It took 57 years, from the moment Japan's Sakamoto Kyu's 'Sukiyaki' hit the top of the Billboard singles chart on June 15, 1963, for three weeks, to BTS's 'Dynamite' reaching number one on September 1, 2020, meaning the flame of Asian pop music's global market conquest should burn on.

In the meantime, numerous Asian artists have undertaken significant efforts to make their mark in the global music industry and achieved some success, although they did not reach number one in the United States, the world's largest music market. These include South Korea's PSY, who caused a global phenomenon with 'Gangnam Style,' the Philippines' Freddie Aguilar, Singapore's Stefanie Sun, and electronic music represented by India's Goa Trance and Ravi Shankar (a Sitar player and also known to be Norah Jones’s father), Japan's Sakamoto Ryuichi and YMO.

Many artists might have wondered at the beginning of their music career whether their music could succeed in the global market or if their music could become known to a wider audience. However, as is widely recognized, artists from Asia and other regions outside the traditional pop music strongholds of the West face considerable challenges in the industry. In addition to musical talent, elements like the extent of marketing resources, the prevailing social climate during their active periods, and even elements of chance can significantly influence success.

What traits are common among artists who have achieved global success despite originating from countries considered peripheral in the music industry? Following the surge of K-POP, the rise of J-POP, and the international success of genres like Latin America's Reggaeton, Nigeria's Afro Beat, and South Africa's Amapiano, what new opportunities could emerge for artists from ASEAN countries?

Artistic resonance in music is a harmonious celebration and combination of diverse melodies, rhythms, and voices. Filled with its own unique and expansive multi-cultural diversity, ASEAN has tremendous potential to grow exponentially in all sectors, especially in arts and culture with a population of 666 million. Music in itself, is a very important component of the social fabric of ASEAN. Current trends show that the music industry is thriving in many countries in this region. Through artistic collaborations and exchange within ASEAN and with other countries and regions, we can promote arts and culture not just for our region, but to the larger global community. Areas to be discussed:

Artists Perspective Artists hone their talents and craft so that they may create music heard by others. They aspire to have their creations resonate with their audiences, and traverse beyond geographical, language or cultural borders.

Learnings from Korea’s Success Story Korea has become a major powerhouse in the music world. Kpop reverberates across the globe and has taken the world by storm. This has enabled them not to just export their music, but also their culture to every corner of the world. Everything Korean is trending, from their language, food, to fashion, film and drama series, which has brought benefits to tourism and trade.

ASEAN: Thoughts on the Way Forward ASEAN nations are well placed to follow Korea’s lead. The region boasts top talents, who are ripe for promotion and “export” as they too have unique creations, authentic music and voices of their own to offer the world. With so much diversity to offer - exotic languages, cultures, music and food, ASEAN presence and visibility will rise in the eyes of the world. Added to this is the arts and culture facilities, competent professionals and management experience that gives ASEAN the potential to be a global entertainment hub.

Impact and Opportunities The arts and culture sector stands to benefit significantly from cross collaboration and cooperation within the region. Internet connectivity and shared digital and social platforms also offer a way for music and arts to tap into the huge market the entire population of ASEAN offers. There will also be opportunities for other sectors such as trade, investment and tourism, as we bring the music, arts and culture of ASEAN to the attention of the world.