Album reviews, concert reports, year-end picks, and music commentary from the Headlines archive.
Headlines contributors selected their favourite albums of the year, offering personal takes on the records that defined Hong Kong's listening landscape.
Chee Wan's personal top ten, led by Linkin Park's Living Things — an album that divided fans but showed the band maturing into a new creative direction after the transitional A Thousand Suns. Also featured: P.O.D.'s Murdered Love and more.
Another round of year-end selections from the Headlines writing team, spotlighting standout releases across genres and reflecting the magazine's broad musical appetite.
On-the-ground coverage of concerts that mattered to Hong Kong audiences, from international touring acts to local showcases.
Longer pieces from the Headlines archive, including editor Manfred Wong's explorations of audio formats and Hong Kong music history.
The Headlines archive has long served as a vital record of Hong Kong's evolving music scene, capturing both the triumphs and the missteps of artists across genres and generations. Year after year, contributors have approached their listening with a clear-eyed honesty that refuses to flatter or sugarcoat. Whether praising a breakthrough record or challenging a beloved act to do better, the writing reflects a deep conviction that music criticism exists to serve the listener, not the industry. That spirit of accountability has kept the publication relevant for decades, and it continues to shape how readers discover, debate, and ultimately cherish the albums that matter most to them.
At the heart of this publication's philosophy is a simple belief: good music deserves recognition, and weak music deserves honest critique. This dual commitment has produced a body of work that ranges from impassioned defences of underrated gems to frank assessments of records that failed to meet expectations. The annual year-end lists, compiled by a rotating cast of contributors, offer a snapshot of the listening habits and tastes that defined each calendar year in Hong Kong. These selections are never merely popularity contests; they are personal, argued, and often surprising, giving readers a window into how dedicated listeners process the albums that shape their lives.
Beyond the reviews themselves, the publication has consistently championed the physical formats of music — the vinyl records, compact discs, and printed magazines that carry the weight of history and craft. In an era of streaming convenience and disposable digital files, this advocacy has become increasingly important. The editors argue that owning a physical album is an act of preservation, a way of honouring the artists and the work they have poured into their recordings. This stance has resonated with a generation of listeners who remember the ritual of reading liner notes, studying cover art, and placing a needle on a groove.
For readers who have followed the publication since its earliest days, the monthly arrival of a new issue remains a small ceremony. The familiar layout, the bold headlines, the measured prose — all of it signals a continuity that is rare in modern media. Newer readers, discovering the archive online, often find themselves drawn into conversations that began decades ago and continue to evolve. The reviews section, in particular, functions as a living dialogue between writers and readers, one that rewards patience and curiosity. Every album covered becomes part of a larger story about how music moves through a city and its people.
Headlines brought together writers with deep roots in Hong Kong music. Editor Manfred Wong (黃啟聰) shaped the magazine's editorial voice, while contributors like Chee Wan and former 1980s writer Steve Channy (陳家樂) — who later moved into radio — added distinct perspectives to the review pages.
Explore more from the archive — visit the current issue page or browse reader Q&A.
