Popular Taiwanese rock band Mayday investigated for lip-synching in China

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Popular Taiwanese rock band Mayday is being investigated by Chinese authorities over allegations of lip-synching during recent concerts, an accusation the band’s label has denied in a controversy that has dominated Chinese social media since the weekend.

The accusations centered on Mayday’s recent shows in Shanghai, where it performed eight times over 10 days in mid-November, to a combined audience of more than 360,000 fans.

The band, which has been going for more than two decades and is sometimes dubbed the “Asian Beatles,” boasts a huge fan base in China, where its shows often sell out quickly.

The Shanghai Culture and Tourism Bureau, a municipal government department overseeing commercial performances, said it attached great importance to the public backlash against the “lip-synching” claims and had required the concert organizer to cooperate with an investigation, state news agency Xinhua reported Monday.

In a statement on Monday evening, Mayday’s record company B’in Music dismissed the online accusations as “malicious attacks, rumors and slander,” saying they had seriously damaged the band’s image.

“Our company is actively cooperating with relevant law enforcement authorities to carry out investigations. We believe the relevant authorities will give us a fair result to set the record straight,” said the statement posted on Chinese social media site Weibo.

CNN has reached out to B’in Music for comment.

Live shows routinely use pre-recorded background vocals and music to bolster artists’ live singing performances, especially acts that