Sony Music Philippines, Inc. is a record label based in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, which was founded in 1995 as an imprint of the international music label

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...

and a part of its

Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific (APAC) is the part of the world near the western Pacific Ocean. The Asia-Pacific region varies in area depending on context, but it generally includes East Asia, Russian Far East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Pacific Isl ...

chain. After the closure of the local label caused by widespread

piracy Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

problems in the Philippines in 2012, it resumed its operations in 2018.

History

In 1995, after OctoArts International (now

PolyEast Records PolyEast Records (formerly Canary Records, OctoArts International, OctoArts EMI Music Inc. and EMI Philippines) is a record label in the Philippines. It is a member of the Philippine Association of the Record Industry and from 2008 until 2013, ...

) signed a distribution deal with

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

, Sony Music Philippines was established with its first office at the Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong. In 2005, as an after-effect of the

Sony BMG Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout ...

merger (which happened a year earlier), it merged with

Bertelsmann Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA () is a German private multinational conglomerate corporation based in Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of the world's largest media conglomerates, and is also active in the service sector an ...

's local label BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. (itself founded in the early 1990s) to become Sony BMG Music Entertainment Philippines. A few months later, its offices were transferred from the Equitable Bank Building in Cubao,

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,960,048 people. It was fou ...

to the Taipan Place in Ortigas, Pasig for even lower taxes and better work amenities. In 2009, the label was renamed Sony Music Entertainment Philippines, and also began partnering with

GMA Records GMA Music (formerly known as Infiniti Music and GMA Records) is a subsidiary of GMA Network Inc. and is engaged in the production, marketing and distribution of music and concerts. GMA Music is a member of PARI and has the distinction of havin ...

for releases of some artists like

Aljur Abrenica Aljur Mikael Guiang Abrenica (born March 24, 1990) is a Filipino actor, dancer, model and singer. He appeared on the fourth season of '' StarStruck''. Early and personal life His father, Alfonso Abrenica Jr., was a musician, and his mother, Am ...

and La Diva.

Ivory Music and Video Ivory Music and Video, Inc. (formerly Ivory Records Corporation) is a record label based in the Philippines. The label works with OPM veteran artists and bands/groups such as the Company, Side A, Wolfgang, MYMP, Roselle Nava and April Boy R ...

(formerly Ivory Records) handled distribution for Sony Music's catalog in the Philippines in July 2011, and in February 2012, the label closed its office at the Taipan Place in Ortigas, Pasig after a long battle with widespread piracy. This was the first time since the early 1990s (under OctoArts) that international Sony Music releases were licensed by an independent Philippine label. The distribution contract expired in late 2017. Sony Music Philippines started to re-open in 2018 (and since then it became fully independent since early 2011), and in July 2019, the label held a press event in

Pasig Pasig, officially the City of Pasig ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasig), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, i ...

marking its formal re-launching, announcing the new roster of artists signed to them which includes

Ben&Ben Ben&Ben (formerly known as The Benjamins) are a folk pop band in the Philippines. Formed in 2015, the band have since been known for their popular hits that include " Pagtingin" and "Lifetime", among others. One of the most popular acts in the ...

, The Vowels They Orbit, Alex Bruce, Syd Hartha, and the band Nathan & Mercury. In late 2019, Filipino boy band

SB19 SB19 is a Filipino boy band that debuted in 2018, the pentad—consisting of members Pablo, Stell, Ken, Justin, and Josh. They were trained for 4 years by ShowBT Philippines, beginning in 2016. They are the first Filipino and Southeast Asia ...

signed a recording contract with the label. In March 2022, Filipina girl group

4th Impact 4th Impact is a Filipino girl group composed of sisters Almira, Irene, Mylene and Celina Cercado. The group competed in the twelfth season of the British singing contest ''The X Factor'', where they finished in fifth place. They are also known ...

also signed a recording contract. In 2020, artists from Balcony Entertainment, including its founder

Rico Blanco Rico Rene Granados Blanco (born March 17, 1973) is a Filipino singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actor, endorser and entrepreneur. He began his career as one of the founding members, and served as the chief songwriter, ...

and actress/singer Maris Racal, signed an agreement with Sony Music Philippines to distribute single/album releases from the Balcony roster. In 2021, SME launched Waterwalk Records, a sublabel focused on

Contemporary Christian music Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and s ...

featuring artists like Morissette.

