" (aka "gayspeak", i.e. homosexual slang) recast with novelty, comedic or satirical undertones.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
that begun in the early 1970s in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, flourished and peaked in the mid to late 1970s, and waned in popularity by the early 1980s. It is often considered the "bright side" of the Martial Law
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
era and has influenced all modern genres in the country by being the forerunner to OPM.
History
Manila Sound is typified and was popularized by the pop rockPop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band Hotdog
Hotdog (band)
The Hotdog Band, more commonly known simply as Hotdog, is a Filipino band formed by brothers Dennis and Rene Garcia, that achieved musical fame in the Philippines during the 1970s. Their first album Unang Kagat was released in 1974 by Villar Records. The album led to the 1975 movie by the same...
with its many hit singles, "Ikaw Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko" ("You Are the Miss Universe Of My Life"), "Panaginip" ("Dream"), "Langit Na Naman" ("Heaven Once Again"), "O Lumapit Ka" ("Oh, Come Closer") and "Bitin Sa Iyo" ("Left Hanging Over You"), among others. The name "Manila Sound" may have been derived from Hotdog's hit single "'Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
'", which has come to epitomize this genre. Manila Sound is characterized by catchy melodic phrases. In its later period, Manila Sound was dominated by the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
mania that swept the Philippines, led by groups such as VST & Co., The Boyfriends
The Boyfriends (Filipino band)
The Boyfriends are a musical group from the Philippines. Their heyday was in the 1970's as a leading exponent of the Manila Sound, with pop and and disco harmonies reminiscent of the Bee Gees...
, and Hagibis, among others. Alternately described as "the marshmallow sound", Manila Sound generated a string of calculated radio hits by groups such as Cinderella
Cinderella (Filipino band)
Cinderella is a Filipino soft pop band that rose to prominence in the 1970s. It forms part of the genre called Manila Sound, together with bands such as VST and Company, Hotdog and The Boyfriends. Cinderella's most recognized single is "T.L. Ako Sa'yo"...
, VST & Co.
VST & Co.
VST & Company was a Filipino disco group prominent during the late 1970s in the Philippines. Considered to be the pioneer and icon of what is known as the Manila Sound, VST & Co. released disco singles such as Swing It, Baby, Magsayawan, Ipagpatawad Mo, Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko and Disco Fever...
, Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society
APO Hiking Society
The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as Apo Hiking Society or, simply, Apo, was a Filipino musical group. The group had its fledgling beginnings in 1969 at the Ateneo de Manila high school, with thirteen members: Lito de Joya, Sonny Santiago, Gus Cosio, Renato Garcia, Chito...
, Florante
Florante
Florante de Leon, popularly known simply as Florante, is a Filipino singer-songwriter. He was a pioneer and leading exponent of Pinoy folk rock during the DZRJ-AM radio boom in Manila during the 1970s...
, Rico J. Puno, Sharon Cuneta
Sharon Cuneta
Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, better known as Sharon Cuneta, is a popular and multi-awarded Filipino singer, actress and TV host dubbed as Megastar of Philippine Entertainment, fondly called Mega by fans and people from the entertainment industry....
, and many others. Manila Sound's unprecedented and meteoric appeal provided viability to a Philippine recording industry that until then had relied on cover versions and imitation of foreign hits to entice consumer acceptance. Unfortunately in its later years, formula-addled lyrical bias toward camp humor and parody eventually caused the Manila Sound to devolve into an explicitly theatrical, if not juvenile, sub-genre as exemplified by Hagibis (a parody of the Village People
Village People
Village People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
) and The Boyfriends
The Boyfriends (Filipino band)
The Boyfriends are a musical group from the Philippines. Their heyday was in the 1970's as a leading exponent of the Manila Sound, with pop and and disco harmonies reminiscent of the Bee Gees...
