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| (Image Source: Adobo Magazine/Spotify Philippines) |
Filipino hip-hop has experienced a steady rise since the early 90s but in the past few years to become a chart-dominating force in the Philippine music scene and, at a major turning point, is emerging to become a mainstream staple for many Filipino music lovers. From early 2018 to date, streams of Filipino hip-hop artists on the global music streaming portal Spotify have grown nearly thrice with the likes of Matthaios, Skusta Clee and PDL hitting the top spot in Spotify Philippines' weekly music charts. However, their popularity goes beyond these charts.
In 2020 alone, Spotify's flagship Filipino hip-hop playlist Kalye Hip-Hop has gained a 50 percent increase in streams. With more than 520,000 followers and counting, it has become one of the top local playlists in the country for weeks. With these in mind, Spotify has introduced four new and rebranded playlists dedicated to Pinoy hip-hop genre featuring everything from the classics local music buffs know and love through the years to what is popular and trending, namely: the flagship playlist Kalye Hip-Hop, Bago Sa Rap which houses the newest Filipino rap tunes, Dugong Hip-Hop featuring the best hits of Francis M., Gloc-9 and more, and Pinas Vibes where listeners can groove to the smooth vibes of Filipino R&B tunes. Available to Free and Premium users on its official website and mobile app for Android and iOS devices, Spotify becomes the one-stop destination for Filipino music fans who can enjoy the best and finest of Pinoy hip-hop.
"The Philippines has such a vibrant music scene with many emerging young artists, especially on the Pinoy hip-hop front. With the launch of our dedicated Pinoy hip-hop playlists, we hope to help more music fans discover the growing sounds of the genre and help established and emerging artists reach more fans in the Philippines and beyond," said Spotify Southeast Asia's Head of Music Kossy Ng. "Spotify has always championed Filipino music and culture, paying close attention to what resonates locally. Since the launch of our dedicated OPM music hub in 2015, OPM streams on the platform have continued to grow year after year. In fact, between June 2015 and September 2020, OPM's share of listening on Spotify increased by more than 100%. As Pinoy hip-hop continues to grow, we're excited to be driving the next phase for this genre and celebrating this culture with fans."
Spotify has also partnered with some of the hottest Filipino hip-hop artists to launch exclusive content on the Kalye Hip-Hop playlist, bringing the genre closer to its fans. Fans of the genre and music lovers will be treated to exclusive videos from Matthaios, ALLMO$T, Karencitta, Nik Makino, VVS Collective, and Peaceful Gemini who will be sharing more on what hip-hop means to them, their inspirations and more. With Filipino hip-hop becoming a part of Filipinos' everyday life in today's modern world, Spotify has also launched and released a video on Spotify Asia's Instagram page that brings to life the streets and communities that have inspired and shaped the sounds of today's hip-hop acts in the Philippines.
