Mayday: The Life Story Behind Taiwan's Rock Band

Mayday is a rock band that can fill a stadium in Taiwan, in China, and in many other parts of Asia, and the crowd will sing every word of every song. That is a rare thing for a rock band, because rock music is often seen as a style for a small group of fans. Mayday made rock music for everyone. Their songs are about youth, about dreams, about love, and about not giving up, and those are feelings that everyone understands, whether they like rock music or not.

The band was formed in Taipei in 1997 by five young men who met at school. The lead singer is Ashin, and the other members are Monster, Stone, Masa, and Ming. They were not stars when they started. They were students who liked music, who played in small venues, and who dreamed of a bigger stage. They worked their way up slowly, album by album, and they became one of the most successful bands in the history of Chinese-language music.

What makes Mayday different is the way they write songs. Ashin writes lyrics that are simple, honest, and full of hope, and the band turns those lyrics into music that is loud, warm, and easy to sing along with. A Mayday concert is not a quiet show. It is a celebration, with tens of thousands of people singing together, waving lights, and feeling like they are part of something bigger than themselves. That feeling is why fans travel across Asia to see them.

This is the story of five school friends who became a band, who stayed together for more than twenty-five years, and who turned rock music into a shared language for a whole generation.

Five School Friends in Taipei

Mayday began in Taipei in the late 1990s, when five young men who were still at school discovered that they shared a love of music. The lead singer, Ashin, whose real name is Chen Hsin-hung, was born in 1975, and he was the heart of the group from the start. He wrote songs, he sang them, and he had a way of putting feelings into words that other young people recognised at once. The other members were Monster on guitar, Stone on guitar, Masa on bass, and Ming on drums, and each of them brought a different skill to the band.

They met at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University, a well-known school in Taipei, and they began playing together in the school’s music scene. At first they were just a student band, playing at school events and in small clubs. They did not have money, they did not have a record deal, and they did not have a clear plan. They had instruments, they had songs, and they had a belief that their music mattered. That belief kept them going through the early years, when no one outside their school knew who they were.

The band’s original name was So Band, and they later changed it to Mayday, a name that comes from the international distress call, but also from the month of May, when they were formed. The name is simple, easy to remember, and it fits the band’s spirit. Mayday is a call for help, and their songs are often a call for hope, a message that says, do not give up, keep going, and you are not alone. That message has stayed at the centre of their music for more than twenty-five years.

Life as a student band in Taipei in the 1990s was not easy. The music scene was small, the venues were few, and rock music was not as popular as pop music. Mayday played wherever they could, in bars, in small halls, and at student festivals, and they built a following slowly, one show at a time. They learned to play together, to write songs together, and to handle the ups and downs of being in a band. Those early years taught them teamwork, patience, and the value of a loyal fan who comes to every show.

By 1997, the band was ready to take the next step. They had songs, they had a following, and they had a sound that was their own. They were no longer just a school band. They were Mayday, and they were about to become one of the most important bands in Taiwan.

The First Album and a New Sound

Mayday released their first album, Mayday’s First Album, in 1999, and it was a turning point for the band and for Taiwanese rock music. The album mixed rock with pop melodies, and the songs were catchy enough for radio but strong enough for a live show. It included songs that became favourites with young listeners, and it proved that a Taiwanese rock band could make music that was both popular and honest. The album was a success, and it put Mayday on the map.

The band’s sound was different from the pop music that dominated Taiwan at the time. Pop songs were often about romance, sung by a solo star with a smooth voice. Mayday’s songs were about youth, about dreams, and about the feeling of being young and uncertain. Ashin’s lyrics were simple and direct, and they spoke to listeners who were going through the same things he was singing about. A student who was worried about exams, a young person who was unsure about the future, a lover who had lost someone: all of them could find themselves in a Mayday song.

The band followed their first album with more albums in the early 2000s, including Viva Love and People Life, Ocean Wild, and they built their reputation with each release. They toured Taiwan, they played at festivals, and they began to perform in China and Hong Kong. Their live shows were known for their energy, and fans loved the way the band played with passion and joy. A Mayday concert was not a polite performance. It was a loud, warm, and emotional night, and fans left feeling like they had been part of something special.

