The 24 best Filipino songs of 2023

The year in Philippine music was a wild one. Each year, there’s no shortage of new music worth listening to, all of which point to certain thoughts and trends that reflect their specific moment in time. We’ve seen the revival of goth and emo amongst internet communities gathering in real life, buzz about budots getting international attention, and more local musicians harnessing online algorithms to reach increasingly broader audiences. Foreign artists staging concerts in the Philippines have made the country a rising destination for audiences.

Every year, CNN Philippines Life turns to folks who have kept their pulse on new tracks, different genres, and various scenes.

This list considered the votes of various players in the local music scene, including MC Galang of The Rest is Noise; DJ Joey Santos; Sai Versailles; Erik Tuban (also known as Libya Montes), founder of PAWN Records; mixing engineer Emil dela Rosa; review website The Flying Lugaw; and Karlo Soriano of Dancefloor Therapy in Baguio City.

In no particular order, here are our top 24 OPM songs of 2023. — MARIAH REODICA

“Feverfew” by Megumi Acorda

Walls of distorted fuzz part like mohair curtains, and a familiar, comforting voice steps into the light. Long have fans awaited a follow-up to the indie rock instant classic that was Megumi Acorda’s “Unexpectedly.” Among her peers, Acorda is the most adept at coalescing big oceanic chords with pétillant vocals, which bode well with lyrics that plunge into the heart of longing.

Her album “Silver Fairy” knocks it out of the park once again, but out of all its offerings, perhaps “Feverfew” is the most poignant tune to hear live. “Do I deserve to be / painted so lovingly? / Your picture amplifies / the things I’ve long denied,” Acorda goes in steady meter while personifying the unsteady lover, gently interrogating if the love given to them is love deserved. Acorda’s lullaby-like vocals are punctuated by rhythm sections that crash like waves. Bodies rock back and forth in kind, and an audience that knows all the words, as if painted in each of the heart’s corners, follows the logic to its affirming conclusion — that as long as one is loved, the lover stays. — JAM PASCUAL

“Dayang” by ALAMAT

ALAMAT never settles for anything less. More than their compelling brand of ambition and identity, the multilingual and multi-ethnic boyband excels in incorporating regional culture with modern hip-hop, electronic, and pop sensibilities as showcased on their critically acclaimed debut album, “Isapuso.”

While the nine-track release is filled with bops, nothing sums up their work more perfectly than the tropical forcefield that is “Dayang.” Helmed by Thyro Alfaro, the prolific producer behind Sarah Geronimo’s “Kilometro” and "Diary Ng Panget's" original soundtrack, “Dayang” finds home in healing and romantic assurance. It stands out among the pack with its authentic expression of commitment and love, set against the gloss and throb of pop perfection. Perhaps it helps that ALAMAT has mastered the artform of effortlessness and immediacy, to the point that they can turn an anthemic jam into something that ascends to stratospheric heights. By all means, “Dayang” is the anchor that both disrupts and panders to conventions. And truth be told, it’s a distillation of everything sonically exciting about P-Pop in 2023. — IAN URRUTIA

"korean blackout curtains 7ft (1pc, not set)" by cheeky things

Ever since releasing "demo" last April Fool's day of this year, neophyte nu-gaze outfit cheeky things have made a significant turning point in the realm of local underground music with their track highlight "korean blackout curtains 7ft (1pc, not set).” They incorporate much of 2020s alternative rock's sensibilities such as lyrical yearning sung under a barrage of guitar distortion at the chorus and heavy textures of noise simmering by the outro. Revered by many of the indie kids on the internet, from shoegaze lovers to Metro Manila's scene regulars, "korean blackout curtains 7ft (1pc, not set)" made it via memes, live shenanigans, and online fanfare. All of these factor in with the audience screaming “Sana!” at the top of their lungs. — ELIJAH PAREÑO

“Panahon” by Unique

Unique Salonga’s pristine falsetto has a certain earnestness to it that plenty of singers have sought to match. However, Salonga sets himself apart because of his acute sense of time, not just in terms of love, but also the musical traditions that preceded him. On “Panahon,” he turns back to seventies Manila Sound ballads, with pianos waxing bittersweet and orchestral string arrangements with no wasted notes. It’s a beautiful prelude to his latest album “Daisy,” where he places his voice in the spotlight. — MARIAH REODICA

"Lambing" by KINDRED ft. Kiyo

I think we can all agree that there are some words that sound much better in Filipino, especially when it comes to illustrating passion or love. Lambing is one of those words, the type that /sounds/ just like its definition. With their track "Lambing," experimental boy group KINDRED caresses our ears to the tune of longing.

