The local rock scene is blooming because of two factors: 1) the whole array of “underground” bands are now mainstream. The bands used to be happy with their usual gigs and exposure. But now that they have commercial backup, their music reaches a broader audience. Perhaps the record producers are also giving more freedom to the artists so they can make music the way they want to. And so, everyone ends up happy. 2) because of the rise in music piracy, independent groups are turning to record companies for support. The big record companies, wanting to battle piracy and lost sales, go beyond their usual marketing tactics. Bands now are more marketed than ever before.
The boom in the music industry isn’t so much a testament to our local talent. Our local talent has always been there. But because of the onslaught of piracy and the more aggressive and unprecedented marketing tactics of record companies, the richness and diversity of Filipino music finally has broken ground in the mainstream.
See, mainstream isn’t so bad. And the worst, which in this case is piracy, has actually brought out the best.
