The idols and the sounds of 2023

 2023 is coming to its end. Time now to take stock of the sounds by which this year will be remembered for and of the artists who created them.

The list is a merry mix-match of pop, rock, hip-hop and alt and the artists are of diverse origins.  They are mostly young with the average age of 24 and they are very talented. Take note. No cover hits in the list. They all write their own music. And here they are:

JK, the rock star of Buwan fame, suffered a broken heart. But no wallowing in pain for him, instead he took his “pagiging mukhang tanga” and “nakaka-p -------------a” situation and sent his band Juan Karlos into sympathy mode. As a result, he came up with the rocking heartbreak hit Ere.

Zack Tabudlo

Adie as a solo act had hits with Paraluman and Tinatangi but he teamed up with Janine Berdin and had Mahika which has been selling big since late last 2022. He just released a new album Senaryo.

Adie

Dilaw, the hip-hop act were themselves surprised when they became the surprise discovery from Baguio with the lilting utterly contagious and monster selling pop ballad Uhaw.

Zack Tabudlo, the singer and songwriter, who is always a chart perennial with hits like Give Me Your Forever and Binibini, soared to new highs when he teamed up with R&B artist Al James for Gusto.

Lola Amour, the band with the brassy funky sounds which I thought had already retired came out again in a big way this year with the drenching Raining in Manila. And what do you know, Fallen, an early release also joined the hit list.

Cean Jr., in case you are wondering what his YK means. It is “You know” as in “You know,” like we say when at a loss for words and that is what he is when singing soulfully through this tune about feelings he can’t control.

Cup of Joe, theirs was a slow climb but these boys, also from Baguio, are finally hitting it big, thanks to Tingin a lovely collab with Janine Teñoso of ‘Di Na Muli fame, and also Tataya, Estranghero, the sweet Holiday tune Alas Dose and others.

Sunkissed Lola, the band from Zambales gave lovers the wedding song of the moment with the cleverly written and joyful sounding Pasilyo. Just in case, you still do not know, Pasilyo in this song refers to the church aisle, where the bride walks to meet her groom at the altar.

Rhodessa stared at the ceiling a lot. We all do at times. So, she decided to compose a song about it. Titled Kisame, those lazy times turned out to be very profitable, what with millions in streaming revenue coming in for this young singer-songwriter.

Calein must have taken Umaasa, the title of their song to heart during the past four years. The band remained ever hopeful that the song would make it to the top. And it did. The four-year old slow rocker became one of the biggest sellers of the year.

Now, mrld or Meriel de Jesus from Bogo, Cebu to the list. Only 18 years old, her debut recording An Art Gallery Could Never Be As Unique As You has raised the banner for Filipino pop music abroad. Her song has entered the hit charts of Indonesia, Vietnam and has now joined playlists in India.

Of course, the big names continued to dominate the local playlists. The sounds of Ben&Ben, The Way You Look at Me, Could Be Something and Courage; Arthur Nery, Take All the Love, Nasa ‘king Damdamin and O Ninanais; SB-19, Gento, I Want You and Freedom; and Moira dela Torre, Ikaw at Sila, If You Tell Me You Love Me and eme, remained on top.