Navigating Censorship: Latest Trends in Chinese Rock and Roll

Abstract

The rapid development of Chinese rock and roll, or yaogun, signaled the country’s transition from the ideological remnants of Mao’s era to a relatively autonomous environment in the Reform period. Yet, in the early twenty-first century, the Chinese rock music scene has witnessed an era of internalised censorship. This article examines the intersection between censorship and resistance in the sphere of Chinese rock and roll. The analytical focus is on yaogun as an evolving genre in the face of state censorship and commercial pressures. By combing through Chinese social media posts, internet forums, interviews, song lyrics and other rock-related publications, this study highlights the scattered efforts by contemporary rock musicians to combat censorship and engage in self-expression and social criticism.