Reference No: KLL-FO-ACAD-000 | Effectivity Date: August 3, 2020 | Revisions No.

: 00

VISION MISSION
A center of human development committed to the pursuit of wisdom, truth, Establish and maintain an academic environment promoting the pursuit of
justice, pride, dignity, and local/global competitiveness via a quality but excellence and the total development of its students as human beings, with fear
affordable education for all qualified clients. of God and love of country and fellowmen.

GOALS
Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa aims to:
1. foster the spiritual, intellectual, social, moral, and creative life of its client via affordable but quality tertiary education;
2. provide the clients with reach and substantial, relevant, wide range of academic disciplines, expose them to varied curricular and co-curricular experiences
which nurture and enhance their personal dedications and commitments to social, moral, cultural, and economic transformations.
3. work with the government and the community and the pursuit of achieving national developmental goals; and
4. develop deserving and qualified clients with different skills of life existence and prepare them for local and global competitiveness

LESSON 6

I. COURSE CODE /TITLE: GEE 103 PHILIPPINE POPULAR CULTURE

II. SUBJECT MATTER

Topic Time -Frame
3.Direction of Popular Culture in the Philippines 15.5 hours
3.4. Popular Magazines
3.5. Popular Music
3.6. The Literature of Popular Culture

III. COURSE OUTCOMES

A. Discuss the popular magazines in the Philippines.
B. Discuss popular music in the Philippines.
C. Explain the literature of popular culture.

IV. ENGAGEMENT
A. INTRODUCTION

According to John A. Lent, its difficult to find a starting place for history of magazines in the Philippines.
Nomenclature stands in the way. Early publications were not called magazines, but weeklies, fornightlies, monthlies,
reviews and newspapers. However, if by magazine, we mean a publication that appear less frequently than most
newspapers, then the first publication in the Philippines were magazines.

Popular music (stylized pop music) is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large
audiences through the music industry. These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with
little or no musical training. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional or
"folk" music.

Filipino pop music, otherwise known as Original Pilipino Music or OPM, refers broadly to the pop
music that first emerged in the Philippines in the early '70s and has since come to dominate radio airplay and
karaoke playlists in the Filipino market and beyond.

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Impact of Popular Music in Society
Through several different times in history, music has influenced teenagers. Teens in Philippines are a
prime example of how music has affected teenagers economically, physically, and even psychologically. Different
decades lead to different styles of popular music, but the effects are about the same. Popular music can be used by:
companies as a marketing gimmick, young teenagers trying to become recognized by starting as a garage band, or
just used for entertainment purposes. However, it is used, popular music is a powerful tool to impact teens of all
times. Music has gone a long way throughout the previous decades. Music has evolved and shape shifted its way to
the time of now.
History of Philippine Music
Music in the highland and lowland hamlets where indigenous culture continues to thrive has strong Asian
elements. Spanish and American influences are highly evident in the music of the urban areas. In discussing
Philippine music, three main divisions are apparent: an old Asian influenced music referred to as the indigenous; a
religious and secular music influenced by Spanish and European forms; and an American/European inspired
classical, semi-classical, and popular music.
The Spanish-European Influenced Traditions
With the coming of the Spaniards the Filipino’s music underwent a transformation with the influx of western
influences, particularly the Spanish-European culture prevalent during the 17th to the 19th centuries. The
Hispanization during the succeeding three centuries after 1521 was tied up with religious conversion. It effected a
change in the people’s musical thinking and what emerged was a hybrid expression tinged with Hispanic flavor. It
produced a religious music connected to and outside the Catholic liturgy and a European-inspired secular music
adapted by the Filipinos and reflected in their folk songs and instrumental music.
The American Influenced Traditions
The American regime lasted from 1898 to 1946 during which time Philippine music underwent another process
of transformation.
In the newly established public-school system, music was included in the curriculum at the elementary and later
at the high school levels. Music conservatories and colleges were established at the tertiary level. Graduates from these
institutions included the first generation of Filipino composers whose works were written in western idioms and forms.
Their works and those of the succeeding generations of Filipino composers represent the classical art music tradition
which continues to flourish today.
Side by side with this classical art music tradition was a lighter type of music. This semi-classical repertoire
includes stylized folk songs, theater music, and instrumental music. The sarswela tradition produced a large body of
music consisting of songs patterned after opera arias of the day as well as short instrumental overtures and
interludes.
The strong band tradition in the Philippines, which began during the previous Spanish period and which
continues to this day, produced outstanding musicians, composers and performers. Another popular instrumental
ensemble was the rondalla which superceded an earlier type of ensemble called the cumparsa. The latter was an
adaptation of similar instrumental groups, the murza of Mexico and the estudiantina of Spain.

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 American lifestyle and pop culture gave rise to music created by Filipinos using western pop forms. Referred
to as Pinoy pop it includes a wide range of forms: folk songs, dance tunes, ballads, Broadway type songs, rock’ n’
roll, disco, jazz, and rap.
These three main streams of Philippine music– indigenous, Spanish influenced religious and secular music,
American/European influenced classical, semi-classical, and popular music comprise what we refer to today as
Philippine music.
Literature of Popular Culture
Most of the Philippine pop culture manly revolves around studies on reportage and features on daily
newspapers and weekly magazines, reviews on fil, television shows, performance and radio programs. It also
revolves on studies by mass communication undergraduates, thesis papers and the studies of scholars that
originated from the discipline of literature and sociology.
Literature of popular culture revolves entirely of beliefs, attitudes, ideas, images, film, and other aspect
within the culture of the society. The problem mentioned above is that it is done in isolation, without a clear
standpoint, and untraceable in a definite context in synthesizing findings to determine the Filipino popular culture.
In journalism, they use journalistic norms like newsworthiness, currency, human interest. The mass
communication scholars tabulate even when using content analysis, which is useful in locating trends, values,
attitude, philosophies and many more. Studies in Mass Communication enumerates, when quantification should be
used towards explaining the meaning of its significance. Literary scholars use literary norms on critical stances taken
after themes are established, characters analyzed implication and values read. Most of them use the methods based on
customary to his discipline.
Directions
The above cursory survey of areas of Philippine popular culture and the research done in them makes clear the fact
that although there seems to be a volume of available literature touching on popular culture and related topics, much
of it is diffuse, and not always focused on either the significance of the popularity of the cultural form, or the
meaning of the cultural form that has achieved such popularity. The tasks facing research in Philippine popular
culture, therefore, include:
1. Definition - A stable definition of "popular culture" in the Philippine context has to be reached. More than
the choice of topics that can be included under popular culture study, this also involves defining boundaries or
overlaps with respect, to other relatively established fields of inquiry (for example, mass communications,
drama, literature) in terms of theory, methods, and concerns.
2. Review of Literature - There is a need for critical review and integration of all the related literature, to define
the problems of and possibilities for future research.
3. Identification of Issues. Since popular culture in the Philippines was brought about mainly by the entry from
the United States of mass media into a culture already heavily American in orientation because of the colonial
experience, discussion of popular culture should consider the following and related issues:
Commodified culture and consumerism, exemplified in the generation of false needs through
advertisements and the exposure to an alien lifestyle through forms of popular culture