Artists

Current

Rivermaya Rivermaya is a Filipino alternative rock band. Formed in 1994, it is one of the several bands who spearheaded the 1990s Philippine alternative rock explosion. Rivermaya is currently composed of original members Mark Escueta and Nathan Azarc ...

(1994–2001; since 2022) *

6cyclemind 6cyclemind (sometimes spelled as ''Six Cycle Mind'', ''6 Cycle Mind'', ''6CycleMind'' or ''6Cyclemind'') is a Filipino rock band composed of Tito Fortunato "Tutti" Caringal II on vocals, Ryan "Rye" Sarmiento on rhythm and lead guitars and backing ...

(2003–2012; since 2022) (Soupstar Entertainment; distribution only) *

Itchyworms The Itchyworms is a Filipino rock band. The band is composed of Jazz Nicolas on drums, Jugs Jugueta on guitars, Kelvin Yu on bass guitars and Chino Singson on lead guitars. The group made their name in the OPM (Original Pilipino Music) scene in ...

(2008–2012; since 2020) *

Sponge Cola Sponge Cola (sometimes spelled Spongecola) is a Filipino rock band formed in 2002. The band is composed of Yael Yuzon on vocals and guitars, Gosh Dilay on bass, Armo Armovit on guitars and drummer Tedmark Cruz. One of the most popular rock b ...

(since 2020) *

(since 2019) * The Vowels They Orbit (Soupstar Entertainment; distribution only) * Alex Bruce * Syd Hartha * of Mercury (f/k/a Nathan & Mercury) * Oh, Flamingo! * Timothy Run *

Don Michael Paul Donald Michael Paul (born April 17, 1963) is an actor, director, writer, and producer. Biography He starred in the films '' Heart of Dixie'' and '' Rich Girl'' with Jill Schoelen and appeared in ''Aloha Summer''. He wrote the screenplay for ' ...

(since 2022) * Mona Gonzales * Ace Banzuelo *

(since 2019) * Henyong Makata * We Got (Soupstar Entertainment; distribution only) * Bea Lorenzo * Abaddon * Nobody's Home * Kunnns * Plan-B * Michael Bars * Ren * Cris Cyrus Gondra *

Lili ''Lili'' is a 1953 American film released by MGM. It stars Leslie Caron as a touchingly naïve French girl whose emotional relationship with a carnival puppeteer is conducted through the medium of four puppets. The film won the Academy Award for ...

(Lily Gonzales) * Nobita * Young One (Dongalo Wreckords) * Lady Mazta *

Pablo Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul. People *Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer *Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer * Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer * Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist * Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer * Pablo Br ...

* Munimuni *

KAIA Kaia or KAIA may refer to: * Kaia (name), including a list of people with the name * KaiA, a gene * KAIA (group), a Filipino girl group * KAIA (FM), radio station (91.5 FM) licensed to Blytheville, Arkansas, United States * King Abdulaziz Inter ...

(since 2022) *

Marc Weiner Marc Weiner (; born May 17, 1955) is an American comedian, puppeteer, and actor. He creates and performs with "head puppets", which are live human heads atop small puppet bodies. Biography Weiner was born in Queens, New York, to a Jewish family. ...

* ABY * Baet Alcantara * Bianca Lipana * Flict G * Jarlo Base (Dane Hipolito) * Any Name's Okay * Loir *

Will Friedle Will Friedle () (born August 11, 1976) is an American actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Eric Matthews on the ABC sitcom ''Boy Meets World'' (1993–2000). In animation, he voices Terry McGinnis / Batman on ''Batman Beyond'' (1 ...

(since 2019)

OFFMUTE (sublabel)

* Clara Benin * Young Cocoa

Waterwalk Records (sublabel)

* Morissette (Underdog Music PH / Stages Productions) * Hazel Faith * EJ De Perio * Janine Danielle * Sam&Steff

Associated/affiliated labels

;;Balcony Entertainment * Suzara (Bolichie and Top Suzara) * Raven Aviso * Maris Racal ;;Yellow Room Music (independent label owned by Monty Macalino) * 647 *

Sharlene San Pedro Sharlene Santos San Pedro (born April 5, 1999) is a Filipino actress, singer, vlogger, streamer, VJ, and TV host. She made her first television appearance at the age of four when she joined ABS-CBN's talent search '' Star Circle Quest: Kids ...

