It ain't just Gen Z that's obsessed with this music. Old X'ers who were alive, but not exposed to it when it came out can enjoy it as well. Japanese pop culture (toys, games, anime) was fairly prominent even back in the 70's when we grew up, so the ground is fertile indeed for new fans of this fantastic musical movement.
Exactly. I was born in 1968, so was a 70s/80s kid. That means I love music from that era and went through a whole phase of nostalgia for music from back then. With City Pop I get to re-live that whole time through a different ‘lens’ (and being a Japanophile obviously helps)
I'm not exactly a Z and I have loved City-Pop since 2011. In 2018 was the definitive boom when I become absolutely devoted to it but only originals. No Future Funk or Vaporwave. Only the real thing.
and with Millennials anime had gotten huge with our Gen. This was a time when kids were trying everything Japanese wherever they went. Creating meetups and groups and shit. Vaporwave and Future funk are just variations of music popular with what we were growing up with.
One of the first anime to really become popular among geek culture in the US was Star Blazers, the English dub of Space Battleship Yamato, in the mid 1970s. You can see so much of what would influence Star Wars as well as the Stark Trek films in the work of Leiji Matsumoto.
Millenial here. Main reason why I'm into citypop is how the Japanese tend to be much more creative with their chord progressions than most mainstream western artists. You can hear the western jazz of the 50s and 60s play a major role in the sound as triads are seldom used as 7ths and extended chords are the norm in citypop.
Additionally, I find the blending of different genres in citypop to be really interesting and unique. It incorporates elements of funk, disco, jazz, and electronic music, creating a sound that is both nostalgic and fresh at the same time. The retro aesthetic of citypop also appeals to me, as it transports me to a different time and place. The music, the fashion, and the overall vibe of citypop just make me feel good and happy when I listen to it. Overall, citypop has a certain charm and energy that resonates with me, and I appreciate the artistry and creativity that goes into creating this genre of music. It's always a fun and enjoyable experience to listen to citypop and discover new artists and songs from this era.
I don't think this is true, I think it's just differences in norms making you think Japanese music is more diverse because you're used to western. For example the most popular chord progression in Japanese music of the 21st century is different from the most popular one seen in english pop music, but it's similarly extremely popular within the sphere of Japanese music. If you swapped how much exposure you had to Japanese and English music I feel like you would be singing the praises of how inventive American and British bands are I'm just glad I get to experience both musical worlds and plenty more
Japanese City Pop gives you a nostalgic feeling of something you missed a long time ago, in a time you were not born yet. This is the most intriguing sensation I have experienced.
In case if you don't know, it's not a thing that only Japanese city pop has, but other genres from other countries have it as well. There's no magic here (fortunately), us humans just naturally get nostalgic feelings of something that we did in fact used to hear, know, see or experienced through.
If you are curious for non-Japanese city pop nostalgic songs that can also bring you to the time you 'thought' you once lived through, you may wanna try out these songs : "Radio Ga Ga" by Queen, "Take On Me" by a-ha, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds, "Where The Streets Have No Name" by U2, "Sealed In A Kiss" by Jason Donovan, "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springteen, "At Dawn" by Alliance, "Give Life Back To The Music" by DaftPunk.
I was one of the first to publish city pop videos in English with an account that was deleted a while ago (DanaWhite0). Back then people talked more about "japanese funk" than "city pop". And I've been obsessed with it since 2006, which is logical because I was raised with Japanese anime from the 80/90s which had a lot of that kind of music in the background or OP/ED (kimagure orange road, city hunter, yu yu hakusho, DBZ,...). But before you had to search a lot to find those obscure tracks (on forums, peer-to-peer softwares, blogs,...). It's not just nostalgic, it's very groovy and seems at the same time generic and unique. It's also very romantic...
Thank you for your early contribution to this musical movement. I still find it upsetting how so many who built the foundation got removed later as it grew into a much larger product because of it. I am thankful a new generation has grown to appreciate this media rather than have it lost over time and fade away. Perhaps we will even get new retro creations from this over time. So many positive vibes from this era!
