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The Musicality of C-Pop a Study of Chinese Popular Music from 1985-2010

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The Musicality of C-Pop a Study of Chinese Popular Music from 1985-2010 The Musicality of C-Pop A Study of Chinese Popular Music from 1985-2010 This thesis is submitted to the University of Sheffield in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Zhao Yue Department of Music The University of Sheffield December 2010 IMAGING SERVICES NORTH Boston Spa, Wetherby West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ www.bl.uk THIS THESIS CONTAINS A MUSIC CD -UNABLE TO COPY- PLEASE CONTACT THE UNIVERSITY IF YOU WISH TO SEE THIS MATERIAL Abstract This study examines C-pop (Chinese pop). It contains three parts, Part One describes the changes in C-pop from the 1985 to the present, Part Two deals with how C-pop changed in tenns of its musical texts and Part Three elucidates why it changed culturally. As a whole, it also provides a case study that allows us to approach the 'popular'I'pop' dichotomy from perspective of a change in musicality (way of being musical) from a music-maker-centric (MMC) system to a music-receiver-centric (MRC) system. I have drawn on the dual experience base of being a native Chinese and an overseas-based researcher, generating a critical-ethnomusicological perspective throughout. Part One of the thesis considers a selection of soundscapes that delineate changing trends in Chinese popular music from 1985 on. In the first chapter, the emergence of C-pop in the 1980s and early 1990s is identified and assessed. Chapter 2 looks at the reshaping of the industry from 1996 on, analysing also the rise of new media for popular music during this period, most obviously television and the internet. Part Two looks in more depth at the linguistic (Chapter 3) and vocal (Chapter 4) codes embedded in the music. The writing here focuses on the relationship between producers and receivers of C-pop and between the music itself and receivers. Chapter 5 underlines this latter emphasis by critically reflecting on the ways in which songs are structured and produced. Finally, Part Three employs a tripartite model of music, music-maker and music-receiver to attend in tum to fan culture (Chapter 6), the roles of musicians (Chapter 7) and the operation of producers and managers in the music industry (Chapter 8). These analyses show why C-pop has developed in the ways in which it has, the ongoing power struggle between the audience and musician-between those holding a mass concept and those holding an elite concept-<ietennining the musicality of C-pop in present-day mainland China. Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................... v List of Figures ............................................................................................................... vi Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Research Questions .................................................................................................. 3 Literature Review ..................................................................................................... 5 My Background to This Study ............................................................................... 13 Contemplating the Field ......................................................................................... 15 Methodologies ........................................................................................................ 22 Structure ................................................................................................................. 28 Contributions and Originalities .............................................................................. 30 Part One: Soundscapes of C-pop ............................................................................... 32 Chapter 1. Before 1996: The Age of Music-Maker-Centric Values ................. 34 1.1 CHINESE ROCK ............................................................................................. 34 1.2 XIBEIFENG ..................................................................................................... 42 1.3 MINYAO .......................................................................................................... 48 1.4 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 55 Chapter 2. After 1996: The Age of Music-Receiver-Centric Values ................ 56 2.1 XIN MINYUE .................................................................................................. 56 2.2 INTERNET MUSIC ......................................................................................... 64 2.3 THE 'IDOL' PHENOMENON ......................................................................... 75 2.4 ENGLISH SONG ............................................................................................. 79 2.5 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 86 Part Two: Textual Sound of C-pop ............................................................................ 87 Chapter 3. Linguistic Code ............................................................................... ·.· 90 3.1 LINGUISTIC STRUCTURE ........................................................ · .. · .......... · .... 91 3.2 'ETIC' MUSIC-MAKER ................................................................................. 95 3.3 'EMIC' MUSIC-RECEIVERS ....................................................................... 100 3.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 104 Chapter 4. Vocal Code ........................................................................................ 105 4.1 THE FLUID ETHNOSCAPE OF MUSIC ..................................................... 105 4.2 VOICESCAPE IN TIME AND PLACE ........................................................ 107 4.3 MUSIC AND MUSIC-RECEIVER ............................................................... 109 4.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 116 Chapter 5. Backing Musical Code .................................................................... 117 5.1 A WAY OF MAKING AND THINKING ABOUT MUSIC .......................... 117 5.2 FLAT SOUND EFFECT ................................................................................ 119 5.3 MUSIC-MAKING: FROM LIBERATED TO FORMULAIC ...................... 148 5.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 150 Part Three: The Milieus of C-pop ............................................................................ 151 Chapter 6. Fan Culture ...................................................................................... 154 6.1 THE POWER OF FANS ................................................................................ 155 6.2 TRADING RELATIONSHIP: FROM PAYER TO EARNER ....................... 160 6.3 ENGAGING CORRELATION: FROM CONSUMER TO PARTICIPANT .166 6.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 172 Chapter 7. Carrier Culture ................................................................................ 174 7.1 MOBILE MUSIC RECEIVING, BOUND MUSIC-RECEIVERS ................ 175 7.2 THE EVOLUTION OF THE MUSIC CARRIER ......................................... 181 7.3 EMANCIPATED MUSIC EXPERIENCE ..................................................... 188 7.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 197 Chapter 8. Industrial Culture ........................................................................... 198 8.1 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND OF IDENTITy ...................................... 198 8.2 THE FADING IDENTITY OF THE 'MUSICIAN' ....................................... 200 8.3 DESTABILIZED IDENTITY OF MUSIC .................................................... 204 8.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 210 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 211 Appendix 1: Musicians ............................................................................................. 223 Appendix 2: Songs ..................................................................................................... 225 Appendix 3: Other Terms ......................................................................................... 227 Discography ............................................................................................................... 230 Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 232 Contents of CD .......................................................................................................... 266 Preface When I began my work as an ethnomusicology student in 2003, my initial interest was a hybridized musical form performed as a crossover of Chinese traditional and popular music. While studying for my Masters degree, I was intrigued by the socio-cultural aspect of music; and I observed that although pop music was commonly accepted by listeners as a site of cultural significance, it received little academic attention
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