IF you’ve ever had your heart crushed, chances are you cried your pain out to the tear-jerking songs of December Avenue. 

For more than a decade, the iconic OPM band has released hit after hit after hit of heartbreak songs that describe exactly how we feel in every possible love situation. 

Formed in 2008 by original members Zel Bautista (vocals), Don Gregorio (bass), Jet Danao (drums, backing vocals), and Jem Manuel (guitars), the college friends from the University of Santo Tomas formed themselves into a band then known as “Sense of Sound.” Ten years later, Gelo Cruz was added to the group as keyboardist and backing vocals. 

As they moved to greater heights in their career, they changed their name to December Avenue. 

According to its website, the band, like others, had a long journey to success. It’s hard to believe with its stature now, but back then, the group endured many failed attempts to get noticed by record labels. This was why for years, its members focused on marketing their own music on social media. 

Eventually, all their efforts paid off. 

In 2016, the band first released its self-titled album December Avenue, which contained songs all written by Bautista. 

But it’s the 2019 release of its mega successful sophomore album, Langit Mong Bughaw, that would help the band reach an OPM milestone. This album was cited as the most streamed OPM album of all time on Spotify this February.  

As December Avenue celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, let’s look back on some of the band’s most iconic songs. 

Kung ‘Di Rin Lang Ikaw 

If there’s one December Avenue song that soared to skyrocketing heights, that would have to be the ultimate hugot hit Kung ‘Di Rin Lang Ikaw. 

Released in 2018, the song was the official theme song of the massive box office hit movie Hello, Love, Goodbye, headlined by Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo. 

A collaboration with OPM hitmaker Moira dela Torre, the song was such a success that it was the Philippines’ most streamed song on Spotify in 2019. Consequently, this feat landed December Avenue on Spotify Philippines’ list of most streamed artists of the same year. 

The song also won Best Collaboration of the Year at the MOR Pinoy Music Awards. 

The song, which featured Bautista’s powerful vocals, tugged at the heartstrings of Filipinos all over the world. 

The feeling of wishing for no one else if you can’t end up with the one you love is encapsulated in the lyrics,“Kung ‘di rin tayo sa huli/ Aawatin ang sarili na makita kang muli/ Kung ‘di rin tayo sa huli/ Aawatin ba ang puso kong ibigin ka?” 

Huling Sandali 

December Avenue brought out the emotions yet again in the tear-jerker Huling Sandali. 

The song is [art of the soundtrack of the movie Tayo Sa Huling Buwan ng Taon and is included in the band’s second album that produced most of its chart-topping hits. 

In 2020, it won Best Song Written for a movie/TV at the Awit Awards. 

If you’ve loved someone so badly even if it’s wrong, you must have pinned this song in your playlist and cried over it every night as you related to the lyrics, “Kahit sandali palayain ang pusong ‘di mapigil/ Sana’y tayong dalawa sa huling pagkakataon na ika’y magiging akin.” 

Kahit Di Mo Alam 

A perfect song for the most heart-breaking story. 

Have you ever fallen so deeply for somebody that you’re willing to love that person even from the sidelines? If you have, then you must have cried your eyes out to every word of December Avenue’s Kahit Di mo Alam. 

A certified fan favorite especially during the band’s live performances, the song received the Bronze Wishclusive Elite Circle award at the 2020 Wish Music Awards. 

Get ready to wipe off those tears as you hear the lines “Sa bawat saglit, handang masaktan/ Kahit ‘di mo alam/ Subukang muli at pagbigyan/ Ang ating nakaraan/ Kahit ‘di mo na alam.” 

Sa Ngalan ng Pag-ibig

This is for all those who, at one point, wished to be chosen by someone already committed to somebody else, and are still willing to wait however long it takes. 

Sa Ngalan ng Pagibig just speaks to these people. 

Just like most songs in the band’s sophomore album, this, too, gained recognition, as it received the Silver Wishclusive Elite Circle award at the 2020 Wish Music Awards. 

Perfect for hopeless romantics, the song opens with the lines, “Hanggang kailan ako maghihintay/ Na para bang wala nang papalit sa ‘yo?/ Nasa’n ka man, sigaw ng puso ko’y/ Ikaw hanggang ngayon.” 

Bulong

This is the perfect song for the most genuine profession of love. 

Bulong should be your theme song when you are admiring someone in secret. When you can’t say what you feel, put on the song and cry out your feelings with the lines “Ako’y alipin ng pag-ibig mo, handang ibigin ang isang tulad mo.” 

Dahan 

Perhaps the most painful song ever written is December Avenue’s Dahan. 

It’s the one song you’ll want to hear when you are at the point of kneeling down before someone to beg that person to leave you slowly. 

Dahan is one of December Avenue’s songs that already gained a following even prior to its formal studio release. 

Back in the band’s university days, the song was one of the most requested during its live performances because of its intense hugot feels. Even today, fans still request the song in the band’s gigs and concerts.  

Anyone will surely feel the heart-rending emotions that come with the lines, “Dahan dahan mong bitawan/ Puso kong di makalaban/ Dahil minsan mong iniwan/ Labis na nahihirapan.”