@@jtplatinum Yeah but what got me banned was actually something else I think : I also posted K-1 fights that were and still are unavailable on the internet (I had bought burned DVDs on some obscure auction websites - lost them during one of my moves). It was end of the 2000s early 2010s, and some of these videos started getting a lot of views which in the end got my whole account banned... Fortunately most of the things I had are now available on TH-cam, and this revival as well as Spotify allowed me to find even more music. I am by no means a true collector, as I didn't have the money to get those very expensive vinyls, but I would spend sometimes nights and whole days browsing through the internet and some peer 2 peer programs. One time I even found a forum quite unknown and secret that had a lot of 80s Japanese music shared : I'd browse through it to find city pop gems (back then I didnt even know it was the name of that specific genre of pop). So much of it is gone and I'd have to recover an old hard disk to get those thousands of mp3s...
That's what I said to my friend the other day. I don't know much about the new music genres... So I told him, this funky japanese music has the best bass lines and trumpets... and he's always catching up with new trends.. ande he said to me it is called city pop... but the drums and the bass lines seems pretty funky to me. I really have not serched for the difference yet.
I am also millenial from 1985. I started listening around 2009 when i first heard hiromi iwasaki's version of you are everything by the stylistics then was recommended ride on time by tatsuro. That's where I got my YT username lol.
yea but most millennials may remember the times when mainstream music was good but by the time we were teenagers in the 2000s it was all bad maybe even worse than today. and we want to recapture that feeling of hear good but new music but we pretty much heard all the popular stuff from America. so we look for 80s music from other countries that we missed out on because the radio only played American and local stuff .
@@belstar1128As a zoomer myself, honestly 2000s music wasn’t that bad, even early 2010s was nice. It’s been going downhill since the middle of the decade though
My mom was stationed in Okinawa in the mid '80s. I played her some of the CityPop playlists that I'd found online, and while she didn't recognize any specific song, she recognized the style and remembered that it was popular back then. While my mother and I have a great relationship, we don't have all that many common interests, so CityPop was a really unexpected but welcomed way for us to connect. I can say that Millennials were drawn to CityPop because that style of music was used in or had an influence on classic anime openings (see: "A Cruel Angel's Thesis"), so it's very nostalgic for those of us who grew up watching those shows.
ok my mom is into punk and metal and darkwave. so when i said i like 80s music she was happy at first. but she hates the city pop style she thinks its too posh and soft .but i do also like metal punk and dark wave too. but i am not picky with 80s music i am just glad that it has no auto tune
My teacher used to live in Okinawa. He was kind of like a father to me. I never heard him listening to city pop, but he would sing what he called "Japanese blues" when he was drinking. Old songs from the 1930s I think. "Kuro li i, uki o no. Kono oramachi wo"
I'm 57yo right now. I fell in love with this genre of music since early 80s and still listen to it every day. Thanks to internet, I can find all the songs I once liked and discover other artists I never heard before.
Everything sucks nowadays, but when I hear music like this it takes me to a place filled with hope and optimism. Like things are going in the right direction. Nostalgia for a time I never lived through.
Yep the 1980's was an awesome time in Japan especially economically. Then as you know the property bubble burst and their stock market the Nikkei went down in half in 1990. The lost decade happened. But in the 80's, people enjoyed the fruits of success and the vibrant night life was happening.
Personally, everything sucks or is optimistic depending on the time and place you are in. To contrast, during the time City Pop was being created and Japan was experiencing an optimistic economic boom, my country was the opposite - under a dictatorship that set it back 20 years. But nowadays, everything is far more optimistic where I live compared to the way things were before; and the opposite of the way even Japan is right now - with their recent recessions.
@@loopyzreal Okay, but think about this. In no other time in history except the last 75 years has the world been able to be completely destroyed by nuclear bombs three times over. I get what you're saying and I know it probably helps you cope but there is empirical enshitification happening all around us. It is nice to think about the pretty flowers though.