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 Westernized taste and consciousness, or cultural imperialism and cultural socialization, through
imported films, television shows, publications, and popular songs
The mystification of Philippine social realities and the pacification of any feelings against
current reality by means of the legitimization of economic and political structures not only through the content
of TV, radio, film, and comics stories, but also through slogans, government advertising, programming, and the
like.
4. Identification of the "public. " The audience, the Populus, that makes culture popular rather than elite should
be identified in the concrete Philippine context. What is the popular writer's concept of his public? How is his, or the
industry's idea of what "sells".
5. Definition of the popular writer. Considering the size of his audience, the popular writer is definitely a
significant intellectual.
6. Identification of purpose. "Popular culture is power," and since it is not created by the people who
"consume" it, who does, and to identify its purpose, development and manipulation.
7. Deepening of inquiry into fields already explored. The preceding survey has shown that much of the work
done to date on popular culture has been survey work: the history of the field, its current state, its significance in
Philippine life, perhaps an evaluation. In these fields - film, radio, television, comics, magazines, - it is now
necessary to start narrow field, in-depth studies.
8. Identification of other fields of inquiry. A few other fields not mentioned here have already been explored
by one or two individuals: popular arts, namely the ceramic and crocheted objects that the low- budget housewife
buys with which to decorate her home; popular languages, like sward speak, Taglish, the young slang; popular
religiosity, e.g. the Sto. Niño, the icons hanging in jeepneys, the rites and rituals in Quiapo; food habits; disco
culture.

B. ACTIVITY ( LESSON 1 )
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions about popular culture in the Philippines as fully and
precisely as you can.

1. Tell something about the first magazine issued.

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 2. What was the first women’s magazine in the Philippines? Tell something about it.

3. Discuss briefly the history of Liwayway.

4. Discuss briefly the history of popular music from Beginnings(1960s-1970s), Golden Age of Filipino Music,
Prominence of rock-acoustic bands,belters,and balladeers (mid 1990s to present ), Reemergence of R&B and
novelty songs (2000 to present ), Pinoy Pop renaissance (2010) and the Rise of Pinoy pop idol group.

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 5. What international recognition did our Filipino artists received?

6. Discuss briefly the literature of popular culture.

7. What is the direction of our Philippine popular culture?

C. APPLICATION

DIRECTIONS: Based from your knowledge on this subject, write your opinion on the following questions.

1. Explain the role/importance of magazines in the lives of the Filipinos.

2. Choose at least five magazines that are popular to you. What make them popular to you?

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 3. How important is music to the lives of the Filipinos?

4. Do you consider Philippine Rock, Pinoy Rap and hip hop Philippine Pop Music? Justify your answer.

5. Provide examples of at least five different forms/categories of popular culture and explain its literature.

V. OUTPUT

DIRECTIONS: Each member of the group will be choosing a popular song of the genre that he/she liked. Write the
name of the composer and explain the relevance of this song to your life.
Submit your output in printed form using your group name.

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LESSON 6 ATTACHMENT

Philippine Magazines During the American Occupation

In 1904 the Philippine Magazine was established. It was the first publication to be called a magazine
in the Philippines, and according to Maslog (1960), “the first periodical to carry miscellaneous information.”
The publication started as the Philippine Teacher, a semi-government publication for public school teachers
but was renamed Philippine Magazine in 1905 and then became privately owned the next year. In 1929,
A.V.H. Hartendrop took over as editor and broadened its scope. He dedicated the magazine to the cultural
development of the Philippines.

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 The Philippines Free Press was originally founded in 1907 by Judge W.H. Kincaid, as a bi-
lingual English and Spanish newspaper. However, the paper proved to be only of very little success. So
in 1908 Robert McCulloch Dick, a former editor at the Manila Times, bought the paper for a peso,
and the used up his life savings of 8 000 as operating capital. It was re-released, still as bi-lingual
(English and Spanish) publication, but this time as a weekly magazine up until World War II. The Free
Press’s staff and contributors included the likes journalists Teodoro Locsin, Leon Maria Guerrero,
and Nick Joaquin. Aside from political commentary, it also fostered literature through publication
of short stories. The paper is also known for its smartly drawn editorial cartoons.

Editorial cartoon on the coming elections, published on May 10, 1919 in the Philippines Free Press

Editorial cartoon showing President Quezon’s support of the woman suffrage movement, published
on April 3, 1937 in the Philippines Free Press

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A May 1940 Philippine Free Press political cartoon by Esmeraldo Izon illustrates the scores of immigrants
that threatened to overwhelm the Philippines’ ability to absorb them.

(Left) An early copy of the Free Press circa early 1910s, and (right) a later version of the magazine in
its prime dated June 1949 with an elderly Emilio Aguinaldo on the cover

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 Christmas message from President Manuel Quezon to the Filipinos, published at December 1939 by
the Philippines Free Press

A copy dated December 22, 1923. The entries at the left are in English and at the right are its
Spanish translations.

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The rereleased Free Press was a success as much as its initial run wasn’t. By 1941 it had a circulation of 80,
000 copies a week. Feliciano (1967) said that “Always lively, critical, and carefully edited, the Free Press
is an example of a magazine that has drawn vitality from its staff and its widely spread readers.” And
indeed, it became the most influential English-language weekly.

Another magazine, this time Tagalog, enjoyed much of the same success (perhaps even more) that the
Free Press had, and this was the Roces-owned Liwayway. Liwayway was a Tagalog publication founded in
1923 by Ramon Roces, son of Alejandro Roces Sr., which he co-edited with the novelist Severino Reyes.

Liwayway had a rocky start. It was actually a re-issue of the less popular Photo News, also founded by
Roces and co-edited with Reyes. Photo News was written in trilingual sections—English,

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Spanish, and Tagalog—was published fortnightly, and contained news, essays, prose, and poetry. Though an
ambitious magazine, it failed to popularize, largely, according to critics, due to its trilingual attempt (Maslog,
1960). For example, customers who wanted to read only the Spanish section did not see it fit to pay for two other
languages. Needless to say, Photo News failed to sell and had to stop publication almost immediately.

After a retreat to Mindanao, Roces returned to Manila to revive the magazine, this time in pure
Tagalog. He called it Liwayway as it meant “dawn” and therefore, a “new beginning.” Roces and Reyes made
every effort to ensure that the Liwayway would not suffer the same fate of their ill-fated Photo News. The
revamped magazine was published weekly. It was sold at 12 centavos and had up to 40 pages each (Photo News had
only 20 and cost more). The editors added more pictures and illustrations. It contained local and foreign news and an
expanded section of essays, short fiction, and poetry.

