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Asia immediately became the epitome of supergroup of rock aristocracy and the natural heir to its members’ legendary bands of the 70s – King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer, The Buggles and Yes.
- An Introduction to Alternative Chinese Music
- Chinese Rock Music #1 – Brain Failure 脑浊
- Chinese Rock Music #2 – Carsick Cars 晕车的车
- Chinese Rock Music #3 – Chocolate Tiger 猛虎巧克力
- Chinese Rock Music #4 – Criminal Thoughts 犯罪想法
- Chinese Rock Music #5 – Cui Jian 崔健
- Chinese Rock Music #6 – Hedgehog 刺猬
- Chinese Rock Music #7 – Mayday 五月天
- Chinese Rock Music #8 – Miserable Faith 痛苦的信仰
- Chinese Rock Music #9 – Mountain People 山人
China has a huge alternative music scene, particularly in Beijing, with all the sticking it to the man and long hair that that entails. Except for a select few bands that have become massive hits like Hedgehog, punk rockers in China aren’t likely to hit it big time, not in the least because many have to resort to non-official means of distributing ...
These guys originally formed in the nineties while they were still at (a very elite) high school in Beijing and have the notable distinction of being the first punk band in China to self-release a demo. The bassist from the Dropkick Murphys Ken Casey fell in love with them in the mid-2000s and helped them develop quite a bit so you can hear that in...
The lineup of Carsick Cars has changed somewhat since they started in 2005, with only one of the original members still playing under their banner. They toured with the Sonic Youth in China in the late noughties. Their songs have a certain anthemic quality to them which is probably why they are so often performed by other local bands. The song Zhon...
Basedin Taiwan, actress and indie artist Enno Cheung currently fronts ChocolateTiger, which is a bit heavier than her usual acoustic solo offerings.
The entire eight-year discography of Criminal Thoughts is 35 minutes long, which off the bat makes them kind of amazing. Their songs have titles as delightful as “F*ck You” and “Fcuk Your Flag”. It’s very unlikely these guys are ever going to pass the censors and achieve widespread popularity in China due to their Sex Pistols-esque angerat society....
The father of Chinese Rock is Cui Jian, a classically trained trumpet player from a musical family who tends to get compared to the likes of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. He got popular during the thing-that-happened-but-actually-didn’t in the late eighties among students and then spent several months in hiding before returning to go on a tou...
Probably the biggest indie band in China, complete with a tall bass player and a female drummer, this trio got together in 2005 and count Nirvana and The Ramones among their biggest influences. Though they’ve been around for a while, they were perhaps one of the biggest beneficiaries from The Big Band last year, with their Weibo following shooting ...
Rock-style pop might be the best term for these guys and adding them to the list was a bit debatable. They’re a bit Oasis-esque but have a certain Mumford & Sons twang to them as well. They’re also huge. Part of their success (other than their aesthetic qualities) is perhaps that unlike many Taiwanese celebrities they steer clear of politics which ...
Miserable Faith are the epitome of Chinese musical versatility. Sometimes they sound like Suburbs-era Arcade Fire, others times like Joy Division. Miserable Faith have lately become more mellow. If you’ve ever wondered what the Italian communist song Bella Ciao sounded like in Chinese, they have a cover of it too.
A little different from what else is on this list, Mountain People are another nineties band that is majorly influenced by folk music in Yunnan. I like to imagine this is what the Hebei Pangzai (a guy from Hebei that people on Twitter call a god and a king because of the amount of alcohol he can drink) was played to help him get to sleep as a child...
May 29, 2020 · Give these Japanese rock bands a listen if you need a playlist revamp or just in the mood to widen your music horizon. Whatever vibe you are in, whether you sing it from the shower or blast it off in the living room, we won’t mind.
- Babymetal. 1,412 votes. Babymetal is a revolutionary fusion of heavy metal and Japanese idol music that has captured the world's attention since their debut in 2010.
- Band-maid. 1,241 votes. Band-Maid is an all-female Japanese rock band known for their distinctive maid-café-inspired outfits and powerful, hard-hitting sound that challenges the stereotypes often associated with all-female Japanese groups.
- Band-Maiko. 774 votes. As a spin-off project of Band-Maid, Band-Maiko allows the talented musicians to explore their love for traditional Japanese music while incorporating it into their signature rock sound.
- Ningen Isu. 191 votes. Ningen Isu, formed in 1987 by Shinji Wajima and Kenichi Suzuki, is a progressive rock band that has consistently pushed the envelope of Japanese rock music with their unique style and thought-provoking lyrics.
- Rina Sawayama. If you’re a Rina Sawayama fan, it’s hard to believe there are still people who haven’t heard of her yet. The Japanese-British pop star has collaborated with Elton John and Lady Gaga, and recently got the BRIT Awards to change their eligibility rules after she was excluded from nominations in 2020 for not holding British citizenship.
- Thao & The Get Down Stay Down. Fronted by Thao Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American singer and guitarist, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down mix folk and alternative rock for a unique sound of heritage and upbringing.
- Vardaan Arora. Vardaan Arora, an Indian actor and musician based in New York, is smashing stereotypes and breaking down barriers for Asian LGBTQ+ artists.
- Luna Li. Toronto-based Luna Li offers a smooth combination of dreamy rock and bedroom pop to the mix with songs inspired by nature and self-love. The singer and guitarist is making a name for herself, landing opening gigs with musicians and groups she’s looked up to, like Mitski and Japanese Breakfast.
Find asian rock tracks, artists, and albums. Find the latest in asian rock music at Last.fm.
The first Chinese rock song was arguably the Northwest Wind anthem "Nothing To My Name", first performed in 1984 by Cui Jian, widely recognized as the father of Chinese rock. The song introduced into post-revolutionary China a whole new ethos that combined individualism, direct and bold expression.