During those early years, the band also learned to handle success. They were no longer students playing in small clubs. They were stars, with fans, with press attention, and with the pressure that comes with fame. They handled it by staying together, by writing songs that mattered to them, and by keeping their focus on the music rather than on the fame. That focus is one of the reasons they lasted so long, when many bands break up after a few years.

The first album years also showed the band’s work ethic. They rehearsed constantly, they wrote new songs, and they toured as much as they could. They did not rest on one hit. They kept working, and they kept improving. That work ethic is still there today, more than twenty-five years later, and it is one of the things fans admire most about them.

Stubborn and the Songs That Became Anthems

As Mayday grew, their songs became anthems for a generation. One of the best known is Stubborn, a song about holding on to your dreams even when life is hard. The lyrics talk about not giving up, about staying true to yourself, and about the stubborn hope that keeps a person going. Young people in Taiwan and China adopted the song as their own, and they sang it at graduations, at concerts, and in quiet moments when they needed encouragement. It is a song that has helped many people through hard times, and that is a rare and valuable thing for a pop song to do.

Other songs, including songs about love, about friendship, and about the passage of time, also became favourites. Mayday’s music is not about one theme. It is about life, in all its joy and pain, and Ashin’s lyrics capture that life in simple words that anyone can understand. He writes about the small moments: a late-night talk with a friend, a walk home in the rain, a dream that feels out of reach. Those small moments are the ones that make a life, and Mayday’s songs remind listeners to notice them.

The band’s albums in the 2000s and 2010s, including Second Round and History of Tomorrow, kept them at the top of the Mandarin music world. They won Golden Melody Awards, they sold millions of albums, and they filled stadiums across Asia. Their concerts became huge events, with elaborate stages, fireworks, and tens of thousands of fans singing together. A Mayday concert in Taipei Arena or in Beijing is a sight to see, with a sea of lights and a crowd that knows every word.

What makes those concerts special is the feeling of togetherness. Mayday does not perform above the crowd. They perform with the crowd, and the crowd sings back to them. That exchange, between a band and its fans, is the heart of a Mayday show, and it is why fans travel long distances and pay high prices to be there. They are not only buying a ticket. They are buying a night of feeling less alone, and Mayday gives them that night, year after year.

The band’s songs have also been used in films, in advertisements, and in school events, and they have become part of everyday life in Taiwan. A person who has never been to a Mayday concert still knows their songs, because those songs are played on the radio, in shops, and at celebrations. That is the mark of a truly popular band: their music belongs to everyone, not just to their fans.

Stadium Years and Life on the Road

By the 2010s, Mayday was one of the biggest live acts in Asia. They performed in stadiums in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, and they also toured in other parts of the world, including shows for overseas Chinese communities. Their tours were long, demanding, and joyful, and they required a level of stamina that few bands can maintain for decades. Mayday maintained it, because they loved performing, and because their fans expected the best from them.

Touring life is hard, even for a successful band. The members spend months away from home, they sleep in hotels, they rehearse in new cities, and they perform night after night. Mayday handled it by staying close as friends, by taking care of their health, and by keeping their sense of humour. They are known for their playful behaviour on stage, for their jokes between songs, and for the way they talk to the crowd like old friends. That warmth makes a stadium feel small, and it makes fans feel like they are part of the band’s family.

The band also faced challenges during those years, including the changing music industry. CDs gave way to downloads, downloads gave way to streaming, and the way people listened to music changed completely. Mayday adapted by focusing on live shows, which cannot be streamed in the same way, and by using social media to stay in touch with fans. They also continued to write new songs, and they did not rely only on their old hits. That willingness to keep creating is one of the reasons they are still relevant today.

They also became involved in charity and social work, using their fame to help others. They have supported causes related to education, to the environment, and to disaster relief, and they have encouraged their fans to do the same. That work is quiet, and it is not done for publicity, but it is a part of who they are. A band that has been given so much by its fans has a duty to give something back, and Mayday takes that duty seriously.

