Anyone here likes to listen to late Showa-era pop or even early Heisei-era pop music?

I'm hooked with city pop, an adult-oriented subgenre with influences of soul, synthpop, soft rock, funk, R&B, and smooth jazz popular from somewhere between 1975 to 1988. Imagine yourself going to a Ginza nightclub on a Friday night. It has been popular especially on Youtube for the past couple of years. Thanks to Mariya Takeuchi's 1984 hit Plastic Love!

How about you?

I had to YouTube some examples to hear what you were talking about. I certainly agree about what you said about imagining a Ginza nightclub, even though I've never been to one. To me, this sounds like the musical version of indirect lighting. It's meant to NOT be listened to, it's meant to enhance the surroundings. I occasionally listen to a "smooth jazz" radio station when I'm driving. I find it doesn't distract me, it just fills the silence a bit.
Next time I find myself with a Crown Royal highball, sitting in a leather covered chair by a marble topped table, with the lights of the city barely seeping through the tinted windows, I will ask the staff to put on "Plastic Love". It could be a while though......

hogradish wrote:Next time I find myself with a Crown Royal highball, sitting in a leather covered chair by a marble topped table, with the lights of the city barely seeping through the tinted windows, I will ask the staff to put on "Plastic Love". It could be a while though......

Great idea, hahaha! I'll get a glass of Nikka by the Barrel and an H. Upmann Churchill cigar and let's cheers to that!

I like city pop not just because I'm a fan of smooth jazz and R&B, but it also brings back some priceless childhood memories. City pop faded in the late 80s. Then, it was replaced by the more complex [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] in the '90s. You can also join the discussion on the link I provided.

Meanwhile, I highly recommend artists like Mariya Takeuchi, Taeko Ohnuki, Tatsuro Yamashita, Junko Yagami, EPO, Hiromi Iwasaki, Miki Matsubara, and Hatsumi Shibata who released several songs in English. Even the respective debut albums of Seiko Matsuda and Chisato Moritaka were considered city pop despite they were teenyboppers.

One of my favorite artists must be Tatsuro Yamashita, definitely. I'm not sure if his music is considered to be City Pop bc a lot of his songs also have rock and R&B sound, but I'm in love with his whole discography. 

I found his stuff on youtube, while I was listening to some random Japanese city pop playlist and instantly fell in love with his sound. Love Talkin' was the first song I've heard and it's one of my favorites.

Mitchan wrote:One of my favorite artists must be Tatsuro Yamashita, definitely. I'm not sure if his music is considered to be City Pop bc a lot of his songs also have rock and R&B sound, but I'm in love with his whole discography. 

I found his stuff on youtube, while I was listening to some random Japanese city pop playlist and instantly fell in love with his sound. Love Talkin' was the first song I've heard and it's one of my favorites.

I'm glad to meet another city pop fan here! My favorite song by Tatsuro Yamashita is "Sparkle."
Have you heard one of his most recent songs "Recipe?"


There are city pop revivalists that I recommend such as Evening Cinema, Shoko Peppa, and Ryusenkei. Although, new city pop acts are primarily influenced by 90s R&B and [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

Check out Ryusenkei's 2006 EP featuring Hitomitoi on vocals and album cover: