Taiwanese Music

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Notable Singers

Don't worry, I'll put you on to some singers from different eras, too ;)

鄧麗君(Teresa Teng) was considered "The Voice That United China" due to her appeal not only in Taiwan, but also in the PRC, Hong Kong, and Japan, etc. She released music in Taiwanese Hokkien, Cantonese, Japanese, Indonesian, and English. Teng's most popular song is "月亮代表我的心". Read more here

Here is a playlist of Teng's top tracks. She specialized in pop music.

Image via NayaMagazine

周杰倫(Jay Chou) is a well-known singer in Chinese-speaking regions. He has gained international recognition in western Asian communities such as the United States and Australia and is influential in places like Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, etc. My personal favorite song from him is "最偉大的作品", which recently came out. Read more about Chou here.

Here is a playlist of Chou's top tracks.

蔡依林(Jolin Tsai) is known for her ability to reinvent both her image and musical style. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, she first gained recognition in an MTV-sponsored talent show. Her 2003 release 'Magic' is known as the most successful album to date. Tsai is also well-known in the fashion world. Read more about Tsai here.

Here is a playlist of Tsai's top tracks. (Reinventive pop)

江蕙(Jody Chiang) began recording in the 1980s. She is considered the "Queen of Taiwanese Pop" as she primarily focused on Hoklo (Hokkien) pop. Her most popular Hoklo album is "你得忍耐 (You Need To Be Patient)". Her music reflects the lives and hardships of ordinary Taiwanese, especially as she grew up poor trying to make ends meet. Read more here.

Here is a playlist of Chiang's top tracks. (Traditional melodies, Hoklo pop)

五月天(Mayday) is a Taiwanese rock band consisted of five former high school friends: lead vocalist and primary songwriter 阿信(Chen Shin Hung); band leader and guitarist 溫尚翊(Monster); bassist 蔡昇晏(Masa); guitarist 石錦航(Stone); drummer Guan You. Mayday is known for their epic, interactive concerts with fans. Read more here.

Here is a playlist of Mayday's top tracks. (Rock music)

張惠妹(A-Mei) is of Taiwanese aboriginal descent to the tribe Puyuma. When under her Puyuman name Amit, she performs under an alter ego who experiments with different sounds and looks. However, it took her several years to finally break into the music industry, originally making money from waitressing and selling clothes on the streets of Taipei. Read more here.

Here is a playlist of A-Mei's top tracks. (Pop)

黃麗玲(A-Lin) was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She takes much inspiration from A-Mei and has even sang covers of many A-Mei songs in her concerts. A-Lin is often called "天生歌姬(A Born Diva)" due to her musical prowess. Read more here.

Here is a playlist of A-Lin's top tracks. (Pop)

image via nonstoptravelling.com

Me as a kid!

Here is my personal Spotify playlist of my all-time favorite Mandarin songs, with most by Taiwanese singers.