Cantopop refers to a genre of songs performed in Cantonese. The music form originated in the 1970s and reached its peak in the 1980s and 1990s. In the Cantopop history there are many prominent singers and below are the most significant Cantopop singers and their representative songs. Check and let me know which singer you like best.
TOP.10. Wong Ka Kui 黄家驹
Wong Ka Kui was the soul of prominent Hong Kong band “Beyond“. The vast majority of songs of the band were created by Wong. Wong was a very famous male singer in Hong Kong and held a number of successful large-scale concerts. However he had not yet tasted much as a superstar and died in 1993. His death provoked strong surges of nostalgia and his influence extended throughout the Chinese-speaking world.
Representative songs: “Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies”《海阔天空》, “Really Love You” 《真的爱你》 , “Glory Days” 《光辉岁月》, “The Passing Days”《逝去日子》, “Cold Rainy Night”《冷雨夜》, “Lover” 《情人》, “Gray Track” 《灰色轨迹》, “No More Hesitation”《不再犹豫》.
TOP.9. Eason Chan 陈奕迅
Eason Chan is an excellent Cantonese pop singer and actor. He was praised by the U.S. “Time” magazine as a front runner of Hong Kong Cantopop. He is also called by the media the Hong Kong’s third “God of Song” after Samuel Hui and Jacky Cheung. When the Cantopop music was in decline, with excellent singing skill he could temporarily propped up the sky of Cantopop.
Representative songs: “Exaggerated” 《浮夸》, “Under Mount Fuji” 《富士山下》, “King Of Karaoke” 《K歌之王》 “Better Not To Meet” 《不如不见》, “White Rose”《白玫瑰》, “To My Friend”《最佳损友》, “Bicycle”《单车》, “Naked”《一丝不挂》, “Tropical Island Serenade”《热岛小夜曲》.
TOP.8. Aaron Kwok 郭富城
Aaron Kwok is a Hong Kong singer and actor. His debut album “Give You Never Ending Love” made him very popular in Chinese music world. His many popular songs won him the nickname as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Hong Kong; the other three are Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai. He is good at dancing on the stage and is also known as “Dancing King of Asia”
Representative songs: “Wild City”《狂野之城》, “Sing This Song”《唱这歌》, “The Most Excited Empire” 《最激帝国》, “The Memorandum” 《失忆谅解备忘录》, “Love’s Call”《爱的呼唤》, “Iron Curtain Temptation”《铁幕诱惑》, “Listen to the Wind’s Song”《听风的歌》, “A Magic to City” 《一变倾城》.
TOP.7. Leon Lai 黎明
Leon Lai is a Hong Kong singer and businessman. He was born in 1966 in Beijing and moved to Hong Kong with his parents at the age of 4. He studied in England from 14. In 1986 he entered music circle and gained a large number of music awards and won the Golden Horse Prize at 35. He is skilled in composing song, directing movies, being a producer and other jobs behind the scenes. His diversified development makes him an unshakable superstar in Chinese world. He is also the youngest among the “Four Heavenly Kings. His many great songs help him stand at the peak of Cantonese pop music.
Representative songs: “All Day Love”《全日爱》, “Meet in the Rain”《相逢在雨中》, “Heart Beat” 《心在跳》, “Sorry, who I love”《对不起我爱谁》, “Happy2000”, “Listen to the Body Sing”《听身体唱歌》.
Top.6. Andy Lau 刘德华
Andy Lau is a Hong Kong singer and actor. Andy is a star of film, television and song. As a singer, he is one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” in Hong Kong and the most awarded Hong Kong singer in the Guinness Book of Records.
Representative songs: “I Hate Myself For Loving You”《我恨我痴心》, “Happy Monkey” 《开心的马骝》, “I Have Fun By Myself “《独自去偷欢》, “As Time Goes By”《一起走过的日子》, “Secret Admiration”《暗里着迷》, “Diamond Tears”《钻石眼泪》, “Thank You For Your Love” 《谢谢您的爱》, “When I Met You” 《当我遇上你》, “Emotional Restricted “《情感的禁区》, ” You Are My Woman”《你是我的女人》, ” His Woman “《他的女人》, ” Summer Siesta “《夏日fiesta》.
