Filipino Music

The colonial regimes established earlier by the Spanish and then later by the Americans contributed in the creation of a Philippine society, which had very strong influences of the Spanish and American societal structures.



Of course both the Spanish and the American regimes have had equal shares in the influences that they had on the social and cultural aspects of the people of the Philippines.

Yet again it cannot be denied that it was undoubtedly the American regime that was responsible for the establishment of the institutions of the Philippine societal structure, as it exists today.

This creation of institutions and the very absorption of Philippines into the economy of the global politics played a role in creating a need for various forms of leisure in the Philippine society.

It was under these social conditions that the Filipino songs developed into the popular forms in which they are known today. Some of the most popular genres of the Filipino songs at the time were like the cakewal.

In fact the Filipino dance bands in cabarets played the foxtrot and the ragtime. These were the forerunners of what was later developed into a genre known as Jazz.

The Filipino folk songs were arranged into rhythms of dance so as to suit the changing and emerging tastes of the Americans.

Much later, during the period of the 1950's, a much-popularized version of the samba was introduced.