The 70's & 80's
The 1970s and 1980s were the golden decades in the history of Hong Kong popular music. The rise of Canto-pop was facilitated by the emergence of more affordable entertainment such as TV, radio broadcasting. As Witzleben wrote that when Cantopop arose in the 1970s, it was ‘unquestionably oppositional (both to British and mainland Chinese governments) in term sof language and ethnicity’ (Witzleben, 1999) On the other hand, English songs were still in the ascendancy, especially rock ‘n’ roll, as Hong Kong moved into the 1970s.
However, in discussions of the origins of Canto-pop, the name of Sam Hui inevitably comes up, and his evolution as an artist parallels the evolution of Canto-pop itself. Local singers, such as Sam Hui (許冠傑), launched their career by alternating English and Cantonese albums. Sam Hui used vernacular Cantonese to explore the peculiarities of the everyday Hong Kong scene, producing a local sound that was non-provincial and exciting to the local audience.Never before had Hong Kongers experienced a musical formthat was so close to their daily lives. These were then followed by the release of half-English half Cantonese albums, gradually constructing the prototype Canto-pop.
However, in discussions of the origins of Canto-pop, the name of Sam Hui inevitably comes up, and his evolution as an artist parallels the evolution of Canto-pop itself. Local singers, such as Sam Hui (許冠傑), launched their career by alternating English and Cantonese albums. Sam Hui used vernacular Cantonese to explore the peculiarities of the everyday Hong Kong scene, producing a local sound that was non-provincial and exciting to the local audience.Never before had Hong Kongers experienced a musical formthat was so close to their daily lives. These were then followed by the release of half-English half Cantonese albums, gradually constructing the prototype Canto-pop.
The 90s'
English song production dwindled in the 1990s, yet signs of multilingualism within the Cantopop genre were still prevalent. Canto-pop industry witnessed an unprecedented boom and pop music dominated Hong Kong culture in the next two decades through TV channels and radio. Superstars and pop idols such as Alan Tam, Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, Leon Lai, Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung and Aaron Kwok gained resounding popularity
Canto-pop in the 2000s
Sales of Canto-pop have gradually declined over the 2000s yet the growing range of imported styles of music available in Hong Kong from North America and Europe, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, has contributed much to the broadening of taste, leading to greater diversity of styles within Canto-pop.
Though code-switching remained as minorities in early Canto-pop songs, there have been numerous examples in the 2000s Canto-pop singers like Eason Chan, Fiona Sit, Janice Vidal and Khalil Fong. As singers and record labels have become more experimental with language use in the 2000s, there have been more examples of code-switching. Mainstream singers are tend to include English raps or choruses in their original Cantopop and Mando-pop songs.
Though code-switching remained as minorities in early Canto-pop songs, there have been numerous examples in the 2000s Canto-pop singers like Eason Chan, Fiona Sit, Janice Vidal and Khalil Fong. As singers and record labels have become more experimental with language use in the 2000s, there have been more examples of code-switching. Mainstream singers are tend to include English raps or choruses in their original Cantopop and Mando-pop songs.