Just debuted last year, the song's release ahead of their full-length album "SUBSET" was a change in pace from their previously high-energy tracks, and a welcome one at that. The extended music video ("Lambing ng Megastar") features a fitting verse from the megastar herself, Sharon Cuneta, on an '80s glamour set. — GABY GLORIA

“ERE” by Juan Karlos

Good artists can appreciate saying less than necessary. But it's the greats who understand that the amount of words is just one part of the equation: deployment and timing complete the formula. “ERE’s” well-placed expletive is what makes it oh-so tempting (if I tell you “Don’t think of an elephant!”, what’s the first thing you think of?). So tempting that it was practically everywhere in 2023 — streaming, bars, videokes, friends with acoustic guitars swearing in unison…

Juan Karlos is good not just because he can write catchy, relatable songs consistently (everything in Spotify’s “OPM Favorites” is catchy and relatable). He’s good because he makes it sound like he’s doing it all on instinct, like a reverse curse where he can’t help but write the inescapable. — DJ JOEY SANTOS

“Maria Hiwaga” by Sassa Gurl

Local hip-hop, in general, has always dismissed queer and gender-bending experiences as a legitimate form of storytelling or expression. While the country’s patriarchal and conservative upbringing is to blame for this inherent bias, the hip-hop community itself has a long-standing history with mocking queerness in cultural texts, and more often than not, denying LGBTQIA+ folks of their complex humanity as if they deserve to be relegated to second-class citizens. But in rare moments when someone bravely comes forward to challenge the system, whether done in sneering subversion or pure fun, we get to hear a different side of hip-hop that not everyone is familiar of: one that is comfortable in discussing topics that are considered taboo or one that respects the diversity of sexual identities without questions asked.

Filipino content creator and social media personality Sassa Gurl knows that in order to thrive in a genre with documented issues of indifference and hostility against people of diverse SOGIE, you have to play the game fair and square. “Maria Hiwaga” presents Sassa as an Al James-passing, straight-baiting provocateur who refuses to be held up to a different standard just because she identifies as a trans woman. Over lo-fi, trap beats, and atmospheric production, the quirky multihyphenate raps about a certain kind of romantic obsession and yearning, which is comparable to the habit-forming effect of getting high. There’s a subliminal reading of how “Maria Hiwaga” pokes fun at the vulnerable masculinity and misogyny in hip-hop by means of parody or satire, but without stating the obvious. And that, I think, is what makes the song a cut above the rest: Sassa serves a banger that giggles in the face of heteronormativity. This time around, she grabs a chair, stands above it, and takes reign of the situation her way. The world is definitely listening. — IU

“Roots” by Armi Millare

Like a powerful spellcaster, Armi Millare never arrives too early, nor too late — a comeback happens precisely when it means to. Three years ago, the mythic singer-songwriter released “Two Worlds,” a microbeat-laden meditation on transient encounters that saw Millare finding her footing as a soloist and reevaluating her craft. Those who’ve followed her closely also know that she’s collaborated with Norwegian future soul band D’Sound on tracks like “Lykkelig” and “Somewhere in Between,” embracing the R&B side of her songcraft, so let’s not act like she’s been in hibernation.

