P-Pop’s Best in 2025
Nadine Lustre of Popgirls (Source: Wikipedia)
Hypothetically, P-pop could apply to any pop song from the Philippines. However, many fans and even some musicians try to draw a line between pop from the Philippines and P-pop. Here are some things that distinguish P-pop from simply Filipino pop: first, P-pop prioritizes performance. Expect a lot of high-energy choreography and, for group acts, synchronized dancing.
P-pop also emphasizes catchiness and attention-grabbing visuals, from brightly dyed hair to extravagant costumes. The artists are young, often debuting in their teens or twenties. This fast-rising industry is clearly influenced by the likes of Korean pop (K-pop) and Japanese pop (J-pop). As such, even some Filipinos reject P-pop, painting it as a pale imitation of K-pop and J-pop, or decry its supposed commercial soullessness.
Love it or hate it, P-pop is here to stay. Its presence is expanding not just in the Philippines, but in the US too. In 2025 alone, P-pop boy band SB19 headlined the successful Simula at Wakas (Beginning and End) world tour; all of its four stops in US territories (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Temecula, and Honolulu) were sold out. Coachella also announced BINI, a P-pop girl group, as the first all-Filipino act scheduled to perform at the upcoming April 2026 festival.
I spent the past year listening to pretty much every new P-pop release, even the most underrated ones (e.g. VLST, whose 8-month-old debut single Barugi still has only 2,580 views on YouTube as of writing). This industry is overflowing with talent and dedication, but certain albums/EPs and songs stood out from the rest. So without further ado, here are ten of P-pop’s best offerings from 2025: not based on sales or popularity, but on quality and creativity.
Best Songs
In 2025, BINI entered their most experimental era yet, yielding mixed results. Among their 2025 releases, First Luv is the cream of the crop. Its rococo-inspired music video is undoubtedly stunning. However, even without borrowing pre-existing classical music like, say, Feel My Rhythm by Red Velvet interpolating Bach’s 18th century opus Air on the G String, the song itself matches the video’s vintage elegance. How? By inserting church organ solos in the intro and breakdown sung by Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, and Jhoanna.
A church organ is a fascinating adornment almost never heard in pop. The vocal arrangements accentuate each individual tone too. A track with eight distinct voices is far more memorable than a song seemingly sung by just one person. A dainty pattering cowbell and rumbling 808 bass further strengthen First Luv’s fresh, unique sound. This is experimentation done perfectly, no notes… well, maybe one: Colet, BINI’s most proficient vocalist, ought to be utilized much better than she has been in newer songs.
A lack of musical vision is widespread in P-pop, sadly. Many producers will simply throw a bunch of sounds together, with the artist getting no real material to work with either. A year into his singing career, J-Quinn (best known for his K-pop- and J-pop-inspired drag, as seen in Drag Race Philippines season three) firmly avoids this problem. Bagong Buwan (New Moon) is an exquisitely engineered synth-pop song that brings out new depths in his vocals. Its clean, confident sound is refreshing in an industry sometimes responsible for bland, shapeless songs. The neon-drenched music video is equally dreamy, starring Cup of Joe frontman Gian Bernardino as J-Quinn’s love interest.
Baduy by VVINK and DJ Love ft. Pio Balbuena
For years, countless Filipinos have dismissed budots as baduy (tacky). In Baduy, girl group VVINK incorporates budots’ delightful cacophonies, transforming it with sugary pop melodies. Such an approach towards budots had never been explored in P-pop prior, making Baduy one of the most inventive tracks to come out of the Philippines in 2025. The presence of Davao’s genre pioneer DJ Love (also credited as a co-producer) and a Waray verse ensure that budots’ Visayan origins aren’t completely erased either.
After a few years filled with generic hip-hop-lite, KAIA finally found their niche with the Jersey club/UK garage track Walang Biruan (No Joke) in 2024. It was a tough act to follow, but the quintet rose to the challenge with their next single Tanga (Idiot). Penned and produced by young hitmaker Zack Tabudlo, Tanga builds upon clubby kick drum beats that don’t stray too far from their breakout hit’s. However, Tanga swaps the previous song’s lightning-fast topline for buttery R&B-style singing. The girl group’s exceptional vocal performances here, particularly KAIA member Angela’s, prove that their success isn’t a fluke, solidifying their place in P-pop.
