More movie soundtracks, changing promotional strategies
Compared to previous film seasons, the easily noticeable point of Vietnamese film soundtracks in 2026 is a clear increase in the number. If previously each film usually only had one theme song, this year many projects proactively released 3-4 songs associated with different emotional lines in the film.
For example, the movie "Thỏ ơi!!" released outstanding songs such as "Giữ anh em cũng làm không xong" performed by LyLy and "Hoa gạo" with the vocals of Thanh Lam, Van Mai Huong. The songs have two different shades, from youthful, close to deep, nostalgic, helping the movie cover more widely on digital platforms and social networks.
Meanwhile, "Mui pho" chose a direction rich in cultural colors when introducing the theme song "Mui ky uc" performed by Minh Beta, and also used additional performances such as "Lao ong cuoi vo" (Xuan Hinh combined with Hoa Minzy) and "Chau van co Be" to create a unique folk music space. Bringing both new songs and traditional music material into the film shows that the OST is not only for promotion but also contributes to building a unique identity.
With "Heavenly Treasure", the producer released the title track of the same name composed and performed by Bui Cong Nam. The song has a gentle color, rich in storytelling...
In particular, Truong Giang's "My Father's House, One Room" is a clear example of the trend of a movie with many OSTs. This project introduces a series of songs such as "Remember, Forget, Forget", "Hot Quat Love", "From Today" performed by Anh Tu Atus, and also has the movie soundtrack "Winter Boy" performed by Jack. The release of many songs with different nuances helps the film maintain a continuous presence from the trailer release to the screening.
Tet movies alone have released a series of OSTs, showing that the soundtrack is no longer a single song but a "package of content" for promotion. However, widespread release disperses attention, making it difficult for audiences to identify the representative song of each movie.
Crowded but no dominant hit, controversy sometimes overwhelms music
Despite the increase in the number of soundtracks, the 2026 OST market still lacks a truly explosive song.
Songs like "Hoa gạo", "Mùi ký ức" or "Báu vật trời cho" are all meticulously invested, but mainly stop at the role of emotional support for the film, not yet going beyond the scope of cinema to become an independent hit. Even movies that release many OSTs such as "Nhà ba tôi một phòng", the series of songs also distracts attention, no song is really outstanding.
Notably, this year's soundtrack sometimes attracts attention because of sideline factors rather than quality. Jack singing "Winter Child" in "My Father's House, One Room" caused much controversy due to personal noise and performance bans.
From a positive perspective, the fact that movie soundtracks are discussed a lot also proves that OSTs are having a clearer position in entertainment life. Audiences are willing to compare, evaluate and expect songs that are strong enough to live independently, instead of just seeing movie soundtracks as spin-offs.
Overall, Vietnamese film soundtracks 2026 are in a period of transformation: Number increases, more methodical approaches, more diverse distribution strategies. However, the market still lacks a strong enough boost to create a milestone.
