Cantopop

Cantonese Chinese -language pop music. More popular than Mandarin pop, but also far less tolerant of experimentation and originality. Formula is all. Huge in Hong Kong but also in greater China, Malaysia, and so on.

What happens to music when the entertainment industry has complete control (c.f. The Sausage Cycle). Cantopop's melodic lines are distinct from those in North American music which may result from having little to no influence from blues and jazz. In live performance, Cantopop is a million dollar spectacle of lights and choreography to rival the most ambitious Grammy award spectacles -- to the point that stages are usually surrounded by tables decked with candles and white table-cloths for the elite. There is a growing underground scene in Hong Kong, however, that has produced promising bands including Beige and Jevad.

Refers to the brand of Cantonese language pop music that can be heard in many parts of Asia but mostly produced in Hong Kong. Like most pop music that you hear in North America and Europe, Cantopop is also slickly produced and packaged, to the point where it becomes a bland copy of everything else...it all sounds like Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, and David Foster. Only Cantopop can allow actors and actresses to also lead successful dual lives in acting and music...which isn't something that you see very much of here (successfully, anyway).

As well, Cantopop has an annoying habit of "remaking" English tunes. Now, I don't mind a good cover tune when it's well done, but not when you take the complete song, note for note, production for production, and simply add your own Chinese language lyrics and vocals to it...it's not original, it's karaoke. One of the biggest Cantopop stars, Faye Wong, did this a lot...her first album had her ripping off Tori Amos ("Silent All These Years") and The Cranberries ("Dream").