Cantopop songs often have catchy melodies and lyrics about everyday life, friendship, family and the excitement of the city. The music sounds a little like Western pop but the Cantonese tones give it a distinctive, flowing quality - Cantonese is a tonal language, meaning the same word can mean different things depending on how high or low your voice goes when you say it.
Hong Kong produced many famous Cantopop singers who became stars not just in Hong Kong but across the whole of Asia. Fans would travel from neighbouring countries just to see their favourite singers in concert.
Cantopop is closely connected to Hong Kong's film industry too. Many songs were written for movies, and many film stars were also singing stars. The two industries grew up together.
Today, young people in Hong Kong listen to a wide mix of music - Cantopop, K-pop from Korea, Western pop, hip-hop and more. But Cantopop remains a proud part of Hong Kong's musical identity, and its biggest songs are still sung and loved by people of all ages.