R.I.P. OPM?
If #OPM trended on Twitter Tuesday, you can thank an old law of physics for it. That, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
"Plus," a share in Facebook suggested, "a social media overreaction."
The #OPM issue?
That it is dead.
That is what Leloy Claudio posited in his GMA News Online essay, ""OPM is dead, so sue me." Within eight hours of posting it on Tuesday, August 28, the piece was shared more than 3000 times on Facebook.
In it, Claudio reacts to the arguments of bloggers who were also reacting to a piece Don Jaucian wrote for the Philippine Star entitled, "The life and death of OPM." Posted on August 25, Jaucian blames risk-averse record companies for the moribund state of local music, in particular the penchant for reviving old songs.
"When notes are recycled for the nth iteration, you wonder: Where are the composers and legitimate artists of the industry?" Jaucian asks.
'OPM isn't dead you idiot'
Blogger Rain Contreras called Jaucian's essay "whiny" and urged him to check out the scene. "OPM is alive, and it has many, many forms. Again, you just don't go to enough gigs of bands/artists/performers you don't know. "
Carlo Casas , who identifies himself "a photographer, a graphic designer, a dj and a host," replied with a post of him own called "OPM isn't dead you idiot."
The ballyhoo prompted GMA News Online contributor Leloy Claudio to slam both Contreras and Casas. "I fear the instinctive defensiveness of many old hands about the death of OPM belies a lack of willingness to have a discussion about structural issues that impinge on the arts," Claudio wrote.
"Of course people will always make music, but that isn't a sign of life. Until the government and the media industries decide that local audiences deserve better, OPM will stay dead. And if I'm being whiny, sue me."
Twitter reactions
On social media, people weighed in.
Tweeted Myrene Academia of Sandwich: "Oh look, apparently OPM is dead. Again."
Said Greyhoundz manager Bubi Sanchez: "Ang nagsasabing OPM is dead ay dadalawin ni Karl [Roy]."
Rock Ed honcho Gang Badoy saw the bright side with the hashtags #atleastpinaguusapan and #yay #vivademokrasya.
Lessons from K-Pop
Twinky Lagdameo of Radio Republic, an Internet radio site that features nothing but OPM, responded with her own post. She said that since they began operations four months ago, Radio Republic has had more than 100 Filipino artists come to their studio to play their own songs.
But, like Leloy Claudio, she concedes that OPM is not just about writing original songs.
She observes, "The reason why K-Pop is a global success is that Koreans support Koreans. In J-Pop, the Japanese support the Japanese. In CantoPop, the Chinese support the Chinese. So, let me ask. can we Filipinos support our own Artists 100% all the time?"
What do you think?
