Wikipedia

Pop music in Taiwan

Taiwanese pop music, also known as T-pop, refers to commercially produced pop music originating in Taiwan or performed by Taiwanese artists and groups.

Terminology

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Taiwanese pop is an umbrella term that includes several genres and musical traditions associated with Taiwan’s popular music industry. These include Mandopop, Taigipop, Campus folk song, Taiwanese hip hop, Taiwanese Indigenous pop music, and Taiwanese rock.

The term is not limited to songs performed in a single language. Taiwanese pop music may be sung in Taiwanese Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, Indigenous Taiwanese languages, Japanese, or other languages used by Taiwanese artists. It generally refers to pop music produced in Taiwan or associated with Taiwan's music industry.

History

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Origins under Japanese rule

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Original lyrics sheet of Taiwan—Our Beautiful Island.

Commercial popular music first developed in Taiwan during the period of Japanese rule (1895–1945). Many early recordings were performed in Taiwanese Hokkien.

One of the earliest commercially released Taiwanese popular songs was March of the Black Cats [zh], issued in 1929. Sung by Chiu-chan, the recording combined elements of Taiwanese opera with Western orchestral accompaniment. In 1932, singer Sun-sun recorded a promotional song connected to the film The Peach Girl, which became widely known in Taiwan.[1]

In 1933, Taiwan—Our Beautiful Island was released by Columbia Records.[2] The song was written by activist Tshuà Pôe-hué [zh] and arranged by Okuyama Teikichi.[3] This song, along with "Call for Taiwan's Autonomy" is one of Tshuà Pôe-hué's well-known works.[4]

During this period, record companies such as Nippon Columbia and Victor Records expanded Taiwan’s music market. Producers promoted songs through films and live performances, while composers and singers including Teng Yu-hsien, Lee Lim-chhiu, Sun-sun, and Su Tung [zh] became prominent figures in the industry.

Songs such as Bāng Chhun-hong and The Torment of a Flower became widely known across Taiwan.

Many musicians active during this era had received Japanese-language education and were influenced by both Japanese and Western musical styles. Some writers and composers also used music to express local Taiwanese identity.

Following the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, restrictions on non-Japanese-language music increased. Songs were rewritten for wartime propaganda, and the music industry was further disrupted during the Pacific War by shortages, economic difficulties, and bombing campaigns. This period ended after the transfer of Taiwan to the Republic of China in 1945.[5][6][7]

1950s–1960s: Martial law and censorship

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Vinyl record of Yao Su-jung in the 1960s.

After the February 28 incident and the beginning of martial law, the Kuomintang government promoted Mandarin Chinese and restricted the public use of Japanese and many local Taiwanese languages.

During this period, Mandarin-language popular music became dominant in Taiwan. Many songs were influenced by Japanese enka, reflecting the country's earlier cultural connections with Japan. Popular songs of the era included Mandarin adaptations of Japanese melodies.

Taiwanese Hokkien-language songs continued to exist but faced broadcasting restrictions. In the 1960s, television stations were reportedly limited in the number of Taiwanese-language songs they could air each day.[8][9]

Singers including Tzu Wei [zh], Yao Su-jung, and Mei Tai [zh] gained popularity in Taiwan and other Chinese-speaking communities. Songs such as Green Island Serenade became associated with the era.[10]

Political censorship also affected the music industry. Some songs were banned because authorities considered their themes politically sensitive.[11][12]

1970s–1980s: Campus folk movement

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Teresa Teng performing with Liu Chia-chang at a party in Los Angeles in 1980.

During the 1970s, Taiwan saw the rise of the Campus folk song movement. The genre emerged among university students and was influenced by the American folk music revival.

Campus folk songs typically featured acoustic instruments such as guitar and piano, with lyrics focusing on youth, daily life, literature, and cultural identity. The movement reflected broader social changes in Taiwan following its withdrawal from the United Nations in 1971.[13]

Artists associated with the movement included Lo Ta-yu, Chyi Yu, and Hou Dejian.[14]

At the same time, singers such as Teresa Teng and Fong Fei-fei became major figures in Taiwanese popular music. Teng’s 1977 recording of The Moon Represents My Heart became one of the best-known Chinese-language songs of the period.[15] Many of Teng's songs were influenced by the Japanese Enka style.[16]

Many Taiwanese performers during the 1970s and 1980s recorded music in both Mandarin and Taigi.

During this period, Taiwan's first Hakkapop song was released in 1981 by Tu Minheng 涂敏恆.[17][18] Following this, a number of prominent Hakka music labels began to emerge in Taiwan, including Hanxing Communications (漢興傳播)[19], Lung Ko Culture (龍閣文化), and Jisheng Film and Television.[20] However, despite the growth of the genre, limited experimentation in musical style meant that much of the audience remained older, and the genre's popularity continued to be concentrated mainly in Hakka-speaking communities within Taiwan.