After a retreat to Mindanao, Roces returned to Manila to revive the magazine, this time in pure
Tagalog. He called it Liwayway as it meant “dawn” and therefore, a “new beginning.” Roces and Reyes made
every effort to ensure that the Liwayway would not suffer the same fate of their ill-fated Photo News. Severino
and Roces also recruited the country’s leading literary giants at that time. It had as contributors poets Jose Corazon
De Jesus, Florentino Collantes, Julian Cruz Balmaseda, Cecilio Apostol and writers Lope K. Santos, Rogelio Sicat,
Inigo Ed Regalado, Romualdo

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Ramos, Francisco Laksamana and Fausto Galaura. Some serialized stories were even published later on as novels.
There was also a commendable focus on design, art, and layout.

Liwayway was also to be a commercial success. It gained the support of regular sponsors like Coca-
Cola, Pepsi Cola, Chesterfield cigarettes, Zamora’s Tiki-tiki, Chrysler-Plymouth cars, Esco shoes, Ang Tibay
shoes, and Botica Boie products. These advertisements ensured the magazine’s survival in the future.

Due to Liwayway’s success, Roces ventured out to different dialects. He published Bisaya (1932) for
the East Visayan region, Hiligaynon (1932) for the West Visayan region, and Bannawag (1940) for the
Ilocano region.

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 Apart from these, there were many other notable magazines. The Graphic, founded in 1927, for example,
was often pitted against Liwayway as a worthy opponent. Edited by Vicente Pacis a Tribune editor, the
Graphic was known to have a “leisurely and sophisticated tone, and a generally literary character” (Feliciano,
1967). It also gained popularity because of its pictorial pages and literary sections, a big portion of which was
dedicated to Tagalog literature.

There was also the Woman’s Home Journal, founded in 1919 by Paz Marquez-Benitez, the
Independent which rivaled the Free Press in its content, and Lamdag which was a Cebuano weekly
magazine than ran in the same vein as the mentioned magazines.

Popular Magazines in the Philippines

Yes!
Yes! (stylised YES!) is a monthly showbiz-oriented magazine from the Philippines published by Summit Media.
Started in 2000, it has a circulation between 140,000 to 160,000 every month making it the top showbiz magazine in the
Philippines.[
On April 11, 2018, Summit Media, publishers of Yes! announced the end of printed publication of Yes! and 5 other
magazines under the company in the May 2018 issue as part of the transition into a digital publishing firm. In the case of
Yes!, it will be relegated to its online portal, Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP).[
Philippines Free Press
The Philippines Free Press is a weekly English language news magazine which was founded in 1908, which makes it
the Philippines' oldest weekly English language periodical currently still in print.] It is known for being one of the few
publications that dared to criticize the administration of Ferdinand Marcos in the years before the declaration of Martial
Law, and for being one of the first publications shuttered once Martial Law was put into effect.
Pinoy Weekly
Pinoy Weekly is published by Pinoy Media Center. Inc., a non-government organization devoted to democratizing the
practice of journalism in the country, and focuses on investigative stories that concern what it terms as the "underreported"
sectors of Philippine society: peasants, workers, overseas Filipinos,
youth, indigenous peoples, and women. It is currently a weekly print and online newsmagazine, and previously published
special print issues, a Mindanao edition, international editions in Israel, Taiwan, and Japan.

Art+ Magazine
Art Plus Magazine is a magazine published bi-monthly from Mandaluyong, Philippines. The magazine includes reviews of
visual arts exhibitions in and around the Philippines as well as features on Philippine
Company: Southeast Asian Heritage Publications Inc. First issue date: October 2008

Top Gear Philippines

The Philippines' best online resource for motoring news, car reviews, and the latest in the automobile industry.Top
Gear Philippines is a magazine which is published by Summit Media - under license from BBC Worldwide and Immediate
Media Company - and features Philippine-only content.

Liwayway
Liwayway is a leading Tagalog weekly magazine published in the Philippines since 1923. It contains Tagalog serialized
novels, short stories, poetry, serialized comics, essays, news features, entertainment news and articles, and many others. In
fact, it is the oldest Tagalog magazine in the Philippines.
First issue date: 18 November 1922 Publisher: Manila Bulettin

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Mr & Ms Special Edition
Mr. & Ms. Special Edition was a weekly opposition tabloid magazine published from 1983 to 1986 that played a
pivotal role in bringing about the downfall of the regime of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos
Founded: 1983 Founder: Eugenia Apostol Editor: Letty Jimenez Magsanoc

Mabuhay
Mabuhay, also known as Mabuhay Magazine, is a monthly publication that serves as the inflight magazine of Philippine
Airlines. Since July 2016 the magazine has been published by London-based Ink Global.
Based in: Manila Category: Inflight magazine Publisher: Bong Dy-Liacco

Ilustración Filipina
Ilustración Filipina was a Spanish language magazine published in the Philippines, that was founded on March 1,
1859, and ran until December 15, 1860.
It was an illustrated bi-weekly whose lithographs are among the best that have been printed in the archipelago, thanks to
the contributions of artists like Baltasar Giraudier, who was well known for his writings and lithographic work for other
publications such as the Diario de Manila, and C.W. Andrews, an English painter based in Hong-Kong who produced
illustrations for Ilustración Filipina on a regular basis.

Sidetrip Travel Magazine

Sidetrip Travel Magazine is a free quarterly travel magazine that features destinations in the Philippines. It is
noticeably smaller than mainstream and travel magazines, measuring 4.75 in. x 8.5 in. only Sidetrip is distributed at the
Department of Tourism Information Center (T.M. Kalaw, Manila), Victory Liner terminals (for deluxe passengers), travel
agencies, and select cafes and restaurants in Metro Manila. It is published by Pico Integrated Marketing Agency.

Pulp
Filipino music magazine
PULP Magazine is a Philippine-based monthly music magazine that is published by the Fookien Times Philippines
Yearbook Publishing Co. Inc. and which has catered to Filipino music fans in the country and other parts of the world for
almost a decade now.
First issue date: December 1999 Founder: Vernon Go Year founded: 1999

Bannawag
Bannawag (Iloko word meaning "dawn") is a Philippine weekly magazine published in the Philippines by Liwayway
Publications Inc. It contains serialized novels/comics, short stories, poetry, essays, news features, entertainment news and
articles, among others, that are written in Ilokano, a language common in the northern regions of the Philippines.
Bannawag has been acknowledged as one foundation of the existence of contemporary Iloko literature. It is
through the Bannawag that every Ilokano writer has proved his mettle by publishing his first Iloko short story, poetry, or
essay, and thereafter his succeeding works, in its pages. The magazine is also instrumental in the establishment of
GUMIL Filipinas, the umbrella organization of Ilokano writers in the Philippines and in other countries
MoneySense
MoneySense is a Canadian online personal finance and lifestyle magazine published by Ratehub.
Every issue, MoneySense will focus on a specific theme that addresses a timely area of personal finance, such
as spending for education, planning for a vacation, hedging against a down economy, or

preparing for retirement. The cover will profile well-known personalities, which would include entrepreneurs,
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celebrities, professionals, etc., looking into how they’ve become financially successful and how they manage their
money. Other features will include stories of ordinary people who have made smart—and wrong—financial
decisions, and then there will be special reports on issues and trends affecting our financial lives.
First issue date: September 1999 Final issue: December 2016 (print)
Year founded: 1999 Based in: Toronto

Bisaya Magasin
Bisaya Magasin is a weekly Cebuano magazine now published by the Manila Bulletin Publishing
Corporation, Philippines. It has the record of being the oldest magazine in Cebuano which is still published, and "the most
successful periodical in Cebuano"
Bisaya Magasin was established by Ramon Roces upon the request of Cebuano poet Vicente Padriga, who
became its first editor. Its first issue appeared on August 15, 1930, as part of the magazines published by Liwayway
Publishing, Inc.