, until it diminished in the late 1970s under a wave of disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
and dance-oriented hits from American films such as "Saturday Night Fever", "Grease" and "Footloose". But perhaps more importantly, by the early 1980s, disco had waned in popularity, mirroring disco's serious backlash and decline that occurred earlier in the United States. Moreover, musical tastes had changed, moving away from soft rock into newer musical forms, particularly Adult Contemporary, and to a lesser extent, Punk Rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and New Wave Music
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, and radio airplay reflected these changes.
Manila Sound's laid-back and unpretentious musical style gave way to the intricate, multi-layered, and sometimes symphonic arrangements of OPM (Original Pilipino Music) that dominated popular, radio-friendly Philippine music starting in the late 1970s up until the 1990s. OPM, spawned initially and heavily influenced by the annual Metro-Manila Popular Music Festival, emerged as radio favorites. Two of OPM's early and highly successful releases were the songs, "Anak" by the folk-rock singer-songwriter Freddie Aguilar
Freddie Aguilar
Ferdinand Pascual Aguilar , better known as Freddie Aguilar, is a folk musician from the Philippines. He is best known for his rendition of "Bayan Ko", which became the anthem for the opposition to the Marcos regime during the 1986 People Power Revolution, and for his song "Anak", the best-selling...
, and "Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika" by pianist-composer-conductor Ryan Cayabyab
Ryan Cayabyab
Ryan Cayabyab is a Filipino musician and was the Executive and Artistic Director of the defunct San Miguel Foundation for the Performing Arts...
, both of whom produced a new generation of Original Pilipino Music, represented by artists such as Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Basil Valdez, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera and, later, Regine Velasquez.
A resurgence in interest in the Manila Sound surfaced in recent years with the compilation album, The Best of Manila Sound: Hopia Mani Popcorn
The Best of Manila Sound: Hopia Mani Popcorn
The Best of Manila Sound: Hopia Mani Popcorn is a compilation album of Manila sound hit songs that gained popularity in the Philippines during the 1970s...
. In 2006, the Apo Hiking Society
APO Hiking Society
The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as Apo Hiking Society or, simply, Apo, was a Filipino musical group. The group had its fledgling beginnings in 1969 at the Ateneo de Manila high school, with thirteen members: Lito de Joya, Sonny Santiago, Gus Cosio, Renato Garcia, Chito...
relaunched their retro hits in a double-cd package, coupled with reinterpretations of each by Manila's young alternative bands. In 2007, riding on the appeal of this revival, "The Best of Manila Sound: Hopia, Mani, Popcorn" was released, which featured interpretations of a number of classic Manila Sound hits. This album's song listing is: "No Touch" (Rocksteddy), Ipagpatawad Mo" (Mayonnaise); "Hanggang Magdamag" (Kapatid); "Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko" (Soapdish); "Rock, Baby, Rock" (Kala); "Bitin Sa 'Yo" (Up Dharma Down); "Bonggahan" (6Cyclemind
6cyclemind
6cyclemind is a Filipino band composed of Tito Fortunato "Tutti" Caringal on vocals, Ryan "Rye" Sarmiento on rhythm guitars and backing vocals, Roberto "Bob" Cañamo on bass guitar and Herbert Hernandez on lead guitar...
); "Macho Guwapito" (Protein Shake); "Tao" (DRT); "Kapalaran" (Radioactive Sago Project); "Ako Si Superman" (Sound); "Handog" (Join the Club); and "TL Ako Sa 'Yo" (Kitchie Nadal).
Artists
HOTDOGHotdog (band)
The Hotdog Band, more commonly known simply as Hotdog, is a Filipino band formed by brothers Dennis and Rene Garcia, that achieved musical fame in the Philippines during the 1970s. Their first album Unang Kagat was released in 1974 by Villar Records. The album led to the 1975 movie by the same...
: The brothers Dennis Garcia, Rene Garcia and Jerss Garcia created the legendary Hotdog band in the mid-70s, a reconfiguration of an earlier band called Red Fox, which spawned what became known globally as ‘the Manila Sound’.
