The Emergence of Cantopop from Hong Kong's Cultural History from the 1930s to the 1980s

Abstract

In the 1980s and 90s, Hong Kong-born Cantopop music reached a climax of popularity throughout Asia. The genres development serves as a lyrical mirror reflecting Hong Kongs unique cultural history. First inspired by popular musical forms from the 1920s, its development serves as an artistic resolution to the competition between Asian self-awareness experienced by the British colonys Chinese majority and local pride generated by living in a wealthy Western oasis sheltered from much of the instability that plagued neighboring countries. Cantopop as a distinct cultural product is defined by major historical shifts in Hong Kongs history, from rebellion against British colonial hubris to the aftermath of World War II, international relations during the Korean War, the immigration of musical artists from Mainland China and Taiwan, local reactions to events in China, and Hong Kongs uneven economic advancement as an Asian Tiger. These events would leave a mark on the local Hong Kong identity, expressed musically through Cantopop, as waves of immigration and borrowing from foreign traditions formed a new and distinct political, social and cultural identity. This paper traces and explains this musical development by juxtaposing Hong Kongs history with changing musical trends.