The stadium years showed that Mayday was not a passing trend. They were a band that had grown up with their fans, and their fans had grown up with them. A teenager who first heard Mayday in 1999 is now in their forties, with a job, a family, and a life, and they still go to Mayday concerts, now with their children. That kind of loyalty, passed from one generation to the next, is the true measure of a band’s success.

Still Together After Twenty-Five Years

Mayday is still together today, more than twenty-five years after they formed, and that longevity is rare in rock music. Most bands break up after a few years, because of arguments, because of different ambitions, or because of the pressure of fame. Mayday has stayed together because the five members are friends first and bandmates second. They respect each other, they share the work, and they have learned to handle disagreements without letting them break the band.

Ashin remains the lead singer and the main songwriter, and his lyrics are still the heart of the band. Monster, Stone, Masa, and Ming remain the musicians who turn those lyrics into sound, and their playing has grown richer and more confident with time. They are no longer young students. They are men in their late forties and fifties, with families and lives outside the band, but when they step on stage together, they are still the five friends from Taipei who loved music.

In recent years they have continued to release new music, to tour, and to perform at major events. Their concerts still fill stadiums, and their songs still top the charts. They have also celebrated anniversaries with special shows that look back on their history, and those shows are emotional for fans who have followed them for decades. A Mayday anniversary concert is not only a show. It is a reunion, a celebration of a shared life in music.

Their legacy is already clear. They are one of the most successful rock bands in the history of Chinese-language music, they have won major awards, and they have influenced a generation of young musicians who want to form a band. They proved that rock music in Mandarin could be popular, could be meaningful, and could last. They also proved that a band can stay together if the members truly care for each other and for the music.

Today, when a young person in Taiwan picks up a guitar and dreams of forming a band, Mayday is often the example they look to. They see five friends who started in a school, who worked hard, who stayed together, and who became stars without losing themselves. That is a hopeful story, and it is one that will inspire young musicians for many years to come.

The Lyrics That Spoke for a Generation

Mayday’s lyrics are the heart of the band, and they deserve a closer look, because they are the reason the band’s songs have lasted for so long. Ashin writes lyrics that are simple, honest, and full of hope, and he writes them in words that a school student can understand and a grown adult can feel deeply. He writes about youth, about dreams, about love, and about not giving up, and he writes about them in a way that feels like a conversation with a friend, not like a lecture. A listener who hears a Mayday song does not feel talked down to. They feel understood.

The lyrics work because they are specific. Ashin does not write vague, abstract words. He writes about a late-night talk with a friend, a walk home in the rain, a dream that feels out of reach, a classroom, a bus ride, a small moment that everyone has lived. Those small moments are the ones that make a life, and Mayday’s songs remind listeners to notice them. A song that talks about a small moment can feel more real than a song that talks about a grand idea, because the small moment is one the listener has lived themselves.

He also writes about hope in a way that is honest, not naive. He does not say that life is easy, or that dreams always come true. He says that life is hard, that dreams are difficult, and that hope is worth holding on to anyway. That message is powerful, because it does not lie to the listener. It tells the truth about hardship, and then it offers hope as a choice, not as a guarantee. Young people who are struggling with exams, with work, or with love hear that message and feel less alone. They hear a song that says, I know it is hard, and I am still here, and you can be too.

The lyrics have also grown with the band and with their fans. Early songs were about being young, about school, and about first love. Later songs are about growing older, about work, about family, and about the passage of time. That growth means that a fan who first heard Mayday as a teenager can still find themselves in a Mayday song as an adult, because the band has grown up with them. A band that only sings about youth will lose its fans when they grow older. A band that grows with its fans will keep them for life, and Mayday has done that.

In the end, the lyrics are a reminder that a good song is not only about music. It is about words, about feelings, and about the truth of a life. Ashin’s words have given comfort to millions of people, and they will continue to do so, because they are honest, simple, and full of hope. That is a rare gift, and it is one that Mayday should be proud of.

