Performers who made their mark last year

One of the few Chinese singer-songwriters who manages to be both popular and keep a low profile. In 1999, the self-taught Pu rose to instant fame after releasing his debut album, I Went to 2000. His best-known hits, such as New Boys, The Flowers and Journey, are still popular today. In 2003, after releasing his second album, Life Like Summer Flowers, Pu withdrew from the limelight. Few artists can make a successful return after years away from the scene. But in 2018, Pu came back with a new album, Orion, which won commercial and critical acclaim. In summer last year, he toured nationwide and appeared on the popular reality television show The Big Band.

After a long wait, the Taiwan singer launched his latest single, Won't Cry, and a surprise video at 11 pm on Sept 16. By 3:30 pm the next day, the song, written by Chou and Vincent Fang, and which also features Taiwan pop-rock band Mayday's lead vocalist Ashin, had taken 20 million yuan ($2.81 million), a record for digital music sales in China, with each download costing 3 yuan. Since Chou, 40, released his debut album Jay in 2001, he has become one of Mandarin pop's biggest stars. His blend of rhythm and blues, love ballads and rap also often includes classical music and traditional Chinese instruments. In July 2016, he released his 14th studio album, Bedtime Stories.

Chinese indie bands used to appeal to a minority taste. But in the summer, New Pants, a punk rock outfit based in Beijing, gained a large number of new fans after appearing on The Big Band, where it performed a retro blend of disco music and electro-rock songs, wowing audiences. Peng Lei and Pang Kuan, New Pants' lead vocalist and keyboardist, both age 43, are arguably the best-known middle-aged members of the country's indie rock music scene. Classmates at middle school, they started a punk band in 1997, signing with Modern Sky Records, then a lesser-known label, but now the biggest indie music record company in the country. To support their musical ambitions, Peng works as an animator, and Pang as a designer.