V-pop

V-pop
Stylistic origins	Rock, Pop, K-pop, J-pop, Rhythm and blues, Hip hop, American and French ballads, Rapping, Adult contemporary, Techno
Cultural origins	inspired by American music in the Republic of Viet Nam (1955 - 1975)
Typical instruments	Guitar, Bass guitar, Drum kit, Synthesizer, Piano, Electric Piano Sequencer, Turntables, Samplers, Musical keyboard, Drum machines

Guitar, Bass guitar, Drum kit, Synthesizer, Piano, Electric Piano

V-pop (Nhạc Pop Việt Nam), an abbreviation for Vietnamese pop, is a musical genre covering Vietnamese music from the 1990s to modern-day. In Vietnam, it is also known as "youth music" (nhac trẻ).

Vietnamese Pop music was heavily influenced early on by the large United States military presence in South Vietnam. Much of the music remained with its traditional instruments, with the exception for war songs and war anthems. V-Pop was considerably absent during the war, as most music would consist of music from the United States and also would mainly be for the purpose of war. Some of the most successful acts of the era include Phượng Hoàng, Elvis Phương, Trường Kỳ, Nam Lộc, Tùng Giang, Thanh Lan and Carol Kim. Popular for their modern style, Mai Lệ Huyền and Hùng Cường are considered to be more "exciting" or energetic" contributors to V-Pop.

The escalating war in Vietnam culminated with the fall of Saigon, and the following economic crisis resulted in many Vietnamese music artists leaving the country. As the socialist government rose, the suppression of music and culture became evident. This influenced the decisions of many V-Pop artists who fled the nation. Once they had resided in Oceana, Europe, or the United States, they were free to create whatever they pleased. The genre remained popular in the small communities of Vietnamese who reside all over the world.

After the end of the Vietnam War, with the U.S. embargo, popular music produced prior to 1975 ("nhac vang") was prohibited for its sentimental nature. Music that had "patriotism" and followed a traditional revolutionary theme ("music in red"), as well as folk songs, had "good values," and so were encouraged by the state.

In the early 1980s, after renovation, V-Pop made gradual recovery. The music at that time, mainly produced by Trịnh Công Sơn, continued the traditional "love and war" theme. This historical genre gradually lost favor by the early 1990s.

Due to multiple restrictions being lifted as well as increased diplomatic relations with the United States, in 1995, V-Pop has returned to a more steady path as it had prior to the war. However, due to the lengthy period of cultural exchange restrictions, the music industry is just now beginning to be discovered . There was infrastructure to support the local music market. In 1997, the annual Làn Sóng Xanh (literally translated "Green Wave") Awards were founded for the development of music, first with singer Lam Trường's "Tình Thôi Xót Xa," who was extremely popular amongst the young people of Ho Chi Minh City. This marked a strong beginning for the domestic music market during the development of modern Vietnamese music. ().

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Wikipedia