@@TheReneg4de Ah, so you’re talking about the past 75 years then? It seemed vague with the way you talked about 80s japan. Then in that case, just deal with it and stop complaining. I’m not trying to cope or dream of a world full of beautiful flowers. I am simply dealing with what is given to me (good or bad) and finding optimism and opportunities in improving my own situation; no matter how grim the world looks. If there’s one thing that really gets on my guts, it’s fatalistic people.
As an early gen z (2001) i feel so drawn to city pop music because it makes me feel transported to another realm. a world full of neon lights, retro tecnology, joy, melancholy and true passionate romance. it's such perfect music that makes me escape from my unhappy reality and yet, keeps me yearning for the day i will live the life of my dreams. city pop playlists helped me sleep well during the anxiety-ridden reality of the pandemic.
Im an even earlier gen z, 1999 here, and i love how passionate music was in the 80s and 90s. Its like they put their souls into it and its also so dancy, i love the disco vibes. I usually say i was a boomer or gen X in a past life because i love the 80s so much.
City pop music has a unique ability to create a sense of nostalgia for a time and place that many of us never experienced firsthand. Its blend of catchy melodies, smooth vocals, and funky instrumentals provides a sense of comfort and escapism that is especially welcome during difficult times. As a young person, I find myself constantly seeking out ways to escape the stresses of my everyday life, and city pop music has become a go-to source of solace for me. Listening to city pop feels like stepping into a dream world filled with bright lights, bustling streets, and endless possibilities. The music evokes a sense of longing for a different era, yet somehow feels timeless and relevant even in today's world. It's a reminder that beauty and joy can be found even in the most challenging of times, and that there is always hope for a brighter future. In a world that can often feel overwhelming and chaotic, city pop music provides a much-needed escape and a sense of peace. It's a reminder that there is still beauty and wonder to be found in the world, even when everything seems bleak. So as I continue to navigate the ups and downs of early adulthood, I know that city pop music will always be there to provide me with a sense of comfort and inspiration. Thank you, city pop, for guiding me through the ups and downs of life and helping me to find solace in the midst of chaos.
@@jinkstkittensen99Ironically enough, growing up with parents who heard 80s music when it was new, they usually swore that 80s music was soulless and corporate. I wonder if there's a sort of anti-zeitgeist thing, where people who _experienced_ something know all of the dirt and grime of its reality, but 40 years later, you get people picking it up in an idealized form without all the troubles of its era.
As a Gen Z, I stumbled upon this through searching for obscure Japanese music in early 2017. I was undergoing depression, so anime and Japanese culture was great escapism for me. I value city pop songs for not only nostalgia factor, but how powerful yet chill the sound can be.
The smooth melodies and groovy beats of city pop have a way of transporting you to a different time and place, making it perfect for escaping the stresses of everyday life. It's no wonder that it has gained a following among younger generations like Gen Z who are looking for something unique and soothing to listen to. The fusion of jazz, funk, and pop elements in city pop creates a dreamy and nostalgic atmosphere that is truly captivating. It's great to hear that it has been a source of comfort and joy for you during difficult times. Music truly has a way of healing and connecting us to our emotions. Keep exploring and enjoying the beautiful world of city pop!
As someone who’s been listening to Japanese music in general for years now, I’m glad other people are finally catching on. Not just city pop but Japanese music in general is so fire. The chord progression just hits different.
I'm honestly glad Tatsuro Yamashita was mentioned, his music is legendary and can be hard to find especially in a digital space. Which is why having an album of his is always handy
Yes I didn't realise that's why I couldn't find him on Spotify. I first heard his music (and City pop in general) when I visited Japan in 2018 and this restaurant we went to in Matsumoto was playing his Come Along 2 album. I really liked it, so I shazaamed it and ended up finding the CD in Tower Records later and buying it. So glad I did, because like you said, it's hard to find his music digitally. Plus it's my favourite souvenir from that trip!
