TOP 50 OPM BANDS OF THE '90S | PART 1
- Syd Salazar
- Nov 9, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
I love listening to music. Always have. But I’ll be honest—‘80s foreign ballads and new wave? Not my thing. Still, I’m open to most genres.
But if there’s one sound I’ll never get tired of, it’s OPM.
My love for Original Pilipino Music started with the classics—Apo Hiking Society, VST & Company, and Gary V. As a kid, I even had a Yoyoy Villame Greatest Hits cassette that I’d play on my tape recorder every time the lights went out (which, during the Cory Aquino years, happened more often than you’d think). Then the ‘90s rolled in, and the bands came marching in—Eraserheads, Rivermaya, The Dawn, The Youth, Introvoys, Alamid, Yano, After Image, Color It Red, and so many more. That era made me realize boy bands weren’t doing anything for my soul.
Just when I thought I’d found my identity in the Pinoy alt-rock scene, along came ABC 5’s Music Bureau, IBC 13’s Club Dredd Sessions, Channel V, and MTV Asia. Through them, I discovered Wolfgang, Razorback, and a bunch of indie bands that barely saw the spotlight but totally deserved it.
OPM bands = AWESOME.
The ‘90s was, hands down, my favorite musical decade. I dabbled in different genres, sure, but nothing came close to the energy and authenticity of the OPM band scene. Back then, if you had a vocalist, a guitarist, and a drummer—whether you were a rocker, a showband, or a pogi rocker—you were the real deal.
CRITERIA
Here’s what I used to decide who makes the list—and yes, this also serves as my defense in case people come at me with pitchforks.
YEAR: Super important. Bands must have released an album—debut, final hurrah, full-length, EP, live recording—between 1990 and 1999. Compilations and collabs don’t count. Major label or indie, doesn’t matter—as long as they were active recording artists during that span.
MAINSTREAM RECOGNITION: If I mention the band and you respond with “Who?” or “Oh yeah, I forgot about them,” they’re probably not on the list. I’m not here to glorify the whole “I’m too cool for the mainstream” schtick. Visibility matters. If a band can ride a jeepney and no one notices, they probably didn’t make a big enough splash.
MAN AND CHICK FRIENDLY: Let’s face it—music is subjective. But the great bands? They appeal to everyone. Men may love the growlers, women may lean toward the crooners—but the best bands hit that sweet spot in between.
INFLUENCE: Did they shift the culture? Innovate the sound? Kulay brought funky hip-hop. Put3ska revived ska. Tropical Depression gave us reggae, and Francis M introduced rap-rock to the mainstream. And while the Eraserheads may have kicked off the Tunog Lata boom, they were building on foundations laid by legends like The Juan Dela Cruz Band and The Jerks.
GETTING SYDRIFIED: Yes, my opinion matters here. I spent hours researching, scrolling through fan interviews, downloading tracks, and reliving memories. I'm a big fan of alternative rock. Back then, I wasn’t into underground acts, and even now, some still sound a little too rough for my taste.
I HATE
Shouting expletives for the sake of being “cool.”
Lyrics that make me lose brain cells.
Emo (sorry, not sorry).
Songs with zero harmony.
Vocalists that make you want to puncture your eardrums.
Albums that recycle the same melody over and over.
This is my list.
If you’ve got your own, make one.
That’s my disclaimer.
RESERVE LIST:
In case some of my picks get disqualified, here’s a sidebar of honorable mentions.
Showbands like Passage, Mulatto, and First Circle didn’t make the cut. Neither did all-female band Prettier Than Pink or the ska-tastic Brownbeat All-Stars. Rock bands took the biggest hit: Tungaw, Tribal Fish, Philippine Violators, Ang Grupong Pendong, The Breed, Balahibum Pooza, Deadnails, Death by Stereo, Leowai, Edge of Illusion, Anointed Cherubs, The Aga Muhlach Experience, Bag’iw, and Drone—all missed the final cut.
And yes, there can only be one jolog band in the mix. That meant saying goodbye to Father and Son, Bodjie’s Law of Gravity, The Boss Band, Rockstar 2, and The April Boys.
Game starts now.
51 | I-AXE
YEARS ACTIVE: 1994 – PRESENT
90’S GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBERS): JEK MANUEL
90’S HITS: AKO’Y SAYO IKA’Y AKIN LAMANG
There were times when you were stuck in romantic hell, and suddenly their song plays—completely uninvited. You’re tuned in to Mellow Touch, wallowing, and boom—it hits. Ako’y Sa’yo plays, and for a brief moment, you’re not alone.
It’s a genuinely solid pogi rock anthem. But here’s the thing: it was lightning in a bottle. Despite its popularity, the band never quite followed it up with anything substantial. The lack of a strong second act stalled what could’ve been a promising rise to OPM greatness.
I’ll give them this—Ako’y Sa’yo had hooks. It had charm. It had the kind of emotional pull that could make anyone nostalgic. But beyond that? Nothing else really sticks. Unlike Orient Pearl, who at least looked the part with their 80s rockstar image, IAxe faded just as quickly as they arrived.
Still, I gave them the nod over Passage—because as much as they were a one-hit wonder, that one hit hit a little harder.
Here’s hoping they find a second wind—and this time, pay more attention to branding. In this industry, sound matters… but so does swagger.