The rock star spirit of Pahuway (meaning “Rest” in Cebuano) sets Rain Celmar apart from other fresh-faced newcomers. A single from her debut EP b luvd, Pahuway is a ballad with swelling guitar solos and praiseworthy, emotional vocals by Celmar. Going rock instead of the usual cutesy bubblegum is a great fit for her smoky tone, which is enough to grab one’s attention in itself. Angel Locsin’s stepson Joaquin Arce stars as Celmar’s boyfriend in the music video.
Best Albums and Extended Plays (EPs)
SB19 lifted P-pop to new heights, persisting even when the idea of a homegrown boy band still invited open ridicule in the Philippines. In 2025, their Simula at Wakas (Beginning and End) EP made it clear that seven years into their time as a group, SB19 isn’t done elevating P-pop.
Most of the tracks are classic hip-hop, but Quit is a passionate pop-rock song. Shooting for the Stars is a disco-inflected bubblegum beauty. The high caliber of production ties them all together. You won’t hear any lazy, overused beats here. Simula closes with Dungka! The bold, ear-splitting electric guitar riffs produced by SB19’s Pablo and his brother Josue are like nothing else you’ve ever heard. Simula at Wakas is extraordinary because it proves that Filipino artists can be forward-thinking, innovative musicians.
Pop music has mellowed out a lot these past five or so years. For instance, Lady Gaga’s biggest hit of the 2020s so far is the soft, soulful Die with a Smile, a far cry from the eccentric songs that catapulted her to stardom. New-generation Western pop stars like PinkPantheress and Beabadoobee craft sweet, delicate songs. In their debut album The Dissection of Eve, P-pop trio G22 provides a welcome throwback to the unapologetically loud pop of the past.
From the blaring horns in Pa-Pa-Pa-Palaban (Fi-Fi-Fi-Fighting) to the hypnotizing chants and cries in Filipina Queen, The Dissection of Eve defies minimalism from start to finish, distinguishing it from the bulk of 2020s pop. Even the gentler songs like Until When? (Kinakaya Ko Pa) are packed with strong sonic elements like an orchestra. AJ, Alfea, and Jaz, the young ladies of G22, co-wrote and co-produced each track, embodying the record’s empowering Tagalog and English lyrics.
Known for incorporating Philippine languages and instruments in their songs, the six members of ALAMAT have carved out a lane that’s theirs alone. Their second full-length album Destino (Destination) reinforces the uniqueness of their music. It opens with LuzViMinda, which the entire group penned in each of their native languages: Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Tagalog, and Waray. The song ingeniously combines addictive hip-hop with indigenous Philippine instruments like the kubing (jaw harp), complementing its multilingual lyrics.
It’s a sound you simply cannot find anywhere else. What’s more, ALAMAT’s Alas engineered the track by himself. The band members consistently showcase their artistry throughout the largely self-composed album, such as R-Ji and Tomás playing the guitar and flute respectively on sultry R&B love song Hapag (Dining Table). Even the weaker tracks like Don’t Wanna Dance contain interesting moments, like a 27-second dip into bossa nova, a genre rarely heard in mainstream music.
In Sapulso, 1621 demonstrates their expertise in bubble gum boy band goodness. Bubble gum groups abound in P-pop, but plenty of them suffer from inadequate songwriting. On the other hand, Sapulso’s Bababa cleverly uses the Tagalog word for “go down” as the irresistibly catchy hook for a song about riding the elevator with your crush.
Maria, a bouncy Cebuano/English/Tagalog song about searching for the titular love interest, features a beautiful stripped-down section in which the members call out her name one by one. Secret’s upbeat funk fusion keeps the EP cohesive even as it dives into angstier themes. Save for Bagamundo, an utterly forgettable attempt at reggaeton, Sapulso is a masterclass in crafting classic pop that stays with listeners.
The artists are young, often debuting in their teens or twenties.
Kaileidoscope by Kai Montinola
The future of Filipino music is in good hands, and Kai Montinola’s debut EP, Kaileidoscope, is evidence. Containing songs in Cebuano, English, and Tagalog, the record is a formidable balance of youthful brightness and sophistication. Highlights include the glossy R&B/pop cut Hay Naku, synth-laden anxiety anthem Overthink, and gorgeously sung ballad For You, which Montinola co-wrote.
Despite her youth (she just turned 19 in December) and limited training, Montinola was involved in every step of the EP’s creative process. The incredibly refined final product is a testament to the raw talent and musicality of Filipinos.
Julienne Loreto (they/them) is a non-binary university student with roots in Bohol and Leyte. They are also a writer whose articles have been published in the prestigious music magazine The Line of Best Fit, as well as the Asian-American magazine JoySauce; their fiction stories have also been selected for publication by 8Letters and sold at the Manila International Book Fair.
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