The creative playground of artists

Many people were surprised to hear that physical albums are now selling out in the digital age. Albums by singers like My Tam, Dam Vinh Hung, Tran Thu Ha, My Linh, Hoang Thuy Linh, Vu Cat Tuong, etc., all sold out immediately upon release.

The era of concept albums

There are also explanations that it's because the owners of these albums are celebrities. But no, being popular is one thing, the most important thing is that their products spark the audience's curiosity about a singer they already know or are about to learn. While in the digital age, audiences are swept up by short-lived hits easily surpassed by another, in concept albums, the audience gets to experience, explore , and contemplate the creative thinking of an artist.

Some notable concept albums currently available. (Image provided by the artist)

According to experts, a concept album is a music project in which songs are arranged and performed according to a consistent theme or idea to highlight a common story and image associated with the artist during a certain period.

Concept albums are not a new phenomenon in the Vietnamese music market. Audiences have already witnessed unique concept albums from Vietnamese stars such as "Dialogue 06" (Ha Tran), "Short Hair" (My Linh), "Tam 9" (My Tam), "Stardom" (Vu Cat Tuong), and "Hoang" by Hoang Thuy Linh. Although they are only basic concept albums, meticulously crafted albums focusing on a specific theme, thus telling a long story with chapters—a cinematic film built on music—have been well-received and highly appreciated by audiences.

To launch his album "For a Lost Love," the final album in his "Night Serenade for Lovers" project, singer Dam Vinh Hung personally conceived and assembled the lyrics for the mashup, traveling through every corner of Ho Chi Minh City to recreate old Saigon in 16 locations within 48 hours. To make the album launch even more impressive, he requested guests to choose vintage-style outfits (fashion that perfectly replicates items from previous years) reminiscent of old Saigon. The audience was also particularly impressed with the design of the invitation card for the launch of "For a Lost Love," with its distinctly vintage style from the images and colors to the text in the invitation.

Musician Duong Khac Linh observes: "Concept albums are an honest communication channel for artists. Through them, artists express their personal opinions and statements from their own perspective."

Significant shifts

Looking at the achievements of young singers (who aren't yet top stars) like AMEE's "dreAMEE" and Bich Phuong's EP "The Mood Fades Slowly" further demonstrates listeners' preference for concept albums currently on the market.

While AMEE's physical album sold over 1,000 copies within 12 hours of its release, dominating the iTunes and Apple Music charts in Vietnam, Bich Phuong also demonstrated her "charm" with all her singles achieving massive success on streaming platforms. The market has clearly shifted; the public is now willing to spend money to enjoy artistic creations, especially when art is both contemporary and fosters a strong sense of connection between artists and fans.

The success of concept albums confirms the transformation of albums in the current Vietnamese music market. Of course, concept albums are only effective when they meet certain criteria such as a fresh theme or an old theme presented from a new perspective; a market approach; and a core story or message they want to convey to the audience through music…

Insiders believe that album covers are not just about showcasing the colors well, but also about conveying the album's ideas and message through imagery. For example, the design for "Gieo," nominated for a Grammy in 2024, was the work of Duy Đào (Đào Đức Duy). For this project, Duy Đào and his team incorporated many unique creative elements – incorporating psychedelic rock elements and conveying many messages from the band Ngọt.

The album was designed as a long tube, containing various components including posters, lyric cards, a photobook, sticky notes, a CD, stickers, seeds, etc. Because the music heavily features the psychedelic style of previous decades, the album's visuals were also designed in this direction, with curved shapes, illegible hand-drawn styles, and high-intensity spectral color vibrations inspired by the Pop Art movement.

In the 4.0 era, audiences don't reject old values. Proof of this is the return of the "album empire," even though physical products have sometimes become outdated, valuing memories or the emotions evoked by a particular period in the audience's minds. But to survive, albums in this new era also need to adapt. Among these, concept albums are highly valued.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/van-nghe/lam-moi-bia-album-cuoc-choi-sang-tao-cua-gioi-nghe-si-20231127202003295.htm