Top.5. Jacky Cheung 张学友
Jacky Cheung is one of the most influential singers and actors in Chinese world and one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” in Hong Kong music circle. The mid-1990s was his singing peak. According to IFPI statistics, Jacky Cheung’s record sales were just second to Michael Jackson and ranked second in the world. As of 2006, its global sales reached as much as 120 million copies, the number one in the Chinese world.
Representative songs: “Fatal Fury” 《饿狼传说》, “Only Want To Be With You My Whole Life” 《只想一生跟你走》, “Hair Is Messy” 《头发乱了》, “Feeling Old Love”《旧情绵绵》, “Breaking Up On Rainy Days”《分手总要在雨天》, “The Sunset Is Drunk” 《夕阳醉了》 “Love In The Wind and Rain” 《相思风雨中》 “Love You More Each Day” 《每天多爱你一些》, “Only Love You In My Life “《只愿一生爱一人》, ” I Wait Until The Flowers Have Wilted “《我等到花儿也谢了》.
TOP.4. Leslie Cheung 张国荣
Leslie Cheung (1956 – 2003) was a famous and influential singer and film actor in Asia and the global Chinese community. He was one of Hong Kong music prominent singers in the 1980s. He once received the highest Hong Kong music award “The Golden Needle Award”. He was the first renowned Chinese music singer in South Korean with most album sales in Korean.
Representative songs: “Sleepless Night” 《无心睡眠》, “Monica” , “Wind Blows On”《风继续吹》, “Ghost Story”《倩女幽魂》, “The Wind Blows Again” 《风再起时》, “Wild Wind” 《不羁的风》, “Blue Melancholy”《蓝色忧郁》, “Silence Is Golden” 《沉默是金》”Who Resonance” 《有谁共鸣》, “I”《我》.
TOP.3 Alan Tam 谭咏麟
Alan Tam was born in Hong Kong in 1950. He is a well-known Canto-pop singer and movie actor. In 1979 he released his debut album “Fan Dou Seng”. He reached his peak and became a popular Hong Kong music star during the 1980s-1990s. In 1996 he was awarded the winner of “The Golden Needle Award” in Hong Kong.
Representative songs: “Can’t Say Goodbye” 《讲不出再见》, “Love In Autumn” 《爱在深秋》, “Most Beloved Of My Life” 《一生中最爱》, “Love Again, Hurt Again”《爱多一次痛多一次》, “Root Of Love”《爱的根源》, “Love Trap”《爱情陷阱》, “Friends”《朋友》, “Find It Difficult To Tear Apart” 《难舍难分》”The Man Who Catch The Wind”《捕风的汉子》.
TOP.2. Roman Tam 罗文
Roman Tam is a Hong Kong music superstar. He was born in in Guangzhou in 1945 and then moved to Hong Kong. He was a popular singer from the 1960s to the 1990s in Hong Kong. He was also the master of many Hong Kong’s new generation singers, hence the nickname “music godfather”. His famous songs include “Romantic Swordsman”, “Iron Blood Red Heart” and other popular songs. His famous students include Ekin Cheng, Joey Yung and Nicholas Tse. He died of liver cancer in 2002 in Hong Kong at the age of 57.
Representative songs: “Under the Lion Rock”《狮子山下》, “The Legend Of The Flying Swordsman” 《小李飞刀》, “Iron Blood Red Heart” 《铁血丹心》, “You Are Always The Best In The World”《世间始终你最好》, “Bad Lover”《坏情人》.
Top.1. Sam Hui 许冠杰
Sam Hui, born in 1948, has many nicknames such as “Song God”, “Song King of Hong Kong”, “Hong Kong Pop Music Patriarch” and “Cantonese Pop Originator”. He opened a new era of Hong Kong’s local song and played a decisive role in the development of Cantonese song. His 1974 album “Games Gamblers Play” opened the prelude of the contemporary Hong Kong pop music. His 1976 album “Half Catty Cover” marked the formation of Hong Kong Cantonese pop music market. Sam is the greatest hero of contemporary Hong Kong pop music.
Representative songs: “Genius And Idiot” 《天才与白痴》, “Half Catty Cover”《半斤八两》, “Impression”《印象》, “A Laugh on the Blue Sea” 《沧海一声笑》, “Double Star Love Song” 《双星情歌》, “Silence Is Golden” 《沉默是金》.