1980s: Post-martial law changes

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Following the lifting of martial law in 1987, restrictions on Taiwanese-language media and cultural expression were eased.

The music industry diversified during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Musicians increasingly addressed social issues and incorporated a wider range of styles, including rock, hip hop, and folk influences.

In 1989, Blacklist Studio released Song of Madness, often regarded as one of the first albums to combine Taiwanese-language lyrics with contemporary rock and hip hop influences. In 1990, Lim Giong released Marching Forward, which became associated with the New Taiwanese Song movement, wherein the songs reflected the social situation of the time as well as opening new possibilities for Taiwanese language music.[21]

At the same time, Hakka-language popular music also gained greater visibility through performers including Sheng-Chih Wu and Min-Heng Tu.

Artists such as Jody Chiang, Chris Hung, Chen Lei (singer) [zh], Stella Chang, and Fei Yu-ching remained prominent in Taiwanese-language popular music during this period.

1990s: Expansion and diversification

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In the 1990s, Taiwan became one of the largest centers of the music industry in Asia. The country was the second largest music industry in Asia, in 1998 and 1999, after Japan, before falling to fourth in 2002 due to piracy. Piracy has caused domestic repertoire as a proportion of the market to fall to 50%, in 2001, from an all-time high of around 70%, in the 1990s.[22]

In 1993, the Taiwanese government formally allowed broader broadcasting in languages other than Mandarin, contributing to greater linguistic diversity in popular music.[23]

Taiwanese hip hop also emerged during this period. One of the earliest commercially successful acts was L.A. Boyz, whose music mixed rap with dance-pop and Taiwanese cultural references.[24]

Independent music scenes expanded during the 1990s, alongside the mainstream pop industry. In the mid-1990s, Taiwan became the center of one of the largest music industries in Asia. Sales of recorded music in Taiwan peaked in 1997, when sales reached US$442.3 million, but by 2008, revenue declined sharply to US$51 million, due to piracy and illegal downloads. Foreign songs began to dominate local repertoire for the first time in the mid-2000s.[25]

2000s–2010s: Expansion

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Suming Rupi at the 2016 Amis Music Festival.

During the 2000s, Taiwan continued to produce commercially successful Mandarin-language artists with audiences across East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Pop groups and singers including S.H.E, Fahrenheit, Lala Hsu, Yoga Lin, and Aska Yang emerged through television talent competitions and entertainment programs.

Taiwan's indie music scene also expanded significantly during this period. Bands such as Mayday and Sodagreen became widely known.[26]

During the 2000s, under Chen Shui-bian's presidency, Hakkapop reflourished alongside the rise of the Hakka movement in Taiwan. The Democratic Progressive Party government expanded official support for Hakka culture through the establishment of the Hakka Affairs Council and related local government agencies.[27][28] The council promoted Hakka-language pop music through concerts, competitions, and media initiatives, including the launch of a Hakka television channel.[29] The Golden Melody Awards later introduced Hakka music categories, helping increase the visibility of the genre.[30] As Taiwanese internet users grew, Hakka pop music were able to reach wider and younger audiences across the nation.[31][32][33]

Starting from the 2000s, Taiwanese society began to place more emphasis on ethnic culture and local characteristics, resulting in Indigenous Taiwanese musicians gaining greater visibility in mainstream music.[34] Artists including Suming, Abao, and Sangpuy incorporated Indigenous languages and musical traditions into pop, folk, electronic, and R&B styles.[35][36]

The Taiwanese music industry experienced major financial changes during the digital era. Revenue from physical album sales declined from NT$12.33 billion (US$409 million) in 1997 to NT$1.64 billion in 2012.[37] This led record companies to place greater emphasis on concerts, endorsements, and digital platforms.

2020s

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In the 2020s, artists including Jay Chou, Jolin Tsai, and JJ Lin remained among the most-streamed Taiwanese performers internationally.[38]

In 2020, Abao won Album of the Year and Song of the Year at the Golden Melody Awards for her Paiwan-language album Kinakaian. It marked the first time an Indigenous-language release received the ceremony's top honors.[39][40][41]

Streaming services and social media platforms have continued to influence how Taiwanese music is distributed and promoted domestically and internationally.

Characteristics

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Taiwanese pop music has incorporated influences from Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, Indigenous Taiwanese, and Western musical traditions throughout its development.

Early Taiwanese popular songs were strongly influenced by Japanese enka during the Japanese colonial period. From the 1960s onward, electric guitars and Western-style arrangements became increasingly common. During the campus folk era of the 1970s and 1980s, acoustic instrumentation and singer-songwriter styles became prominent.

