Vietnamese singers suffer a painful defeat in the battle against Son Tung?

The singers who returned around the same time as Son Tung, with the exception of Binz, did not achieve particularly high success. "Come My Way" remains the most noteworthy musical product.

ZNews•03/06/2026

Noo Phuoc Thinh has just returned with his EP "Nhat May" (Pick Up the Phone) after a long period of struggling, losing his passion for the profession, and even considering quitting his singing career. However, the timing of the male singer's comeback is not ideal as he clashes with the strongest rival in Vpop: Son Tung M-TP.

"Nhắc điện" was released on the evening of June 2nd, about 5 days after "Come My Way" . However, at this time, Sơn Tùng's product was still dominating media coverage and was the focus of public attention. This meant that any product released during this period could be overshadowed.

Son Tung is still leading the competition.

For five days since its release, "Come My Way" has remained incredibly popular. From debates about the melody and lyrics not matching the visuals, to the song "Standing on a mythical bird" and most recently, the use of artist Le Giang's work, topics related to "Come My Way" have continuously surfaced, dominating social media and becoming the most talked-about musical issue.

Son Tung and his song "Come My Way" continue to be the focus of the music market. Photo: FBNV.

As of the afternoon of June 3rd, the music video had reached 23.5 million views. This product also topped various YouTube charts, such as the Top 100 music videos in Vietnam, the Top 100 songs in Vietnam, and the Top 20 trending videos in Vietnam. As predicted, Son Tung continues to lead the "battle" and perhaps has the biggest impactful comeback of the year so far, "saving" Vpop from its prolonged slump.

Returning alongside Son Tung on the evening of May 28th were Sayda, 52Hz, Xuan Nghi, and Phi Phuong Anh. They benefited somewhat from the comparison effect with Son Tung, but none were strong enough to create the kind of captivating chase that Binz did with Bigcityboi (on the same day as Co Chac Yeu La Day ) or Bich Phuong with Nang Chen Tieu Sau (competing with Chung Ta Cua Tua Lai ) years ago.

Phi Phuong Anh's song "Already Accustomed to Loneliness" had nearly 700,000 views by the afternoon of June 3rd. At the same time, 52Hz's "Take Me Back" had 363,000 views despite being praised for its music. Meanwhile, Sayda's "Love My Friend" received 126,000 views, while Xuan Nghi's "Hoa Danh Danh Phan Anh" had the most modest 3,300 views.

However, they may have suffered a painful defeat in this uneven battle against Son Tung, but that achievement is still quite positive compared to their previous releases or the general market standard.

At this time, Binz's song "Em" was the closest to Son Tung on many charts. Once again, Binz was competing with Son Tung, although the competition wasn't as strong as during the "Bigcityboi" era, because this time, the two artists weren't directly competing. Binz released his album a few days before Son Tung's to celebrate his birthday.

Does Noo Phuoc Thinh have what it takes to compete?

Noo Phuoc Thinh enters the fiercely competitive arena with his heavily invested musical product. The male singer's EP, "Nhat May" (Pick Up the Phone), released on the evening of June 2nd, includes a track of the same name and the songs "Cuoc Goi Cuoi" ( Last Call ) (with 52Hz), "Goi Cho Anh" (Call Me) , along with an opening prologue.

The three main tracks in the EP have three completely different styles. "Pick Up the Phone" has pop and R&B elements. Meanwhile, "The Last Call" is an emotional and heartfelt ballad. Finally, "Call Me" has a strong, energetic rock spirit.

Notably, all three songs have music videos and are linked together to form a continuous story. The videos feature a reverse timeline storytelling style, with Chi Pu appearing as the female lead throughout all three music videos.

With the music video "Nhat May" released on the evening of June 2nd, Noo Phuoc Thinh garnered 141,000 views after approximately 20 hours. This number clearly shows the male singer is at a significant disadvantage and weaker in the competition with Son Tung. Furthermore, the fact that the singer posted what was perceived as a "mocking remark" to his junior colleague has also drawn much criticism.

Noo Phuoc Thinh returns after a long period focusing on performing activities, but faces competition from many colleagues. Photo: FBNV.

Despite the 1988-born singer's explanation, asserting that he only wanted to share the song and support his juniors 52Hz, and not to subtly criticize anyone, Noo Phuoc Thinh still faced negative reactions.