With efforts and support from active participants in the music industry and media, Hong Kong music fans are able to keep pace with the most up-to-date music around the world. Being one of the greatest supporters to promote international music, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) today (6^th May) invited local pop singers and bands to announce the awards of the “23^rd International Pop Poll” at Hang Out of Youth Outreachto commend the outstanding performance of English and Japanese singers and songs in the local music arena last year.

The award-presenters and performing guests include: CHEUNG Man-sun, Assistant Director (Radio & Corporate Programming), KONG Kwok-ping, Chairman of Hong Kong Record Merchants Association, Angelina LAW, Managing Director of CASH Music Foundation, Eunice LAU, Head of Media Licensing of Hong Kong Recording Industry Alliance Limited, local pop bands Kolor, RubberBand, Closer, Modern Children, rapper Mastamic as well singers Kandy WONG of Sugar Club, Ellen LO, Ella KOON and Kay TSE. Besides revealing the awards, the event was also climaxed by a number of entertaining musical performances. Mastamic did a freestyle rap that rounded up renowned international pop songs and artists of the previous years. RubberBand sang Bee Gees’ “More Than a Woman” while Modern Children performed “Mongolia” inspired by a Mongolian folk song. Others also presented various international pop songs with their own styles.

James FUNG Wai-tong, Chairman of the “23^rd International Pop Poll” Organising Committee, said that from 1990 onwards, the Presentation had already given applause to over 200 international pop songs, widening the perspectives of both the public and the local music industry with a diversified music culture. This year, the polling was overwhelmingly enthusiastic with nearly 65,000 votes. As for the assessment method, winners of the three “Best Selling Album” awards were chosen according to the statistical information provided by Hong Kong Record Merchants Association Ltd. The other nine international song and singer awards were presented based on public voting as well as assessments by professionals from the field, which constituted 60% and 40% of the total score respectively. The “Super Gold Song” award went to the song scoring the highest number of votes on the “Top Ten International Gold Songs” list.

Having an insight into the overall result of the Poll, the award-winning singers and songs are with individually unique sense of styles. What they have in common is their unquestionable popularity. Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars and style icon Lady Gaga both honoured “Top Male Artist” Gold Prize and “Top Female Artist” Gold Prize respectively. Gaga’s song “Born This Way” also captured “Top Ten International Gold Songs” as well as the “Super Gold Song”. The British-Irish boy band One Direction whose debut album opened at top of the international chart was awarded “Top New Act” Gold Prize. The international pop superstar Adele made a clean sweep that not only her second album “21” has seized “The Best Selling English Album”, it even spawned two other “Top Ten International Gold Songs” with singles “Rolling in The Deep” and “Someone Like You”. For the first time the Korean girl group Girls’ Generation proved their international fame by honouring “Top Ten International Gold Songs” with “The Boys”. Another song “Mr. Taxi” also entitled “Top Japanese Gold Song”. 2PM, the Korean boy band who captured “Top Japanese New Act” this year, definitely proves their hard work paid off. YUI was again voted “Top Japanese Artist/ Group” Gold Prize while her single “HELLO~Paradise Kiss~” seized “Top Japanese Gold Song” Silver Prize. “CHASE” by L’Arc~en~Ciel, the current awardee of “Top Japanese Artist/ Group” Silver Prize, was voted “Top Japanese Gold Song” Bronze Prize.

The “23^rd International Pop Poll” Presentation was emceed by RTHK Radio 2 DJs Alex Lee, Alyson Hau and Robin Pak. Highlights of the Presentation are scheduled for broadcast this coming Saturday, 12^th May from 6pm to 8pm in the programme “International Pop Chart” on RTHK Radio 2 (FM94.8-96.9). The public can also visit RTHK website (http://teenpower1.rthk.hk/tptv/) for the archived webcast version of the Presentation.

 RTHK 23^rd International Pop Poll

  1)      Top Ten International Gold Songs  

（No Preference Ranking）

 2)     Top New Act                                 

 3)     Top Japanese Gold Song              

 4)      Top New Act (Japan)          

  5)      Top Artist/Group (Japan)

  6)      Best Selling Album Awards        

 7)      Top Group/Band       

8)      Super Gold Song            

9)     Top Male Artist           

 10) Top Female Artist