Contemporary Taiwanese pop music includes a wide range of styles, including R&B, hip hop, electronic music, ballads, rock, and dance-pop.

Taiwanese pop is also notable for its multilingual character. Songs may be performed in Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, Indigenous languages, Japanese, or English.

Industry

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Record labels

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Major Taiwanese record labels and music companies have included Rock Records, HIM International Music, Avex Taiwan, B'in Music, and Linfair Records.

International distribution

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Taiwanese pop music is distributed internationally through digital platforms, physical releases, concerts, and overseas Chinese-speaking communities.

Taiwanese music has maintained audiences in regions including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, North America, and Australia.

Charts

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The G-Music Chart is one of Taiwan's best-known music charts. It began publication in 2005 and tracks physical music sales in Taiwan.[42][43][44][45]

Awards

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Major Taiwanese music awards include:

The Recording Industry Foundation in Taiwan previously issued gold and platinum certifications for music recordings.[46]

Festivals

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Taiwan hosts numerous music festivals featuring pop, indie, rock, jazz, and Indigenous music. These include:

Festival name Type City/venue Years Notes
Amis Music Festival Indigenous music Dulan Village, Taitung County 2013–present Organized by Suming Rupi
Beigang International Music Festival Light music Beigang, Yunlin 2006–present The festival has a series of concerts, mostly wind music, and an educational program within the Chia-Hu Conservatory
Fireball Fest. Indie Music, Rock Music Rakuten Taoyuan Baseball Stadium, Taoyuan 2017–present The festival is initiated and produced by the band Fire EX..
Formoz Festival Indie Music Taipei 1995–present Formoz Festival plays an important role in the development of Taiwanese indie music.
Hohaiyan Rock Festival Rock Music Fulong Beach, Gongliao District, New Taipei 2000–present
Megaport Music Festival Rock festival and Indie Music Kaohsiung 2006–present
Spring Scream Music festival Kenting, Pingtung County 1995–present The festival showcases a variety of music styles from bands both from Taiwan and overseas.
Taichung Jazz Festival Jazz festival Taichung 2003–present
Taroko Music Festival Music festival Taroko National Park, Xiulin Township, Hualien County 2002–present

