Danny ChanDanny Chan

In 1979, 羅文's manager 譚國基 signed Chan to his management company, Hollywood Casting Agency (歡聲樂); EMI was inviting 羅文 to join the label at the time, and 譚國基 made EMI's simultaneous signing of Chan a condition, leading Chan to join EMI. That September, Chan released his debut solo album, the English-Cantonese collection "眼淚為你流," and won an award at the second Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards for its title track. The album "不再流淚" followed in 1980. Chan also appeared in films and television dramas, starring in the school-themed films "喝采" (1980, as Ken Chung) and "失業生," and appearing in the TVB drama "輪流轉"; he held his first solo concert at the Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall and, after joining Warner Music, released his first album for the label, "幾分鐘的約會." In 1981, he played 凌柏基 in the television drama "突破."

In 1982, "突破精選" included two new songs, one of which, Chan's composition "漣漪," won an award at the fifth Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards. That year he also released the album "傾訴," which included "今宵多珍重," an adaptation of 崔萍's Mandarin oldie of the same name; the song earned Chan an award at the first Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards and the AGB Household Audience Sample Survey Most Popular Award. Chan and 譚國基 mutually ended their working relationship that September. At the invitation of French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, Chan performed at the Espace Cardin arts center in Paris, then went to the United States for advanced vocal studies. In 1983, he released the album "偏偏喜歡你," whose self-composed title track won a Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs award; that September, he held two solo concerts at the newly completed Hong Kong Coliseum.

Chan released the album "百強84" in 1984; it included the breakdance-influenced "創世紀" and "粉紅色的一生," a cover of a song by Édith Piaf, while the album's anti-drug theme song "摘星" earned him another Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs award. That year he also sang the English-language duet "Tell Me What Can I Do" with American country singer Crystal Gayle. At the end of 1984, Chan appeared with 麥嘉, 徐小鳳, Leslie Cheung, and others in the film "聖誕快樂," for which he wrote the insert song "等." In January 1985, the four-sided stage for Chan's concert was designed by interior designer 高文安; that year he released the album "深愛著你." In 1986, Chan asked his friend 陳家瑛 to become his manager; he released the album "當我想起你" that year and ended his relationship with Warner Music during that period. In the second half of the year, he released "凝望," his inaugural album for DMI, the record company jointly operated by 潘迪生 and his former label EMI; its title track won a Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs award. In 1987, he released the albums "痴心眼內藏" and "夢裡人," and appeared with 周潤發 and 鍾楚紅 in the film "秋天的童話" as Vincent.

In 1988, Chan released the albums "神仙也移民," "無聲勝有聲," and "冬暖." "煙雨淒迷," from "神仙也移民," won both a Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs award and another Jade Solid Gold Best Ten award; as the Ultimate Song Chart had just been established, Chan received the Ultimate Song Chart Male Singer Bronze Award at Commercial Radio Hong Kong's year-end awards ceremony. He held a concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum that April and was invited to perform at the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. On December 2 that year, Chan decided to leave DMI and signed again with Warner Music. In 1989, Chan competed at the Tokyo Music Festival and won the TBS Grand Prize with a newly arranged version of his earlier work "偏偏喜歡你"; having returned to Warner Music, he released the album "一生何求" in June. The six-show "勁量陳百強10周年紀念演唱會" ran from September 29 to October 8, 1989. He released the album "等待您" in 1990. In March 1991, Chan held three performances of "陳百強紫色個體演唱會" at the Hong Kong Coliseum and released the live album "’91陳百強紫色個體演唱會" that year; he also released "Love In L.A." and "只因愛你," the final two albums he personally promoted during his lifetime. The English Wikipedia states that Chan announced his decision to leave the Hong Kong music scene in 1991. In February 1992, Chan held "告別上海演唱會" and announced that he would leave the music scene after a Hong Kong concert scheduled for the end of October, performing thereafter only occasionally for charity fundraisers; "綠滿全球," an international gala held in Shanghai on April 20, was his final public performance. At the end of October 1992, Warner Music released "親愛的您," Chan's final album during his lifetime, in a new-single-plus-compilation format; it included his last newly recorded songs, "親愛的您" and "離不開."

Danny Chan died on October 25, 1993, at the age of 35; the Chinese Wikipedia states that the hospital held a press conference that afternoon and said he had died of progressive brain failure. His funeral was held at the Hong Kong Funeral Home on October 29, with friends including 周潤發, 羅文, and Anita Mui serving as pallbearers, and his remains were buried at the Tseung Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery.

In 1994, Chan was posthumously given the Honorary Grand Award at the 11th Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards Presentation and the "無休止符紀念獎" at the 16th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards; Beyond lead vocalist Wong Ka Kui was also honored posthumously at both editions. On October 22, 1995, at the proposal of the Sijiu Town People's Government and with a donation from Chan's father 陳鵬飛, the Danny Chan Memorial Hall opened in Sijiu Market, Sijiu Town, Taishan, Guangdong, his ancestral hometown. On November 8, 2005, Hongkong Post issued the "Hong Kong Pop Singers" philatelic series, honoring Chan, Leslie Cheung, Anita Mui, 羅文, and Wong Ka Kui with stamps. For his work as a composer and singer, Chan was posthumously awarded the Golden Needle Award at the 32nd Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards; according to The Sun (Hong Kong), his father 陳鵬飛 accepted the trophy on his behalf from Director of Broadcasting 黃華麒. In August 2023, 夏妙然 published the book "盼望的緣份──陳百強," containing interviews with 20 people who had worked with or been influenced by Chan; on October 25 that year, the 30th anniversary of his death, Television Broadcasts Limited released the documentary "永遠深愛 陳百強," narrated by 糖妹.