Vietnamese music trends in 2026

Each year, along with new events, social contexts, and trends, the flow of music develops in different directions. After the resounding success of 2025, what trends will Vietnamese music follow in 2026?

A turning point for the Vietnamese music market.

2025 marks a brilliant milestone for the Vietnamese music market, not only in its explosive growth but also in a shift in artistic thinking.

A flurry of well-produced music releases and internationally-standard concerts have emerged, showcasing a vibrant new face of the domestic music market. Instead of focusing solely on familiar love themes, many Vietnamese artists have proactively expanded their creative scope, exploring deeper content through traditional values, regional cultures, and national identity. In keeping with significant historical milestones like the A50th and A80th anniversaries, music has become a powerful emotional link, contributing to the spread of national spirit from the domestic market to the international community. The collaboration between established artists and the promising younger generation has created a more diverse, vibrant, and profound musical landscape compared to previous years.

The "Brother Says Hi" concerts attract a large audience.

PHOTO: FANPAGE "BROTHER SAY HI"

A notable highlight of 2025 is the blurring of the lines between mainstream and commercial music, opening up a new and potentially lucrative creative landscape. Composer Nguyen Van Chung observes that the openness in staging and performance organization has helped songs about homeland and country become more relatable, modern, and accessible to the public.

According to the Vietnam Music Industry Overview 2025-2026 study conducted by Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Thang Long (lecturer in the Faculty of Communication and Design, RMIT University Vietnam) and his colleagues, the Vietnamese music market is gradually asserting its strength in exchange and connection from the domestic to the international stage. The proactive spirit of many generations of artists, from established names like My Linh and Tung Duong to young talents like Phuong My Chi, Duc Phuc, and My Anh, has created a strong flow of interaction, helping Vietnamese music make its mark through international performances, participation in major events, and winning prestigious awards.

Meanwhile, Vietnam is also gradually becoming an attractive destination for international artists, notably G-Dragon's World Tour Übermensch concert , which attracted nearly 100,000 attendees.

"Be quieter and delve deeper into the world of emotions."

Over the past year, the dominance of online platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify has driven streaming revenue in Vietnam to approximately $27.54 million, accounting for more than half of the digital music market. While Pop and Ballad remain the dominant genres, Vietnamese audiences have also shown significant interest in Rap, R&B, EDM, Hip Hop, and a return to revolutionary and traditional Vietnamese music. Notably, listeners particularly enjoy live performances, trending videos related to songs, as well as remixes and covers. Spending habits also show a positive shift, with audiences willing to pay for digital platforms and invest more in concerts, live shows, and fan meetings, reflecting the formation of a civilized music community that respects copyright and values ​​authentic artistic experiences.

In the digital age, the development of music depends not only on artists in the "real world," but also on the collaboration and regulation of platform administrators, who directly manage and shape the flow of algorithms in the "virtual world."

Music researcher and musician Nguyen Quang Long

Commenting on the musical trends this year, musician Nguyen Van Chung believes that music continues to cater to the needs of the audience.

Meanwhile, music researcher and composer Nguyen Quang Long predicts that the musical landscape in 2026 will be less boisterous and delve deeper into the world of emotions. According to him, after a period where audiences were somewhat "saturated" with collective and trend-driven songs, the demand for music with personal, private, and contemplative elements will gradually return, possibly more clearly in 2026-2027. Furthermore, in the context of electronic music and technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), increasingly dominating the scene, the need to hear "real music"—from real instruments and real vocals to real performance spaces—will increase. Trends such as acoustic performances and analog recording are expected to appear with increasing frequency. From a performance perspective, he predicted that large-scale concerts and art programs are expected to continue to grow in 2026, but there will be a shift towards reducing noise, increasing content depth, and enhancing the sophistication of the staging, in order to provide a complete artistic experience for the audience.

According to musician Nguyen Quang Long, the deep involvement of AI in the creation, production, and distribution of music will become one of the main trends in 2026 and beyond. This is an inevitable process, reflecting the irreversible impact of the digital age.

The song "Bac Bling" combines modern music with traditional cultural elements, helping Hoa Minzy win numerous awards in 2025.

PHOTO: FBNV

Furthermore, this music researcher also pointed out a noteworthy fact: many current musical products, while catchy, trendy, and aligned with regional tastes, lack a distinct personal touch. He believes that this is partly due to the influence of algorithms and the mechanisms of social media dissemination. Algorithms help artists, especially young artists, reach the public more easily, but they also inadvertently create similarity, blurring the artistic identity and "self" of each artist in their journey to conquer the public in the digital space.

"In the digital age, the development of music depends not only on artists in the 'real world,' but also on the support and regulation from platform administrators, who directly manage and shape the flow of algorithms in the 'virtual world,' said music researcher Nguyen Quang Long.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xu-huong-nhac-viet-nam-2026-185260121221116267.htm