“Roots” feels like the truest expression of Millare’s identity as a soloist, vocalist, and producer, distinct from her work with UDD in both groove and texture. Restrained and elegant harmonies invite the listener to trade their current reality for a more life-affirming mode of magical thinking. When Millare croons “There’s magic if you think it’s real / just close your eyes and count to three,” she evokes Utada Hikaru, and divines a more soulful direction. If this is what we can expect from her forthcoming record “South Node,” it is only a matter of time until the crowd converges. — JP

“MINATO” by FEIFEI

Rapper-producer FEIFEI has carefully curated one of the most consistent single rollouts this year among the Gen Z audience, releasing terminally online love songs like “Discord Pag Ibig” and “let her cook.” However, “MINATO” has achieved pop perfection with its serotonin-infused hooks and carefully written verses about being the chosen one in the relationship. It’s all fun and games in the music world until FEIFEI has entered the realm of masterfully written pop songwriting. — EP

“Echo Chamber Management” by Like Animals

The dissonant tolling of ceremonial temple bells welcomes a procession of synapses coming alight, and the sound forms a chamber. Luis Gutierrez a.k.a Like Animals has long plumbed the depths of experimental electronic music, from the faux Druidic invocations of “The Mother Frequency” to the centripetal spin-outs of “Spirits of the Land.”

With “Echo Chamber Management” (released alongside his other single “Dead Internet”), Like Animals challenges the psychic dominion of the internet with equally challenging sounds. “Echo Chamber Management” courts sounds on the brink of dissolving a la the early work of Oneohtrix Point Never, while taking progression cues from esoteric acts like Four Tet. A multitude of voices vie for control in a single space, and Like Animals says, if you can’t beat the noise, ride it. — JP

“Delikado” by dwta

Following in the line of sweet, easy listening hits released this year is "Delikado" by Bicolana singer-songwriter dwta, a folk-inflected track about what it feels like to be ghosted. While the nostalgia angle has been used quite a bit in the past and has been leaning more in the '90s to mid-'00s punk and rock direction, dwta's decision to pull from older eras in time is refreshing. "Delikado" is the type of song that you'd think would be best listened to in a warmly lit living room, the crackling quality of a vinyl playing as you reminisce loves lost and loves never materialized. — GG

“RIID” by In Retrospect

“Transcendence” is a hell of a debut from indie four-piece In Retrospect, chock-full of ethereal, shimmering arrangements that take the textures of shoegaze and amp up the energy. Evoking acts like Wild Nothing and even Sleepwalk Circus, the band finds new ways to harness the power of reverb while delivering a piece of work that brims with dynamism.

Let the track “RIID” be your introduction to a band that deserves a larger following than they currently have, and is primed to dominate the indie circuit next year. Twinkling leads course through a refined rhythm section like warm blood through good veins, in a track that absolutely pulses with life. It’s easy to deride shoegaze-adjacent styles for their perceived sleepiness, so let In Retrospect be your wake-up call. — JP

“Dream Again” by KRNA

Through ethereal layers of hazy guitars and atmospherics, KRNA’s “Dream Again” allows vocalist KC Salazar’s vocals to shine like the sun at dawn. The band’s delicately layered instrumentation leaves plenty of room for space, while the song’s cathartic climax feels well-earned. The music video is similarly trance-like, blending Wong Kar Wai motion blur with hand-drawn and AI-assisted animation. It’s a strong case for Cagayan de Oro’s thriving indie pop scene. — MR

“BINGO!” by Pette Shabu

Soaked in bizarro techno and noontime show camp, “BINGO!” brings out the barangay fiesta in dance music while dropping F-bombs on culture vultures and petit bourgeoisie with the meanest of shades. But what makes this unapologetic banger extra special is how it gives budots, a grassroots dance music genre that originated in Davao City, an explicitly queer makeover, rebelling against gendered norms and throwing the dankest shit this side of Gen Z internet culture.

Pette Shabu, being the nasty figure of meme rap that she is, never backs down in her commentary. She sashays her way into earworm consciousness with her best Roderick Paulate impersonation, all while exhibiting bratty disdain. “Mula Aparri hanggang Jolo, ang TVJ na wala nang show / it’s over for y’all na TKO,” the experimental hip-hop newcomer disses. Once again, she delivers another myth-making performance and leaves the stage, unbothered in her fiercest demeanor. Dropping the mic never felt so audaciously sassy and on point. — IU

“Leavers” by Ashtrays to Gaza

“Leavers” by Ashtrays to Gaza begins with a voicemail. The person on the other line, presumably a former lover, goes into an “it’s not you, it’s me” kind of speech that dissolves into futilities. A voicemail is an overdone trope when mishandled, best left to album interludes, La Dispute parodies, or midwestern emo memes that poke fun at the melodrama of intro soliloquies. “Leavers,” however, builds up from soft sonic longing to a grand crescendo of crushing riffs that beat sentiment into the pavement.

