OPM Albums on Vinyl: 10 Records to Add to Your Collection

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We round up 10 must-have OPM albums on vinyl — from essential compilations, quarantine-produced efforts, to memorable debuts made available in this format for the first time.

Each format or medium by which we listen to music offers distinct experiences. Tuning in to the radio gives a certain kind of excitement because you’ll never know just what song will be playing next. Watching a live performance is a visceral way of immersing yourself in the music of the performer. Consuming digital music is incontestably convenient, especially for music lovers who are on the go.

Listening to an album’s physical copy is another story. It just hits differently — plus, it also provides you with a tangible connection to the artist. And on this front, it’s no secret how vinyl records successfully reemerged to become the top format in many countries.

What the records show

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Last year, the sales of long-playing (LP) records were reported to have soared more than 50% in the US. This means that one in three albums sold in the country is a vinyl record. It’s also the first time that LP sales outperformed compact discs’.

2021 also saw vinyl record sales reach their highest figure in the UK during the last three decades, accounting for 23% of all album sales. The biggest contributors to this feat? ABBA’s “Voyage” — their first original material in 40 years — and Adele’s highly anticipated comeback, “30.”

In the Philippines, the vinyl culture also continues to thrive.

The good news is, it’s not just foreign acts’ LPs that are in demand. OPM records are also blessing listeners with some analog music-format goodness soaked in Filipino sentimentality.

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In 2021, the year of vinyl records’ “big-time return” in the country, first- and long-time collectors alike found themselves spending thousands of pesos to add OPM albums to their music racks. Priced anywhere from Php1,200 to Php2,500, these offerings comprise OPM records freshly mastered for and pressed into vinyl and re-issues of well-loved classics (including those from Juan Dela Cruz, ASIN, Rey Valera, and VST & Company among others).

Prior to this huge comeback, OPM enthusiasts have only seen Filipino records sparsely released in the past years — with then four-piece act UDD, Ang Bandang Shirley, Rico Blanco, and The Eraserheads among local acts with music available in this retro format.

10 OPM albums on vinyl to own

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All technicalities aside, there are many other factors that make vinyl record-collecting worth it.

From the album covers that grace those pristine jackets to the design of the records themselves (solid black, multi-colored splatters, or transparent) — the art and science involved in the manufacturing of this medium make it even more special. It complements, or, rather, completes, the appeal of the album.

Hearing songs produced by Filipino musicians in this format is also another reason to get aboard the vinyl bandwagon. And without further ado, we’re giving you a list of OPM must-haves on vinyl.

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“Baliktanaw” — Ebe Dancel

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The title of this album itself (literally translated to “look-back”) screams nostalgia. And what better way to immerse yourself in Ebe Dancel-penned modern classics than through this analog format.

Launched coinciding with his 20th anniversary in the industry, this 2020 record comprises 11 tracks that highlight him as one of the finest OPM songwriters in recent memory. Ten are re-recordings of well-loved hits that he released with his former band, Sugarfree. The closing track “Hanggang Kailan Kita Mahihintay,” although taken from his catalog as a solo act, is a classic Ebe that seamlessly fits with the other cuts.

Apart from the “Baliktanaw” album, you can also get his acclaimed 2015 effort “Bawat Daan” on vinyl.

Standout tracks: Burnout, Unang Araw, Kwarto, Hanggang Kailan Kita Mahihintay

Where to buy: PolyEast Records’ Lazada and Shopee pages

“Ciudad” — Ciudad

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Like Dancel, indie rock act Ciudad has also been in the local music scene for more than two decades now. Since they released their debut album in 2000, the band has had six full-length records under their belt. And in late 2021, they announced a special treat to their fans: A compilation album — pressed into vinyl — gathering 11 hits from their entire discography.

If you’re into OPM indie, this is an essential album to grab. Other notable indie releases on vinyl are Reese Lansangan’s “A Time Well Spent,” Peryodiko’s self-titled album, and Dragonfly Collector’s “​​The World is Your Oyster.”

Standout tracks: Get Closer, Friday Noon, My Emptiness, There’s A Lonely Road to Sunday Night

Where to buy: Backspacer Records

“Kitchie Nadal” — Kitchie Nadal

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Speaking of self-titled releases, Kitchie Nadal’s solo debut also got its vinyl treatment.

An offering from Backspacer Records (one of the newer record stores that has ventured onto pressing local titles on vinyl), this OPM album will take you back to the good old 2000s. We won’t blame you if you get carried away and sing “Hoy, kaibigan ko!” at the top of your lungs.

Standout tracks: Huwag Na Huwag Mong Sasabihin, Breathe, Same Ground, Bulong!!!

Where to buy: Backspacer Records

“Scenes from Inside” — Barbie Almalbis

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Looking to add more Pinay rock voices to your collection? ‘90s icon Barbie Almalbis’ quarantine-produced “Scenes From Inside” is a must-have.

With the help of her ace backing band and co-writers (which include her husband Martin Honasan), she assembled an album that offers “hope and spirit” to those confined by walls — literally and figuratively speaking. Guitar-driven with hints of folk in many cuts, this nine-track effort is calming and cathartic. It also includes her rendition of the OPM classic “Umagang Kay Ganda” and tracks from her “Tigre” EP.