Crafting melodic, radio-friendly pop songs, Hotdog etched an indelible mark in Philippine music history with multi-generational chart toppers like Manila, Annie Batungbakal, Bongga Ka Day, Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko, Pers Lab, Langit na Naman, and Behhh, Buti Nga, among others. Apart from dominating Manila's music charts, Hotdog was instrumental in bringing the quality of local pop music on par with international standards.
Baby Gil, Philippine Star’s influential entertainment columnist, observed: "Hotdog killed colonial mentality in pop music with its phenomenal original music. Suddenly it was cool to talk Taglish
Taglish
Taglish is a portmanteau of the words "Tagalog" and "English" which refers to the Philippine language Tagalog infused with American English terms. It is an example of code-switching....
and listen to a Pinoy
Pinoy
Pinoy is an informal demonym referring to the Filipino people in the Philippines and overseas Filipinos around the world. Filipinos usually refer to themselves as Pinoy or sometimes the feminine Pinay...
band. But a decade before that, the current Filipino songs were God Knows
God Knows
God Knows is a tragicomedic novel written by Joseph Heller and published in 1984.It is narrated by the Biblical King David of Israel, and purports to be his deathbed memoirs; however, this David does not recount his life in a straightforward fashion, and the storyline is often hilariously fractured...
by Pablo Vergara and "Sapagka't Kami ay Tao Lamang" by Tony Maiquez that teen-aged buyers would never be caught dead with."
The songs of Hotdog (written and produced by the siblings Dennis and Rene Garcia) heavily influenced and sowed the seeds of Original Pilipino Music or OPM that was to later emerge in the late 1970s. Also for the first time, local songs begun to dominate the Philippine music scene (then monopolized by American pop and rock songs) and establish the style and identity of mainstream Filipino music. Since then, songs by Hotdog have been used in movies, television and radio commercials, videoke products, cellphone ringtones, and so forth.
In a nation of musically-inclined people, Hotdog's songs are probably among the most recognized and revered. Hotdog also paved the way for the spectacular solo musical careers of its female singers like Ella del Rosario, Zsa Zsa Padilla
Zsa Zsa Padilla
Zsa Zsa Padilla is a Filipina singer and actress. She is currently part of ABS-CBN contract actresses.-Biography:Padilla was born as Esperanza Padilla in 1964, the daughter of actor and sportsman Carlos “Sonny” Padilla, Jr. who served as the referee in the Ali-Frazier world heavyweight boxing...
and Maso Diez.
VST AND COMPANY: This group started out with the famous Sotto Brothers. The group scored a number of disco hits such as Disco Fever, Awitin Mo Isasayaw Ko and Rock Baby Rock. Currently, VST and Company has incorporated Bossa Nova influences in its music as evidenced by its album, The Bossa Nova Collection: VST and Company. The group also help launched the careers of some Filipino artists, particularly that of Sharon Cuneta
Sharon Cuneta
Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, better known as Sharon Cuneta, is a popular and multi-awarded Filipino singer, actress and TV host dubbed as Megastar of Philippine Entertainment, fondly called Mega by fans and people from the entertainment industry....
.
THE BOYFRIENDS
The Boyfriends (Filipino band)
The Boyfriends are a musical group from the Philippines. Their heyday was in the 1970's as a leading exponent of the Manila Sound, with pop and and disco harmonies reminiscent of the Bee Gees...
: Band famous for the song Sumayaw, Sumunod, which became a big disco hit. Other popular singles include the two ballads "First Love" and "Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal."
SOUL JUGGLERS
Funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band that released the singles "Hanggang Magdamag" and "Pinoy Disko".
CINDERELLA
Cinderella (Filipino band)
Cinderella is a Filipino soft pop band that rose to prominence in the 1970s. It forms part of the genre called Manila Sound, together with bands such as VST and Company, Hotdog and The Boyfriends. Cinderella's most recognized single is "T.L. Ako Sa'yo"...
