Sing Our Songs: The Story of Pop Music Exhibition

MUSIC, ISLAND, STORIES : POP MUSIC IN TAIWAN

3 floors, 13 exhibition areas, 16 interviewees, 113 songs, 1400 exhibits

Grown with the nutrients of this land, thriving in the freedom of this air.

Sing Our Songs: The Story of Pop Music Exhibition

MUSIC, ISLAND, STORIES: POP MUSIC IN TAIWAN

Connecting the past and future of Taiwanese and Mandarin pop music across generations

[Our Songs, Our Times]

For over a century, this land has been telling stories through songs, once sweeping the Chinese-speaking world and influencing billions of lives. Whether in the authoritarian era or today's open-minded times, these musicians and their songs have transcended generations and time, broken through national borders and cities, and vividly left the scent of memories in everyone's life. Whether telling the daily lives of ordinary people or entrusting grand sentiments, whether you are a Rocker or an angry youth, whether you are a fresh or a dreamer, everyone must have a song of their own in their heart, and you will definitely find your own story here.

Let us open our ears and eyes and enter the hall of pop music together to listen carefully to the songs of this island and experience a rich musical journey.

Prologue: Chords of Memory

Music has always been around us, and songs have witnessed the turmoil of the times and the change of regimes. Every generation has its own songs.

Taipei Circle

In the early days, songs could only be passed down by word of mouth. In the 1930s, the needle dropped, and the music sounded. Taiwan had its first pop song. From "opera scripts" during the Japanese colonial period to radios, phonographs, street performances, "records," and cassette tapes in record stores, Taipei Circle undoubtedly witnessed the early development of Taiwanese pop music and enriched the ears of several generations.

Era Electric Appliance Store

From transistor radios that can fit in your pocket, to black and white and color TVs, to portable cassette players, and of course, cassette Walkmans… a small window of an electric appliance store has also witnessed the musical era we have.

Taipei Theater (The Story of Movie Theme Songs)

"Peach Blossom Crying Blood" in 1932 was one of the earliest pop songs in Taiwan and the theme song of the movie of the same name. Since then, pop music and the film and television industry have had a deep connection. The heyday of the film industry was also the best time for the record industry, and it left countless classic works, such as: "One Red Egg", "Wishing Spring Breeze", "Night Rain in the Harbor" and other popular songs.

Train, Train

With the development of modernization and urbanization, trains carry wanderers away from home to pursue their dreams in the distance. This train carries full of dreams and the sorrow of leaving home. The rhythm of the songs accompanies this island from agriculturalization to industrialization and then to the current modernization society dominated by the service industry.

Sing Our Own Songs (Folk Song Era)

There was a time when young people relied on a guitar, a small songbook, and a portable cassette recorder to record demos, writing and singing their own songs. These songs reveal a strong literary and artistic sentiment. They often use poetry in their songs, giving pop music more literary heritage and laying a good foundation for future pop music.

The Spiritual World of Young People

Taiwan's political and social atmosphere gradually loosened in the 1980s, and many songs with attitude were born as a result, echoing the frustrations and anxieties of generations of young people, and singing their dreams and innocence, with every word revealing their youthful passion.

Music Love Story

There is always a song in life that sings out the joy, sadness, hesitation, and all the unknown feelings you have when you are in love. When the familiar song starts, which sweetheart will you think of? Or the former self?

The Birth of a Record

The completion of an album, from creation, arrangement, recording, vocal arrangement, post-production to visual design, marketing and promotion, every link requires professional workers to cooperate and work together. Let's take a look at how an album is produced.

The Charm of Music (The Diversity and Inclusiveness of Taiwanese Music)

Taiwan is a land that integrates rich and diverse cultures. In addition to mother tongue songs in Taiwanese, Hakka, Indigenous, and new residents, Mandarin singers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and other places also regard Taiwan as the most important pop music base. Because of this inclusive spirit, it is full of lyrical, rock, dance, hip-hop, R&B, electronic and other styles of music.

Music Live

In the 1990s, underground bands performed in simple pubs, and singer-songwriters also began to perform in Live Houses. Since then, these music performance spaces that were once labeled "underground" and "marginal" have gradually evolved into creative bases for diverse music cultures. In recent years, various music festivals have attracted tens of thousands of listeners, connecting like-minded musicians. Today, "independent music" has become the "mainstream" in the hearts of young people.

"HIP-HOP Matters_Taiwan Hip-Hop Exhibition Area"

The newly launched hip-hop exhibition area invited "Principal" Dwagie and Zhou Youkai, the producer of "The Rappers," to serve as curators. They interviewed跨時代饒舌明星 like MC HotDog, Miss Ko, MJ116, Kumachan, 阿跨面 and more, using their perspectives to talk about the interaction between different generations and hip-hop music, and experience the purest and most exciting hip-hop.

Live Performance (Concert Experience Area)

The team uses large-scale four-sided projection, combined with carefully planned stage lighting and lasers, to reproduce the shock of the concert scene with the latest technology. Prick up your ears, open your eyes, and enjoy this musical feast!

Exhibition Information

• Exhibition Time: 10:00-18:00 daily (closed on Mondays, Lunar New Year's Eve, the first day of the Lunar New Year, and 8/25-8/29), last admission at 16:30

• Exhibition Venue: Taipei Music Center Culture Hall (No. 99, Section 7, Zhongxiao East Road, Nangang District, Taipei City)

• Ticket Information:

• Full ticket: NT$350 (general public)

• Senior ticket: NT$175 (for seniors aged 65 and above, original ID must be presented, limit 1 ticket per certificate)

• Group ticket: NT$315 (group reservation for 20 or more people)

• Discount ticket: NT$320 (students, residents of Nangang and Neihu districts, original ID must be presented, limit 1 ticket per certificate)

• Free admission: Children aged 6 and under can enter with their original ID, and adults need to purchase tickets to accompany them; people with disabilities and one necessary companion can enter with their original ID.

• From now until 2025/01/31, present the ticket stub (or e-ticket) of the program performed at the "Performance Hall" or "LiveHouse D" of the Taipei Music Center at the service counter on the first floor of the Culture Hall on the "day of the performance" to purchase the "Sing Our Songs: The Story of Pop Music Exhibition" exhibition ticket to enjoy a special discount ticket of NT$250 per person. Limited to one ticket per person.

• Guided Tour Service: This exhibition provides visitors with free audio guide service. There is no personal guide service available on site.

• For details of group visit reservations, please contact the service counter of the Taipei Music Center Culture Hall. Service hotline: 02-2788-6620 extension 5111, fax: 02-2788-6695.

• Guidance Unit: Ministry of Culture

• Organizer: Taipei City Government Department of Cultural Affairs

• Co-organizer: Taipei Music Center

• Curatorial Unit: INCEPTION

• Curator: Liang Hao-Hsuan

• Co-curators: Akibo Lee, Ma Shih-Fang, Mayday Masa

• This exhibition uses 100% genuine and legally authorized music to fully support music workers