Top 20 Unmissable Songs for the Lunar New Year 2023

When it comes to Lunar New Year music videos, one name that immediately comes to mind is Bich Phuong with her iconic anthem for single women, 'When Will I Get Married.' But now there's a new contender for that top spot, and once again, it's Bich Phuong. This time, the viral hit is 'Let the Past Go,' a collaboration with Huynh Hien Nang. The song's concept is about a sisterly figure bringing peace, with Bich Phuong taking on the role of a playful character who roams the village spreading 'peace charms' with her signature line, 'Let the past go, let's laugh freely this Tết.' Its charming message and Bich Phuong's fun, carefree style quickly made this track a social media sensation as the year draws to a close. Any conflicts or unhappiness from the past year are swept away with the phrase 'Let the past go,' ushering in a joyful and laughter-filled New Year. The music video for 'Let the Past Go' has surpassed 206 million views and has become a favorite tune during Tết celebrations.

What Did You Do Last Year? is a song by Bui Cong Nam, performed by Noo Phuoc Thinh. This track marks a fun addition to the festive music scene as Tết approaches. The song is catchy and memorable, with an upbeat, positive melody and meaningful lyrics. Noo Phuoc Thinh showcases his vocal growth and emotional depth in this performance, proving his maturity as an artist.

As we welcome the new year, it's a time to reflect on both the joys and the struggles of the past year. It's a chance to evaluate goals achieved or missed, successes or failures. But those are just matters of the old year, and it's time to let them go and strive for a better year ahead. 'A year has passed, with its ups and downs. Let's reflect on whether we've had grudges or forgiveness. Are we satisfied or disappointed, more mature or still naïve, just like when we started?'

'What to Worry About' is a collaboration between JustaTee, Hoang Thuy Linh, and Den Vau. This track addresses common challenges faced during the Lunar New Year. The song not only features talented artists like JustaTee, Hoang Thuy Linh, and Den Vau, but also includes a special appearance by renowned artist Cong Ly. The humorous and lively scenes, combined with bright colors, make the music video even more captivating.

In the music video for 'What to Worry About', JustaTee portrays a small family of three: a father, a mother, and their growing child, representing a typical young family. For such families, Tết can be stressful with numerous unexpected expenses while finances are still unstable. Bills, debts, and shopping lists all demand money, money, and more money! The family's stressed and exhausted faces create a tense atmosphere before Tết, but despite the financial strain, the holiday still brings joy. It's a time for family reunions, for love to blossom after a year of ups and downs. The song has become a Tết favorite, and the music video for 'What to Worry About' has accumulated over 113 million views on YouTube to date.

'Go to Come Back' is a song written by Tien Cookie and performed by Sobin Hoang Son, released on January 2, 2017. The song was part of Biti's 'Go to Come Back' campaign, marking Biti's first step into Tết marketing, aiming to capture widespread attention and give the brand a boost.

The music video received positive responses upon release, featuring stunning scenes set in the dreamy city of Da Lat, and delivering a meaningful message. The story follows a young man, played by Soobin Hoang Son, who embarks on a journey to explore the world, discovering new places, cultures, and people. After traveling and collecting unforgettable memories, the young man decides to return home, reuniting with his family as Tết approaches. The video has since garnered over 90 million views on YouTube and continues to be widely enjoyed during the Tết season.

Spring has arrived, and with it comes a sense of peaceful anticipation...

The song's lyrics evoke a deep sense of nostalgia, urging people to reflect on the passing year and look forward to the new one. Spring is a time when family members from all over the country return home to reunite, enjoy warm family meals, and share moments of happiness.

Spring is also a time for joy, where people come together to dance and sing, letting go of past sorrows while wishing for a prosperous and peaceful new year. This is the message that composer Van Phung hopes to convey through the song 'Spring Reunion'.

Spring of Unity and Blessings is a meaningful song that perfectly captures the spirit of the Lunar New Year. Written by composer Quang Huy in 2012, it has been performed by many famous artists such as Lam Truong, Nguyen Phi Hung, Dao Ba Loc, Thai Lan Vien, Khánh Phuong, and others. This song has become an iconic part of Vietnamese music, especially during the Tết holiday.

The joyful melody of 'Spring of Unity and Blessings' expresses the lively atmosphere of Tết, filled with wishes for good fortune, prosperity, and health for everyone. It captures the essence of the holiday, hoping for happiness, health, and wealth for all families. “Welcome the new year and blessings to every household. The golden apricot blossoms, the bright peach flowers bloom. Wishing elders long life and health, while children and grandchildren celebrate together as the new year arrives.”

It's Tết, Tết, Tết again...

The sound of joyful cheers fills the air as children celebrate Tết. For children, Tết is perhaps the happiest day of the year, as they get new clothes from their parents, receive red envelopes filled with lucky money, and enjoy a day of playing everywhere. Let’s listen to the song 'The New Year in My Hometown' and feel that joy together.

The scene remains lively, the same wishes are shared, and the same familiar lyrics repeat, but the song 'Like Spring Flowers' still brings a sense of joy, making listeners want to get up and dance to its cheerful, vibrant melody.

The excitement of welcoming the spring is cleverly conveyed by the composer through both the lyrics and the rhythm, melting away any worries or sadness in an instant. We are once again immersed in the sea of happiness, echoing the chorus of the song for everyone to sing along.

This might be one of the most unique cases where a spring-themed song is actually an international hit. 'Happy New Year' is a tune that resonates every New Year's Eve, bringing a peaceful feeling and a sense of hope for the future to listeners around the world, regardless of race, language, or age.

The song's soothing melody, timeless elegance, and emotional depth make it a New Year's classic, played during both the Gregorian and Lunar New Year celebrations. For many, just hearing 'Happy New Year' evokes the spirit of spring and Tết, even if the song's meaning remains unclear to them.

Raising our voices to call for the return of spring is the desire expressed by songwriter Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện in the lyrics of the song 'Oh Spring.' The songwriter shared that the inspiration for this song came from his wish to remind people who are far from home to return and celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families.

This is the essence of a spring song for me. To me, this piece is truly beautiful and full of meaning. The melody is not only rhythmic but also conveys deep emotions with every note. 'Spring, oh spring, spring is here...' Let us all raise our voices and welcome spring through the song 'Oh Spring.'

Every time the Lunar New Year arrives, from the bustling cities to the peaceful villages, the familiar tunes of spring fill the air: 'Sunlight sparkles on the yellow flowers/Carrying rays of sunshine in the dawn light/The breeze caresses the rose-red lips...'. These are the lyrics from the song 'Spring Chorus,' composed by the talented musician Quốc Dũng.

In harmony with the joyful spirit of the changing seasons, the gifted songwriter surely feels elated with the melodies and lyrics he has dedicated to people and life.

This song envelops listeners in the beauty of spring: 'the fresh, vibrant spring' that breathes life into love. 'Listen to Spring Arrive' allows music lovers to immediately feel the arrival of spring in Hanoi, with the soft spring rain tapping lightly and the peach blossoms beginning to bloom in a quiet, serene setting. However, few know that Dương Thụ composed this piece in 1998 in Saigon, after being away from Hanoi for nearly 20 years.

In an interview, Dương Thụ shared that when he wrote 'Listen to Spring Arrive,' he wasn’t intentionally composing a spring song. It was a real emotion he felt at that moment. 'I never write spring music, but when I wrote this, it was the eve of the new year, a year passed, and my age had passed as well, leaving the past behind. At that moment, I felt a sense of peace. Everyone feels like they’ve lost something on New Year's Eve, saying goodbye to something... but also dreaming of something new, not knowing how the new year will unfold. That feeling of melancholy mixed with dreams was what I was experiencing,' Dương Thụ explained.

Released in the 1990s, 'Spring Flowers' by composer Bảo Chấn added a unique and colorful note to the spring music collection. With its lively melody and simple lyrics, Bảo Chấn breathed fresh life into the essence of spring.

As spring arrives, flowers bloom in vibrant colors, and people's hearts flutter with excitement. Spring is a time of relaxation and reflection, a time to think about flowers and loved ones. Growing up in the countryside, I was captivated by the yellow fields of mustard flowers, which looked as bright as sunflowers. I thought I was the only one who noticed such simple yet beautiful fields. I would enjoy watching them before the farmers began planting the new season’s crops. The green mustard flowers, though rarer, were even more enchanting because, unlike the mustard, they had pure golden petals, especially those that were mixed with green leaves. 'Here is soft young grass, here is gentle spring, here is fragrant flowers. Here are the heavy dew drops, the pearls on the grass leaves, on the morning glories by the house.'

