In just a few months, from the end of 2024 to the present, Vietnamese rock has made a strong impression with a series of new albums and spectacular concerts by generations of rock singers and bands.
After years of stagnation, Vietnamese rock music has recently shown many positive signs for fans. Instead of following the beaten path of previous rock bands, artists and bands are striving to make the genre fresher, while also incorporating elements of Vietnamese cultural identity into their music and performance style.
The band Bức Tường, with their pioneering status and nearly 30 years of activity, though not continuous and having gone through some ups and downs, transformed the Ho Guom Theater (Hanoi) into a vibrant rock stage filled with music and emotion with their concert "May Rain" in October 2024. 29 works associated with the band's name were completely rearranged, along with some unique collaborations with traditional Vietnamese instruments such as the two-stringed fiddle, stone xylophone, and a symphony orchestra. Besides familiar songs like " Discovery ," "Cricket," "Drunkenness," "The Road to Glory," "The Call,"...
Bức Tường also unveiled several new compositions. 2024 marked the spectacular comeback of this veteran band with many major rock shows such as Rock The Global (May 1st), Rock Fest (July 7th), Brigdefest (November 2nd), Hanoi Rock (November 23rd) and the HOZO International Music Festival in Ho Chi Minh City 2024 (December 15th), along with two international tours in Japan and India. According to the band leader, musician Tran Tuan Hung, Bức Tường plans to hold a large-scale live show to celebrate their 30th anniversary at the end of 2025, preceded by a European tour in the summer.
Also gaining attention over the past year with numerous performances and their third album titled "Heritage," the band, formed in 2007, is Five Palaces This demonstrates a continuous spirit of creativity and innovation. Despite the absence of lead vocalist Do Hoang Hiep, the album remains appealing with guest appearances from singers Phuong Thanh, Nguyen Duc Cuong, and many young, fresh talents, some of whom are only 18 years old.
With the idea of bringing folk elements into rock music, Ngu Cung revamped the famous work "Co Doi Thuong Ngan," and explored the images and sounds of natural and intangible cultural heritage from various regions of the country in songs like "Nhay Lua Cau Mua," "Son Doong," and "Man Le 1979"...
After nearly 20 years of musical activity, their compositions incorporating elements of folk culture are a unique and appealing feature that has helped Ngu Cung win over audiences. Several other early rock artists and bands in the Vietnamese rock scene, who had stopped performing for a long time, also returned to the stage in 2024 in joint or solo shows. These include the bands Rosewood, Microwave, Hai Bot – the leader of the band Quai Vat Ti Hon (Tiny Monster), and Viet James of the band Thuy Trieu Do (Red Tide)…
While rock music in Vietnam may no longer be as strong a movement as it was in the 2000s and 2010s, it has never truly faded, always producing a new generation of artists. Thanks to the explosion of art programs and music festivals last year, many young rock bands and singers have emerged and shone on the big stage. The strengths of Gen Z artists lie in their ability to quickly access and learn from global music, their capacity to connect with the stories of their young audience, and their conscious effort to incorporate national identity into their work. The development and widespread adoption of technology and digital platforms have also contributed to the faster and more widespread dissemination of young rock artists.
Some promising names in Vietnamese rock music who have recently gained public favor include Chillies, Monocycle, Mủn Gỗ, Giấy Gấp, The Flob, Raditori, 7Uppercuts, Mèow Lạc, The Cassette… Female singer Thỏ Trauma, who separated from the band Metanoia to work independently, recently debuted with the MV "Sandcastle," while the band Những Đứa Trẻ, after many years of performing live on stages throughout the capital, has also released their debut album "The Road."
At the end of 2024, at the 2024 National Music Awards Ceremony of the Vietnam Musicians Association, the rock band The Flop (Ho Chi Minh City) was honored with the Golden Sol Award for their music video "Nhat Bai Thien Dia" (First Bow to Heaven and Earth), surpassing 31 other senior nominees. The Flop also deservedly became an impressive name in Vietnamese rock in 2024 with their successful tour "Heaven and Earth Harmonize - All Things Flourish" in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang.
By electrifying the stage and attracting tens of thousands of spectators at recent Rock Fest, Hanoi Rock, and HOZO Festivals, Vietnamese rock music has demonstrated a wide range of interaction with many other genres. The distinctive "cool" and edgy quality of this genre, when combined with trendy, easy-listening music, can create an exciting, catchy, and accessible musical experience for the general public.
At the Hanoi Rock show, classic songs such as "March of Day and Night" (composed by Phan Huynh Dieu), "Spring Melody" (Cao Viet Bach), "Hanoi, Faith and Hope" (Phan Nhan), and "Improvisation on the Red River" (Tran Tien)... surprised and excited the audience when they were arranged with rock and performed by People's Artist Thanh Lam and singer Dong Hung.
At the HOZO festival (Ho Chi Minh City), traditional Vietnamese folk music such as Chau Van, Quan Ho, and Northwest folk songs blended with the spirit of rock to bring Southern audiences a passionate and memorable musical feast. The creativity and openness of the artists were essential and proved effective, because Vietnamese rock music cannot continue to rely on past glories for its development.
With the return of veteran artists and the strong emergence of the new generation, expectations are high for Vietnamese rock to produce more high-quality products, breathing new life into the music market in 2025.
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