The Best Filipino Love Songs of the 21st Century

I saw the results of a recent office poll while scanning the latest issue of Billboard Magazine online. The 50 Best Love Songs of the 21st Century. Very interesting. And take note, only of the 21st century. I guess it was a reaction to those Valentine polls for the best love songs of all time, which usually nets the same titles year after year after year. Moon River, As Time Goes By, The Way You Look Tonight, The Way We Were, etc.

Now if you limit the choices to love songs from only the 21st century, it will clear the way to get Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and other younger names into the list. I have nothing against the old tunes. I love most of them a lot. But, I do want to see how contemporary pop music is shaping up in this new century and the love song, which has been the staple of songwriters from time immemorial, is the best way to find out.

Regine Velasquez

Out here we have also been getting Ngayon at Kailanman and Never, Ever Say Goodbye in local best love songs lists for years. So I came up with this, my own list of The 30 Best Filipino Love Songs of the 21st Century. I was going to have only 20 songs but there were so many great choices, I decided on having 30. No personal favorites here. No in-depth analysis, too. These are just random titles of popular Filipino love songs that spark romantic memories. And don’t you forget, which became hits during these past 21 years.

I ditched the revivals and covers. This is even if there was a time when new versions of the songs by the Apo Hiking Society topped the charts anew and the acoustic bossa nova craze resulted in a lot of foreign covers. No novelty tunes, too. Remember Spagheti? No songs too about personal struggles like Sirena or Pinoy pride like Pinoy Ako. I wonder, do you think Narda by Kamikazee should be classified as a love song?

Moira dela Torre

Anyway, here they are. Whether happily ecstatic or basking in heartbreak, these are the best Filipino love songs, so far, of the 21st century. I hope I did not miss your favorites:

Pagdating ng Panahon by Aiza Seguerra; Hanggang Ngayon by Kyla; Dadalhin Kita by Regine Velasquez; S2PID Luv by Salbakuta; Forever’s Not Enough by Sarah Geronimo; Bakit Pa Ba? by Jay R; Kung Ako Na Lang Sana ang Iyong Minahal by Bituin Escalante; The Day You Said Goodbye by Hale; Stay by Cushe; You’ll Be Safe Here by Rivermaya;

Let Me Be the One by Jimmy Bondoc; Ikaw ang Aking Pangarap by Martin Nievera; Paano Na Kaya by Bugoy Drilon; Your Universe by Rico Blanco; Tadhana by Up Dharma Down; Tala by Sarah Geronimo; Malaya by Moira dela Torre; Dahil Sa Iyo by Inigo Pascual; Tagpuan by Moira dela Torre; Higa by Arthur Nery;

Habang Buhay by Zack Tabudlo; Kung Di Rin Lang Ikaw by December Avenue featuring Moira; Hindi Tayo Puwede by The Juans; Paubaya by Moira dela Torre; Kabilang Buhay by Bandang Lapis; Kahit Ayaw Mo Na by This Band; Buwan by Juan Karlos; Pano by Zack Tabudlo; Sa Susunod Na Habang Buhay by Ben&Ben; and Pagsamo by Arthur Nery.

Now, now, what about Di Na Muli, the big-selling Itchyworms tune and Grand Prize Philpop winner that was covered wonderfully and made bigger by Janine Teñoso. It is a love song to moments ephemeral which will never happen again. That is very much like everybody’s love story. Di na mauulit muli. Bull’s-eye. A downer of a realization but when you get down to it, that is how most of those dates last Valentine’s Day will end.