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ Han Cheung (9 March 2025). "Taiwan in Time: Taiwan's first 'pop song'?". Taipei Times. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Lin, Bo-Wei (2007-06-28). "思想起：新國民年代的台灣歌謠" (PDF) (in Chinese). Center for General Education, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-28.
  3. ↑ "咱臺灣". 臺灣音聲100年, National Museum of Taiwan History (in Chinese). Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  4. ↑ 蔡百銓 (2007-06-28). "請願歌 自治歌" (in Chinese). Liberty Times Net. Archived from the original on 2019-12-05.
  5. ↑ Tsai, Wen-ting (May 2002). "Taiwanese Pop Will Never Die". Taiwan Panorama. Translated by Smith, Glenn; Mayer, David. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  6. ↑ Ho, Wai-Chung (December 2007). "Music and cultural politics in Taiwan". International Journal of Cultural Studies. 10 (4): 463–483. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.1025.5929. doi:10.1177/1367877907083080. S2CID 144602597.
  7. ↑ Ho, Wai-Chung (2015). "The production and reproduction of Chinese and Taiwanese identities in Taiwan's popular songs". Social History. 40 (4): 518–537. doi:10.1080/03071022.2015.1076125. JSTOR 24887050.
  8. ↑ Marc L. Moskowitz (2009). Cries of Joy, Songs of Sorrow: Chinese Pop Music and Its Cultural Connotations. University of Hawaii Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0824834227.
  9. ↑ Han Cheung (7 August 2016). "The resilience of suppressed tunes". Taipei Times. p. 8.
  10. ↑ 張夢瑞 (2003). 金嗓金曲不了情. 聯經出版. pp. 111–117. ISBN 9789570826425.
  11. ↑ "The Haishan Records story". Taiwan Panorama.
  12. ↑ 張夢瑞 (2003). 金嗓金曲不了情. 聯經出版. pp. 118–124. ISBN 9789570826425.
  13. ↑ 鍾, 綺華 (2007-07-05), "七０年代「校園民歌」之內蘊與藝術性探討", 文學研究所測試, 崑山科技大學
  14. ↑ 姜, 振豐 (2008), "從校園民歌的興衰探討八○年代臺灣的社會文化 (The treating of campus folk song's rise and decline to Taiwan society culture in 1980's)", 學位論文, 淡江大學歷史學
  15. ↑ "组图：美人如花一代歌后邓丽君(5) 伊人风采 新浪网" [Photos: Teresa Teng, the beautiful and beautiful singer of the generation (5)]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 2007-05-17. Retrieved 2024-01-28.
  16. ↑ "月亮代表我的心 – 邓丽君" [The Moon Represents My Heart – Teresa Teng] (in Chinese). QQ Music. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  17. ↑ 中華民國客家委員會 (2016). "台灣客籍作曲家-吳盛智小傳（1944-1983）" – via 中華民國客家委員會.
  18. ↑ "「拾Hak時Hug」開唱之時—— 速寫近半世紀來，臺灣客語流行音樂在大馬留下的足跡 | 造音專題, 造音活動". 台灣東協造音行動. 2022-07-15. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  19. ↑ "催生「客家人的音樂集管團體」授權費漲12倍 歌手齊聲：很有感！". 客新聞 HakkaNews (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  20. ↑ 吳翠松 (2014). "客家流行音樂獨立廠牌經營策略之研究". Archived from the original on 2023-11-04. Retrieved 2023-11-04 – via 國立政治大學廣播電視學系. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. ↑ Ho, Yi (August 27, 2006). "A living folk legend remains true to his grassroots spirit". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  22. ↑ "International recording industry discusses anti-piracy actions with Taiwan government". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 2002-10-17. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
  23. ↑ Davison, Gary Marvin; Reed, Barbara E. (1998). Culture and Customs of Taiwan. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313302985.
  24. ↑ Dunn, Ashley (5 April 1993). "Rapping to a Bicultural Beat : Dancing Trio From Irvine--the L.A. Boyz--Scores a Hit in Taiwan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 April 2013.
  25. ↑ "Omusic launches online music store to revitalise Taiwan's music industry". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. 2011-02-23. Retrieved 2011-05-29.
  26. ↑ Huang, Andrew C.C. (18 December 2009). "MUSIC: Standing on the shoulders of idols". Taipei Times. p. 15. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
  27. ↑ CYCnews
  28. ↑ "簡介". 中華民國客家委員會. 2021-02-20.
  29. ↑ http://www.hichannel.hinet.net/api/play.jsp?id=6829[permanent dead link]
  30. ↑ "影視及流行音樂產業局-金曲獎沿革". 影視及流行音樂產業局 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  31. ↑ "關懷鄉土 譜出客家新樂章｜傳承故鄉的聲音 ｜華視新聞雜誌". Yahoo News (in Chinese). 2021-01-18. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  32. ↑ 汪卉婕 (2021-05-10). "專題演講：謝宇威＿客家流行音樂（1980-2020）". 台灣文學研究所.
  33. ↑ 陳順孝 (2003-05-20). "顛覆傳統 硬頸暢流大唱客家搖滾 · 生命力新聞：解決社會問題的創新行動". 生命力新聞：解決社會問題的創新行動 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  34. ↑ Liu, Alexandra (August 2000). "A New Wave of Indigenous Pop--The Music of Pur-dur and Samingad". Taiwan Panorama. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  35. ↑ Lin, GuoTing (11 February 2020). "Breakthrough the thinking of "indigenous music" as a style of music". Taiwan Insight. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  36. ↑ Xie, Tina (April 2020). "Sangpuy: Moving Music that Transcends Language". Taiwan Panorama. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  37. ↑ "A statement of clarification concerning pop music subsidies". Ministry of Culture (Taiwan). 2013-06-10. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  38. ↑ 美通社 (2023-12-08). "2023 Spotify Wrapped: How the world listened to Mandopop this year". 新浪香港. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  39. ↑ "Taiwan indigenous singer Abao biggest winner at Golden Melody Awards". Taiwan News. October 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  40. ↑ Ku, Chia-hsuan (4 September 2020). "Abao Shatters Boundaries in Taiwan's Mainstream Music Scene". The News Lens. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  41. ↑ Chang, Eddy (September 30, 2020). "Aboriginal singer Abao leads Golden Melody with 8 nominations". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  42. ↑ Bernstein, Arthur; Sekine, Naoki; Weissman, Dick (2013), The Global Music Industry: Three Perspectives, Routledge, ISBN 9781135922474
  43. ↑ Sung, Sang-Yeon (2008), Globalization and the Regional Flow of Popular Music: The Role of the Korean Wave (Hanliu) in the Construction of Taiwanese Identities and Asian Values, ISBN 9780549703242
  44. ↑ "FT Island's 4th Album Hits No. 1 on Taiwan's Weekly Music Chart". Korean Broadcasting System. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  45. ↑ Wang, Amber (24 June 2012). "Asian stars go overseas to find fame". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  46. ↑ "RIT白金（金）唱片審核及認證實施要點". Retrieved 8 March 2021.
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