Sigh. It's unfortunate that, some artist don't want their music out there. While there isn't much in the way of money or other reasons. They have created something that is lost to a few people. Not City Pop, but a 2014~present folk-band doesn't have many of their songs available to the world, region locked to Japan. :( "Good Bye The Day Of Today" by Special Favorite Music Yes, "Special Favorite Music" is the band's name, that song is on YT. 5,700 plays on YT.
@TexasCat99 this is why sometimes I prefer looking up Korean songs than Japanese songs, it's just so much easier. Plus I have not heard A SINGLE youtube channel/video that got terminated for sharing Korean songs so far! W for K-Pop on this one 💪🏻🇰🇷💯
@@blackman5867 there are American and British artists who also do not want their music on the internet. Prince? Most Japanese songs are on TH-cam. There's only a few that I can't find. There was a cool idol girl soundtrack called "Star cats: full house" from the early '90s. It is still available but it is a much shorter version than the full soundtrack. Which was pulled off early last year. :(
@@blackman5867 The Japanese are more finicky about their copyrights, which is their right. It's a pain that copy strikes happen so easily, even for English content. Takako shirai, is an obscure artist in comparison to others. She is almost 70, and she still performs. Her music is legally available to listen to on TH-cam. Most of her tracks have only gotten a few thousand views over the past 5 years... Sigh. She is far more talented than typical idol singers. Because she actually writes and sings her own music.
City Pop is just RnB/funk/disco so if you want music with that sound just listen to 70s-80s R&B music like Earth Wind and Fire, the Bee Gees, the Jacksons, Stevie Wonder, etc., as well as R&B tinged rock groups like Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. That sound was everywhere in the 70s-80s in America.
@@triad5766 Excellent recommendations there but I think what makes CityPop different is also that foreign feel of it. Not only just not knowing what is being said but not knowing the mindset or general mood of the world when the songs were made. Music really can transport you to a time and place that you have never been to and I don't know about you, but I'm more interested in a place wholly different than my own.
@@triad5766 Those of us who grew up with your recommendations and want to hear good songs we haven't already heard a thousand times before have plenty to enjoy with City Pop.
@@Blodhelm Yeah but how many of their albums have you listened to? Everyone knows the Bee Gees’ Stayin Alive, but not many people are familiar with their actual *albums* like Children of the World or Spirits Having Flown, which have material very similar to what became City Pop. Knowing a couple songs by groups doesn’t mean anything lol
For me, Citypop represents a time I long for in my own life. No worries, no stress, just thriving, joy, whimsy, and good times with good people. Lasting summer memories and peaceful spring nights, cityscape adventures with friends and new encounters with people who I didn't even think could exist. A time where hardship is hard to come by, and people are just content all around... The opposite of what we live in now, and music that captures that energy is like a portal to another world.
Look, here me out. City Pop literally saved my life. I'm not joking. When I was in college I had a pretty bad 2015-2017. I started off 2015 strong but I started experiencing early signs of depression in Summer that year. It got so bad by Fall that I failed two classes, and the quarter after, I failed Chemistry. Around 2016 was when I started listening to Future Funk. I had a few great college quarters but by Winter 2017 that depression happened again and I just couldn't... but it was 2017 where I listened to City Pop more as I felt I had become exhausted of good Future Funk songs. See, Future Funk and City Pop had this nostalgic feeling that kept my mood high. After I started going to another college (it was in a city)...you can guess what happened next. The next two years of my life were THE BEST. Gone were the days of me driving and studying in a depressing, unfulfilling environment. The highs I felt driving through Seattle listening to Tatsuro Yamashita or Junko Yagami were the peak of my mid 20s. I got my first job in Redmond after and it was also the same feeling too...the route going to Redmond from South Seattle College, and then Sparkle by Tatsuro Yamashita plays around 7 in the morning as you drive up towards a view of Seattle going up West Seattle Bridge Columbian Way during a dark blue morning...I can't make any of this up! I would also be tired all the in the morning so I often sang City Pop in my car. I'm 29 now. But when I look back at those years, it was truly magical.
Cool story, dude! Though I wasn't being depressed when I first discovered this genre, but I'm super glad that I have found it. Btw have you discovered Omega Tribe yet? If you haven't, please do because they are literally a lost gold mine. Here are some songs that I think you would love to listen to : Never Ending Summer, Summer Transition, Scramble Macross, Super Chance, You Belong To Him, Aquamarine no mama de ite, Stay Girl Stay Pure. Also I hope you will enjoy modern J-pop as well. hasoyi and Mmarukudeibu are the 2 channels that I digged the most. Or I can just share with you some of my favourite J-pop playlist vids too!
City Pop and Future Funk have a way of transporting us to a different time and place, bringing back feelings of nostalgia and joy. It's amazing how music can have such a powerful impact on our emotions and well-being. It's so wonderful to hear that City Pop helped you through a tough time and brought so much happiness and positivity into your life. Music truly is a universal language that can heal and uplift us in ways we never could have imagined. Thank you for sharing your story, and may the music of City Pop continue to bring you joy and comfort for years to come.
Once I found it, I didn't want to hear anything else. Tomoko Aran, Anri, Tatsuro Yamashita, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Piper, Mai Yamane, Yurie Kokubu, Junko Ohashi, Junko Yagami, Taeko Ohnuki, Sugar Babe, Masayoshi Takanaka, Meiko Nakahara, just so much incredible music.
It's more than Gen Z - I'm Gen X, and I am really digging City Pop, as well as retrowave. It's just that happy, mindless flow, I think. At least, for me.
I never watched Kiki's Delivery Service growing up, so a year or 2 ago I checked it out and discovered Yumi Matsutoya (or Arai depending on where you look) - Rouge no Denton The song plays on Kiki's radio as she flies in the beginning looking for a place to settle, such feel good vibes
It's not a Gen Z thing. I was born in the early early 80s and I've heard bits and pieces of this music all my life. From listening to early works of guys like Joe Hisaishi/Hoshi Katsu, hearing some played in Chinatown and sometimes stumbling upon a western 80s song that takes influence from YMO or Yamashita without realizing it. It was always this type of music I knew existed, but never had a genre name to search for. Until about 7 years ago I stumbled upon a random mix on youtube. And the floodgates opened. The reason I like it so much is partially because I grew up in the 80s and 90s and it's similar to the 70s and 80s music I was hearing as a kid. But the bigger reason is, it's just more upbeat and features better compositions than most modern pop music. American pop music for the last 30 years has been downright depressing. And even most Japanese music post 2000 has a grunge/synth pop feel. And while the Japanese stuff is better than the American stuff it's imitating, it doesn't compare at all to the so called City Pop, which used every genre and style under the sun. One song will sound like bubble gum pop, then the next Bossa Nova, then the next is like a classical song, the next like a Euro Disco, then the next is a cover of a Beach Boys album. And all of that's just from one artist. Other artists were experimenting with other styles so you have endless variety. Big shoutout to Takanaka and Kikuchi. Anyway, my experiences and tastes aside, the reason I think it took off is the same reason anime did. A combination of Japan being open to spreading their culture and having the infrastructure to do it. A certain businessman is clearly trying to make KPOP take off in the same way. But one guy can only do so much. Compared to thousands of fans who organically found and shared city pop songs. If some other countries had been more open, the current craze might have had been Italian Disco or various styles of Brazilian music. But a lot of people are listening to music from those genres. They just happen to come from Japanese composers under the label of City Pop/Jazz/Funk.
