Early Years: 1950s–70s
History
In the 1950s and the 1960s, Chinese and Cantonese popular songs were deemed inferior to Western popular music.
In the 1950s, the audience did not differentiate Cantopop from Cantonese opera.
During the Japanese occupation, the Shanghai popular music industry subsequently fled the mainland China and resumed their business in Hong Kong.
In the 1960s, English popular songs became widespread, leading to the formation of rock bands in Hong Kong, such as The Wynners, Lotus, Teddy Robin and the Playboys, Joe Junior and the Side Effects, Anders Nelsson & The Inspiration, Mystics, D’Topnotes, and Kontinentals.
Shidaiqu (Mandopop) 時代曲
• songs sung in Mandarin
• Mandapop was widely used as theme songs in trendy musical films, whereas early Hong Kong Cantopop was derived from Cantonese opera.
Listening
李香蘭〈夜來香〉
林潔 〈薔薇之戀〉
Ditty 小曲
• extracts from Cantonese operas to form a shorter version
Listening
紅線女〈紅燭淚〉
Early Cantopop in 1950s
• a hybridization of Chinese and Western musical styles with Cantonese lyrics
Listening
林鳳〈榴槤飄香〉
Musical films
• songs are included in movies played by those famous actresses such as Connie Chan 陳寶珠 and Josephine Siao 蕭芳芳