1990s - Expansion of Cantopop
Majors vs Indies
In 1990s, Cantopop further expand it diversities in genre, style and themes, and the sale revenue continues to grow in both domestic and international market. Cantopop can divided into 2 types: Mainstream and Indie.
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Mainstream
For mainstream, the most popular icon are the Four Heavenly Kings, which include Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai. Their media coverage across music, cinema, advertisement, TV and magazine. They published song including a wide range of theme, but mostly are love songs. At the beginning of 90s, karaoke was introduced to Hong Kong. It become a new entertainment activities for teenagers, which facilitate Cantopop to become more popular and spread across household.
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Indies (Non-mainstream)
In another hand, Indie singers and groups become more popular and accepted by general public. Non-mainstream band like Tat Ming Pair (達明一派), Adam Met Karl (AMK)、Anodize (亞龍大) become more popular.
Moreover, Hip hop also become more popular after 1997. After the handover in 1997, Hong Kong experience an serious financial crisis, the unemployment rate increase, people find their life very difficult. Hip Hop became the mean for them to express the discontent. Singers like Softhard, LMF, MC仁 become more popular.
Comparing to the mainstream, theme of their song are usually more controversial, and music style are more experimental, while they can still represent Hong Kong Identity and youth culture.
Their song also reflects the political wave in Hong Kong. In 1990s, there are a strong political wave in Hong Kong, which is because of 2 major incident:
© CAH3511 SEM B 14-15: Term Project Group 6: Cantopop - Is it still there?
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