Pop band more commonly known for its love songs, particularly enduring classics such as T.L. Ako Sa'yo, Bato Sa Buhangin, Ang Boyfriend kong Baduy, Superstar ng Buhay Ko, and Tulak Ng Bibig, Kabig Ng Dibdib. The late Yolly Samson was lead vocalist in many of Cinderella's songs. In its later output, Cinderella incorporated Bossa Nova in its repertoire, as exemplified in the album "The Bossa Nova Collection: Cinderella."
APOLINARIO MABINI HIKING SOCIETY
More popularly known as the APO Hiking Society
APO Hiking Society
The Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, later popularly known as Apo Hiking Society or, simply, Apo, was a Filipino musical group. The group had its fledgling beginnings in 1969 at the Ateneo de Manila high school, with thirteen members: Lito de Joya, Sonny Santiago, Gus Cosio, Renato Garcia, Chito...
, their album releases from 1975 to 1980 included many hit singles, including "Softly", "Love Is For Singing", "Mahirap Magmahal ng Syota Ng Iba", "Show Me A Smile", "Bakit Ang Babae Sa Tagal Ng Pagsasama (tila Mas Mahirap Maintindihan)", "Batang-Bata Ka Pa", "Nakapagtataka", " Kabilugan Ng Buwan", and "Pumapatak Ang Ulan". APO started out as a large musical ensemble, but was later reduced to a trio consisting of Jim Paredes, Danny Javier and Buboy Garovillo, which achieved great success during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. In December 2009, APO announced its plans for retiring from active performance, citing "diminished creative processes". After a series of warmly-received concerts in February 2010, the group officially disbanded. "Kami nAPO Muna", a tribute album, is a latter-day release.
SAMPAGUITA
Sampaguita (singer)
Tessy Alfonso, better known by her stage name Sampaguita, is a Pinoy rock singer from the Philippines during the 1970s and 1980s.-Origins:...
Folk-rock band renowned for the hit singles "Bonggahan", "Tao", and "Nosi Ba Lasi" among other songs.
HAGIBIS
Song-and-dance male group known for its disco hits "Katawan", "Legs", "Nanggigigil Ako", "Babae"and "Ilagay Mo Kid". The group's musical and performing style nearly parallels that of the American disco group The Village People.
REY VALERA
Rey Valera
Reynaldo Valera Guardiano is a singer, songwriter, music director, film scorer and television host from the Philippines. He wrote and produced songs that were recorded by various singers, most notably Sharon Cuneta. He currently hosts the variety noontime show Pilipinas Win na Win alongside Rico J...
Soul artist and singer-songwriter known for releasing a string of romantic ballads including "Kung Kailangan Mo Ako", "Maging Sino Ka Man" ), "Pangako Sa Iyo", "Kung Tayo'y Magkalayo", and "Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok ko", among many others. He made his first appearance in music with the group "Electric Hair Band".
SHARON CUNETA
Sharon Cuneta
Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan, better known as Sharon Cuneta, is a popular and multi-awarded Filipino singer, actress and TV host dubbed as Megastar of Philippine Entertainment, fondly called Mega by fans and people from the entertainment industry....
Pop singer/screen actress who started her musical career as a twelve-year old in 1979 when she released a Rey Valera
Rey Valera
Reynaldo Valera Guardiano is a singer, songwriter, music director, film scorer and television host from the Philippines. He wrote and produced songs that were recorded by various singers, most notably Sharon Cuneta. He currently hosts the variety noontime show Pilipinas Win na Win alongside Rico J...
composition entitled Mr. DJ. She also recorded a cover version of "I-swing Mo Ako", which was a VST & Co. original release. Another single, "High School Life" also received considerable airplay. She later successfully crossed over into OPM, retaining and even increasing her commercial appeal.