Hiligaynon
Hiligaynon is the leading Ilonggo weekly magazine published in the Philippines since 1934. It contains Ilonggo
serialized novels, short stories, poetry, serialized comics, essays, news features, entertainment news and articles, and many
others. Hiligaynon is named after one of the most predominantly spoken language amongst the people of Western
Visayas, Negros Occidental and Soccsksargen. Hiligaynon closed during the
notorious Martial Law era, but was resurrected in 1989.[1]

Bulaklak Magazine
Bulaklak Magazine (literally “Flower Magazine”), subtitled Hiyas ng Tahanan (“Gem of the Home"), was
a Tagalog-language magazine that was first published in the Philippines on 14 April 1947. Published by the Social and
Commercial Press, a company owned by Beatriz M. de Guballa, Bulaklak Magazine was similar in content and
structure to Liwayway magazine, featuring narratives in prose, serials, poetry, entertainment news, comic strips,
crossword puzzles, caricatures, and health tips, among other regular features. It was on 23 July 1947 in the Volume 4,
#17 issue when the superheroine character, which would become Darna in 1950s-
[2]
then known as Varga - appeared on the pages of Bulaklak Magazine. The character was developed by Mars Ravelo.

The Jeepney Magazine

Newspaper
The Jeepney Magazine is the street newspaper sold by poor and homeless in the Philippines. It was launched in March
2008 with two purposes: to write for and about the poor, and to provide them with jobs to make a living. It is sold for 100
pesos, half of which the seller keeps. Wikipedia
Publisher: Urban Opportunities for Change Foundation
Based in: Metro Manila Category: Street newspaper

Culture Crash Comics

Culture Crash was a bi-monthly Filipino comic magazine published by Culture Crash Comics and J. C. Palabay Ent.,
Inc. It features different stories of anime-styled comics drawn by their staff, these include Cat's Trail, Pasig, Solstice
Butterfly, One Day, Isang Diwa and Kubori Kikiam. Aside from these series, the magazine also includes articles such as
Movie Reviews, Music Reviews, Special Events, and How We Draw which shows the staff's techniques on how they draw
comics. The comic anthology was created by Jescie James Palabay and his college friends in 1999. Issue 14 released in
2004 was the last issue. Its successful sales together with other local comics producers such as Psicom and Summit
Publishing was an indicator that comics readership

was growing in the Philippines.

Guide Magazine

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Guide: "The Way to Freedom and Truth" is published bi-monthly by the religious organization Kingdom of
Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name. ACQ Publication Editorial Office is located at Philippine-Japan
Friendship Highway, Catitipan, Davao City.
Company: Sonshine Media Network International

Woman's Journal
The Women's Journal is currently one of the oldest and longest-running women's magazines in
the Philippines, having been in publication since 1973. It is published monthly by Philippine Journalists, which also
publishes the People's Journal and People's Journal Tonight. They are also the publishers of the now- defunct Times
Journal, a Philippine national daily which existed during the Marcos regime.
The Women's Journal was originally published every Saturday on a weekly basis, from its inception in 1973
until 2007–08 in order to be at par with the Philippine versions of international women's magazines.

POPULAR MUSIC
Pinoy pop
Pinoy pop or P-pop (short for Pinoy popular music, Filipino pop, Philippine pop, Pilipino pop)
refers to a popular contemporary music in the Philippines originating from the OPM genre. With its beginnings in the
1970s, Pinoy pop is a growing genre in year of 2020s. Through the 1990s to the 2000s, OPM pop was regularly
showcased in the live band scene.
Groups such as Neocolours, Side A, Introvoys, the Teeth, Yano, True Faith, Passage
and Freestyle popularized songs that clearly reflect the sentimental character of OPM pop of this era.
From 2010 to 2020, Philippine pop music or Pinoy pop went through a huge metamorphosis in its
increased quality, budget, investment and variety, matching the country's rapid economic growth, and an
accompanying social and cultural resurgence of its Asian identity. This was heard by heavy influence from K-pop
and J-pop, a growth in Asian style ballads, idol groups, and EDM music, and less reliance on Western genres,
mirroring the Korean wave and similar Japanese wave popularity among millennial Filipinos and mainstream
culture. Famous Pinoy pop music artists who had defined the growth of this now mainstream genre include Sarah
Geronimo, SB19, XLR8, KZ Tandingan, Erik Santos, Yeng
Constantino, MNL48, Regine Velasquez, Alamat, BINI, and BGYO.

Etymology
In the early 1970s, Pinoy music or Pinoy pop emerged, often sung in Tagalog. It was a mix of rock, folk and
ballads making political use of music similar to early hip hop but transcending class. The music was a "conscious
attempt to create a Filipino national and popular culture" and it often reflected social realities and problems. As early
as 1973, the Juan De la Cruz Band was performing "Ang Himig Natin" ("Our Music"), which is widely
regarded as the first example of Pinoy rock. "Pinoy" gained popular currency in the late 1970s in the
Philippines when a surge in patriotism made a hit song of Filipino folk singer Heber Bartolome's "Tayo'y mga
Pinoy" ("We are Pinoys"). This trend was followed by Filipino rapper Francis Magalona's "Mga
Kababayan Ko" ("My Countrymen") in the 1990s and Filipino rock band Bamboo's "Noypi" ("Pinoy" in
reversed syllables) in the 2000s. Nowadays, Pinoy is used as an adjective to some terms highlighting their
relationship to the Philippines or Filipinos. Pinoy rock was soon followed by Pinoy folk and later, Pinoy jazz.
Although the music was often used to express opposition to then Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and his use
of martial law and the creating of the Batasang Bayan, many of the songs were more subversive and some just
instilled national pride. Perhaps because of the cultural affirming nature and many of the songs seemingly being non-
threatening, the Marcos

