Music transcends time. Over the years, it has shared its part in establishing the identity and culture of a certain generation. Psychedelic rock ruled over the ‘60s, the ‘70s glittered up with funky Disco music while the ’80s marked the popularization of Pop Punk.
As for the Millennials, a diversity in genres emerged, along with the birth of new platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, and Spinnr, and new genres such as Vaporwave and Electronic Dance Music(EDM).
Spotify, as a counterpart of RollingStone’s Top 500 tunes, released its own list of top 500 tunes for the Millennials, which was based on the app’s play data and demographics. Beyoncé dominated the list with her chart-topper “Crazy In Love” while R. Kelly came out second with the remix version of “Ignition.” Artists like Michael Jackson, The Notorious B.I.G, and Van Morrison also joined the list with hit tracks “Billie Jean,” ”Juicy” and “Brown Eyed Girl.”
The chart goes out for the Millennials worldwide but what songs do the young Filipino music consumers listen to? Some of them share what tunes grace their playlist.
“Well, I primarily listen to rock in different forms and variations. But sometimes I listen to other genres like pop, R&B, disco, jazz, rap, etc. I also listen to some tunes from the ‘40s to now. As long as I like the melody and the lyrics, I’ll be damn well sure to listen to it.” – Carl Aquino, 20, DLSU-CSB
“I enjoy listening to One Direction, twenty one pilots and Panic! At The Disco. I generally like upbeat melody and sound.” – Angeline Nicole Ortiz, 16, PUP-SHS
“Ed Sheeran, for me, is one of today’s most influential artists. In his most recent album Divide, he used it as an instrument to foretell stories about life and his loved ones. His song “Perfect” was a lovely serenade that will make all girls blush. Another song of his sings about selflessness, the song was entitled ‘Happier.’ All in all, I recommend Divide because when you l listen to that album, it will make you fall in love.” – Alex Laylo, 19, LPU
“My music preference varies, it ranges from songs that you listen on phonographs to songs that you stream or download in digital formats. I often listen to local and foreign indie/alternative music; mostly indie pop, indie rock, alternative rock, and alternative pop.” – Jesh Alberto, 20, PUP
“Songs with ‘pabebe’ or ‘pa-cool’ messages are mostly not in anymore. Millenials usually go for songs with deeper meanings and unique tune. Here in the Philippines, Millennials have great love for the indie music scene (or independent music scene). Indie artists like Reese Lansangan, Keiko Necesario, Clara Benin, and Ben&Ben, to name a few, are the reasons why famous acoustic bars in Manila are being invaded by teens. Well, except for the fact that some teens love to go on a night out or “gimik” they also go and enjoy there when their favorite indie artists are having gigs.” – Noreen Trinidad, 17, Collegio de San Juan de Letran