FLORANTE
Florante
Florante de Leon, popularly known simply as Florante, is a Filipino singer-songwriter. He was a pioneer and leading exponent of Pinoy folk rock during the DZRJ-AM radio boom in Manila during the 1970s...
Folk-pop artist who recorded the inspirational song, Handog. He is also known for the hit singles Ako'y Isang Pinoy, "ABaKaDa", "Pinay", and "Sana".
RICO J. PUNO
Rico J. Puno
Enrico de Jesus Puno , better known as Rico J. Puno, is a popular Filipino pop singing artist and television host who is credited as a pioneer-promoter of original Filipino music. He started the trend of incorporating Tagalog lyrics in his rendition of the American song The Way We Were and other...
Soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
- and sometimes macho-styled balladeer acclaimed for a number of hit singles, including Lupa, Damdamin, May Bukas Pa, Kapalaran, Macho Gwapito and Babaero, among many others. After the collapse of the Manila Sound, he remained popular with the emergent OPM (Original Pilipino Music) genre. At present, he continues to perform locally and internationally. He is likewise famed for recasting American pop songs (e.g. "The Way We Were") with Tagalog lyrics with the aim of reaching a bigger sector of the listening public.
Other artists/bands that contributed to Manila Sound include ABC Express ("Magandang Binibini) I Love You", Asin ("Itanong Mo Sa Mga Bata"), Azul ("O Pag-ibig"), Blue Jeans ("Paniwalaan Mo"), Bong Peñera and the Batucada ("Samba Song"), Celeste Legaspi ("Saranggola Ni Pepe", "Mamang Sorbetero"), Cherie Gil ("Boy"), Ella del Rosario ("Mr. Disco", "Lagi Na lamang", "Shake It Baby"), Fred Panopio ("Ang Kawawang Cowboy", "Bilmoko", "Pitong Gatang"), Labuyo ("Tuloy Pa Rin"), Rainmakers ("Binibini", "OK Sa Akin", "You And Me", "Miss Maganda"), and Tito Mina ("Ikaw Pa Rin", "Honey", "Both In Love").
Record Labels
Villar RecordsVillar Records
Villar Records is a record label owned by Mareco, Inc. that also owns the Mabuhay Records label. It was launched in 1950 by the late Manuel P. Villar who is known as the "Father of Philippine Recording" for pioneering industry in the recording of original Pilipino music or OPM. He was also the...
(Mareco Broadcasting Corporation), Alpha Records and Vicor Music Philippines
Vicor Music Corporation
Vicor Music Corporation is one of the major record labels in the Philippines with a tag-line as "The Home of Original Pilipino Music". Its office is located at 782 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City, Philippines. Established in 1965 by Vic Del Rosario and Orly Ilacad to produce record albums featuring...
(and its subsidiary imprints, Sunshine Records and Blackgold Records) were recording companies that pioneered the Manila Sound.
Cover Versions
Over the years since Manila Sound's decline, many performers have released cover versions of the more popular songs of this genre, indicating its continuing appeal to new generations of listeners. These artists and their covers include Barbie's CradleBarbie's Cradle
Barbie's Cradle was a Filipino alternative rock band, formed in 1998 by the remaining members of Barbie Almalbis's previous band, Hungry Young Poets, and disbanded in 2005 when Almalbis took up a solo career...
("Langit Na Naman"), Donna Cruz
Donna Cruz
Donna Cruz Yrastorza-Larrazabal better known by her stage name Donna Cruz, is a Filipina pop singer and actress. She comes from the Cruz clan which include celebrities Sheryl Cruz, Geneva Cruz and Sunshine Cruz, her cousins....
("Boy"), Freestyle ("Bakit Ba Ganyan"), Janno Gibbs
Janno Gibbs
Janno Ronaldo Gibbs is a Filipino singer and actor–comedian. He is a regular host of GMA Network television shows SOP Rules , Nuts Entertainment, Eat Bulaga, Kakasa Ka Ba Sa Grade 5?, and Power of 10 . He played as Geron Agular in Codename: Asero...