administration ordered radio stations to play at least one – and later, three – Pinoy songs each hour.
Pinoy music was greatly employed both by Marcos and political forces who sought to overthrow him.
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History
Beginnings (1960s–1970s)
Filipino pop songs mainly referred to songs popularized since the 1960s, especially those in the
ballad form, by major commercial artists like Pilita Corrales and Nora Aunor, and in the 1970s by
Basil Valdez, Freddie Aguilar and Rey Valera.
Singer-songwriters Ryan Cayabyab and José Mari Chan rose to fame in the 1970s by composing
original English love songs alongside modern Tagalog songs. Pioneer pop groups in the same decade include Manila
sound groups APO Hiking Society and Hotdog.
Golden age of Filipino music
In the 1980s, disco group VST & Co. and pop icon Gary V. gave rise to dance-pop in the
mainstream.
Prominence of rock-acoustic bands, belters, and balladeers (mid-1990s to present)
The early to mid-1990s saw the emergence of the pop-rock group, Eraserheads, considered as a
turning-point in the OPM music scene. In the wake of their success was the emergence of a string of influential
bands such as Yano, Siakol, Parokya ni Edgar, Grin Department, Rivermaya, Moonstar
88 and Hungry Young Poets, each of which mixes the influence of a variety of pop and rock subgenres into
their style.
Filipino rock continues to flourish at present with newer bands such as Hale, Cueshé, Sponge
Cola, Chicosci, Kamikazee and Urbandub, and the emergence of the country's first virtual band,
Mistula. Though only some of the spearheading bands are still fully intact, many old members have formed
new bands such as Pupil, Sandwich, and Bamboo. A few band members such as Kitchie Nadal, Barbie
Almalbis, and Rico Blanco have established steady solo careers.
Though rock bands have been dominating the mainstream since their commercialization in the '90s,
acoustic groups were still regularly showcased in the live band scene such as Side A, True
Faith, Neocolours, South Border and Freestyle popularized songs that clearly reflect the sentimental
character of OPM pop. Popular acoustic acts like Nina, Juris (of MYMP) and Aiza Seguerra also prove the
diversity of Filipino pop.
Solo belters and balladeers such as Regine Velasquez, Sharon Cuneta, Joey Albert, Donna Cruz,
Zsa Zsa Padilla, Jaya, Jolina Magdangal and Martin Nievera had regular exposure on television and radio.
Filipino pop songs mainly referred to songs popularized since the 1960s, especially those in the
ballad form, by major commercial artists like Pilita Corrales and Nora Aunor, and in the 1970s by
Basil Valdez, Freddie Aguilar and Rey Valera.
Singer-songwriters Ryan Cayabyab and José Mari Chan rose to fame in the 1970s by composing
original English love songs alongside modern Tagalog songs. Pioneer pop groups in the same decade include Manila
sound groups APO Hiking Society and Hotdog.
Re-emergence of R&B and novelty songs (2000s to present)
From the early 2000s onwards, Kyla, Nina and Jay R began to be pioneers of the contemporary R&B
music with Gloc-9 and Abra of hip-hop genre.

Local sing and dance groups SexBomb Girls and Viva Hot Babes began to popularize novelty songs
among the masses.
Pinoy pop renaissance (2010s)
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 Since 2010, the genre of Pinoy pop drastically changed as the usual rock bands and novelty songs from the
1990s and 2000s started to fade out of the mainstream, creating the new pop genre without any influence of rock and
hip-hop.
In 2010, Little Big Star 2nd runner-up and YouTube star Charice became the first Asian to peak on the top
10 (at No. 8) of the Billboard 200 for her debut album. She was also one of the first Asian artists to have a song peak
at No. 1 for Billboard's Dance/Club Play Songs. Notable pop artists of the 2010s
include Toni Gonzaga, Moira Dela Torre, Yeng Constantino and Sarah Geronimo whose songs "Tala"
and "Kilometro" were chosen by CNN Philippines as best songs of the decade.
The rise of Pinoy pop idol groups (2020s)
From the influence of K-pop and J-pop, a new era of Pinoy pop was born. The Philippines' first idol
group MNL48, a sister group of the J-pop group AKB48, started a new era for Pinoy pop when they debuted in
2018. Following them is the all-boy idol group SB19 who also debuted in 2018. They are the first Filipino act
trained by a Korean entertainment company under the same system that catapulted K-pop artists into global
stardom. SB19 is considered to be the first Pinoy pop idol group to chart on
the Billboard Next Big Sound and Billboard Social 50. On November 20, 2019, SB19 made history by being the
first Filipino artist to chart and debut on the Billboard Next Big Sound chart debuting and peaking at No. 5. The
Next Big Sound chart tracks "the fastest accelerating artists during the past week, across all major social music
sites, statistically predicted to achieve future success," according to the
Billboard website. On December 3, 2019, the group broke the all-time record of the longest stay at the No. 1 spot of
Myx Daily Top Ten with "Go Up" staying at the top spot for 53 non-consecutive days.
In May 2020, in the midst of pandemic, Star Hunt Academy led by Laurenti Dyogi introduced new Pinoy
pop idol groups trainees in public, composed of 8 SHA Girls (now collectively known as BINI) and 5 SHA Boys
(now collectively known as BGYO). Though, BINI has not yet debuted, they are already notable in their remake of
Smokey Mountain's hit Da Coconut Nut marked as their pre-debut single released on November 20, 2020. On
January 29, 2021, Star Hunt Academy (SHA) Boys officially debuted as BGYO. A week after the release of their
debut single "The Light", BGYO made a history for being the fastest Pinoy pop group to reach over a
Million YouTube views of all time and in a Debut Single.
On February 14, 2021, Viva Entertainment introduced their newest P-pop group Alamat with the release
of its debut single "kbye". Formed through PWEDE: The National Boyband Search, the group distinguishes itself
as a multilingual and multiethnic boy band that sings in seven Philippine
languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Bisaya, Hiligaynon, Bikolano, and Waray-Waray. Shortly after the
release of their debut single, Alamat ranked second on the Pandora Predictions Chart, released on the week of
February 23 and also holds the distinction of being the second P-pop group to make it
on Billboard chart and the fastest-rising Pinoy act on the Billboard Next Big Sound chart, debuting at #2. On
February 24, their debut single "kbye" ranked sixth on Myx Daily Top Ten chart. On March 30, Alamat and their
debut single remained on the top of the UDOU's Top 10 Songs of the Week chart for 2 consecutive weeks.

Culture
Single Promotion and Comeback(s)
For many years and in todays Rise of Pinoy pop, The Philippines No.1 Music Channel "MYX" rank songs
on various charts like MYX Daily Top Ten, Pinoy MYX Countdown at MYX Hit Chart. Pinoy pop also has
Comeback stages such as ASAP and It's Showtime on ABS-CBN, All-Out Sundays, Eat

Bulaga! and Wowowin on GMA Network and Sunday Noontime Live! on TV5. Soon, the Philippines
will have a Filipino Music Show on every music channel or TV Channel. They also promote the song through mall
shows to help all pinoy pop artists to extend, promote and recognize their song throughout the Philippines as well as
around the world.

