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Last Song Syndrome

This is crazy. For the past few days a melody has been relentlessly buzzing in my head. And all because I caught the music video on MYX and ended up looking for it on YouTube. Now I am fixated on images of Yeng Constantino, Kean Cipriano and 6 Cyclemind partying to the tune of "Kung Wala Na Nga." A bad case of the Last Song Syndrome.

But that's all right. This is a marked improvement from "Teenage Dream" that was looped in my medulla oblongata for the longest time, playing the same bridge over and over and over again ("Let's go all the way tonight … No regrets, just love …:"). I am happy that I am fixated to a local song … something that has not happened since I kept playing Kamikazee's "Narda" over and over and over again. And how many years ago was that?

Which brings me to the whole point of this exercise: we are not fixating on local songs because there aren't all that many going around any more. Look, I am not even going to consider cover versions because … uhm, I personally feel that even if a great Pinoy singer renders his or her interpretation of an established foreign hit or classic, it is still a foreign hit or classic…just sung by a Pinoy.

Dearth in OPM

But one thing is quite evident: fewer and fewer original Pilipino music are being produced and recorded. Nope, it is wrong to think that there is a dearth of original Filipino music being made in any genre (because, as we all know, music is not only second nature to our kababayans: we actually sing at the slightest provocation … even in the middle of riots and revolutions). The problem is finding a way to get this music to the Pinoy public amidst the preponderance of K-Pop, Taiwan Pop, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Adele and all of those who fill the audio fantasies of our brains.

I asked one of the lead singers of an iconic rock band why OPM has lost its place in the hearts of the local market. I recounted the 80's and early 90's when Original Pilipino Music was so alive and diversified that local singing idols represented an entire spectrum of musical possibilities. The answer I got was somewhat disheartening --- but so true. What has happened to the local music industry is quite similar to what happened to all other avenues of media --- except television. Two reasons: globalization and technology… and it is as if you can have one without the other.

Globalization is quite understandable. How could one explain the resounding popularity of K-Pop Groups like Super Junior or 2NE1 where you have fans singing lyrics to songs they really do not understand? What is surprising about that when we experienced that same phenomenon so many years ago with F4?

Accessibility

Because of the accessibility of music through media, music … like its artists … have been commodities sold across a worldwide market. Artists are discovered from uploads in sites like MySpace to YouTube. For how many major talents have been discovered through internet sites … thereby changing the entire equation of national and cultural boundaries as far as pop culture is concerned.

Technology has overrun the music industries of all countries …including those in the First World. Who still buys CDs when you can download music from various maverick sites or do direct purchases of songs from iTunes? Doomsayers are certain that one day too soon stores selling CDs and DVDs will be obsolete because everything will now be downloadable and all media negotiations will be done through the internet.

Worse, all it takes is one person to acquire an audio CD … and all he has to do is burn this album as many times as he wants and distribute this to his friends or whoever is interested in the material. This is like the same phenomenon that killed the royalty system in publishing --- when used books were legally and commercially sold on the Internet even before the e-books were fully developed.

Back to life?

So where does that leave Original Pilipino Music? Are there still venues where people can really listen, appreciate … or even rediscover the possibilities of our local musical artists? According to the lead vocalist I shared an interesting conversation, OPM had its last peak during the heyday of rock bands when Kamikazee held its stronghold. This was about the same time that Pinoy acoustic artists like Kitchie Nadal were still capturing the patronage and admiration of the Filipinos who can never live without music in their lives.

But now aside from Sunday noontime extravaganzas on the two major networks … and occasional rockfests sponsored by major companies to celebrate anniversaries, holidays or even summer vacations, very little room has been given for Pinoy artists to go onstage and have their new and old music played and heard by a large number of people.

Efforts are being made to revive Original Filipino Music … but I still keep asking myself, "Is this enough?"

What else can we do to bring OPM back to life? What is needed to bring back the glory days of contemporary Pinoy music and make us realize that the songs we create, sing and celebrate … actually define who we really are?