Ashtrays to Gaza began as a project solely helmed by Jiesus, before Cypho, Tintin and Angelo joined in on drums, bass, vocals, and guitars respectively. This Cebu-based outfit has evolved into a ferociously heavy outfit that makes even the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor sound tame, the way Tintin’s vocals soar over the din of roiling, reverb-drowned strings. “Leavers” is a dirge that rattles the soul first, then the bones second. — JP

“Orasa” by Dilaw

Dilaw's "Uhaw" may be one of the songs that's ushered in a new era in the Filipino music scene (and for good reason). Ever since the single blew up early this year, the Baguio-based band's been gaining steady traction in the music circuit. But it's Dilaw's follow-up single, "Orasa," that truly caught my attention. Telling the story of a toxic relationship, the song replicates the feeling through repeated verses sung in what’s becoming vocalist Dilaw Obero's signature diction. It helps that the chorus is meant to be sung by the audience in unison, making it a pleasure to hear and watch live. — GG

“Baron Super Antenna” by Libya Montes

The cultural impact of budots was a hot topic over the past year, especially after the Manila edition of Boiler Room of which Libya Montes, also known as Erik Tuban, was a part. He takes budots seriously, not just in terms of sonic motifs like a high-pitched whistle synth and relentless Eurobeat rhythms, but also in sensibility and sense of humor. The lore of his 2023 EP “Ernie Baron” revolved around its titular pioneer weather man, who is popularly known as the Walking Encyclopedia of the Philippines. Erik Tuban has long been a champion of independent music in the Central Visayas region and beyond, and his deep fascination with experimental and outsider music makes “Baron Super Antenna” a richly textured track that provokes both dance and thought. — MR

“TT (terrible things)” by bird.

bird. easily gets lost in melancholia with breezy, understated melodies straight from the Turnover rulebook and dreamy guitar sounds that glisten in seaside summers. And that’s never a bad thing! In fact, “TT (terrible things),” one of the songs off their acclaimed debut album, oshin, never shies away from this familiar sonic ground. There’s something about their embrace of darker corners of introspection that rejects any notion of them being complicitly attached to soulless, vibe-inducing music. In less than three minutes, the Filipino indie rock outfit goes through the motions with the heaviest of hearts, coming to terms with the idea that not all love is ideal and worth fighting for. “TT (terrible things)” is an emo jam of the highest order, and bird. does it surprisingly well that there’s no way you’ll be able to doubt their intentions — feelings-wise. — IU

“711” by TONEEJAY

There’s not much to dissect about “711” other than how its premise feels so out of reach yet close to home. Here, the song neither revels in theatrics nor pulls off algorithmic stunts to get its message across. The words are pure, simple, and sometimes doused in saccharine aspirations, but don’t we all talk this way when we only want the best for the person we love?

“711” is a feel-good love song that brims with lightheartedness and wit. It doesn’t have to wave its bigness right into your face to drive the narrative forward; it’s as calm and steady as it should be.

For what it’s worth, TONEEJAY wrote a postcard of a moment that’s told from the perspective of a young dreamer, unfazed by life’s challenges but constantly hoping for the universe to do its magic. In its stillness, “711” reflects the kind of love that’s juvenile but worth pursuing, even if, in reality, there’s no assurance that the risk will pay off in the end. In TONEEJAY’s words, “Gusto kong ibigay ang buhay na gusto mo,” and sometimes, it’s all we need to hear to get through the day. — IU

“B.A.D.” by Denise Julia ft. P-Lo

Denise Julia has been a polarizing figure in the local R&B scene, mostly due to her overall image and plagiarism accusations. The single "B.A.D." was not exempt from this criticism, with some pointing out that the music video copied the beginning of Normani's "Motivation" video frame-for-frame. The sensual and provocative “B.A.D.” is a solid release whose steady beat and catchy chorus makes a case for Denise Julia’s R&B. Think what you will of Denise Julia, but there's no denying that the song made an impact since its release last November, with over 221,000 posts using the audio on TikTok, where its chorus choreography has inspired many a dance cover. — GG