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Awarding Shows
Awarding Shows are also popular to recognize the local artists in the Philippines. Awarding Shows in the
Philippines are made through different platforms including social media and others.
These award shows includes Wish 107.5 Music Awards and MYX Music Awards that is held annually.

International recognition
In 2019, Pinoy pop idol group MNL48 performed at AKB48 Group Asia Festival 2019, the first held at
Bangkok, Thailand on January 27, while the second one was held at Shanghai, China on August 24.
Such performances catapulted MNL48 to the international stage, especially with other fans of their 48G
counterparts. That same year, MNL48's Abby Trinidad was the group's representative on the New Year's Eve
special of NHK's "Kohaku Uta Gassen", where along with other 48G counterparts, performed "Koi Soru Fortune
Cookie". This is the third time a Filipino performer appeared on the said show,
alongside Gary Valenciano and the band Smokey Mountain.
In 2020, Sarah Geronimo's single "Tala" entered at No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard World Digital Song
Sales chart.

SB19 at Pepsi Event Red Carpet.

In 2020, Pinoy pop boy band SB19 became a Billboard Social 50 mainstay after peaking at No. 15
on the chart, likely due to the music video of their single "Alab" SB19 reached their highest position in the weekly
Billboard Social 50 list two weeks after the release of their album, ranking second behind BTS on the week of
August 15, 2020 A week later, by placing in the top five of two charts, the group achieved another Billboard
milestone: 5th in the Emerging Artist list, their highest ranking to date, while staying 2nd in the Social 50 chart On
the week of October 31, 2020, SB19's "Go Up" peaked at number 2 in Billboard's LyricFind Global chart after
debuting at number 17 the week before,. while also making its initial appearance at number 9 in the U.S. version of
the chart. Two weeks after, "Hanggang sa Huli" debuted at number 16 in Billboard's LyricFind U.S. chart] while
also debuting at number 4 in the chart's global version. On the week of November 28, 2020, the group reached
another milestone, their first number 1 in a Billboard chart, after "Alab (Burning)" debuted at number 1 in
Billboard's LyricFind Global chart, and at number 6 in the U.S. version of the chart.
MNL48, on the other hand, announced the formation of BABY BLUE, the group's newest sub-unit on
September 1, 2020. Alongside with that announcement is the release of the sub-unit's single "Sweet Talking Sugar",
released in collaboration with Tower Records Japan, a major Japanese music retailer A nationwide tour in Japan of
the said sub-unit is announced by HalloHallo Entertainment and Tower Records Japan, which will commence after
the COVID-19 crisis. On January 31, two days after their debut, Star Magic's newest P-pop boy group BGYO was
featured by EXO Baekhyun's Privé Alliance on the streetwear line's social media accounts, becoming the first
P-Pop group to ever be featured by the clothing line. On March 15, BGYO was also featured in the "Spring 2021
Issue" of L'Officiel Philippines, another milestone that marked the band as the first P-Pop group to be featured in an
International French Magazine, L'Officiel.]
Shortly after the release of their debut single "kbye" on February 14, 2021, Viva Entertainment's newest P-
pop group Alamat ranked second on the Pandora Predictions Chart that was released on the week of

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February 23, the chart is one of the two important charts released by US streaming radio giant Pandora. Alamat also
currently holds the distinction of being the second P-pop group after SB19 to make it on Billboard chart and the
fastest-rising Pinoy act on the Billboard Next Big Sound chart, debuting at #2. Alamat's debut single is also included
in Spotify's "Fresh Finds" playlist.

Artist(s)
Some Pinoy pop artists are extremely popular in Philippines, and some also have fan bases in other countries
—especially in Asia, but also in Western countries. They influence not only music, but also fashion. As of
2020, the top five best-selling artists in the Philippines charts history
are MNL48, SB19, Sarah Geronimo, KZ Tandingan, and IV of Spades. Among the five, IV of
Spades holds the record for being the only Pop band Artist.
Pop music
Through the 1990s to the 2000s, OPM pop was regularly showcased in the live band scene. Groups such
as Neocolours, Side A, Introvoys, the Teeth, Yano, True Faith, Passage and Freestyle popularized songs that
clearly reflect the sentimental character of OPM pop of this era.
From 2010 to 2020, Philippine pop music or P-pop went through a huge metamorphasis in its increased quality, budget,
investment and variety, matching the country's rapid economic growth, and an accompanying social and cultural
resurgence of its Asian identity. This was heard by heavy influence from K-pop and J-pop, a
growth in Asian style ballads, idol groups, and EDM music, and less reliance on Western genres, mirroring the Korean
wave and similar Japanese wave popularity among millennial Filipinos and mainstream culture. Famous P-pop music
artists who had defined the growth of this now mainstream genre include Sarah Geronimo, SB19, BGYO, BINI,
KZ Tandingan, Erik Santos, Yeng Constantino, MNL48, Regine Velasquez, Alamat and P-Pop
Generation.
Choir music
Choral music has become an important part of Philippine music culture. It dates back to the choirs of churches that sing
during mass in the old days. In the middle of the 20th century, performing choral groups started to emerge and increasingly
become popular as time goes by. Aside from churches, universities, schools and local communities have established
choirs.
Philippine choral arrangers like Robert Delgado, Fidel Calalang, Lucio San Pedro, Eudenice Palaruan
among others have included in the vast repertoires of choirs beautiful arrangements of OPM, folk songs, patriotic songs,
novelty songs, love songs, and even foreign songs.

The Philippine Madrigal Singers (originally the University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers) is one of the most famous
choral groups not only in the Philippines, but also worldwide. Winning international competitions, the group became one of
the most formidable choral groups in the country. Other award-winning choral groups are the University of Santo Tomas
Singers, the Philippine Meistersingers (Former Adventist University of the Philippines Ambassadors), the
U.P. Singing Ambassadors and U.P. Concert Chorus, among others.

