V-pop

V-pop (Nhạc Pop Việt Nam), an abbreviation for Vietnamese pop, is a musical genre covering Vietnamese music from the 1990s to the modern-day. In Vietnam, it is also known as "youth music" (nhac trẻ).

History

Early history

Vietnamese Pop music was heavily influenced early on by the large United Stated military presence in South Vietnam.

Some of the most successful acts of the era include Phượng Hoàng, Elvis Phương, Trường Kỳ, Nam Lộc, Tùng Giang, Thanh Lan and Carol Kim. Popular for their modern style, Mai Lệ Huyền and Hùng Cường are considered to be more "exciting" contributors to V-Pop.

The escalating war in Vietnam culminated with the fall of Saigon, and the following economic crisis resulted in many Vietnamese music artists leaving the country. Under the Vietnamese communist government, popular music was suppressed while it continued to be popular amongst overseas Vietnamese refugee communities.

Renovation period, U.S. embargoed

Domestic

After the end of the Vietnam War, with the U.S. embargo, popular music produced prior to 1975 ("nhac vang") was prohibited for its sentimental nature. Music that had "patriotism" and followed a traditional revolutionary theme ("music in red"), as well as folk songs, had "good values," and so were encouraged by the state.

In the early 1980s, after renovation, V-Pop made gradual recovery. The music at that time, mainly produced by Trinh Cong Son, that continued the traditional "love and war" theme gradually lost favor by the early 1990s.

Overseas

After the fall of Saigon, many artists fled Vietnam for the U.S. A growing demand for music performed prior to 1975 lead to a re-emergence of the popularity of these songs, which were no longer widely available. This music helped bring back memories of the time before the war.

In the early 1980s, the number of record companies specializing in serving the overseas Vietnamese begin to grow. Thuy Nga Centre, Van Son Entertainment, Asia Entertainment, ... put out popular products such as Paris By Night Show, Van Son Show, Asia, ...

Period "Mở Cửa" (Doi Moi) and integration

Domestic

Since state policy changed to more open and diplomatic relations with the United States in 1995, V-Pop has returned to normal operation, but due to the lengthy period of absence, the music industry was non-existent. There was infrastructure to support the local music market. In 1997, the annual Làn Sóng Xanh (literally "Green Wave") Awards were founded for the development of music, first with singer Lam Trường's "Tình Thôi Xót Xa," which was extremely popular amongst the young people of Ho Chi Minh City and marked a strong beginning for the domestic music market during the development of the new music of Vietnam (vi:Tân nhạc Việt Nam).

Early 21st century, numerous artists such as Ho Quynh Huong, My Linh, Thanh Lam, Hong Nhung, Phuong Thanh, vi:Đan Trường, Thanh Thảo,... are making soft music (ballad) or take a hit vibrant, youthful. In this period, a number of foreign artists also work with Vietnam's market (4Men, Super Junior, Lee Young Ah ,...) to help develop a strong V-Pop industry. Modern music acts emerged, Bao Thy, Dong Nhi, vi:Noo Phước Thịnh, Quang Vinh, ... performing new compositions with heavy influence of R&B.

More recently, the music program Asia Song Festival (Festival of Asian music) held annually in South Korea, creates opportunities for cultural exchange between participating countries. Artists representing Vietnam at this festival include My Tam (2003), My Linh (2004), Ho Quynh Huong (2006 & 2008), Lam Truong (2007) and Ho Ngoc Ha (2009).

Overseas

In the 1990s, more and more young artists began to appear in the overseas Vietnamese music industry, Trish Thùy Trang, Nguyễn Hưng, Bằng Kiều, Nguyễn Thắng, Andy Quách, Dương Triệu Vũ, Don Hồ, ...

Criticism

The famous

Now the famous V-Pop scattered places, a party on the nature country, a party on the nature of market conditions and also some big name artists, but have not reached the floating known throughout the country, this is the difficult conditions and interfere with the V-Pop in the country.

Mixing genres

V-Pop struggles when compared to other music genres in Vietnam, many V-Pop songs have copied popular characteristics from other countries, mainly within Asia. VTV news sources indicated that about 80% of V-Pop songs contain foreign influences, especially K-Pop, Chinese Ballad Classic, C-Pop, and Thai Music.

Criticism from the media

In Vietnam, V-Pop is sometimes called "Disaster" music because it is alarming and may cause a stir in public opinion and on community websites. A lack of aesthetics in Vietnamese music was criticized on VTV and in news reports, justified by being necessary to reform the objectivity in music. The representative musical ambassadors from South Korea and Japan evaluated V-Pop music as well, saying V-Pop "acts like a child" and not like a music industry.

Music concerts and awards

V-Pop has a number of popular Liveshow programs and special music awards which offer the audience a chance to see live bands and singers perform. Some of the largest V-Pop concerts and music awards include:

• Sea Show
• Giai điệu tình yêu
• Quà tặng trái tim
• Giải thưởng MTV Video Âm Nhạc Việt (VMVC)
• Giải thưởng Làn Sóng Xanh
• Album Vàng
• Nhịp Cầu Âm Nhạc
• Thay lời muốn nói
• Zing Music Award
• Hot V.Teen
• Vietnam's Got Talent

See also

• Popular music of Vietnam

External links