country
China
From Cantopop ballads to Beijing yaogun and the Rap of China generation
Photo: 陈文 https://www.flickr.com/photos/univers-finder/ / CC BY 2.0
Listen through China
5 defining tracks in the order they were released, from 1977 to 2004, each with a line on why it matters.
Preview: plays 5 of 16 tracks.
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
30-second previews, streamed from Apple.
The Hitlist
The defining tracks from this region
Preview: 5 of 16 tracks
月亮代表我的心 (The Moon Represents My Heart)
Teresa TengTeresa Teng was the most beloved Chinese-language singer of the twentieth century, a Taiwanese star whose gentle voice united audiences across China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and the wider diaspora. Her signature ballad The Moon Represents My Heart remains the definitive Chinese love song. A saying held that wherever there were Chinese people, there was the music of Teresa Teng.
Chinese popular music tells two intertwined stories. Hong Kong built Cantopop into the dominant Chinese-language entertainment industry of the 1970s through 1990s, with the Heavenly Kings and Queens setting the global template for Asian pop stardom. On the mainland, Cui Jian plugged in an electric guitar in 1986 and gave a post-Cultural Revolution generation its own voice, while the 2000s Beijing indie scene, the new folk movement of the 2010s, and the post-2017 hip-hop boom built layer on layer of underground culture. Mandopop on the mainland has produced its own divas alongside, from Na Ying to G.E.M., and the result is a catalogue that runs from karaoke staples to censored cult records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Cantopop and Mandopop?+
Cantopop is Cantonese-language popular music, centred on the Hong Kong industry that flowered from the 1970s onward and produced stars like Sam Hui, Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, and Eason Chan. Mandopop is Mandarin-language popular music, with roots in 1930s Shanghai shidaiqu and a modern industry that draws on both mainland China and Hong Kong. Many singers, including Faye Wong and Jacky Cheung, record in both languages.
Who started Chinese rock music?+
Cui Jian is universally credited as the father of Chinese rock. A classically trained trumpeter at Beijing Symphony, he performed 一無所有 (Nothing to My Name) at a 1986 televised concert and turned overnight into the voice of a generation. The Mandarin term for the genre, yaogun, became shorthand for a 1980s and 1990s underground that included Tang Dynasty, Black Panther, Dou Wei, and He Yong.
What happened to Hong Kong's Heavenly Kings and Queens?+
The four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop in the 1990s were Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok, Leon Lai, and Andy Lau, while the Heavenly Queens included Anita Mui and Sammi Cheng. Leslie Cheung, the era's other defining star, died in 2003. Jacky Cheung continues to tour as one of Asia's biggest box-office draws, while the rest moved between music, film, and television careers. Their songbook remains the foundation of Cantopop karaoke nights.
How did the show Rap of China change Chinese hip-hop?+
The 2017 iQiyi competition show Rap of China made Chinese hip-hop a mainstream phenomenon almost overnight. GAI and PG One co-won the first season; the Chengdu crew Higher Brothers used the moment to sign with the Beijing label 88rising and break out internationally. The Chinese government's 2018 ban on hip-hop and tattoos on television briefly chilled the scene, but rappers like GAI pivoted to historical and patriotic themes and the genre remained one of the country's most-streamed.
Last reviewed: 2026-05
Is Taiwanese music included on this page?+
No. Taiwan has its own distinct Mandarin-language industry, including artists like Jay Chou, Jolin Tsai, Teresa Teng, Mayday, and A-Mei, and is covered on its own page. This page focuses on mainland China and Hong Kong, including Cantopop, mainland Mandopop, yaogun, Beijing indie, the new folk movement, and post-2017 Chinese hip-hop.
Last reviewed: 2026-05
Sources & References
- 1Red Rock: The Long, Strange March of Chinese Rock & Roll — Jonathan Campbell, 2011Book
- 2Like a Knife: Ideology and Genre in Contemporary Chinese Popular Music — Andrew F. Jones, 1992Book
- 3How Cantopop captured a generation and shaped a city — BBC Culture, 2021
- 4Cui Jian, the father of Chinese rock, is still going strong — The Guardian, 2022
- 5How The Rap of China launched a new generation of Chinese hip-hop stars — South China Morning Post, 2019
- 6Music of China — Wikipedia, 2026
Further Reading
About This Article
This page is based on documented music history, artist biographies, chart data, award records, and cross-referenced sources from music journalism and academic research.
Curated by the timeline.music editorial team.
▸Read the timeline as text
The sound of China, decade by decade: 7 genres and 30 artists, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
- 1970s
- Cantopop with Sam Hui; Mandopop with Teresa Teng.
- 1980s
- Cantopop with Sam Hui, Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, Beyond, Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau; Chinese Rock with Cui Jian; Mandopop with Teresa Teng.
- 1990s
- Cantopop with Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, Beyond, Jacky Cheung, Faye Wong, Eason Chan and Andy Lau; Chinese Rock with Cui Jian, Tang Dynasty, Dou Wei and He Yong; Chinese Folk with Pu Shu; Mandopop with Na Ying, Han Hong and Teresa Teng.
- 2000s
- Cantopop with Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, Beyond, Jacky Cheung, Faye Wong, Eason Chan and Andy Lau; Chinese Rock with Cui Jian, Tang Dynasty, Dou Wei and He Yong; Beijing Indie with Carsick Cars, New Pants and Hedgehog; Chinese Folk with Pu Shu and Li Zhi; Mandopop with Na Ying, Han Hong, Li Yuchun and Jay Chou; Classical with Lang Lang.
- 2010s
- Cantopop with Jacky Cheung, Faye Wong, Eason Chan and Andy Lau; Chinese Rock with Cui Jian, Dou Wei, He Yong and Omnipotent Youth Society; Beijing Indie with Carsick Cars, New Pants and Hedgehog; Chinese Folk with Pu Shu, Li Zhi, Song Dongye and Zhao Lei; Mandopop with Na Ying, Han Hong, Li Yuchun, G.E.M. and Jay Chou; Chinese Hip-Hop with Higher Brothers, GAI and PG One; Classical with Lang Lang.
- 2020s
- Cantopop with Jacky Cheung, Faye Wong and Eason Chan; Chinese Rock with Cui Jian and Omnipotent Youth Society; Beijing Indie with New Pants; Chinese Folk with Zhao Lei; Mandopop with G.E.M. and Jay Chou; Chinese Hip-Hop with GAI; Classical with Lang Lang.