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Rock music
The United States occupied the Islands from 1898 until 1946, and introduced American blues, folk
music, R&B and rock & roll which became popular. In the late 1950s, native performers adapted Tagalog lyrics
for North American rock & roll music, resulting in the seminal origins of Philippine rock. The most notable achievement
in Philippine rock of the 1960s was the hit song "Killer Joe", which propelled the group Rocky Fellers, reaching
number 16 on the American radio charts.
1970s
Up until the 1970s, popular rock musicians began writing and producing in English. In the early 1970s,
rock music began to be written using local languages, with bands like the Juan Dela Cruz Band being among the
first popular bands to do so. Mixing Tagalog and English lyrics were also popularly used within the same song, in
songs like "Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko ("The Miss Universe of My Life") by the
band Hotdog which helped innovate the Manila sound. The mixing of the two languages (known as "Taglish"), while
common in casual speech in the Philippines, was seen as a bold move, but the success of Taglish in popular songs,
including Sharon Cuneta's first hit, "Mr. DJ", broke the barrier forevermore.
Philippine rock musicians added folk music and other influences, helping to lead to the 1978 breakthrough success of
Freddie Aguilar. Aguilar's "Anak" ("Child"), his debut recording, is the most commercially successful
Filipino recording, and was popular throughout Asia and Europe, and has been translated into numerous languages by
singers worldwide. Asin also broke into the music scene in the same period, and were popular. Other similar artists
included Sampaguita, Coritha, Florante, Mike Hanopol, and Heber Bartolome.
1980s
Folk rock became the Philippine protest music of the 1980s, and Aguilar's "Bayan Ko" ("My Country")
became popular as an anthem during the 1986 EDSA Revolution. At the same time, a counterculture rejected the rise
of politically focused lyrics. In Manila, a punk rock scene developed, led by bands like Betrayed, the Jerks, Urban
Bandits, and Contras. The influence of new wave was also felt during these years, spearheaded by the Dawn.
1990s
The 1990s saw the emergence of Eraserheads, considered by many Philippine nationals as the number one group in
the Philippine recording scene. In the wake of their success was the emergence of a string of influential Filipino rock
bands such as True Faith, Yano, Siakol, Teeth, Parokya ni Edgar and Rivermaya, each of which mixes the
influence of a variety of rock subgenres into their style. A 1990s death
metal (Skychurch, Genital Grinder , Death After Birth, Disinterment, Kabaong ni Kamatayan, Mass Carnage, Apostate,
Murdom, Exhumed, Sacrilege, Rumblebelly, Disinterment[10] (Death Metal Philippines), Dethrone, Aroma) emergence had
bands as prominent fixtures at Club Dredd of the "tunog kalye" era.
2000s
Filipino rock in the 2000s had also developed to include some Punk Rock, Hardcore, Emo, hard rock, heavy metal and
alternative rock such as Razorback, Wolfgang, Greyhoundz, Slapshock,
Queso, Typecast, Chicosci, Bamboo, Kamikazee, Franco, Urbandub and the progressive bands Paradigm, Fuseboxx,
Earthmover and Eternal Now.
2010s
The 2010s saw the rise of various unsigned acts of different subgenres from another format of
rock, independent music which included indie acts such as Autotelic, Snakefight, Jejaview, Bullet Dumas, Ang
Bandang Shirley, Cheats, BP Valenzuela, She's Only Sixteen, The Ransom Collective, Oh,
Flamingo!, Sud, Jensen and The Flips, MilesExperience, Tom's Story, Lions & Acrobats, Ben&Ben, December Avenue,
IV of Spades, CHNDTR, Clara Benin, Reese Lansangan, Unique Salonga, This Band, I Belong to the Zoo, Brisom, Lola
Amour, Luncheon, Munimuni, Over October, and Leanne and Naara, among others.

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Rock festivals have emerged through the recent years and it has been an annual event for some of the rock/metal
enthusiasts. One big event is the Pulp Summer Slam wherein local rock/metal bands and international bands such as
Lamb of God, Anthrax, Death Angel and Arch Enemy have performed.[11] Another all-local annual event, Rakrakan
Festival, where over 100 Pinoy rock acts performed.
The neo-traditional genre in Filipino music is also gaining popularity, with artists such as Joey Ayala, Grace Nono,
Bayang Barrios, Kadangyan and Pinikpikan reaping relative commercial success while utilizing the traditional musical
sounds of many indigenous tribes in the Philippines.
Hip-hop
Filipino hip-hop is hip hop music performed by musicians of Filipino descent, both in the Philippines and overseas,
especially by Filipino-Americans. The Philippines is known to have had the first hip-hop music scene in Asia since the
early 1980s, largely due to the country's historical connections with the United States where hip-hop originated. Rap music
released in the Philippines has appeared in different languages such as Tagalog, Chavacano, Cebuano, Ilocano and English.
In the Philippines, are cited as the most influential rappers in the country, being the first to release mainstream rap albums.

Other genres
A number of other genres are growing in popularity in the Philippine music scene, including a number of alternative
groups and tribal bands promoting cultural awareness of the Philippine Islands.
Pinoy Jazz
Likewise, jazz experienced a resurgence in popularity. Initial impetus was provided by W.D.O.U.J.I. (Witch Doctors
of Underground Jazz Improvisation)] with their award-winning independent release "Ground Zero" distributed by
the now defunct N/A Records in 2002 and the Tots Tolentino-led, Buhay] in the year before that. This opened up the
way for later excursions, most notable of which is the
Filipino jazz supergroup, Johnny Alegre AFFINITY, releasing its eponymous debut album in 2005 under London-
based Candid Records. The Kapampangan singer, Mon David,] likewise reinvented his persona as a premier jazz
vocalist, winning the London International Jazz Competition for Vocalists in 2006. Among the female jazz singer-
songwriters, the British-Filipino Mishka Adams became very popular as a flagship artiste of Candid Records, releasing
two well-received albums.
Other notable names were guitarist Bob Aves with his ethno-infused jazz; and the Mar Dizon-led Akasha, which
anchored Monday-night jazz jams for almost half a decade, during the early until mid-2000s, in Freedom Bar, a venue
located in Cubao, Quezon City. The spoken-word fusion ensemble, Radioactive Sago
Project also displayed very strong jazz underpinnings. In recent years, after-hours jazz jams in a venue called TAGO
Bar, also located in Cubao, became an incubator for groups like Swingster
Syndicate and Camerata Jazz.
Novelty pop
Pinoy novelty songs became popular in the 1970s up to the early 1980s. Popular novelty singers around this time were
Reycard Duet, Fred Panopio and Yoyoy Villame. Novelty pop acts in the 1990s and 2000s included
Michael V., Bayani Agbayani, Grin Department, Masculados, Vhong Navarro, Sexbomb
Girls, Joey de Leon ("Itaktak Mo"), Viva Hot Babes and Willie Revillame.
Latin genres
Bossa nova and Latino music has been popular since the 1970s. Performers like Annie Brazil were active in the
1970s, while more recently, Sitti has been earning rave reviews for her bossa nova covers of popular songs.

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Reggae
While there has long been a flourishing underground reggae and ska scene, particularly in Baguio, it is only recently that
the genres have been accepted in the mainstream. Acts like Brownman Revival, Put3ska, Roots Revival of Cebu and The
Brown Outfit Bureau of Tarlac City have been instrumental in popularizing what is called "Island Riddims". There is also
a burgeoning mod revival, spearheaded by Juan Pablo Dream and a large indie pop scene.
Electronic music
Electronic music began in the mid-1990s in the Manila underground spearheaded by luminaries like Manolet Dario
of the Consortium. In 2010, local artists started to create electropop songs themselves. As of now, most electronic
songs are used in commercials. The only radio station so far that purely plays electronic music is 107.9 U Radio. The
2010s also began the rise of budots from Davao City, which is regarded as the first "Filipino-fied" EDM, as well as
indie electronic producers, DJs and artists with the likes of Somedaydream, Borhuh, Kidwolf, Zelijah, John
Sedano, MVRXX, MRKIII, Bojam, CRWN, NINNO, Kidthrones, and Jess Connelly.

