V-pop


V-pop, is an abbreviation for Vietnamese pop music, is a musical genre covering Vietnamese music from the 1990s to present day.

Etymology

In the years 1960s to 1970s, V-pop was limited to "Nhạc trẻ Sài Gòn" or "Kích động nhạc". After 1975, the name nhạc trẻ continued to be used as a name for "underground music", which encompasses vibrant, fun folk songs, that were banned by the government of the time. In the 1990s, the phrase "nhạc nhẹ" appeared when Vietnam was opening up to the world. "Nhạc trẻ" was used until the early 2000s, until the name V-pop, based on names such as K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, etc, was mentioned in early 2005. The Hallyu Wave in Vietnam further popularised the name.

History

Domestic

Origins

Vietnamese pop music was influenced early on by the large U.S. military presence in South Vietnam. Much of the music retained its traditional instruments, with the exception of war songs and war anthems. V-pop was not as renowned during the war, as most music would consist of patriotic music, war songs, or songs from the U.S.
In the 1960s to 1970s, the introduction of American liberal culture created new waves of Vietnamese music over the years. 60 plus American singers, bands and idols were introduced to the young people of Saigon, thought to the be the birthplace of V-pop. Famous singers were birthed such as Phuong Hoang, Elvis Phuong, Truong Ky, Nam Loc, Tung Giang, Thanh Lan, Carol Kim, as well as "inciting music" such as those of Mai Le Huyen, Hung Cuong. Pop, rock and ballads dominated this time period.
On April 30, 1975, Saigon fell, and as a result the Vietnam War ended and South Vietnamese citizens evacuated to other capitalist nations. Popular music released up to that day was then prohibited due to its sentimental and sympathetic nature. Music that was patriotic and followed a traditional revolutionary theme, as well as folk songs, had "good values," and were encouraged by the Communist state. However, South Vietnamese classics continued to survive in overseas Vietnamese communities, where it remained until eventually being reintroduced back to the mainland.

80s-90s

In 1986, after the Đổi Mới reformations, "V-pop" made a gradual recovery. The music at that time, mainly produced by Trinh Cong Son, continued the traditional "love and war" theme. This historical genre gradually lost favor by the early 1990s, around the similar when the Soviet Union had collapsed.
By 1995, multiple restrictions were being lifted and diplomatic relations with Western-aligned countries improved. V-pop returned to a more steady path compared to its tumultuous period during and prior to the Vietnam War. In 1997, the Làn Sóng Xanh Awards were founded to push the development of the music industry. Singer, Lam Truong, produced, "Tình Thôi Xót Xa". He was popular amongst the young people of Ho Chi Minh City. This marked a strong beginning for the domestic music market during the development of modern Vietnamese music.

2000s

At the beginning of the 21st century, a series of singers emerged, creating music hits that were characterically light, vibrant and youthful. Singers such as Bao Thy, Khoi My, Toc Tien, Huong Tram, Soobin Hoang Son, Son Tung M-TP, Noo Phuoc Thinh further popularised R&B tunes across the country.
Numerous artists such as My Tam, Ho Quynh Huong, My Linh, Thanh Lam, Hong Nhung, Phuong Thanh, Dan Truong, Thanh Thao, Ho Bich Ngoc emerged from Vietnam and started to produce EDM, pop music, R&B, rap, ballad, and other genres. A large majority of V-pop was influenced by K-pop, C-pop, J-pop and Western music. During this period of cultural expansion, a number of foreign artists had also worked with Vietnam's emerging industry. A large amount of modern music acts emerged such as Bao Thy, Dong Nhi, Noo Phước Thịnh, Quang Vinh, whom of which were all associated with the R&B genre.
The Asia Song Festival, created many opportunities for cultural exchange between multiple participating countries. Artists representing Vietnam included My Tam, My Linh, Ho Quynh Huong, Lam Truong and Ho Ngoc Ha. Many of these Vietnamese artists hope to grow the entertainment industry by engaging in festivals, shows, etc., in other countries.

