The first-ever Filipino Music Awards (FMAs) saw OPM’s best and brightest gather for a landmark celebration of local music and artistry on October 21, 2025, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Marked by world-class performances and a slate of trailblazing awardees, the monumental ceremony — witnessed by thousands of fans and hundreds of the scene’s movers and shakers — was a powerful display of strength from the Filipino music industry, and veritable proof that all of OPM stands united in its pursuit of national and global excellence.
Stars came ready to celebrate the year’s most impactful achievements and milestones. Among those in attendance were the likes of P-Pop Kings SB19, the Nation’s Girl Group BINI, Baguio-bred hitmakers Cup of Joe, Miss Universe Philippines 2023 and artist Michelle Marquez Dee, as well as the Prince of Pop himself, Erik Santos.
Produced by AGC Power Holdings Corp. and presented by its subsidiary Modern Media Group Inc., the FMAs honored 18 awardees across four major categories. From the nation’s musical luminaries and rising stars to the institutions and labels shaping OPM’s future, the evening was a holistic platform recognizing every pillar of the local music scene.
The evening began even before the ceremony itself with the glamorous red carpet, which saw acts such as Ben&Ben, Jericho Rosales, TJ Monterde, and KZ Tandingan dressed to the nines. As the anticipation built inside the arena, the countdown to the inaugural event opened with a live performance by IV OF SPADES, who took to the stage with their 2025 comeback single, “Aura.”
With the energy in the venue at an all-time high, the first award segment, the Genre Awards, kicked off the ceremony proper.
Honoring innovation and the music redefining the sonic realms of Pop, Alternative, Rock, Folk, Hip-Hop, and R&B, the Genre Awards recognized the OPM industry’s trailblazers and visionaries in their respective categories. Highlights include IV OF SPADES clinching Rock Song of the Year for their highly anticipated track “Aura,” and Bicol-born singer dwta winning Folk Song of the Year with “Sampung Mga Daliri,” who dedicated her win to fellow regional artists — and ended her heartfelt speech in her mother tongue.
Most notable was Mindanaoan hip-hop collective Morobeats’ Hip-Hop Song of the Year win for “GUBAT NA SIYUDAD.” In their powerful acceptance speech, the collective used their platform to call for justice and rally support for the Palestinian people, amid thunderous cheers from the crowd in attendance.
A host of standout performances followed. Sets from the Aces of P-Pop BGYO, Maki, and BINI — who treated audiences to their first-ever live rendition of “First Luv” — kept the energy soaring and the crowd on their feet as the evening moved onto the People’s Choice Awards.
As the ceremony’s sole public-voted segment, the People’s Choice Awards gave the Filipino audience a direct voice in the celebration — a clear testament to the massive groundswell of support for today’s homegrown and Asian pop acts. SB19 took home two awards in the segment for People’s Choice Awards: Artist and People’s Choice Awards: Song with “DUNGKA!,” while BTS member j-hope was awarded the only international accolade of the evening for People’s Choice Awards: International Artist.
The night’s momentum carried on through a diverse slate of acts: Apl.de.Ap, who surprised the audience by bringing Illest Morena and Fana onstage, lit up the arena with his unreleased single “WHIP IT!”; Drag Race Philippines Season 3 winner Maxie delivered drag excellence with a show-stopping performance; and Gloc-9 united the audience with his timeless and timely anthem “Upuan.”
The Legacy Awards delivered one of the evening’s most moving moments as the FMAs honored the artists and institutions whose lifelong contributions continue to shape OPM and Filipino culture, with siblings and actors Janine Gutierrez and Diego Gutierrez accepting the Tribute Award on behalf of their late grandmother, Asia’s Queen of Songs, Pilita Corrales.
As the evening progressed, the performances married the new with the old and reimagined the look and sound of legacy. Cup of Joe delivered a riveting performance of their smash hit “Multo,” while a cross-generational and genre-spanning set by the nation’s Pop Rock Royalty, Yeng Constantino, prolific folk artist Lolita Carbon, and world-renowned symphony, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, concluded the segment.
Then the Grand Awards commenced, which saw rock legend Ely Buendia take to the stage, as well as some of the ceremony’s biggest wins. Cup of Joe’s chart-topping hit “Multo” won Song of the Year, while SB19 took home Concert of the Year for their ‘Simula at Wakas’ World Tour Kickoff, subsequently bringing their concert director, Paolo Valenciano, onstage for the momentous and collaborative win.
The theme of unity was evident during this final segment, with peers celebrating one another’s achievements as collective triumphs for Filipino artistry. In a particularly touching moment, presenters Lola Amour hugged the shell-shocked Album of the Year winners Cup of Joe, who proceeded to give a heartfelt speech — highlighting how Silakbo began as their story and is now something they share with the whole nation. It also proved to be a banner evening for SB19 as they closed out the segment with the first-ever Artist of the Year win in FMA history, bringing their total award tally to six.
Finally, the ceremony came to a thunderous close with back-to-back performances. SB19 brought the house down with “DAM” and later joined Ben&Ben for a rousing and inspiring reimagining of “Kapangyarihan,” leaving artists and OPM enthusiasts with a message: Filipinos can rise even higher if we rise together.
Beyond the honors and thrilling live performances, the success of the inaugural FMAs stands as a reflection of OPM’s state today: not merely alive, but evolving, expanding, and united in asserting its place on the global stage. Filipino music has proven itself as living heritage — a mirror of culture, a catalyst for unity, and an undeniable force for change. With institutions like the FMAs championing its excellence, OPM is poised to soar even further, carried by visionaries ready to take it to the world.
View the full list of winners here.
FILIPINO MUSIC AWARDS
Presented by Modern Media Group Inc.
Produced by AGC Power Holdings Corp.
Official Broadcast Partners:
TV5
MQuest Ventures
Co-presented by:
Levi’s Philippines
vivo
IQOS
ZYN
Powered by:
SONY
KFC
Sunsilk
Playtime
TECNO
Security Bank
Cream Silk
Official Mobility Partner:
Toyota Motor Philippines
Special thanks to:
Jollibee
Official Catering Partners:
Illo’s Group Inc.
Astons Philippines
Official Mobile Bar Partners
Fun Cocktails
Nyctophile Mixology & Bar Hosting
Salucci
Official Coffee Bar Partners:
Au’n Scene Coffee Bar
The Brewing Studio
Allegro Beverage Corp.
Official Accommodations Partner:
Newport World Resorts
Official Hotel Partners:
TRYP by Wyndham
Microtel by Wyndham
Official Venue Styling Partners:
Spruce
Florio Manila
Official Trophy Design Partner:
Ovvian Castrillo-Hill
Official Food Partners:
Ate Rica’s Bacsilog
Burger Beast
Official Glam Partner:
Nix Institute of Beauty
Official Styling Partner:
Patricia Pascual Designs
Continuiti
AECIA
Official Giveaway Partner:
Lee