A Band That Grew Up With Its Fans

Mayday’s fans have grown up with the band, and that shared growth is a big part of why the band has lasted. A teenager who first heard Mayday in 1999 is now in their forties, with a job, a family, and a life, and they still go to Mayday concerts, now with their children. That kind of loyalty, passed from one generation to the next, is the true measure of a band’s success. It is not about one hit song. It is about a lifetime of songs that grow with the listener, from school days to work days to parenthood.

The band has grown too. Early songs were about being young, about school, and about first love. Later songs are about growing older, about work, about family, and about the passage of time. That growth means that a fan who first heard Mayday as a teenager can still find themselves in a Mayday song as an adult, because the band has grown up with them. A band that only sings about youth will lose its fans when they grow older. A band that grows with its fans will keep them for life, and Mayday has done that, album after album, tour after tour.

The Five Friends Behind the Sound

Mayday is five men, not one, and that teamwork is worth remembering. Ashin writes the lyrics and sings, Monster and Stone play guitar, Masa plays bass, and Ming plays drums, and each of them brings a different skill to the band. A rock band is a team, and a team works only when every member does their job well and trusts the others to do theirs. Mayday has done that for more than twenty-five years, through fame, through changing music trends, and through the challenges of growing older. They have stayed together because they are friends first and bandmates second, and that friendship is the foundation of their sound.

Their teamwork also shows in their live shows, where the band plays with passion and joy, and where the crowd sings along with every song. A Mayday concert is not a solo performance with a backing band. It is five friends playing together, and the audience can feel that togetherness. That feeling is why fans travel across Asia to see them, and why they come back year after year. They are not only buying a ticket to a concert. They are buying a night of feeling part of a team, part of a crowd, and part of something bigger than themselves.

My Take:

I think Mayday is the band I would choose if I had to explain to someone what Taiwanese music sounds like at its best, and I would choose them not because they are the loudest or the most famous, but because they are the most honest. Their songs are about real life, about being young, about dreaming, about losing, and about keeping going, and those are things that everyone understands. You do not need to like rock music to like Mayday. You only need to have lived a life, and to have felt hope and disappointment, and their songs will make sense to you.

What I admire most is their friendship. Five men who met at school, who formed a band, and who are still together more than twenty-five years later: that is a rare thing in any walk of life, let alone in music. Bands break up for silly reasons, for money, for ego, for jealousy, and Mayday has faced all of those pressures and stayed together. I think the reason is simple: they are friends first. They like each other, they respect each other, and they know that the band is more important than any one member’s ego. That is a lesson that applies to any team, whether it is a band, a family, or a group of friends. If you put the team first, the team lasts.

I also love Ashin’s lyrics, because they are simple in a way that is hard to achieve. It is easy to write complicated lyrics that sound clever but mean nothing. It is hard to write simple lyrics that mean everything. Ashin writes about a late night, a rainy street, a dream that feels far away, and he writes about them in words that a school student can understand and a grown adult can feel deeply. That is a gift, and it is the reason his songs have lasted. A song that is too clever fades quickly. A song that is honest lasts for decades, and Mayday’s songs have lasted.

Their song Stubborn is the one I think about most, because it says something I need to hear myself. It says, do not give up, even when life is hard, even when people tell you to be realistic, even when your dream looks impossible. That message is easy to say and hard to live, but Mayday has lived it. They were a school band in a country where rock music was not popular, and they kept going until they filled stadiums. They were stubborn, in the best sense of the word, and their stubbornness paid off. I think we all need a little of that stubbornness in our own lives, whether we are students, workers, or parents. We need to hold on to our dreams, even when they look foolish to others.

I also think about their concerts, and what it feels like to be in a crowd of tens of thousands of people singing the same song. That feeling is hard to describe, but I think it is one of the best feelings in life. You are not alone. You are part of a crowd, and the crowd is singing your feelings back to you. Mayday creates that feeling night after night, and they do it with warmth and joy. They do not perform above the crowd. They perform with the crowd, and that makes all the difference. A band that looks down on its fans will lose them. A band that sings with its fans will keep them forever.

