Top 10 Chinese Rock Songs in History

Chinese Rock originated from the Northwest Wind style music, which emerged as a main genre in Mainland China in 1986. Cui Jian’s Northwest Wind album “Rock ‘N’ Roll on the New Long March”, which includes hit rock songs such as “Nothing To My Name”, has been called “China’s first rock album”. And below is a list of the 10 most popular Chinese rock songs ever, Cui Jian has three songs in the list:

1. Nothing to My Name (一无所有) – by Cui Jian

“Nothing to My Name”, also known as “I Have Nothing” in English, is a 1986 rock song by Chinese “rock song father” Cui Jian. The song is widely considered as Cui’s most famous and important work. This song brought Cui to fame overnight and also marked the beginning of rock music in China.

2. A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty (梦回唐朝) – by Tang Dynasty Band

“A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty” was released in 1992 by Tang Dynasty Band. The album was so popular and officially sold about 2,000,000 copies throughout Asia and abroad. Their voice features some artistic metal with traditional Chinese vocal technique. It seems the song will bring listeners back to the glorious days of ancient Chinese Tang Dynsty.

3. Rock ‘n’ Roll on the New Long March  (新长征路上的摇滚) – by Cui Jian

“Rock ‘N’ Roll on the New Long March” is a 1989 album by Cui Jian, the so-called “Father of Chinese Rock”. It is Cui’s most successful album, and is considered China’s first rock album. This album, along with the success already enjoyed by “Nothing to My Name”, established Cui as a symbol of the “angry youth” movement in China.

4. The Internationale in Chinese  (国际歌) – by Tang Dynasty Band

This is a metal rock version of the song “The Internationale in Chinese” by Tang Dynasty Band in 1991. The song is very passionate and full of power. It is still very popular among Chinese rock lovers even today.

5. Shameful (无地自容) – by Black Panther Band

“Shameful” was a song in the debut album by the band “Black Panther” in 1991. This song, together with another famous rock “Do Not Break My Heart” made this album the best-selling one in Chinese world.

6. Sister (姐姐）- by Zhang Chu

The rock song “Sister” was released by Zhang Chu in 1992. The song tells a sad story of family abuse and repression through a child’s eyes. Zhang’s song style helped his get the dub of “the most lonesome singer-poet”.

7. Girl, Pretty (姑娘 漂亮) – by He Yong

The satirical disco song “Girl, Pretty” was released in He Yong’s only album “Garbage Dump” in 1994. He is one of the vanguards of Chinese rock songs. His lyrics and outspoken character made him a controversial figure in the Chinese music history.

8. My Autumn (我的秋天） – by Xu Wei

“My Autumn” was a 1994 rock song by Xu Wei, one of the best known rock musicians in China. This song is considered the first folk-rock in China.

9. The Shadow of Ancestor (祖先的阴影) – by Overload Band

“The Shadow of Ancestor”, the first single of Overload Band, was collected in their compilation album “Rock Beijing” in 1993. This is a thrash metal style song and one of the best songs of this kind in China.

10. Balls Under the Red Flag (红旗下的蛋) – by Cui Jian

Recorded in 1994, “Balls under the Red Flag” is considered a masterpiece works of Cui Jian. This song is one of Cui Jian’s most radical and rebellious representative works,