It isn't just City Pop I would say, but Jazz Fusion as well with artists like Casiopea, Masayoshi Takanaka, and T-Square to name a few. Takanaka definitely at the top of my list for me at the moment, especially his tracks from Brasilian Skies, Seychelles, and The Rainbow Goblins. If anyone likes the music from Gran Turismo, I URGE you to look into Casiopea or T-Square
When I started listening to city pop 5 or 6 years ago I didn't understand Japanese at all, but I loved the music. I've now been studying Japanese for 3 years, and living in Osaka for the last 2 years, and now that I can understand the lyrics, I have to say, City Pop has become even better. The strange thing is a lot of songs that I felt were fun dance songs turned out to be heartbreaking when you can understand what's being said. Understanding Japanese has given me an entirely different perspective on these artists I originally just considered to be pop stars, and has allowed me to look closer into the meanings of their songs. It's truly an incredible feeling to be able to understand the music after hearing it for so long.
I got into Japanese music years ago and it wasn't because it was trendy. The first two artists that really made me fall in love with it were Teresa Teng and Akina Nakamori. Then i branched out from there. Bought a lot from CD Japan and on vinyl. A lot of music not only from Japan but also Hong Kong and Taiwan was amazing throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.
I was born in 87 and I've been into this music since the early 2010s. I love 80s music but at this point I've listened to western 80s music a gazillions times. Japanese city pop feels both nostalgic and fresh.
I believe the reason I’m personally into Japanese city pop is specifically because of my mom, she introduced me to 80’s free style music when I was younger, which has personally encouraged me to look around for older music and different genres.
My wife just bought me Tatsuro Yamashita's For You album on cassette for Christmas. I've loved city pop for a few years now, and I'm glad that incredibly talented artists get to enjoy success and recognition from a new generation.
If you're from the Philippines, City Pop was famous here in the late 80s and 90s as overseas Filipino workers worked as musicians in Japan. Some of our songs were also renditioned from City Pop. That's our reality. We knew City Pop where nobody outside of Japan knows it.
So you lucky! what an interesting note. I'm from Mexico and we had the local pop music in spanish and of course all the american and some international music by the time.
The first song to gain popularity was Plastic love posted to TH-cam by “Plastic Lover” which has since been taken down. But in it’s prime was the most viewed city pop song on TH-cam. It was the extended intro version of plastic love with that classic Mariya Takeuchi photo we all know and love as the cover. For whatever reason, upon its posting, the TH-cam algorithm at the time continually recommended it to people and they liked it, and with new suggestions for them on the right side they clicked more and more songs and were suggested more and more and they kept listening. That sparked a large part of the viewing of city pop. 40+ years later we’re left with what I perceive to be only 2 new self proclaimed professional city pop artists on Earth, that being Ai Furihata and Kona Kateru, hopefully they will be the next spark that lights city pop up once again with a new generation of artists and a new breath of life into the amazing but yet stagnant genre, forever keeping city pop alive for generations to come.
Ironic how breaking copyright laws made many artists popular again and potentially more profitable in the future. Takako Mamiya [間宮貴子] - Love Trip failed in the 80s, and now went on Spotify and has been re-released on CD and vinyl. Something similar happened to spacesynth a few years ago. Whole genre made only by a few guys even in its prime, when pirated on the internet was suddenly remembered, got re-releases and ZYX had Michel Van Der Kuy make another Laserdance album once again.
@@piotrmalewski8178 sure maybe that second genre got popular bc of pirated music, but that’s still another thing. Takako Mamiya didn’t have her work stolen. Riamu here didn’t contribute to the growth of city pop, maybe he made some fakes and those got some views and introduced a few people. That’s gonna happen anyway what can you say? If he didn’t do it then maybe the original would’ve gotten those views instead? Maybe it would’ve been more popular overall and then additional people who don’t know ab city pop now WOULDVE known about the genre from getting recommended the more popular driving my love original. Pirating is one thing, as the consumer it’s illegal and stuff and it has its own repercussions but yet the occasional benefit. Straight up saying “this song here is mine” when it’s not yours then getting views clicks and money off of it is ENTIRELY different. It’s not that X artist didn’t get paid bc their music was pirated, it’s X artist doesn’t get paid bc someone is taking credit for your work and getting away with it. That’s way way worse.