45 to 50
50 | SKYCHURCH
YEARS ACTIVE: I DON’T KNOW
GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBERS): RUSSELL DELA CRUZ, JOEY DIZON
90'S HITS: BANE, DELUBYO
All I know is, during the height of the OPM Bandemonium, they were mainstays in the heavy metal and underground scene. Their raw, unfiltered passion to unleash chaos with their instruments resulted in sound that was loud, intense—and at times—absolutely glorious. They may have dropped the word electric from their name, but they never dropped the voltage in their performances. If anything, it only amped them up further.
49 | SHAMPOO NI LOLA
YEARS ACTIVE: 1993 – 1997; 2005 – PRESENT
90’S GROUP ROSTER: JHUN MORA, WOWIE MENDOZA, JEFF SANTOS, GILBERT ROBISO, ANDY INTALAN, ALEX RAMIREZ
90’S HITS: SARANGGOLA NI PEPE, CUTE, ASAL HUDAS, PRANING NA SI ROGER, TABLADO KA
Like many rock bands of their time, Shampoo ni Lola was born in a random garage back in 1993. Their bread and butter? Taking pop songs, revving them up with growls, distortion, and a whole lot of noise. Sure, their sound could come off a bit rough around the edges—latang-lata talaga yung drums especially in Tablado Ka—and yeah, sometimes it felt like they were just shouting and banging away for the heck of it. But what they lacked in polish, they made up for in raw energy. And in the live scene, that mattered. Praning na si Roger is proof—it’s chaotic, catchy, and cool in the most unhinged way.
48 | ELEKTRIKOOLAID
YEARS ACTIVE: THEIR DEBUT ALBUM WAS RELEASED IN 1996 – BEFORE 2000
GROUP ROSTER (KNOWN MEMBERS): ANABEL BOSCH, KRISHNA RAMOS, DIEGO GARRIDO
90’S HITS: BAHALA KA SA BUHAY MO, RATDOG FISH, LIHIM NG GABI
Elektrikoolaid might just be the blueprint for future chick-fronted bands with a distinct niche—think Up Dharma Down, Pinikpikan, or Paramita. Armed with a funky fusion of rock, acid jazz, and groove, they were a breath of fresh air during the tail end of the Tunog Lata era. Their sound was vibrant and ahead of its time, but unfortunately, they hit the scene when the OPM band craze was already starting to cool down. Had they emerged in the 2000s, there’s no doubt they would’ve carved a bigger space in the mainstream.
47 | AEGIS
YEARS ACTIVE: 1995 – PRESENT
GROUP ROSTER: JULIET SUNOT, MERCY SUNOT, STELLA GALINDO, REY ABENOJA, ROWENA PINPIN, VILMA GOLOVIOGO
90’S HITS: HALIK, LUHA, BASANG-BASA SA ULAN
Aegis is the ‘90s reincarnation of powerhouses like Sampaguita, Coritha, and Lokal Brown—only this time, they were branded for the “jologs.” While showbands often get love in big concert halls, Aegis somehow got boxed into the beer garden and videoke bar crowd. For a college student back then, admitting you liked them felt like a social risk. Still, none of that stopped their rise.
Despite the stereotypes, Aegis found their audience and made them very happy. Their music resonated with the masses, and they delivered electrifying performances wherever they went—even overseas. So go ahead, roll your eyes at this pick. But check the videoke playlist the next time you grab the mic—you’ll probably find “Halik” or “Luha” waiting for you near the top.
I mean… HOW CAN YOU HATE “SPLIT” MUSIC!?!
46 | CHEESE / QUESO
YEARS ACTIVE: 1994 – 2010
90’S GROUP ROSTER: IAN TAYAO, PAOLO “8” TOLERAN, ENZO RUIDERA, POW ROSAL, TUTS CALINAWAN, CJ OLAGUERA, RT DE ANO
90’S HITS: FINE, 10XKARMA, THE WAY
Like most rock bands, they started out as a bunch of dreamers—united by a shared passion and a hunger to make noise that mattered. Back when they were still called Cheese, they began racking up wins in battle-of-the-bands circuits, slowly earning their stripes.
Things really kicked off when NU107 picked up their demo, leading to heavy airplay that turned heads. Their debut album didn’t just deliver—it roared. It earned critical praise and even landed them slots in international rock events, including gigs in Korea.
And this was before they changed their name and dropped the career-defining Pilipinas album.
45 | WEEDD
YEARS ACTIVE: around that time
GROUP ROSTER: JUNJI LERMS, PHILIPPE ARRIOLA
90’S HITS: LONG HAIR, BOBO JOE, AURATUS, ISTORYANG WALANG ENDING
“Long Hair” was an anthem. It captured every high school boy’s silent rage whenever a teacher or guidance counselor threatened to snip away their prized locks. But these guys weren’t just singing about rebellion—they were living it. After all, they were actual high school students from Claret when the song blew up.
And while “Long Hair” was their standout hit, it wasn’t their only offering. The band released two full albums before calling it a day. Once they graduated, some members went on to formally study music—and eventually built careers around their passion for it.
TO BE CONTINUED
By the way, I’m going to thank my friends Jorge Cosgayon, Moj Reynes, and Chrisangelo Jacinto. Without you guys, I wouldn’t have forgotten Joey Ayala at Ang Bagong Lumad, Half-Life Half-Death, and The Jerks.