Arnel sings and can also play the guitar and has been singing since 1982.

His inflences were Steve Perry(Journey), John Farnham(Little River Band), Freddy Mercury(Queen), Sting(The Police), and bands like The Beatles, The Who, Aerosmith, U2, and Deep Purple to name but a few.

In 1982, at the age of just 15 years old, he became the lead singer of a band called Ijos Band. In 1987 and 1988, he won the Best Vocalist award at the World Band Explosion, with the finals held in Budokan Hall, Tokyo.

Arnel then joined a pop/rock Filipino band called Amo as their lead singer. Amo played in clubs on the biggest island of the Philippines. Amo was very popular in the renowned Chinese owned Cal Jam club in Olongapo City, which was frequented by United States Military personnel.

During his tenure in Amo, Pineda made regular TV appearances in the Philippines. In late 1990, five of Amo's original members split from the band leader, Ulysis Ablang (Uly) and formed another band behind Pineda, "New Age". The remaining members of Amo went on to become "The Boss Band", while Pineda's band, New Age played regularly at Fire and Rain in Makati, a city on the outskirts of Manila.

During those performances, a talent agent spotted Pineda and asked him to move to Hong Kong to perform at a very popular entertainment restaurant called Igor’s. With New Age, Pineda performed six nights a week at Igor’s for some nine years. New Age also performed at Grammy’s in Hong Kong.

In 1999, Pineda recorded a solo album on the Warner Bros label, the self-titled “Arnel Pineda” which he wrote and arranged himself.

In 2004 three members of the New Age band reformed, this time with a female singer sharing the lead vocals, they called themselves "Most Wanted" and played sets at The Cavern Club in Hong Kong.

In 2006, Pineda moved back to the Philippines along with Monet Cajipe, the guitarist who has been in all Pineda’s bands during the last 24 years.

They formed the Zoo Band. The Zoo’s first album “Zoology” was released by MCA Universal in September 2007 featuring 13 original tracks, several of which were penned by Pineda. 

These tracks were:-
Gimik, I Gave it All, Pain in My Heart, Paumanhin, So Wrong, Manhid, Soulmate, Too Satisfied, Hiling, Ewan Ko Ba, Ginik (M5 version), I Gave it All(acoustic), and Gimik(acoustic).

The record is on the MCA - Universal Records label and was released in 2007.



Videos of the Zoo Band on Youtube were spotted by Neal Schon, who contacted the up loader so he could get in touch with Arnel.

On 5th December 2007 it was officially announced that Arnel would be the next lead singer for Journey. CNN included the announcement as part of their "News to Me" segment. Journey and renowned producer Kevin Shirley are currently in the studio creating a new album which he is producing, for release in spring/summer 2008. In his online diary, Shirley described the recording sessions as "wonderful, successful, stupidly creative" and said that "Sometimes you just know when there's history in the making."

In a statement on December 5, 2007, Shirley said "I was stunned at Arnel, who is a monster vocalist. He is the real deal. Just phenomenal." When speaking about the upcoming album in a later entry in his diary, he said: "Just got back from Vegas last night, after mixing seven new Journey songs. They are outstanding... For the record, I think Arnel is 'the business!' - the guy can really sing! He handles the ballads with SO much heart, and belts the rockers as hard, and melodically, as anyone I have heard. The songs are sensational - wonderfully crafted and deep, and so focused, you may wonder where they all came from. And I'm being serious...."