(From L to R) top: Beyond, Alan Tam; bottom: Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung [Photo: image.baidu.com]

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

During the 1980s, Canto-pop soared to great heights with artists, producers and record companies working in harmony. Canto-pop stars such as Anita Mui, 梅艳芳; Leslie Cheung, 张国荣, Alan Tam, 谭咏麟; and Priscilla Chan, 陈慧娴 quickly became household names. The industry effectively used Canto-pop songs in TV dramas and movies. Some of the biggest soundtracks came from timeless film such as A Better Tomorrow. As Canto-pop gained a large following in Chinese communities worldwide, Hong Kong entrepreneurs' ingenious use of the then-new LaserDisk technology prompted yet another explosion in the market, leading to Canto-pop domination of the karaoke market. With today's China Beat, we'll continue retracing the evolution of Chinese pop music over the past 30 years, and see the benefits and payoffs of the growth of C-pop associated with the economic and social prosperity in China.

As one of the most important subgenres of Chinese popular music, Canto-pop draws its influence from other forms of Chinese music and a variety of international styles. As the frontline of 1980s' C-pop and home to a multinational fan base, Hong Kong was once the hub of Chinese pop music.

Since the latter half of the 80s, Canto-pop enjoyed the success brought about by the earlier hard work of local artists and musicians and continued to boom in expanded property markets. The mainstream music in this period featured recognizable Western and Japanese influences, yet the Canto-pop genre helped many original talents develop into super stars.

(Flower in the Water, by Alan Tam)
One the superstars of 1980s Canto-pop, Alan Tam, started out as member of the 1970s band Wynners. His objection to the band merely singing British and American pop songs precipitated his departure. As a solo artist, in the 1980s, he was more productive in creating Chinese pop songs, especially ballads. Alan Tam is known for his clean lyrics and lifestyle. He started a trend among Hong Kong stars of maintaining eternal youth, declaring every year that he is turning 25.

Smash hits by Alan Tam include Unable to Say Goodbye, Flower in the Water, Friend, Autumn Love, and The Best Love of My Life. "Flower in the Water", 水中花, which we are hearing now, helped him reach nationwide fame after performing in the 1991 Spring Festival Gala.

(Love In Those Years, by Leslie Cheung)
At the same time, another male singer popped up to challenge Tam's reign over the Canto-pop scene. That was Leslie Cheung, 张国荣.

Credited as one of the founding fathers of Canto-pop, Leslie Cheung was known to sing and empower others with his immense passion and tender personality and won over many hearts in China. Leslie also distinguished himself by dancing on stage, a first for Chinese singers, and was thus dubbed "The Elvis of Hong Kong".

In Canto-pop's 1980s golden era, Leslie Cheung released many hits that became the songs of the year. His classics include Monica, Lady Ghost, Love in Those Years, and Silence Is Golden. "Love in Those Years", 当年情, is the theme song to the movie, "A Better Tomorrow."

(How the Years Went By, by Anita Mui)
Anita Mui,梅艳芳was another iconic figure who helped shape the 1980s' Canto-pop scene.

The ballad-crooning style of mainstream Canto-pop was revolutionized by Anita Mui's wild dancing and femininity on stage. Her sultry vocals and high powered performances earned her the nickname "Madonna of Asia." This title has stayed with her throughout her career, and has been used as a point of comparison for both Eastern and Western media.

Anita Mui had many hits like Debts of the Heart, How the Years Went By, A Woman's Heart, and Intimate Lover. The song we are hearing now is her signature hit, "How the Years Went By",似水流年, through which audiences and industry insiders took notice and fully embraced Anita Mui.

(Wildflower, by Sandy Lam)
As the recording industry in Hong Kong became more lucrative, however, greed turned Canto-pop into a profit-oriented machine. The quality of the music was neglected, and artists were pressured to churn out as many albums as they could within short time frames. By the 1990s, Canto-pop faced a talent shortage. Songwriters and performers tended to focus on maudlin love ballads, and an array of one-hit wonders and mediocre songs dominated the airwaves.

However, a few artists who appeared at this time garnered respect from both critics and the public. One of them was Sandy Lam, 林忆莲. Her success was not superficial: it was borne of true talent, rather than manufactured and glamorized by the music industry.

One reason for Sandy's success was her great singing voice; moreover, her command of Mandarin, Cantonese, and even English was impeccable. Unlike other artists who stuck to success formulae, she daringly experimented with different genres of music and demonstrated to other singers that creativity is the key to remaining popular.

In 1991, Sandy Lam released the groundbreaking coming-of-age album "Wildflower" to rave reviews, and triggered an "unplugged" craze in the Canto-pop scene.

(Truly Love You, by Beyond)
Another pop phenomenon that saved the day was Beyond, whose songs reflect the darker, less-expressed side of society. They started out in 1983 and won the Song of the Year Award in Hong Kong in 1989 for what is now considered their biggest hit, "Truly Love You",真的爱你.

However, tragedy hit the band in 1993, when during a live show in Japan, their lead vocalist and the soul of the band, Wong Ka Kui, fell off the stage and died later from injuries.

After Ka Kui's death, Beyond released albums with a more alternative feel to the progressive rock that had preceded it. The three remaining members eventually announced their disbandment and pursued solo careers.

(Days of Glory, by Beyond)

To wrap up today's show, we'll play one more hit by Beyond, called Days of Glory, 光辉岁月. With tomorrow's China Beat, we will continue to recall the glorious evolution of Chinese popular music during the past 30 years. This is Lin Lin. Bye for now.