If there is one industry that best exemplifies the humour and the ingenuity of the Cebuanos, it is its music industry. The music scene of Cebu has seen many stars that have achieved national acclaim. Today, the industry is filled with various artists, from those with nationwide stardom to those indie bands who play gigs here and there. Various genres have dominated the Cebuano music culture. The ballads of earlier decades featured instrumentals and songs with very slow tempos and prolonged notes. Lively beats soon came along. Aside from the universal theme of courtship and love, folk stories and beliefs were also common themes in these songs. Some examples of these are the songs “Matud Nila,” “Usahay” and “Si Filemon.” The last song is a folk song that hits the hard reality of a fisherman’s meagre earnings, but it is sung in a happy tune, with a funny ending.
Novelty songs also became popular in Cebu, especially with the career of Max Surban, the “King of Visayan Music.” His comical, sometimes intentionally nonsensical, songs with catchy tunes captured the masses. Aside from their humorous and upbeat appeal, these songs put a whimsical spin on the everyday lives of the common, ordinary Cebuano.Today, another wave of Cebuano music has gained popularity: “Bisrock,” which is a combination of the words “Bisaya” and “rock.” It is a genre of rock songs that use the Cebuano language. The band “Missing Filemon” led the mass popularity of the songs. There are also Cebuano musicians who sing in English and in Filipino (the official Philippine language). Many of these have stepped into the nationwide limelight and have even produced music videos.