Their longevity is another thing I respect. It is easy to be famous for a year. It is hard to be famous for twenty-five years, and it is even harder to stay good for twenty-five years. Mayday has done both, because they kept working, kept writing new songs, and kept improving. They did not rely on their old hits. They made new music, they toured new places, and they adapted to a changing industry. That work ethic is something I admire in any person, whether they are a musician, a teacher, or a labourer. The job is not finished when you succeed once. The job is to keep going, to keep learning, and to keep giving your best.

I also think about what Mayday means to Taiwan. They are not only a band. They are a symbol of Taiwanese youth, of Taiwanese creativity, and of the idea that a small island can make music that reaches the whole world. When they perform abroad, they carry Taiwan with them, and overseas Taiwanese people feel proud to hear them. That pride matters, because it tells young people in Taiwan that their culture is valuable, and that their stories are worth telling. Mayday tells Taiwanese stories in Taiwanese words, and the world listens.

If I were talking to a young person who wants to form a band, I would tell them to look at Mayday and learn three things. First, find friends you truly like, because you will spend years with them. Second, write songs about your own life, because honest songs last longer than clever songs. Third, be patient, because success takes years, not weeks. Mayday was patient for years before they became famous, and they are still patient today, working on each new album with care. That patience is a form of strength, and it is one that young people often forget in a world that promises instant fame.

I also want to say something about their charity work, because it is easy to miss when we only talk about concerts. Mayday has used their fame to help others, to support education, to help after disasters, and to encourage their fans to do good. That is a responsible use of fame, and it is one that more stars should follow. Fame is not only a reward. It is also a responsibility, and Mayday takes that responsibility seriously. They do not shout about their charity work, and they do not use it for publicity. They just do it, quietly, and that quiet goodness is the best kind.

In the end, I see Mayday as a band that proves that rock music can be kind, hopeful, and human. Rock is often seen as angry or rebellious, and Mayday can be rebellious when they need to be, but their rebellion is a hopeful one. They rebel against giving up, against cynicism, and against the idea that life has to be dull. They sing about hope, and they sing it loudly, with guitars and drums, in front of tens of thousands of people. That is a beautiful thing, and I hope they keep doing it for many more years. Taiwan needs Mayday, and the world needs more bands like them.

I also think about the way Mayday handles their fans, because it is warm and respectful in a way that many big bands are not. They do not perform above the crowd. They perform with the crowd, they talk to the crowd, and they make a stadium feel like a small room full of friends. That warmth is hard to create in a large venue, but Mayday does it, night after night. They do it by being themselves, by joking between songs, and by singing with the crowd rather than at them. A band that looks down on its fans will lose them. A band that sings with its fans will keep them forever, and Mayday has kept theirs.

Their charity work is another thing I respect, because it is quiet and honest. They have supported education, the environment, and disaster relief, and they have encouraged their fans to do the same. They do not shout about their charity work, and they do not use it for publicity. They just do it, quietly, and that quiet goodness is the best kind. Fame is not only a reward. It is also a responsibility, and Mayday takes that responsibility seriously. They have been given a lot by their fans, and they give something back, and that is a fair and decent way to live.

I also think about what it means to be a rock band in Taiwan, a place where pop music is often more popular than rock. Mayday made rock music popular by making it warm, melodic, and easy to sing along with. They did not make rock music that was angry or exclusive. They made rock music that was for everyone, and that is a difficult thing to do. A lot of rock bands are proud of being difficult, of being for a small group of fans who understand them. Mayday was proud of being for everyone, and that openness is why they filled stadiums while other rock bands played small clubs. They proved that rock can be kind, hopeful, and human, and that is a valuable lesson.

Finally, I think their story is a reminder that a band is a team, and a team lasts when the members put the team first. Mayday has put the band first for more than twenty-five years, through fame, through changing music trends, and through the challenges of growing older. They have done it by being friends, by respecting each other, and by sharing the work. That is a lesson that applies far beyond music. It applies to any team, any family, and any group of friends. If you put the team first, the team lasts, and Mayday is living proof of that. I hope they keep playing for many more years, because the world needs more bands like them.

