Yahoo! Philippines has launched its advocacy to give aid to emerging Filipino artists across the archipelago.

Celebrating “Original Pilipino Music”, Yahoo!, the premier digital media company, hosted Y! Rocks – a music concert hosted simultaneously across Manila, Cebu and Davao on Thursday that saw 12 breakthrough artists share the stage with some of the country’s top music icons including Wolfgang, Urbandub, Pupil, The Dawn and Imago.

Live performances by 50 acts from various genres including rock, pop, indie, and soul/R&B attracted a crowd of over 30,000 music-crazy fans from across the three cities. Artists for the concert – both breakthrough and mainstream, were selected by Yahoo! viewers via online voting at http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/yrocks.

“Music is a big part of Yahoo! and since launching OMG!, we have hosted a number of online music events with great success,” stated Arlene Amarante, Yahoo! Philippines Country Ambassador. “In keeping with Yahoo!’s tradition of music and expanding the boundaries of mainstream listening, Y! Rocks pays a tribute to the richness and diversity of ‘Original Pilipino Music’ and showcases the exceptional talent we have in the country.”

Amarante added, “We hope this musical platform will remove barriers and create opportunities for up-and-coming musicians to collaborate with the established mainstream bands.”

The final roster of 12 “Breakthrough Acts” were adjudged on originality (40%), musicality (30%) and chemistry (30%). Judges were led by Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) Secretary General, Dingdong Avanzado.

Instead of an original planned allotment of four “Breakthrough Acts” per region, ten acts from Metro Manila and Luzon landed in the top 12 and will go on to perform at the SM Mall of Asia. Only one act each was qualified to perform at the Y! Rocks concerts held in SM Cebu and SM Davao.

The list of the final 12 Y! Rocks Breakthrough Acts are as follows:

SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds

Ma. Laurice Jamero (Quezon City)
Yield Avenue (Calamba, Laguna)
White Sunday (Malolos, Bulacan)
Indios (Manila)
Penguin (Quezon City)
Jeepney Joyride (Quezon City)
Stereo Deal (Manila)
Row Four (Novaliches)
Stories of Now (Makati City)
Paranoid City (Makati City)

SM Cebu

FOC Fashion (Cebu City)

SM Davao

Highway Drive (Davao City)

The list of the final 34 Y! Rocks Mainstream Acts are the following:

MANILA

Wolfgang
Parokya Ni Edgar
Gloc 9
Franco
Karl Roy
Urbandub
Wilabaliw
The Dawn
Hijo
Shirley
Pedicab
The Jerks
Pupil
Taken by Cars Techy Romantics
Paramita
Stonefree
Razorback
True Faith
Sandwich
Callalily
6cyclemind
Tanya Markova
Not So Fast
SinoSikat
General Luna
Somedaydream
Dice and K9
Badburn Archipelago
Mike’s Apartment
Hilera

CEBU

Salamin
Ney
Ebe Dancel
DAVAO

Rico Blanco Greyhoundz
Never the Strangers