Department of Cultural Affairs

Everyone has a pop soundtrack that marked their coming-of-age

From the 1950s to the 1990s, the audio tracks recorded on vinyl, cassette tapes, and CDs held the most intimate, stirring soundscapes of youth, forever echoing our teenage years. They were the melodies playing in your headphones as you biked home from school, or the theme songs of your romance with a special someone.

Stepping into the exhibition space feels like flipping through a teenage diary. Our youth still lingers along the banks of the Tamsui River, ringing with songs we never quite finished… 

Play My Song: A Special Exhibition on Taipei’s Pop Music Landscape will be held from July 31 to October 19, 2025, at Shuxin Hall, Taipei City Archives. 

The exhibition traces the evolution and geography of Taipei’s pop music from the 1950s to the 1990s, taking visitors on a time-traveling journey through collected records, memories, and sounds. 

A highlight of the exhibition is the recreation of a pop-up record store called “The Record Shop Without New Songs” (沒有新歌的唱片行). True to its name, the store exclusively features music from past decades, allowing everyone to relive the classic hits of yesteryear and rekindle memories of the days listening to cassettes and CDs. 

During the exhibition period, four major themed events will take place. On August 8 and 9, celebrate Father’s Day with two nights of live music at the Original LIVE (原創LIVE) sessions. Five music lectures and 11 documentary screenings will also take place before the time comes for the grand finale, the Voices Through Time (時光之聲) Classic Golden Song Singing Contest, where everyone is invited to perform their all-time favorite track!