I also think about the way Mayday writes about hope, because their hope is honest, not naive. They do not say that life is easy, or that dreams always come true. They say that life is hard, that dreams are difficult, and that hope is worth holding on to anyway. That message is powerful, because it does not lie to the listener. It tells the truth about hardship, and then it offers hope as a choice, not as a guarantee. Young people who are struggling with exams, with work, or with love hear that message and feel less alone. They hear a song that says, I know it is hard, and I am still here, and you can be too.

Finally, I think Mayday’s story is a reminder that a band is a team, and a team lasts when the members put the team first. Mayday has put the band first for more than twenty-five years, through fame, through changing music trends, and through the challenges of growing older. They have done it by being friends, by respecting each other, and by sharing the work. That is a lesson that applies far beyond music. It applies to any team, any family, and any group of friends. If you put the team first, the team lasts, and Mayday is living proof of that. I hope they keep playing for many more years, because the world needs more bands like them.

I also think about the way Mayday has adapted to a changing music industry, because that adaptation is not easy. CDs gave way to downloads, downloads gave way to streaming, and the way people listen to music changed completely. Mayday adapted by focusing on live shows, which cannot be streamed in the same way, and by using social media to stay in touch with fans. They also continued to write new songs, and they did not rely only on their old hits. That willingness to keep creating is one of the reasons they are still relevant today, more than twenty-five years after they formed. A band that stops creating will fade. A band that keeps creating will last, and Mayday keeps creating.

Finally, I think Mayday’s story is a reminder that rock music can be kind, hopeful, and human. Rock is often seen as angry or rebellious, and Mayday can be rebellious when they need to be, but their rebellion is a hopeful one. They rebel against giving up, against cynicism, and against the idea that life has to be dull. They sing about hope, and they sing it loudly, with guitars and drums, in front of tens of thousands of people. That is a beautiful thing, and I hope they keep doing it for many more years. Taiwan needs Mayday, and the world needs more bands like them.

What I admire most about Mayday is the writing. Ashin writes songs about ordinary life, about being tired, about missing someone, about refusing to give up, and about being glad to be alive. The words are simple, but they land hard. A song like Stubborn tells a listener to keep going when the world says to quit, and a song like Contentment tells a listener to be thankful for what they have. These are not complicated ideas, but Mayday makes them feel new each time. I think that is why their concerts are so loud. The crowd is not only singing along. They are saying the words back to the band, because the words belong to them too.

I also think about how long the same five men have stayed together. Bands break up over money, over fame, over who writes the songs, and over who gets the attention. Mayday has lasted more than twenty-five years, and the reason seems simple to me. They started as school friends, and they still treat each other like friends. They share the work, they share the stage, and they share the credit. The concerts are huge now, with lights and screens and tens of thousands of people, but the feeling on stage is still the feeling of five friends playing music they love. That is a hard thing to protect over so many years, and Mayday has protected it.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Mayday formed?

Mayday was formed in Taipei in 1997 by five school friends, including lead singer Ashin. They met at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University and began playing together as students.

Who are the members of Mayday?

The members are Ashin on vocals, Monster and Stone on guitar, Masa on bass, and Ming on drums. All five have stayed together since the band’s early years, which is rare for a rock band.

What was Mayday’s first album?

Their first album, Mayday’s First Album, was released in 1999 and introduced their mix of rock and pop melodies. It was a success and established them as a leading Taiwanese rock band.

What is Mayday’s most famous song?

Stubborn is often named as their most famous and most loved song, an anthem about holding on to dreams even when life is hard. It is sung by crowds at graduations, concerts, and in many other moments of hope.

Has Mayday won major awards?

Yes, Mayday has won multiple Golden Melody Awards, the top music honours in the Mandarin-speaking world, and they have sold millions of albums across Asia. Their live tours have filled stadiums in many countries.

Is Mayday still together today?

Yes, the band is still together more than twenty-five years after forming, and they continue to release new music and tour. Their concerts still fill large stadiums, and their songs are sung by fans of all ages.