Metro Manila Popular Music Festival


The Metro Manila Popular Music Festival was launched by the Popular Music Foundation of the Philippines in 1977 and was held annually from 1978 to 1985. It was "the country's pioneering and once foremost songwriting competition", according to The Philippine Star. Its objective was to promote the advancement of Filipino music, and its chief proponents were journalist Teodoro Valencia and politician Imee Marcos. Over the years, the festival helped launch the careers of many singers and songwriters, among them Freddie Aguilar.
The songwriting competition was originally open to all composers. From the fourth festival onwards, it was divided into professional and amateur sections, to give new songwriters a level playing field without competing with more well-known composers. After 1985, the festival was discontinued due to a decline in public interest.
It was later revived as the Metropop Song Festival, which aired on the GMA Network from 1996 to 2003.

Original Metropop (1978–1985)

First Metro Manila Popular Music Festival

"Anak" failed to win any of the prizes but went on to become one of the most popular Philippine pop songs ever and to launch the career of Freddie Aguilar. This was right at the beginning of the Original Pilipino Music boom, and after this first festival, the singing careers of Hajji Alejandro, Celeste Legaspi, Maricris Bermont, and Anthony Castelo took off. Heber Bartolome's "Tayo'y Mga Pinoy" became a protest anthem, and Ryan Cayabyab's "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" became representative of Original Pilipino Music. Emil Mijares was the musical director for this festival. The first grand finals were held at the Folk Arts Theater, with RPN-9 as the official broadcaster.

Second Metro Manila Popular Music Festival

This time, Freddie Aguilar's interpretation of Snaffu Rigor's composition won the grand prize. However, the biggest pop hit to come out of the Second Metropop was "Ewan", by Apo Hiking Society. Rico J. Puno, already a big star at this time, interpreted the third-place song, which also became a hit. The song "Umagang Kay Ganda" failed to place, but it went on to be used as the main theme of ABS-CBN's now-defunct weekday morning show of the same title, and it also became the campaign song for the presidential bid of Bongbong Marcos in 2022.

Third Metro Manila Popular Music Festival

Leah Navarro and "Isang Mundo Isang Awit" represented the Philippines and won the bronze prize at that year's Seoul Popular Music Festival. "Ikaw, Ako, Tayo " turned out to be the biggest hit from the Third Metropop.

Fourth Metro Manila Popular Music Festival

Established singers like Florante, Eugene Villaluz, Leo Valdez, and Marco Sison interpreted their first Metropop entries. Emil Sanglay Sonny Nicolas were the only performers who interpreted their own songs.

Metropop Song Festival (1996–2003)

The Metropop Song Festival was an annual music festival that served as a relaunch of the original competition, running from 1996 until 2003. It was broadcast on the GMA Network. The festival promoted non-mainstream musicians such as Gary Granada and Angelo Villegas, and it boosted the singing careers of Jaya and Carol Banawa, who participated as interpreters.
Another associated event, called Metropop Young Singers ran at the same time. Unlike the main festival, this event served as a talent competition for young aspiring singers. The contestants were judged based on their interpretation of existing songs. The most notable participant was Melanie Calumpad, who came third in 1997 and later returned as an interpreter for the actual song festival in 2003, under her stage name Kyla. She went on to have a successful career in music and competed as an interpreter for the winning songs at the Himig Handog and Philippine Popular Music Festival song contests.

Metropop Song Festival winners

1996:
  • "Sometimes You Just Know"; composers: Danny Tan, Edith Gallardo; interpreter: Jaya
  • "Shine"; composer: Trina Belamide; interpreter: Ima Castro (recording only)
  • "Aawitin Ko, Ang Awit Mo"; composer: Greg Caro; interpreter: Rannie Raymundo
1997:
  • "Para Sa Inyo, 'Tong Kanta Kong 'To"; composer and interpreter: Gideon "Jungee" Marcelo
  • "If I Could"; composer: Dodjie Simon; interpreter: Lloyd Umali
  • "Delikado, Delikadesa"; composer: Soc Villanueva; interpreter: Judith Banal
1998:
  • "Mabuti Pa Sila"; composer and interpreter: Gary Granada
  • "Bring Back the Times"; composer: Eunice Saldaña; interpreter: Dessa
  • "You Make Me Smile"; composer: Rica Arambulo; interpreter: Carol Banawa
1999:
2000:
2001
  • "Pag-Uwi"; composers: Louie Ocampo and Joey Ayala; interpreter: Martin Nievera
  • "Kawikaan"; composers: Laverne Ducut and Catherine Carlos; interpreter: Cynthia Alexander
  • "Heaven Sent"; composer: Dennis Garcia; interpreter: Ella Mae Saison with the Saisons and Friends; music arranger: Emil Mayor
2003:
  • "Malayo Man, Malapit Din"; composer and interpreter: Bayang Barrios
  • "Pretend That I Don't Love You"; composer: Mike Villegas; interpreter: Cookie Chua
  • "Buti Na Lang"; composer: Jonathan Manalo; interpreter: Kyla

Metropop Star Search winners

1997:
1998:
1999:
2000: