Jin Zhaojun says that the most important songs of that era, whether expressions of frustration, calls to action, or reflections in a critical spirit, shared a deep concern for the nation and for people. They reflected the reassessment of Chinese history and culture that was taking place in the 1980s.
金兆鈞指出，不論是「信天游」的無奈、「一無所有」的吶喊、「我熱戀的故鄉」的批判精神，共同點都具有沈重、憂國憂民的基調，反映了自八○年代以降社會上反省歷史文化的時代心情。