Why OPM ‘owns’ Spotify
The big news is TONEEJAY with his single 711 has taken over the No. 1 slot in Spotify with almost 500,000 plays a day. Sad for Juan Karlos whose ERE has dropped to No. 5 as of this writing. But that is not the really big news. It is the fact that 19 of the Top 25 titles in the hit list are all by Filipino artists.
There are big acts like Taylor Swift and The Weeknd and some breakthough newcomers like Tayla and Tate McCrae but the rest are all Pinoys or Asian like NIKI from Indonesia and K-pop like Jung Kook.
I like checking out hit charts of other countries. I want to find out what music lovers are listening to elsewhere. Most of the time they are listening to sounds by homegrown talents. There might be a sprinkling of foreign hits but the list is predominantly local.
Truth to tell, it was only in the Philippines where the opposite was the norm, that is where the locals take a backseat to the titles in the Hot 100. Then, I got a happy surprise when I saw the Spotify chart this week. There it was TONEEJAY’s convenience store inspired love song at No. 1.
This is not anybody’s fault really. We were brought up to think that whatever is foreign, think American or British or nowadays South Korean is better than what we have. This is ingrained in the Pinoy’s system. I myself is guilty of that “sin.” Hopefully though changes can happen and I like to think that it is happening now.
And mind you, 711 and the other titles in the list are originals with true Filipino sensibilities. Mercifully, there are no K-pop copies. All of the bands with hits these days like Cup of Joe or SunKissed Lola or the many years-old Orange and Lemons are pop or rock or R&B.
Maybe with this development, local producers will stop thinking of creating a Pinoy BLACKPINK or BTS. I shudder at the thought of the money and the effort that go into creating such groups. So much for choreographers, costumes, styling, even hiring foreign producers, etc. when all that cash can be spent on marketing what is our own globally.
Think, as proven by what is happening now, all that you need to create a song is love in the case of 711 or Pasilyo, or a broken heart, such as ERE or Raining in Manila. Then set these emotions to melody with a keyboard or a guitar or if you want to rap, a good beat. Then you can lie on your bed, stare at the ceiling like Rhodessa did and compose a song that will generate 300,000 plays a day or more on your mobile phone.
By the way, Pinoy hip-hop is also doing very well. In fact, the local songs in this new chart are divided between lovelorn pop or rock and hip-hop, which has returned with a massive force to the chart.
Take a look at the list then if you can, go to Spotify and listen. You will add plays to the tunes and with a lot of them maybe the artist can buy a house in Santa Rosa where he can have his own convenience store just like TONEEJAY dreams of.
711 by TONEEJAY; Get Low by O side Mafia; homebody by DEMI ft. Madman Stan; Tingin by Cup of Joe and Janine Tenoso; ERE by Juan Karlos; My Love Mine All Mine by Mitski; Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift; Alam Mo Ba Girl by Hev Abi; B.A.D. by Denise Julia and P-Lo.
One of the Girls by The Weeknd with JENNIE and Lily Rose Depp; Take All the Love by Arthur Nery; PAREHAS TAYO by Nateman; YK by Cean Jr.; Raining in Manila by Lola Amour; Kisame by Rhodessa; Take a Chance with Me by NIKI; Gusto by Zack Tabudlo and Al James.
Heaven Knows by Orange and Lemons; Pasilyo by Sun Kissed Lola; Seven by Jung Kook and Latto; Lihim by Arthur Miguel; Saan? by Maki; Water by Tyla; Faded by Illest Morena; and Nahuhulog by Jed Baruelo.
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