This spring-themed song, 'Is the Sun Still Spring?', is one of composer Đức Trí's most cherished pieces, reflecting his memories of past springs. The song was created during a time when the composer, freshly graduated, was overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of urban life in Saigon and longed for the fresh, peaceful spring atmosphere of the quiet countryside.

The most beautiful moment of spring occurs during the transition from winter to spring, when the weather warms up, trees start to bud, and people conclude their busy days to return home and enjoy happiness with their families. The love and aroma of spring inspired composer Huy Tuấn to write 'The Changing Seasons' with its beautiful lyrics.

Over the years, this song, performed by Mỹ Linh and Minh Quân, has not only become a spring anthem, but also marks the most memorable moments for many couples on their wedding day.

In recent years, 'The First Story of the Year,' a pre-1975 composition by the late composer Hoài An, has been chosen by many singers for the spring season.

Created before 1975 during a time of historical upheaval, the song stands out for its uplifting tone, free from bitterness or responsibility. Its charm lies in its simplicity and relatability: 'On the way to celebrate the first spring, after a year of tangled worries, a new year filled with hopes and dreams. May it be a year of more luck and less misfortune, enjoying the fireworks and the red wine...'

'Full of Spring' is a vibrant and meaningful song by Nguyễn Khoa, filled with cheerful music that brings the festive atmosphere of Tết into every home. Since its release, 'Full of Spring' has quickly become a beloved Tết song for its heartfelt lyrics that reflect the spirit of Vietnamese New Year.

The music video, featuring the simple and humorous portrayal of Kay Trần and his friends, delights viewers with its depiction of the warm and familiar Tết atmosphere in the countryside. The lyrics evoke nostalgic images of a full, prosperous Tết, such as 'Mother cooks green sticky rice,' 'Braised pork with eggs,' 'Peach blossoms bloom,' and more—making the holiday feel closer to everyone. To date, the music video has amassed over 116 million views on YouTube.

Returning home after a year of working and studying away is a desire shared by many. Everyone carries the burden of daily life, preparing gifts and necessities for the journey home. However, for the parents in the hometown, their only wish is for their children to come back to celebrate Tết together. The simple joy of reuniting around the New Year's Eve meal is enough to fill their hearts with happiness.

'I'll Return Home This Tết' is a composition by Bùi Công Nam, created in early 2022, and quickly gained support from many music lovers. The song carries a powerful message about family, capturing the emotions of those who return home after a challenging year. The heartfelt imagery of returning to loved ones in the music video resonates deeply with the audience. As of now, the music video has garnered over 9 million views on YouTube, with thousands of likes and comments expressing emotional connections to the song.

The collaboration between BigDaddy and JustaTee has brought numerous hits to the VPOP scene, and the song Home for Tết is certainly one of them. The music video tells the story of three young men, each from different backgrounds, but all sharing the same goal of returning home to celebrate Tết with their families. This song reflects real-life situations that many can relate to. The message of the song is clear: we all long to return home and reunite with our loved ones after a long time away.

With its lively, cheerful beats set to a Hip-Hop/Trap rhythm and simple, relatable lyrics, Home for Tết quickly became a hit across online music platforms. “Home for Tết, Tết, Tết, where are you going? I’m going back to my hometown! Tết, Tết. Home for Tết (Ok).” As of now, the Home for Tết music video has garnered over 14 million views on YouTube, making it a must-listen every Tết season.

On December 18th, Đen Vâu made his return to the music scene with the track "Heading Home". The song's lyrics and melody were composed by Hứa Kim Tuyền, with Đen Vâu writing the rap verses. The music video for "Heading Home" was directed by Thành Đồng, the familiar collaborator who has worked with Đen Vâu on many of his musical projects. Featuring the distinctive voice of JustaTee, the song carries a heartfelt message about family, especially at the end of the year.

Every time the melody of this song plays, it makes you want to grab your bag and head home immediately. Leaving behind the burdens, loneliness, and frustrations accumulated over the year, the soothing and heartfelt melody speaks to the experience of a person who has been away from home for work. After all the exhaustion, they realize there is no place as warm and fulfilling as home. “The road home leads to our hearts, through sun or rain, near or far. Even in failure, home will always wait for us. The road home leads to our hearts, even through countless distances. Though circumstances may change, home is always home.” The Heading Home music video has reached over 136 million views to date.