Variegated 2020: most watched Vietnamese MVs cover diverse genres

It was perhaps natural that a year dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic saw more people seek solace in music. In Vietnam, it was a year of love ballads and the emergence of new artists.

The 10 most-watched music videos of 2020 in Vietnam, based on view count until December 22:

10. BIGCITYBOI | Touliver x Binz

Views: 68.7 million

This collaboration between rapper Binz and producer Touliver was a familiar club anthem in 2020. Starting off with a simple acoustic guitaring section, the song suddenly dips into a hard-hitting, spacy trap beat with low bass. Along with Binz’s flirty wordplay and hot bars, "BIGCITYBOI" is accompanied by a colorful music video where the rapper shows off his flashy lifestyle, sexy girls and golden sneakers using multiple visual effects. One part where Binz uses the city and province names to make puns has started a trend on social networks.

9. Chan Ai (True Love) | Orange x Khoi x Chau Dang Khoa

Views: 80.5 million

Over seven minutes long, this music video is designed to look like a short film with cinematic shots. It tells the story of a man working in a historical drama theater who finds his true love. However, the object of his affections is actually a ghost. The video is very detail-oriented, from sophisticated costumes and make-up styles to the script, aiming to create a haunting ambiance.

The song itself is a combination of R&B, hip-hop and world music genres, but what makes "Chan Ai" really stand out is the incorporation of traditional Vietnamese instruments including the 16-chord zither, four-string lute and flute. Composer Chau Dang Khoa has given the song a unique contemporary traditional vibe.

8. Hon Ca Yeu (More Than Love) | Duc Phuc

Views: 84.5 million

What if the word "love" is not enough to express your feelings for someone? Duc Phuc looks at this problem with an emotional, gentle piano melody combined with warm and powerful vocals. The music video encourages people to believe in love and cherish its beauty. It features beautiful moments and short clips of many couples, from LGBT to long-distance relationships, showing true love cuts across all barriers and proving that love exists in many forms.

7. Em Khong Sai, Chung Ta Sai (You’re Not Wrong, We’re Wrong) | Erik

Views: 108 million

A melancholic V-pop ballad delves into the hardships of celebrity love. The video stars Erik himself and Miss Vietnam 2018 as a couple with many troubles in their relationship linked to his celebrity status. When he finds that the girl is dating another guy, it becomes too late to save their love. The grieving, tormenting lyrics and matching chorus capture listeners’ hearts and make them long for more.

6. Thich Thi Den (Whenever You Want) | Le Bao Binh

Views: 112 million

Le Bao Binh pours out his emotions and sorrow in easily relatable lyrics and melody, making the song very popular. The story in the MV revolves around a break-up, with the main character used by a girl who doesn’t really care about him. She leaves him whenever she wants to, while he clings blindly to the belief that they will go back together one day.

5. Co Chac Yeu La Day (Isn’t This Love) | Son Tung M-TP

Views: 113 million

V-pop prince Son Tung M-TP presents a vivid and playful visual for his single. The bubblegum pop song with R&B elements, as Son Tung says in the lyrics, is for those who are in love, not in love and will be in love. A notable feature of the music video is the use of pastel colors such as pale pink, caramel white, bright yellow and powder blue to create a dreamy world. Without a doubt one of the sweetest MVs of V-pop in 2020, the visuals are matched by Son Tung’s soothing voice.

Released July 5 with 901,000 views, it is the Vietnamese MV that boasts the biggest YouTube premiere. This helped the video hit fourth in the list of most successful premieres on the online video-sharing platform, just below South Korean groups BLACKPINK's "How You Like That" and "Kill This Love", and BTS's "ON".

4. Hoa Hai Duong (Camellia) | Jack

Views: 123.8 million

Jack is on a quest for the truth after being wrongly accused of something. On the way, he meets and falls in love with a girl who has a camellia tattoo. Turns out that the girl is also involved with his mess. The title of the song describes the girl, sweet and pretty as a camellia. One intriguing, incongruous detail is that although it is staged in medieval times, the characters in the video are attired in modern clothes at times.

3. Hoa No Khong Mau (Flowers Bloom Without Color) - Acoustic Version | Hoai Lam

Views: 134.2 million

It was released in May, but "Hoa No Khong Mau" didn’t capture the public imagination until the acoustic version came out two months later. Hoai Lam’s sorrowful vocals on an acoustic guitar melody, accompanied by simple black and white music video has captured listeners with a range of emotions. It tells the story of a man who takes a trip down memory lane, still longing for his lost love. It has been reported that it only took VND1.5 million ($65) to make the MV.

2. La Mot Thang Con Trai (Being A Boy) | Jack

Views: 142.7 million

Jack gets two hits in the top 10 list, with this song also placing second. "La Mot Thang Con Trai" blends several genres like dance-pop, hip-hop and electronic music. The MV stars Jack as a mechanic in an auto garage who has a crush on a girl who is already in another relationship. To win her heart, he is determined to become a successful man. This is the first time that Jack brings choreography into his music videos. The MV reached 100 million views in just 50 days.

1. Anh Thanh Nien (A Young Man) | HuyR

Views: 158.6 million

The winner this year is "Anh Thanh Nien" by HuyR, a song about growing up. HuyR plays a 30-year-old guy who doesn’t really know how to be an adult, spends a lot of time on social media, don’t want to work and just want to party. Then he meets a girl who makes him change his ways. He realizes he has to grow up and care more about others. He went to become a better person because of her.

With a simple production, meaningful lyrics, a simple reggae beat and melody, "Anh Thanh Nien" has won hundreds of millions of fans.