(From L to R) upper row: Qi Qin, Tang Dynasty and Leslie Cheung; middle: Black Panther, Cui Jian and Anita Mui; bottom: Dave Wong, Alan Tam, and the Little Tigers. [Photo: CRIENGLISH]

Hello and welcome to another edition of  China Beat here on China Radio International. I'm your host, Zhong Qiu.

Chinese pop music in the early 80s tended to echo the style of 70s'-era easy listening music. It wasn't until the latter half of the 80s that a distinctive fresh, modern sound cropped up. Since the mid-1980s, a Northwest Wind drawing heavily from folk traditions has swept the Chinese mainland. This musical style combines folk tunes from northwestern provinces and Western tempos, strong beats and aggressive bass lines. The new style was triggered by two songs, "Xin Tian You", and "Nothing To My Name."

The latter is arguably considered the first Chinese rock song. For the rest of the show, we will continue reviewing the development of popular music in China and touch the pulse of Chinese society through the beats of the music.

(Xin Tian You)

Originally, Xin Tian You was a folk genre similar to yodelling, and was popular in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. It is simple and rugged, yet vigorous and resonant. Drawing heavily on traditions of this folk genre, the Northwest Wind songs are performed loudly and forcefully, with Western-style instrumentation and strong bass lines. Distinctly different from the Canto-pop and Mando-pop in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the Northwest Wind embodies the emotions of the generation in seeking the cultural roots of their motherland. It represents the musical branch of the cultural movement that also manifested itself in literature and in films at the time.

The song we are hearing now is named after the folk genre, Xin Tian You. There used to be many versions by different performers. This is the best-known one, by the mainland songstress Fan Lin-lin.

Classics of the Northwest Wind music also include "Huang Tu Gao Po" by Hu Yue, and "Shan Gou Gou" by Na Ying. These popular hits raised the Chinese pop scene to great heights and helped turn a group of mainland singers and songwriters into stars.

(Huang Tu Gao Po)
(Shan Gou Gou)

Northwest Wind stirred a wave of new sounds featuring originality, musical appeal and social consciousness. Musicians, critics and audiences hailed it as the first distinctive Chinese pop music and the basis for real Chinese rock music.

Yi Wu Suo You, or "Nothing to My Name" is regarded as an anthem of the Northwest Wind, and its writer and performer, Cui Jian, is acknowledged as the father of Chinese rock.

(Yi Wu Suo You)

Cui Jian first performed "Nothing To My Name" in concert in the late 1980s. It was the first time an electric guitar was used in China. The song quickly became a smash hit, and Chinese rock began to take shape.

Following his hit single, Cui Jian released the album "Rock and Roll on the Road of a New Long March" and began a tour of the same name. His straightforward performances and powerful music ignited a fervor for rock among the Chinese youth. Cui Jian's music shocked his listeners and breathed new life into Chinese pop music. On Cui's heels, a couple of rock bands formed. Among them, Black Panther (Hei Bao) and Tang Dynasty (Tang Chao) attained the most fame in the late 80s and early 90s, with the latter credited as the first heavy metal band in China. Tang Dynasty took elements of traditional Chinese opera and sang the praises of ancient Chinese civilization. Black Panther mixed rock-and-roll and pop music and achieved great success in album sales. "Don't Break My Heart" and "Dream Back To Tang" are two of the bands' respective hits.

(Don't Break My Heart)
(Dream Back To Tang)

As the pop scene started to flourish on the mainland, Canto-pop in Hong Kong and Mando-pop in Taiwan also entered a new era. Superstars like Alan Tam, Leslie Cheung, and Anita Mui created unprecedented prosperity in Hong Kong's recording industry. On the Mando-pop scene in Taiwan, iconic figures like Luo Dayou and Julie Su extended their musical talents, and a younger generation of artists, including Qi Qin, Dave Wong (Wang Jie), Stella Chang (Zhang Qingfang) and the Little Tigers (Xiao Hu Dui), emerged. During the same time, more artists from Hong Kong and Taiwan were introduced to mainland audiences through the annual Spring Festival Gala, which is broadcast throughout China. With frequent communication and creative originality, the Chinese pop scene moved into a golden age. With next week's China Beat, we will continue our review of the evolution of popular music in China and revisit some of the unforgettable melodies. This is Zhong Qiu, hoping to join you at the same time next week. Bye for now.