* Kuatro Kantos

Former

Musiko Records/BMG Records (Pilipinas) *

Smokey Mountain ''Smokey Mountain'' was the term coined for a large landfill once located in Tondo, Manila. History ''Smokey Mountain'' operated for more than 50 years, consisting of over two million metric tons of waste. The flammable substances on decompos ...

(1989–1995) *

Eraserheads Eraserheads (sometimes stylized as ERASƎRHEADS or ƎRASƎRHƎADS) are a Filipino alternative rock band formed in 1989. With a line-up comprising Ely Buendia, Buddy Zabala, Marcus Adoro, and Raimund Marasigan, the band became one of the m ...

(1989–2002; catalog now handled by Sony Music Philippines and Offshore Music) *

Ariel Rivera Jose Ariel Jimenez Rivera, professionally known as Ariel Rivera (born September 1, 1966), is a Filipino recording artist and actor. Rivera was born in Manila, Philippines but has since migrated with his family to Canada. He has since become ...

(1991–2009) *Bodjie's Law of Gravity *Michael Laygo *Labuyo *

Grace Nono Grace Nono is a Filipino singer, known for her musical style based on traditional Filipino rhythms. She is also an ethnomusicologist, scholar of Philippine shamanism, and cultural worker. Early life and education Grace Nono was born on May 6, 1 ...

(1992–1999) *

Lea Salonga Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga (; born February 22, 1971), known professionally as Lea Salonga, is a Filipino singer, actress, and columnist. Nicknamed "Pride of the Philippines," she is best known for her roles in musical theatre, for supplyi ...

(1993–2012) *

Francis Magalona Francis Michael Durango Magalona (October 4, 1964 – March 6, 2009), also known by the moniker Francis M, was a Filipino rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, actor, and television personality. Born in Manila, He became a significant influ ...

(1994–2007; died in 2009) *J Brothers (1996–2004) * The Company (1996–2000) * Angelika Dela Cruz (1996–2000) *Novia (1997–1999) *

Anna Fegi Anna Fegi (born April 18, 1977) is a Filipina singer and actress from Cebu, Philippines. She has performed internationally in over seventy countries and is known for her work on the popular show '' ASAP'' on the ABS-CBN television network and ...

(1997–2005) * Madz (1998–2010) *

Yano Yano is a Filipino folk/ punk rock band formed in 1993. The band members were originally composed of Dong Abay on vocals and Eric Gancio on guitar. Onie Badiang later joined them to play bass. Nowie Favila was the usual drummer but declined t ...

Bing Rodrigo Bing Rodrigo (1954 – 2001) was a Filipino singer most famous for songs such as "Bakit May Pag-ibig Pa" and "Gintong Araw". He was also known to have sung the most memorable jingle in all of Philippine culture, the "Seiko Wallet" commercial. He w ...

*Color It Red *Barako Boys *Boysvoyz *Calvin Millado *Mike Luis *Times Two *Willie Nepomuceno *

Agot Isidro Maria Margarita Amada Fteha Isidro (born July 20, 1966), known professionally as Agot Isidro, is a Filipino actress. She is the fourth of the six children of Jose Isidro, an architect, and Palestinian mother Edwarta Fteha. She graduated from t ...

(1999) *

Dingdong Avanzado Fernando Cyril "Dingdong" Veloso Avanzado (born July 7, 1968) is a Filipino singer, actor, politician and TV host. Early life Avanzado was born on July 7, 1968 in Quezon City. He was born to the political Veloso Family of Samar, to Fernando ...

( Infiniti Music; distribution only from 1999–2001) *

Sunshine Cruz Sunshine Cruz (born July 18, 1977) is a Filipino actress and singer. She is the part of the Cruz family of actors. Personal life Cruz was married to actor/director Cesar Montano in September 2000. They have three daughters Angelina Isabele, Sa ...

( Infiniti Music; distribution only from 1999–2001) *Bigtime *Jo Awayan *Cornelia Luna *Ilonah Jean *Chad Borja *Michael Terry *Nelson Del Castillo *Mar Silverio *Paul Toledo *

SexBomb Girls The SexBomb Girls (also known as SB Girls, SBG, SexBomb Dancers, and now SB NewGen) is an all-female singing and dancing group in the Philippines. They were initially only dancers for ''Eat Bulaga!'', the midday variety show in the Philippines ...