“BAKASI” by BudoyX

Visayan luminary Budoy Kilat dropped a hard-hitting electronic album this year as BudoyX. His incredibly sharp and rhythmic wordplay, exemplified in his songs with Junior Kilat like “Ako si M-16,” are cornerstones of Philippine reggae because of his acute sense of observation of currents in culture. As a producer on “BAKASI,” presumably named after the Cebuano delicacy, he draws from grassroots tikno in order to sate the primal thirst to baile. His live performances, featuring himself with a mic and a sampler, are also a force to be reckoned with. — MR

“Pahna” by RB Slatt

One thing that’s commendable about rapper-producer RB Slatt’s “Pahna” is it’s a cover track sung over the production of Autumn!’s broken, only for the former to release the superior track by breaking down its structure completely: adding catchy ad libs, glitchy effects sprinkled for atmospherics, and dashing tasteful micro hooks here and there. RB Slatt is the unsung hero of the hip-hop scene today, wherein the genius songwriting of “Pahna” caused a wave of R&B singers and rappers singing their own renditions of the tracks from Nouvul, DEMI, and even Hev Abi paying tributes to RB’s version, making it the watershed moment it is for the Philippine music scene at large. — EP

"Gento" by SB19

Opening with Pablo's lutong "I want some, I get some, no later/I woke up and baked that potato" and Josh's "Look at me, tell me what you see/ All Gucci?" it’s easy to play off SB19's "Gento" as just another buzzy TikTok earworm whose virality is owed more to its smooth beats and LSS potential than its substance. But in true SB19 fashion, all you have to do is dig a bit deeper to uncover a gold mine of symbolism. Using a hip-hop base and clever figures of speech in both English and Filipino, the Mahalima reveal a lot about what they'd been through since the release of their last album. The music video's a visual feast as well — one viewing won't be enough to catch all the Easter eggs they've left.

Given that the group is aiming for global recognition, it certainly helps that the choreography was equally as catchy as the beat — the "Gento" dance challenge has been picked up by K-pop idols like Super Junior's Eunhyuk, ENHYPEN's Jungwon, ATEEZ's San, and even covered on a Chinese idol survival show. — GG

“Away From U” by LONER

LONER’s earlier work was marked by a stylistic proximity to indie pop and R&B’s quieter aspects – semi-mumbling vocals, chill beats dipped in codeine, a noncommittal relationship with jazz. “No Fidelity” and “Make Noise” were sold records in that respect, but something shifted in 2023. This year, LONER released a daisy chain of groovy singles — “Not 2 Much,” “Ayoko Na,” and “Ikaw Pa Rin” all court the sound of two-step garage. LONER’s signature nonchalant confidence really makes the style work. But it’s “Away From U,” a mellow bop that evokes ‘90s slacker rock a la Sugar Ray, that best forecasts where LONER can take his sound in the future. — JP

Here are some songs we wish made the list, along with our favorite albums from this year:

HONORABLE MENTIONS

"MY THANG (Go Getta II)" - O SIDE MAFIA

"Ronan" - Insomnia

"Stationary Bike" - The Purest Blue

"Sonic Tonic" - SUYEN

"Perfume" - Monopolice

"Tip toe" - August Wahh

"PABLO" - WAIIAN

"TIKTIKTOKIN" - PLAYERTWO

"Tsada Mahigugma" - Maymay Entrata

"Ayshi Patingka" - Raul Beray

BEST ALBUMS

Toots - Jargon State, Megumi Acorda- Silver Fairy, The Purest Blue - All is True, Limbs - Everything Under Heaven, Precal Dropouts - Little One, Travel Far, Gibraltar - Promo Release, Showtime Official Club - Boiler Room x Manila Community Radio, Kindred - Subset, Oh, Flamingo - Pagtanda, bird. - oshin, Lil JVibe - WHOLE LOTTA LUVSHIT, Denise Julia – Sweet Nothings (Chapter 1), Noa Mal – The Anatomy of Hijacking, Goon Lagoon - Rocket Peace, Limbs – Everything Under Heaven, Irrevocable - Generational Curses, Shockpoint - Rhythm Zero, HEY JUNE! - Curiosity Killed the Cat

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