2010s

During this period, Vietnamese music competitions also played a huge role in shaping a new wave of Vietnamese artists such as Vietnam Idol, The Voice, Vietnamese Stars, Star Academy, etc, all of which many stars were borne from e.g. Soobin Hoang Son, Sơn Tùng, Uyen Linh, Huong Tram, Van Mai Huong, Truc Nhan, Trung Quan, Pham Hong Phuoc, etc.
In 2012, singer My Tam, known for her powerful voice, also known as the Queen of Vpop, set a new record on YouTube with the song, Story, but due to technical oversight, her YouTube page was deleted and she has since created a new YouTube account. Nevertheless her works indicated the beginnings of Vpop's domestic and global reach.
Vy Oanh is also a famous artist for her gentle songs which include Fly, Đồng Xanh, Hồ Ngọc Hà and Please Forgive Me. She also promotes her image at China Central Television.
Hồ Quỳnh Hương, regarded as one of the top female Vietnamese singers, has also been honored at the Mnet Asian Music Award. In 2016, after 7 years of absence, Vietnam also had a representative attending the Asia Song Festival with Noo Phước Thịnh.
In 2018, SGO48, a Vietnamese sister group of Japanese AKB48, was released with much acclaim.
A few Vietnamese singers who have wide reaching international acclaim include My Tam, Thu Minh, Ho Quynh Huong, and Sơn Tùng.
Of the V-pop female singers, My Tam, Thu Minh, Ho Ngoc Ha, Duong Hoang Yen, Bich Phuong, Dong Nhi, Min are highly regarded. With male singers, Dan Truong, Tuan Hung, Erik, Sơn Tùng, Soobin Hoang Son, Ngo Kien Huy, Noo Phuoc Thinh are all currently notable. Thanh Bui, an Australian-born Vietnamese singer, is known for participating in Australian Idol and influencing many Vpop artist's direction in music production. Some of his famous discography include: "Where did we go wrong", "And I fell in love", and "Quietly in Love". His songs have been popular in Australia, Germany, Korea, Japan, and Singapore. His international collaborations include: Danger, Picture of you, Something 'about you, Hello.
Currently, the new wave of V-pop artists include Sơn Tùng M-TP, Soobin Hoàng Sơn, Bích Phương, Erik, etc, with music videos attracting millions of views on YouTube.

Overseas

After the fall of Saigon, many artists fled Vietnam to overseas communities. A growing demand for music performed up to April 30, 1975 lead to a re-emergence of the popularity of these songs, which were no longer widely available in mainland Vietnam. This music helped bring back memories of the times before the Vietnam War.
In the early 1980s, the number of foreign record companies specializing in Vietnamese music began to grow. Thuy Nga Centre, Van Son Entertainment, and Asia Entertainment were all companies that have produced many popular Vietnamese songs, and entertainment concert series such as Paris By Night, the Van Son Show, Asia, and multiple others.
Around the 1990s, more and more young artists began to appear overseas in the international market. Artists who have been in international relations pertaining to the music industry include Lam Nhat Tien, Trish Thuy Trang, Tuan Ngoc, Bang Kieu, Minh Tuyet, Nguyen Hung, Nguyen Thang, Andy Quach, Duong Trieu Vu, Don Ho, and many more. During the 2000s and 2010s, C-pop, K-pop and J-pop had already started to spread to the Western world. K-pop had spread to South East Asia and was a influential turning point for the Vietnamese entertainment industry. Vietnamese pop music began to include traits that made K-pop and J-pop popular such as elaborate choreography and chic fashion, which was a huge departure from the sad, melodic ballads that Vietnamese audiences are accustomed to. Some Vietnamese artists, such as Son Tung M-TP and Toc Tien, were accused early on in their career by fans abroad for producing songs that were eerily similar to other music hits. Nevertheless, the evolution of V-pop still continues to this day.
Currently, YouTube is the main platform for international exchange. V-pop has already spread to many South East Asian nations. East Asian nations such as Korea, Japan, and Greater China have also begun to notice V-pop's popularity. Many MVs have started to trend on Youtube in Western countries in late 2010s and early 2020s. However, sad, melodic ballad songs, such as historical war songs, war movie soundtracks, pre-1975 South Vietnamese pop songs, or musical shows such as Paris By Night are still popular in amongst overseas Vietnamese communities and abroad.

Internationally

At the end of 2005, singer My Tam released the album Void. In mid-September 2007, My Linh re-released her three old albums for domestic and international markets, including Made in Vietnam, Chat with Mozart and Let Love Sing with the help of Pony Canyon Records. Made in Vietnam was renamed Radio-I in Japan and was awarded the best album of the month in Nagoya, Aichi City. At the end of 2006, My Tam made her fifth album "Soaring" in Korea and released her album in collaboration with Nurimaru Pictures.
In recent years, V-pop has started to attract more attention from the international community from young singers with innovative new music styles such as Min, Amee, Hoang Thuy Linh, and MONSTAR. Many songs and albums have entered numerous prestigious international music charts. V-pop has gradually become a leader in the Southeast Asian music industry. Son Tung is widely regarded to be at the forefront of breaking into the international market, reaching high rankings on the international music charts and top trending of many countries and territories on YouTube.
Currently the most viewed music video that can arguably be classified as V-pop is a children's song called "Bong Bong Bang Bang", reaching more than 450 million views.
In 2019, Son Tung M-TP has collaborated with the world famous rapper Snoop Dogg to release the song "Give It to Me", which resonated loudly in Vietnam, but also reached the top trending YouTube page of many countries around the world including the United States, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and others. In addition, he was also praised by many famous newspapers worldwide. The Source, called him an "Asian Sensation". World Music Awards dubbed him a Prince of Vpop. Korea's Star News also posted the article and called him a leading voice within the V-pop music industry.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Min and Erik released a music song labelled "Ghen Cô Vy" to encourage people on how to handle the Covid-19 pandemic. The song has become popular for its catchy tunes and for raising awareness in limiting the spread of Covid-19.

Artists

Solo singers

Male artists

Boy bands