Another Top 10 City Pop Songs List

One of the most iconic cover photos in all City Pop, Akimoto Kaoru creates a wonderful dance-inspired melodic club night filled with fashionably catchy choruses and driving beats sure to have you hitting the dancefloor. I recently worked with Victor Entertainment Media to produce a re-edit of one of her songs. Please take a listen!

Saijo Hideki’s compilation In Search of Love, is a magical mixture of some of his most iconic 80s songs including the now famous city pop cover of George Michael’s Careless Whisper. Likely one of the greatest music artists of Japan’s history, almost every song on here is a total champion of style and sound. A must have for collectors.

Ra Mu was a short-lived band formed by ex-idol singer Momoko Kikuchi. Having been newly formed at the tail end of Japan’s bubble ecomony, they were at odds with a skeptical Japanese public, and maelstrom of shifting genres that were starting to trickle towards the late 80s. Sadly, they only ever released this one album, but it is quintessential City Pop forever.

Ohashi Junko’s hit compilation Magical was and still is one of the most sought after records in all of City Pop. Having been sold for a whooping 1000usd once, there is no denying just how magical the LP is. Featuring some of the top bops from the genre, this record is set be re-pressed via HMV in Feb 2022.

Extremely ahead of its time, Matsushita Makoto’s First Light is a glistening night drive through Tokyo’s winding highways. By far one of the moodiest track selections in the genre. It creates a definitive vibe that ranges from low-key funk to reverby ballad delights. If you want to feel melancholy, but still tap your feet, pick this gem up!

Listening to Yume Hiko by the legendary Yamaguchi Mioko, you can’t help but be transported somewhere far away. Her music was far ahead of its time. For 1980, this dreamy, synthy, delicate cocktail of sensual vocals perfectly bounces atop drifting melodies, catchy chords, and masterful production.

A sensual delight at dusk, Tasogare is a poetic entry into City Pop by the classic Yamane Mai, who also provided the vocals for Cowboy Bebop’s closing theme The Real Folk Blues. Her sultry voice shines like a star through cosmic dust as you drift on the words that hang like crescent moons over the Tokyo night skyline. It’s one of the most beautiful records the genre has to offer.

Aqua City is a sleeper hit from the essential summer City Pop band, Kiyotaka Sugiyama & Omega Tribe. These guys love the summer, and are masters of that very specific City Pop sound that feels like audio sunshine. Definitely something every City Pop enthusiast should have in their collection.

EPO creates a really metro mood with this stellar album full of warm sounding songs that really do take you Downtown. The title track ‘Downtown’ is a cover of a famous Sugar Babe song by the same name. A very on-the-nose interlude featuring the iconic chorus from Petula Clark’s song Downtown is also featured on here to really drive the City Pop point home.

Sexy Robot has some very classic funk synth boogie bangers that are essential dancefloor movers. She spares no expense at creating some of the coolest tracks you can find from Japan in this era. From Wanna Kiss to Lets Talk in Bed, she plays between the line of cheeky and sweet, tough basslines to boot.