7 Chinese songs that reached 100 million views on Youtube

Recently everyone is talking about KPOP, but Chinese songs are often underestimated. Listed below are seven Chinese songs that have reached 100 million views on Youtube, and that you should definitely add to your playlist if you haven’t yet.

1- 田馥甄 Hebe Tien –《小幸运A Little Happiness》 [175 million views]

This song is the movie theme song of “Our Times”, that was a huge success when it was released in 2015. This movie follows a perfect school-based romance plotline. It talks about a grown-up girl that is missing her first love she met in high school. The film has grossed US$84.4million worldwide, with its largest territory being mainland China with US$54.8 million, so it comes as no surprise that the song, talking about someone’s first love, was also a huge success. It then allowed the female singer Hebe Tien to capture the spotlight in all of China.    

>> The Music Link

EXAMPLE LYRICS :

 爱上你的时候还不懂感情

Ài shàng nǐ de shíhòu hái bù dǒng gǎnqíng

Back then when I fell in love with you, I still didn’t understand these feelings

离别了才觉得刻骨铭心

líbiéle cái juédé kè gǔ míng xīn

Only after we parted did I feel that you were unforgettable ( 刻骨铭心 lit. translation : carved into bones, engraved on the heart) 

 2- 鄧紫棋G.E.M. –《光年之外Light years away》[151 million views] 

Have you seen the movie “Passengers” where Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt play two lovers on a spaceship trying to save everyone’s life? If you haven’t, it’s ok. However, what you should not miss at all is the Chinese theme song that is sung by the famous Chinese singer and songwriter G.E.M 邓紫棋 Dèngzǐqí. Released less than two years ago, this song has reached 151 million views on Youtube, and it keeps increasing. The song talks about love which is so strong, it is driving her crazy.

>> The Music Link

EXAMPLE LYRICS :

面对浩瀚的星海

miàn duì hàohàn de xīnghǎi

Face the immense universe

我们微小得像尘埃

wǒmen wéixiǎo de xiàng chén'āi

We are tiny like a dust

漂浮在 一片无奈

piāofú zài yīpiàn wúnài

Floating on helplessness 

3- 胡夏 Huxia –《那些年 Those years》 [147 million views] 

“Those years” is the theme song from the Taiwanese romance film “The Apple of my Eye”. Go to China, ask someone to sing this song, and practically everyone will know the chorus of the song. Indeed, the song, which was well received by the public, was nominated for Best Original Film Song at the 48th Golden Horse Awards. If you plan to go to China, you need to know that this song is a ‘must-sing’ when you go to karaoke! The music talks about a man that regrets not having opened his heart to the classmate he loved when he was in high school.

>> The Music Link

EXAMPLE LYRICS :

曾经想征服全世界

Céngjīng xiǎng zhēngfú quán shìjiè

I used to dream about conquering the world

到最后回首才发现

Dào zuìhòu huíshǒu cái fāxiàn

Just realize that in the end

这世界滴滴点点全部都是妳

Zhè shìjiè dī dī diǎn diǎn quánbù dōu shì ni

Every little thing in my world revolves around you only 

4- 曲婉婷WANTING –《我的歌声里 YOU EXIST IN MY SONG》[142 MILLION VIEWS] 

Not only Chinese people like this song, but foreigners also love it as well! The main reason is that the lyrics are not too complicated, so it’s easy to experience it at karaoke (yes, it’s all about KTV). This beautiful song is sung by Wanting Qu 曲婉婷 Qū wǎn tíng (not pronounced as “wanting” in English, 小心). She talks about a guy she loves but that has left. What’s the reason? Is he dead? Did he join the army?  I don’t know, sorry. But he left for sure! 

>> The Music Link

EXAMPLE LYRICS :

你存在 我深深的脑海里

Nǐ cúnzài wǒ shēn shēn de nǎohǎi lǐ

You (still) exist somewhere deep in my mind.

我的梦里，我的心里，我的歌声里

wǒ de mèng lǐ wǒ de xīnlǐ wǒ de gēshēng lǐ

In my dreams, in my heart, in my song.

5- 黃明志NAMEWEE FEAT. 王力宏 LEEHOM WANG《漂向北方 STRANGER IN THE NORTH》[139 MILLION VIEWS] 

“Stranger in the North” is a hip hop/rap collaboration between Namewee and Leehom Wang 王力宏 ( Wáng lì hóng ). It describes the disillusionment of migrant workers who hope for a better life “up north” only to find that dreams can sometimes lead to disappointment. The lyrics are deep and show what people are capable of doing to pay their rent and feed their family. English subtitles are provided on the video if you want to know more about the story. 

>> The Music Link

EXAMPLE LYRICS :

多少人敌不过残酷的现实 从此销声匿迹

duōshǎo rén dí bùguò cánkù de xiànshí cóngcǐ xiāoshēngnìjì

How many people have not been able to survive harsh reality, and so have disappeared?

多少人陷入了昏迷 剩下一具 空壳尸体

duōshǎo rén xiànrùle hūnmí shèng xià yī jù kōng ké shītǐ

How many people have sunk into unconsciousness, leaving behind an empty husk of a body?

6- 薛之谦JOKER XUE《演员ACTRESS》[136 MILLION VIEWS]

“Actress” is sung by the handsome famous Chinese singer Joker Xue 薛之谦. In this song, Joker has been fooled by a girl and reading the lyrics. This song is so famous that even though this song was released more than 3 years ago, it is still played on the radio in all China:

>> The Music Link

EXAMPLE LYRICS :

没意见 我只想看看你怎么圆

méi yìjiàn wǒ zhǐ xiǎng kàn kàn nǐ zěnme yuán

I don't mind, I just want to see how you act out your lies

你难过的太表面 像没天赋的演员

nǐ nánguò de tài biǎomiàn xiàng méi tiānfù de yǎnyuán

Your appearance of sadness is superficial, just like a talentless actress

观众一眼能看见

guānzhòng yīyǎn néng kànjiàn

The audience can see through you right away

The song video is full of tears and rain and this is how we like Chinese songs: dramatic. 

 7- 周兴哲ERIC《以后别做朋友IN THE FUTURE, LET’S NOT BE FRIENDS ANYMORE》 [135 MILLION VIEWS] 

Translated as “In the future let’s not just be friends” is a really moving song talking about a man who loves a girl that doesn’t love him back. The man in question is the handsome Eric 周兴哲 Zhōuxìngzhé from Taiwan. The song may just be a simple ballad, but the lyrics are a real game-changer. Immensely relatable and touching on the subject of lost opportunities, this is one of the favorite songs for many Chinese people, and is also a MUST -to-sing when going to KTV.

>> The Music Link

EXAMPLE LYRICS :

 以后别做朋友，朋友不能牵手

Yǐhòu bié zuò péngyǒu, péngyǒu bùnéng qiānshǒu

Let's not be just friends in the future. Friends can't hold hands

想爱你的冲动，我只能笑着带过

Xiǎng ài nǐ de chōngdòng, wǒ zhǐ néng xiàozhe dàiguò

The impulse of wanting to love you I can only use smiles to make it pass

So which one did you prefer? Is there other Chinese songs that you like? Don’t hesitate to share the ones you like the most, and don’t forget to practice some of them so you can show off to your Chinese friends during KTV parties. They like to applaud when they see a foreigner singing in their mother tongue, even if you sing really badly ;) 

READ MORE: 7 MANDOPOP SONGS TO HELP YOU LEARN CHINESE

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