FILIPINO indie pop/alternative rock band December Avenue was recently cited for having the most streamed OPM (Original Pilipino Music) album of all time on Spotify.
The band (vocalist/guitarist Zel Bautista, guitarist Jem Manuel, bassist Don Gregorio, drummer Jet Danao and keyboardist Gelo Cruz) received the honors for their landmark 2019 full-length “Langit Mong Bughaw” recently, garnering over 720 million streams on the popular online music platform to date.
The album included smash hit singles “Sa Ngalan Ng Pag-ibig,” “Kung ‘Di Rin Lang Ikaw” (feat. Moira Dela Torre), “Magkunwari (‘Di Man Tayo)” and “Huling Sandali,” among others. These releases catapulted the band into stratospheric success, ultimately embarking on concert tours nationwide and in the United States and Canada. It’s also noteworthy to add that 2019 was also the same year that the band was named as Spotify’s Most-Streamed Artist of the Philippines.
“Writing and recording ‘Langit Mong Bughaw’ was a big challenge in many ways,” said chief songwriter Bautista, when asked about the circumstances during the creation of the album. “It was a time when the entire band was maturing and we became aware about the growth of our career: we had been an independent band for the longest time and we all agreed that we wanted to reach a wider audience — thankfully, we knew exactly what to do to break barriers... of course, hard work, timing and luck was also a big part of the equation.”
Asked about other hurdles the band was facing, guitarist Manuel immediately quipped: “Time was a big hurdle because we were touring non-stop, so we were exhausted, both physically and mentally.” Keyboardist Cruz shared: “There was also the fear of recording something that sounded similar to other songs on the album, or songs we previously released. We wanted each song to be unique and stand out on its own.”
“There was definitely a vibe when we were recording the songs,” claimed Danao, as he shared: “We knew we had a great batch of songs, so we did sort of have an inkling that people would like it, so we simply just gave it our all during that time.”
Needless to say, “Langit Mong Bughaw” was not only a well-received release, but it also became a benchmark of sorts for local bands and musicians to gauge their work.
“We never expected the album to reach the heights it did, but we’re glad that it has so much meaning and feeling for everyone who listened to it. It certainly changed our lives as a group because it exposed us to many big opportunities; and personally, because I had always felt like a nobody, it introduced me to many people who appreciated what me and the band were trying to accomplish,” said Gregorio. (PR)