POPULAR LITERATURE

So, as you may have read, though popular literature: stories, songs, fiction, romances, plays, etc existed
since time immemorial, serious consideration of the broad field of popular literature as a significant category only
started in the 20th century. You must have also understood from the various critical and theoretical statements on
popular culture, that there existed a certain resistance to its admittance into the academia. A lot of water has flown
under the bridge since then. To a large extent the advent of postmodernism played an important role in its legitimate
position today. Let us see how Postmodernism helped legitimize popular literature.

1.4.1 The Advent of Postmodernism

The advent of postmodernism in the 20th century brought in a complete breakdown of categories.
It brought an end to an elitism that was based on distinctions of culture. In another way it celebrated the victory of
commerce over culture. Postmodernism dismantled the boundary between ‘authentic’ and ‘commercial’ culture. A
good example can be found in the relationship between television commercials and music. For example, there is a
growing list of artists who have had hit records as a result of their songs appearing in television commercials. One
of the questions this relationship raises is: ‘What is being sold, song or product?’ I suppose the obvious answer is -
both.

1.4.2 Defining Popular Literature

Popular literature in its simplest sense was that kind of literature that was excluded from the academia. It
was not taught in school and university classrooms. In fact, it was not even literature. It was considered to be songs,
stories, legends, fables (oral or written) and kitchen maid romances not worthy to be taught. But they still existed
and were mass produced and consumed by the people and had a life of their own. Within its ambit were found a
tradition of folk narratives and orature.

Let us now look at genres of Popular Literature.

1.4.3 Genres of Popular Literature

One of the earliest genres that was relegated to the domain of popular literature was the
Romance. Kitchen maid romances often written by women were not considered serious enough. The

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other prevalent romantic story narrated the difficulties faced by two young people engaged in a forbidden love. The
second genre that found much favor with the populace was the fantasy. Children’s Literature, the most famous
story being Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll is also considered as a representative fantasy, the other
being science fiction. Issac Asimov remains the master storyteller of these stories of scientific adventures and
make-believe kingdoms. Their rise in the late 19th century coalesced with the popularity of the murder/ crime
stories or mysteries and spy fiction. The Spy Fiction as a genre was born with Fennimore Cooper but further
became popular with the creation of the figure of James Bond by Ian Fleming in the mid 20th century. In recent
times, popular literature has embraced a variety of interesting new forms of writing such as comic books,
cartoon strips, terribly tiny tales, graphic

1.4.4 Inverse Relationship between Literary Merit and Popular Literature

It is true that Popular Literature, as commodity literature is dependent upon the ‘free
enterprise market place’ and often such literature cannot be stopped from attaining market-place success. Such
literature is denied to university classrooms and libraries, because the notion floated by elitist critics is that the art
form preferred by a majority of the people cannot be admirable and worthy of receiving serious attention and
cannot be admitted into academia. In many ways these so called guardians of “good” taste “ghettoize” certain
writers, even before reading their works. But today, two decades into the 21st century, the borders that divide the
pop from the elite are merging. We will discuss this more in the next unit. Media too plays a major role in creating
hype and either taking a novel to its heights or to the bottom of the stack. Let’s examine the role of media next.

1.4.5 Literature and Media

In the last two decades, a paradigm shift has been noticed, whereby a text has been placed against various
production apparatuses or other modes of representations — cinema, stage, television, comic books, etc. If literature
has to fulfill its roles and purposes and be a communicative practice, the analysis of popular narrative (fiction) can
provide a crucial link between literature and culture. In popular literature, a kinship with the other arts exists. So
Popular Literature is driven, often by the people, to lend itself to other forms of media. As mass public culture, art
practice and vehicle of propaganda, literary adaptations on celluloid and cinema create an extended narrative text for
the audience. However, when literature flows into other forms of Popular Culture — films, soap operas, and comic
books - sub-versions of different kinds occur. Inventions take place in the form of violence and sex, contrarily, many
distortions also occur.
One can continue with endless examples. Nonetheless, by offering another mode of critical inquiry in the form of
films or soap opera, the modern world has forced us to re-look at the definition of the literary canon.

1.4.6 Popular Literature Today

A form of expression that was once considered folklore, folk song or people’s literature, popular literature today
attends to the call of a literate reading public or media and technology ruled television and cinema, the force that
frames it is the market place. It responds to the question: What sells and why?
Its consumers may be the populace but its creators are often located within the walls of scholarship and the
academia.The late 20th century has seen a greater rise of formulaic fiction than ever before.
Pandering to the consumptive epoch of today, these popular fictionists deliver what is demanded of them by the
populace. No longer, trashed as low brow literature, unworthy of literary attention and critical gaze, popular literature
today has gained a currency of its own. They reside at not only the Wheeler kiosks at railway stations, bus stops,
pavements and the like, but they are now the subject of literary and academic

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conferences and university curricula where their academic, literary, commercial and popular merits are discussed and
debated by scholars, publishers and editors. With distinctions of hierarchy and genres and elite and pop blurring,
popular literature today exists in meritorious realms having invaded book shelves and must-read lists.

Part of the difficulty stems from the implied ‘otherness’, which is present / absent when we use the term
Popular Literature. Marc Angenot in Pawling’s Popular Fiction and Social Change says, “Para literature occupies
the space outside the literary enclosure, as a forbidden taboo, a degraded product.” But this is also true as said earlier
that Literature has always mirrored the reality of the age it belongs to.
Thus, the 20th century witnessed the rise of the popular taste. It divests “popular” outside the
ambit of elite consciousness and links it with ordinary people, the common masses.

Flash fiction as an idea – a story or poem written in minimal words – has been present in literature
for a long time, but its undeniable success in the 21st century cannot be debated.Today, flash fiction has arrived. In
the world of long working hours and kindle, flash fiction provides a unique reading experience. The themes that are
touched upon in flash fiction were rooted in the simple emotions that the readers could connect with without delving
deep into the complexities of the thematic emotion of the text.

From attending literary fests, conferences, book signings, doing appearances and book reading before and
after the release of the book, the commercial author is here to stay. An important role is therefore played by both,
the publishing houses and the authors who are increasingly involved in connecting to the masses through various
social media platforms. So in many ways, the popular in popular fiction in the current age of technology mirrors
the true image of the society and the readers / the audience choose book covers, review books, post videos about
book signings and participate in the making of popular literature.

References:

https://en.wikepedia.org>wiki>Category:Magazinea_published_in_the_Philippines
https://en.wikepedia.org>Pinoy-pop-music-in-the-philippines
https://en.wikepedia.org>wiki-Music-of-the-Philippines
https://journals.sage.pub.com>doi>pdf

https://ncca.gov.ph>subcommission-on-the-arts-Jonas-Bree https://philippinepresshistory.wordpress.com>vi-
philippine –magazines-during-the-american-occupation https://www.egyankosh.ac.in>bitstream>Unit-I-What-is-
Popular-Literature

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