("Binibini","Ipagpatawad Mo"), Jolina Magdangal
Jolina Magdangal
-Filmography:Pasan ko ang Daigdig-Television:-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-2007:* FAMAS Awards - Golden Artist Awardee* PMPC Star Awards for TV - Favorite Female Host Starstruck: The Next Level* UNICEF Ambassadres of Goodwill...
("T.L. Ako Sa Iyo"), Manilyn Reynes
Manilyn Reynes
Manilyn Reynes-Jimenez is a Filipina actress and singer.At a very young age, her parents noticed her interest in music, encouraging her to join in various singing contests in Cebu...
("Mr. Disco", "Shake It Baby"), Manilyn Reynes
Manilyn Reynes
Manilyn Reynes-Jimenez is a Filipina actress and singer.At a very young age, her parents noticed her interest in music, encouraging her to join in various singing contests in Cebu...
& Kempee De Leon ("Nais Kong Malaman Mo"), Prettier Than Pink
Prettier Than Pink
Prettier Than Pink is an all-female pop rock group from the Philippines. The band went professional in 1991 with original members- Lei Bautista , Annie Trillo , Gretchen Gregorio , and Vanessa Garcia . Many music enthusiasts consider the group unique among pinoy girl groups because the members...
("Ang Boyfriend Kong Baduy"), Sitti Navarro
Sitti Navarro
Sitti Katrina Navarro , also known as Sitti, is a Filipino bossa nova singer. After releasing her first album, Café Bossa, in 2006, other bossa nova acts in the Philippines followed. Navarro is also featured in the segment "A.S.A.P. Sessionistas" of the variety show ASAP...
("Samba Song"), Tina Paner ("Sana"), Vina Morales
Vina Morales
Vina Morales is a Filipina singer, actress and model.-Career:...
("Pers Lab"), and White Lies ("First Love Never Dies").
Resurgence
In 2006, the Filipino funk band, KalaKala
Kala may refer to:In Hinduism:*Kāla , a Sanskrit word for "time"*Kalā: 64 arts*Kala Bo, a Hindu consort goddess*Kirtimukha: a fierce guardian faceIn culture*Kala , a character in the Tarzan novels*Kala , a 2007 Indonesian film...
, appeared in the music scene with its retro-sounding first single, Jeepney, which became a major hit. According to the Philippine Inquirer, the band revived and redefined the Manila Sound genre through their funk-rock-hip music. Rene Garcia (co-founder of the Hotdog band) praised Kala by "carrying out the funky groove of the 1970s with the sounds of today." The multi-awarded band also took part in the tribute album, Hopia Mani Popcorn. Kala's funky cover version of VST and Co.'s Rock Baby Rock was a number one hit.
The resurgence, rediscovery, and remodelling of the Manila Sound is a boost to the Philippine music industry.
Definition
The Manila Sound is essentially styled as melodic, innocuous, smooth, lightly orchestrated, and accessible folkFilipino folk music
Traditional Music in the Philippines, like the traditional music of other countries, reflects the life of common folk, mainly living in rural areas rather than urban ones. Like its counterparts in Asia, a lot of traditional songs from the Philippines have a strong connection with nature...
/soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
, sometimes fused with funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, light jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
. It typified the then-prevailing pop sound of the era and drew its influences from the singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
genre of American music during the 1970s. The songs of Manila Sound were mostly written in taglish
Taglish
Taglish is a portmanteau of the words "Tagalog" and "English" which refers to the Philippine language Tagalog infused with American English terms. It is an example of code-switching....
, sometimes with "juvenile lyrics" and less frequently, "swardspeak
Swardspeak
Swardspeak is an argot or cant slang derived from Englog and used by a number of homosexuals in the Philippines.-Description:...
" (aka "gayspeak", i.e. homosexual slang) recast with novelty, comedic or satirical undertones.