(2001–2011) *

Sharon Cuneta Sharon Gamboa Cuneta-Pangilinan ( , ; born January 6, 1966) is a Filipino actress, singer, television host, and socialite. Regarded as one of the most successful and highest-earning individuals in the Philippine entertainment industry, she has ...

(2001–2005 (BMG) and 2005–2012 (Sony BMG); now under

Star Music Star Music (stylized in lowercase as starmusic; formerly known as Star Records), is a record label in the Philippines owned and operated by media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation. It was formerly a separate company operating as a wholly owned su ...

) *

Lito Camo Lito Camo (born March 12, 1972) is a Filipino singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his novelty songs including "Bakit Papa? Tawag mo ako?", "Spaghetti Song", "Bulaklak", "Wowowee", "Boom Tarat Tarat" and "Otso-Otso." Lito Camo is a nat ...

Louie Ocampo Louie Ocampo (born Jose Luis Ocampo on June 21, 1960) is a Filipino composer and arranger best known for his association with Martin Nievera. His numerous hits, mostly collaborations, include ''Tell Me'', ''Kahit Isang Saglit'', and ''You Are My ...

*Ciudad *

Hajji Alejandro Angelito Toledo "Hajji" Alejandro (born December 26, 1954) is a Filipino singer and actor Alaminos, Pangasinan, who was a major pop star in the 1970s and 1980s. Just like another OPM legend Basil Valdez, he came from the group Circus Band. He ...

*Edgie and The Jackalites * Lou Bonnevie *Jun Lopito *Sugar Hiccup *Ang Tunay Na Amo *Odette Quesada *

Luke Mejares Michael Luke Mejares (born June 26, 1975) is a Filipino singer and songwriter of African-American descent. Life Mejares was born in Manila, to a Boholana mother, Elvira P. Mejares, and an African-American father named Robert Davis. His biologi ...

(2003–2011) *Father & Sons *

Ciara Sotto Ciara Anna Gamboa Sotto ( , born July 2, 1980) is a Filipina actress and singer. Personal life She is the youngest daughter of actress Helen Gamboa-Sotto and actor and Senator Vicente Sotto III. She is a first cousin of Sharon Cuneta (thei ...

* Jimmy Bondoc (2003–2011) *

Cris Villonco Anna Cristina Siguion Reyna Villonco-Valderrama ( born October 17, 1983), professionally known as Cris Villonco, is a Filipino performance artist whose credits include performances in theater, television, film, recordings, music videos, and adv ...

*Agaw Agimat *Fatal Posporos *Kaya *

Jao Mapa Jose Vicente D. Mapa III, who is better known by his screen name Jao Mapa (born February 11, 1976), is a Filipino actor from the Philippines. He is also an accomplished painter. Acting career Mapa is best known for his Pepsi-Cola advertisement ...

*Fourmula Sony Music Entertainment Philippines (first incarnation) *

South Border South Border is a Filipino pop and R&B band formed in the early 1990s who gained widespread recognition in the music scene in the mid 1990s to the 2000s. Origins and early years Originally formed in 1993, the band whose name is a tribute to ...

(1996–2005; now independent) * Razorback (1997–2004; now under Hebigat Sounds Inc.) * Hungry Young Poets *Ghetto Doggs (1999–2000; now defunct) * G. Toengi *

Sandwich A sandwich is a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread, or more generally any dish wherein bread serves as a container or wrapper for another food type. The sandwich began as a po ...

(1999–2003; now under

) * The Dawn (2000–2004; now under Solstice Ventures Inc.) * Kapatid (2003–2006) *DaPulis *Mae Rivera *Champagne Morales *Jenine Desiderio * Andrew E. *

Mayonnaise Mayonnaise (; ), colloquially referred to as "mayo" , is a thick, cold, and creamy sauce or dressing commonly used on sandwiches, hamburgers, composed salads, and French fries. It also forms the base for various other sauces, such as tartar s ...

(2003–2007; now under Yellow Room and Ivory Music and Video) *

Kjwan Kjwan is a Filipino hard rock band formed in 2003 by former Sandwich guitarist and lead vocalist Marc Abaya and Dicta License bassist Kelley Mangahas. History Long-time friends and former high school bandmates Marc Abaya (vocals) and Kelley Mang ...

(2004–2006) Sony BMG Music Entertainment Philippines/Sony Music Entertainment Philippines (second incarnation) *

Brownman Revival Brownman Revival is a Filipino reggae band founded in November 1994. They count Bob Marley, Big Mountain, Aswad, Inner Circle, and UB40 among their musical influences as well as Filipino reggae group Tropical Depression and OPM acts such as ...

(2005–2010) * Cueshé (2005–2011; now under Big Dipper Entertainment) *

Gloc-9 Aristotle Condenuevo Pollisco (born October 18, 1977), known professionally as Gloc-9, is a Filipino rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as one of the best Filipino rappers of all-time, his fast-flowing vocal style has made him one of th ...

(2005–2012; now under

Universal Records Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

) *

Pupil The pupil is a black hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to strike the retina.Cassin, B. and Solomon, S. (1990) ''Dictionary of Eye Terminology''. Gainesville, Florida: Triad Publishing Company. It appears black b ...

(2005–2012; now under

UMG Philippines UMG Philippines Inc. is a record label based in the Philippines and served as its regional branch of the multinational music corporation, Universal Music Group. Formerly known as MCA Music, the record label previously retained the now-disconti ...

) *

Callalily Lily (stylized in all caps, formerly known as Callalily) is a pop rock band from the Philippines formed in 2005. The band is currently composed of Lem Belaro, Aaron Ricafrente, Nathan Reyes, Joshua Bulot, and Alden Acosta, the band's original le ...

(2006–2011; now under Callalily Entertainment/Sindikato Inc./O/C Records/

Viva Records Viva may refer to: Companies and organisations * Viva (network operator), a Dominican mobile network operator * Viva Air, a Spanish airline taken over by flag carrier Iberia * Viva Air Dominicana * VIVA Bahrain, a telecommunication company * ...

) * Gian Magdangal (2006–2010) *

Lovi Poe Lourdes Virginia Moran Poe (born February 11, 1989), popularly known as Lovi Poe, is a Filipino actress, model, and recording artist. She is the daughter of action star Fernando Poe Jr. Poe is known for starring in two popular GMA drama serie ...

(2006–2010; now under

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company under ...

) *

Mau Marcelo Maureen "Mau" Flores Marcelo (born May 13, 1980)
Philippine Idol website features section is a Moonstar88 Moonstar88 is a Filipino rock band formed in Manila, Philippines in 1999. History Moonstar88 was formed in February 1999. They were signed to Sony BMG by 2006, and later to Ivory Records in 2012. Previously under Backbeat Management, they are no ...

(2007–2012; now under Soupstar Music) * Zelle (2007–2012) * Sugarpop (2007–2009) *

KC Concepcion Maria Kristina Cassandra "KC" Cuneta Concepcion (; born April 7, 1985) is a Filipino actress, singer, dancer, TV host, entrepreneur, socialite and humanitarian. She has had lead roles in Philippine films '' For The First Time'' (2008) and '' Wh ...

(2008–2012; now under Cornerstone Entertainment) * Gretchen Espina (2008–2012; quit showbiz) * Moymoy Palaboy (2008–2011) * Joanna Ampil (2008–2011) *Letter Day Story (2009–2012) * La Diva (2009–2010) *

Rachel Alejandro Rachel Jingco Alejandro (born February 18, 1974) is a Filipino singer and actress. Biography Early life Alejandro's mother and father separated when she was four. Her mother then remarried and moved to the United States. Together with her fat ...

(2009–2011; now under

) *

(2010–2011) *

Eevee is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's ''Pokémon'' franchise. Created by Motofumi Fujiwara, it first appeared in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue''. It has later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles, as wel ...

(2010–2012; now under Ivory Music & Video) *Kiss Jane (2010–2012) *Mark Alain (2011–2012) *

Cesar Montano Cesar Manhilot (born August 1, 1962), known professionally as Cesar Montano (), is a Filipino actor, film producer and film director. Montano started in show business as a commercial model.

(2011–2012) *Stephanie Dan (2011–2012) *Sheng Belmonte (2011–2012) *The Opera Belles (2011–2012) *Kaligta (2011–2012)

References

External links

Sony Music Philippines Website
* * * * {{Authority control Sony Music Companies established in 1995 Record labels established in 1995 Record labels disestablished in 2012 Record labels established in 2018 Companies based in Pasig Philippine record labels