The Effects
The title of this section can be misleading, since it seems to suggest the effects seen in the music video production. While indeed, there are many video clips and still photography used in the production of the video, the music video documentary is only one of many forms that the song has developed into.
Because of the widespread availability of popular media outlets, including YouTube and other online video sites in Taiwan, Island's Sunrise has been able to take root in many musical forms as seen below.
Because of the widespread availability of popular media outlets, including YouTube and other online video sites in Taiwan, Island's Sunrise has been able to take root in many musical forms as seen below.
One of the up and rising genres seeking to break into mainstream culture in both the U.S and Taiwan is a cappella, in which no instruments are used to produce music - only the human voice and human percussion (beatboxing). The popularity of a cappella music in Taiwan is most likely attributed to shows like the Sing-Off which was popularized in the U.S for its a cappella singing groups.
The String Quartet cover here, while much more "classical" and "lyrical" in style compared to the original rock rendition, reflects the introduction of the Western Music tradition into Taiwan post 1949 (Chen).
Below shows a brass quintet + solo trumpet sheet music rendition of Island's Sunrise. The instruments are most likely electronically generated to follow in time with the sheet music arrangement. Arrangements like this allow others to then play the music live for themselves, further perpetuating and popularizing the song.
This is a marching band rendition of Island's Sunrise, indicating how schools' around Taiwan have begun to adopt the song into young people's musical education. This also is a reflection of how increasingly Taiwanese-focused music education has become since 1987, when the Martial Law was raised and cultural multiplicity begun to be embraced (Chen).
As the song became increasingly more popular, flash mobs occur of individuals gathering together to sing the song as a means of promoting their Taiwanese identity and unity in the movement.