Cui Jian

Cui Jian (; ; born 2 August 1961) is a Chinese singer-songwriter and musician. Dubbed the "Godfather of Chinese Rock", Cui is widely deemed the most influential rock musician in China}} and one of the greatest and most prominent figures in Chinese music. His experimental approach incorporates local instruments, features eclectic musical elements and combines cultural references from different eras. Recognized for his countercultural importance, Cui has launched a ground-breaking musical trend of Chinese rock and pop, revolutionizing China's popular and youth culture.

Born into an ethnic Korean family with parents who were both artists, Cui began his musical career as a trumpeter. Switching to guitar and forming a short-lived band, he rose to prominence with his single "Nothing to My Name", which mixed rock and roll and Xibeifeng and became an instant hit in 1986. A pioneer of the country's alternative music, he challenged a Chinese music scene dominated by patriotic ballads and Cantopop, starting to gather a cult following on China's university campuses while facing backlash from social conservatives. This was followed by the unprecedented success of ''Rock 'n' Roll on the New Long March'' (1989), generally acclaimed as China's first rock album, which heralded him as the "spokesperson for his generation". He from then on developed a restlessly evolving musical style with poetic, socially conscious lyrics, and became an icon of Chinese youth subculture.

His activist role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests exacerbated political tensions with Chinese authorities, culminating in restrictions on attendance at his concerts for 13 years. Cui's subsequent albums ''Solution'' (1991) and ''Balls Under the Red Flag'' (1994) received critical acclaim, the latter of which is considered by some as his ''magnum opus''. His later albums saw further experimentation, including the techno influenced ''The Power of the Powerless'' (1998) and experimental electronic album ''Show You Colour'' (2005). Following his participation in producing several films, including the musical film ''Blue Sky Bones'' (2013), his album ''Frozen Light'' (2015) was regarded as his musical comeback. In 2022, the album ''A Flying Dog'' (2021) earned him the Golden Melody Award for Best Male Mandarin Singer, the top music award in the Chinese-speaking world.

Cui is estimated to have sold 100 million albums in China, although the vast majority have been pirated copies, and by 1993 has sold hundreds of thousands of records in other Asian countries. ''Billboard'' called him "the lone voice of originality in Chinese music". By defying musical conventions, Cui is credited with helping Chinese pop music achieve global popularity. He has also been instrumental in the development of underground and progressive music. His international acclaim, on the other hand, is always tied to his public persona with political overtones, which frequently downplays his musical achievements. Provided by Wikipedia