A Drive through City Pop & It’s Legacy
Japan in the 1980s was quite the sight to behold, not that I was alive during that era. But Japan found itself in an economic boom, with low unemployment rates, the founding of Studio Ghibli, TV broadcast experimentation, and much more. Essentially, a golden age before Japan entered the Lost Decades.
But before that bubble popped, another industry was receiving critical success: the music industry. Branching off of Japanese pop music, city pop began to rise in the late 1970s, climbing to its peak in the 1980s. A notable and popular genre, city pop was heavily influenced by the Western music scene. Personally, it’s a genre that envelops all good things—funk, vaporwave, Caribbean, R&B, jazz, boogie, etc.
But as quickly as it rose, so was it’s decline. Though one could point fingers at the downfall of the economy, city pop soon became known as “shitty pop” and thus, the spotlight on city pop was dimmed.
Though the musical genre was never really a stranger to Youtube, it wasn’t until 2020 when it emerged back into the mainstream spotlight with full force, thanks to Tiktok and the very talented Indonesian singer, Rainych. Covering Miki Matsubara’s hit debut song in 1979, “Mayonaka no Door,” the cover went viral on TikTok and as a result, resurrected city pop once again for younger generations.
“テレフォン・ナンバー” by Junko Ohashi
Mysterious lyrics paired with a funky beat, reminiscent of a rainy morning where the sun still shines. Translating directly to “Telephone Number,” Ohashi sings in hopes that an old lover will call her when in need of anything. Backed by saxophones and trumpets, her powerful voice belts out her longing feelings where she “anxiously awaits for the bell to ring.” But perhaps the most intriguing part of this song is the repetitive lyrics “56709.” It completely captivated me and despite not knowing what meaning it holds, the numbers themselves are catchy and quite addictive to sing. Mysterious lyrics paired with a funky beat, reminiscent of a rainy morning where the sun shines nevertheless.
“Plastic Love” by Mariya Takeuchi
Heartbreak and loss, but make it a smash hit for a dance club. “Plastic Love” has become one of the songs that now go hand in hand when one thinks of city pop. Released on her 1984 album, Variety, the song saw little success until released as a single the following year. But single or no single, the song instantly pulled me in with the instrumental beginning. But in contrast to it’s upbeat and groovy sound, Takeuchi sings about a woman losing the man she loves. But as all great musicians ensure, one doesn’t need to go through a heartbreak to experience the feeling that this song brings.
“Midnight Joke” by Takako Mamiya
The type of song that plays in the background of a bar or more simply, during a car ride. Listening to this song instantly uplifts my mood, and makes me long for a time that I have never experienced. With a somewhat sultry beat reminding me of jazz, she claims to be unable to “get up early” but “staying up late, depends on her mood.” What else could you want from a song that encompasses everything already?
“Midnight Driver” by Minako Yoshida
A song with inspiration from both soft rock and vaporwave. At first, the song striked me as rather peculiar. It was almost as if the song itself had no particular structure. No verse, no pre-chorus, or chorus. In addition, Yoshida sings at the same level as the background music somehow with the volume of her voice equalling that of the background synths and beats. At around 2:34, she repeats the same lyrics until the end of the song (mind you, the entire song is 7:44). But still, the song feels like a puzzle, and though the pieces don’t quite fit together perfectly, the picture is still there in all its glory.
“Remember Summer Days” by Anri
Anri brings together the nostalgia and happiness that summer brings: beach strolls, melting popsicles, and the anticipation waiting for the snap of a film camera. The entire song feels like a love letter to summer, summer flings, and possibly, even future summers. My favorite part of this entire song: the saxophone solo that begins at 3:40. Or perhaps, it’s just a little instrumental part to the song. Either way, this track is sure to bring back one’s most precious memories, summer or no summer.
“Dress Down” by Kaoru Akimoto
Sometimes, a song needs to begin like one is playing a video game, which is what I imagine Akimoto exclaimed in the studio. At first glance or listen should I say, it is a song that pays tribute to the stress surrounding endless costume changes. But ten or twenty listens later, it
becomes the costume changes that might fail to catch the attention of someone you long for. Who knows, this might be the new it song you listen to as you get ready for a date or party. And to Akimoto, I hope you finally caught the one you were waiting for.
“Lady Pink Panther” by Shigeru Shuzuki
Another golden love song that gently washes over you like beach waves. Suzuki sings of his crush being a “heat haze” and “a cute killer.” The flirtatious lyrics are rather peculiar to say the least but perhaps what took the icing on the cake for me was the harmonica solo at 1:10. If you’re feeling lonely or tired, just put this track on and let Suzuki sing his way into your heart.
“4:00A.M.” by Taeko Onuki
Onuki leans into this city pop track with a more traditional approach: a sound reminiscent of a bamboo flute. As the song continues, you can pick up on multiple different instruments and influences. But what captivates me the most is the choir singing “Lord give me one more chance.” That one line somehow changes the entire meaning of the song everytime I listen. In all honesty, I have no idea what Onuki is singing about. It could be about a lover, a friend, or simply her own thoughts at 4:00 A.M. But what I love most is that you don’t need to understand the lyrics to appreciate how groovy this song is.
“街のドルフィン” by Kingo Hamada
Translating to “Dolphin in Town,” Hamada sings of a sailor recounting the tale of a little boy swimming with a dolphin. With Afro-Caribbean influences heard throughout the song, Hamada’s calming voice can make any listener feel as if they too, are swimming with a dolphin. In fact, for some listeners, they may feel a sense of similarity at around 2:40. Indeed, this song was sampled by Engelwood for his track, “Crystal Dolphin.” Yet unlike Hamada, Engelwood embodies more of a future funk sound whilst dropping the lyrics that tell the story of the boy and the dolphin. But, you can’t outdo the doer, right?
“Mayonaka no Door/Stay With Me” by Miki Matsubara
Last but not least, the song that contributed much to the resurgence of city pop. Recording the song at only 19, Matsubara waited two years until her song made its way to the public. Pulling influences from the Western music scene, it’s hard to imagine that the jazzy song is coupled with such desperate and heart-wrenching pleas from a one-sided love. Matsubara tearfully sings of “knocking on the midnight door, begging [them] to not go home.” Well, the way I see it, you can unleash all your moves on the dance floor or you can stare out the car window on a rainy—perfect for a music video.
Cover Photo by Tiffany Wan. Edited by Katrina Kwok.