Standout tracks: Days Are Long, Iyong-Iyo, Silaw, Cover

Where to buy: Backspacer Records

“Waiting For The End To Start” — The Itchyworms

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Four-piece The Itchyworms are one of the most visible OPM acts during the pandemic. Documenting the maelstrom of emotions that the Covid-19 brought forth, this album is the OPM soundtrack of this trying season.

Once named by Ely Buendia himself as the true heir of the Eheads tradition, The Itchyworms have actually offered music in this format even before “Waiting for the End to Start.” Their collaborative singles with Buendia, “Pariwara” and “Lutang,” saw their vinyl release back in 2017 through Offshore Music.

On a side note, the said label was also responsible for these acclaimed vinyl offerings: “Ultraelectromagneticpop!” (this 25th-anniversary release of Eheads’ debut album was in partnership with Sony Music Philippines), “Sabado/1995” (Eheads), “Traces” (The Ransom Collective), and “Inner Play” and “Full Flood” (Apartel)

Standout tracks: Armageddon Blues, The Silence, The Life I Know, Waiting for the End to Start

Where to buy: Backspacer Records

“Khangkhungkherrnitz The Album” — Parokya Ni Edgar

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Parokya Ni Edgar wouldn’t be called OPM’s kings of mischief without a reason.

Confidently walking their way onto the playful side of the music scene, the pop-rock act gained prominence with the quirky debut album, “Khangkhungkherrnitz,” released in 1996. The 19-track album would serve as the blueprint for their signature musical style: simple, catchy, but has its own way of tackling the mundane, the profound, and, well, the absurd.

Now available on vinyl format, courtesy of Universal Records, this maiden effort in PNE’s discography  — which, by the way, includes 11 studio albums — will take you on a unique ride with its parodies, fillers, and songs that talk about love, dreams, and friendship.

Standout tracks: Buloy, Maniwala Ka Sana, Labsung, Funkydellic Hirit

Where to buy: Universal Records’ Lazada and Shopee pages

“YO!” — Francis M.

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Pinoy rap is a genre that deserves its own place on OPM record collectors’ shelves. An important movement in the country’s music industry, it has birthed many socially conscious songs that still ring true even years later.

Francis M., long acknowledged as the country’s King of Rap, introduced himself as someone who wants to become a “serious rap and hip-hop artist” through this debut album. In 2020, “Yo!” was re-released on vinyl to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Owning this record is owning an important piece of ‘90s OPM. And once that needle drops, you’ll be instantly transported back to that eventful decade once again.

Standout tracks: Gotta Let Cha Know, Cold Summer Nights, Mga Kababayan

Where to buy: PolyEast Records’ Lazada and Shopee pages

“Side A” (White Album) — Side A

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Warm, schmaltzy, and complete with jazz-tinged performances that they’re known for. Nobody makes and records Filipino love songs like Side A did in the ‘90s anymore.

If you love to hear their classic line-up again and again — the line-up that includes Naldy Gonzales (keyboards, vocals), Joey Benin (vocals, drums), Ernie Severino (guitars, vocals), Kelly Badon (lead guitars, vocals), and Joey Generoso (vocals) — you shouldn’t miss the vinyl release of their own White Album.

To complete your Pinoy soft/pop-rock collection on vinyl, Neocolours and True Faith’s music are also available in this format.

Standout tracks: Hold On, Time to Let Go, I’ll Be There

Where to buy: Viva Records’ Lazada and Shopee pages

“Bagets: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” — Various Artists

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If Hollywood has “The Breakfast Club” as one of its most iconic ‘80s coming-of-age films — with a memorable soundtrack available on vinyl to boot — the country has “Bagets.” Though it’s composed of several foreign tracks, the fact that this contains OPM youth and love anthems such as “Growing Up” and “So It’s You” is enough reason to grab this vinyl album.

Want to be more immersed in the colorful spirit of the ‘80s? These OPM efforts are also available in analog format: “First” by Randy Santiago (you can get signed copies via Plaka Planet), “Martin” by Martin Nievera, and “Man of the Hour” by Ric Segreto.

Standout tracks: Growing Up, So It’s You, Farewell

Where to buy: Viva Records’ Lazada and Shopee pages

“Araw Gabi: Mga Awit ni Maestro” (Ryan Cayabyab tribute album) — Ice Seguerra

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National Artist for Music and KDR Icon of Musical Excellence Ryan Cayabyab’s greatest pieces are beautifully rendered by Ice Seguerra in this tribute album.

Originally released by Universal Records on CD in 2015, this compilation treats you to a heart-warming music experience. Just imagine hearing “Araw Gabi,” “Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka,” and “Can This Be Love” in succession in this analog format.

With certainly no track to be skipped, this is one of those albums that you have to listen to if you want to be reminded of how wonderful Original Pilipino Music is.

Where to buy: Select vinyl records retailer

Are there any OPM albums on vinyl that you wish to own? Or musical offerings that you want to be released in this format? We’d love to hear from you! Connect with us on our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).

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