@@connormcateer7125 I wasn't saying about earning money from stolen property, I was saying that without TH-cam piracy this whole genre would have been forgotten and produced lower income for the rightful owners. It's nonsensical to say the owners lost something when their work was forgotten and TH-cam gave them free advertisement and made popular again. Some companies really act like someone who makes something and hides in a drawer so nobody could buy it. Only thanks to pirated copies on TH-cam I've learnt I wanted to watch Urusei Yatsura and City Hunter. Unfortunately, the owner companies will not provide their product on any online platform where I could buy it like you can with West's movies on TH-cam so I have to hunt for copies and have it shipped over Atlantic Ocean. When those happen to be new, that means they owe their profit to piracy that advertised them.
@@thisisobviouslybait it’s not that easy though. One, Japanese musicians aren’t exactly out looking for American “artists” claiming to be the creator of their songs. Part of that is bc in the same way Taylor swift isn’t searching for random names of what COULD be re-names of her songs in Portuguese or Russian theses Japanese people aren’t looking for renamed versions of their songs in a foreign language. The other part is their agencies and laws and corporations don’t have American power, youtube is an American website, it’s use globally yea but the laws aren’t international, sometimes it’s a lot more of a hassle to just get your art claimed worldwide as yours than it is to just leave it even if you know full well it’s stolen by someone else, this goes especially for artists who weren’t/aren’t large enough to have any kind of power or money to take action. Thirdly some are dead. What’re they gonna do? Rise from the grave and say hey that’s mine? I wish! But that’s not gonna happen, and will their family be searching for stolen songs in a foreign language on the whole of the internet? Obviously not. And even if an artist isn’t dead a lot of them are 60-70 years old. They don’t have the energy anymore, they no longer care about all this stuff and drama over their 50 year old songs despite it being rightfully theirs. Some do care and still everyday face people re-uploading their music and have to endlessly try and get it off any platform that steals the money from them, like Tatsuro Yamashita. It’s not just some magic button press and bam yay! Everything is all happy and solved now 😃!
SOUL LADY by Yukika Teramoto is a fantastic modern take on the genre. The song is literally about moving to a new city and finding your way. She moved from Japan to South Korea, so the name is a pun. She has become a Seoul Lady!
It gives you nostalgia for something you werent there for. Its a calm, sunshiney type of music. Not to mention it just sounds great and the vocals and ***BASS PLAYING*** is just incredible
This has been part of the broader nostalgia boom that's mounted for a solid 10 years now. The rise of city pop online was pretty concurrent with pockets of old school music as well as new styles that sampled or directly drew on classic genres, as seen with vaporwave and future funk. I don't think our generation really has any particular innate obsession with older things, but rather we have access. We have unprecedented opportunity to discover and take in art from any time and place in the modern era.
I first listened to Plastic Love back in 2017 before it was briefly taken down, then I visited Japan for the first time in November of 2018, then I listened to it again soon after returning and fell into the J-pop/City pop rabbit hole! I was listening to some Junko Yagami and my 10 year old nephew told me he liked that song and had no idea it was about 40 years old! I visited Japan again back in Spring of 2023, and this time had my 80's J-pop/city pop + synthwave playlist for the train rides, and it was sublime!
Same! You might also enjoy Japanese Jazz Fusion like Cassiopeia or T Square and Masayoshi Takanaka. jazz fusion is like funky rhythms and groovy bass lines but with out lyrics.
If you love groovy bass, here's my recommendation: Flashin Night - Anri Juggler - Kengo Kurozumi If You... - Yoshiki Kadomatsu Kanashimi Heart wa Moete iru - Kanako Wada Simple Love - Junko Ohashi
As someone who is 29 years old, who loved anime since 12 and Japanese culture since mid teens, who really does not listen much to Japanese music, I LOOVEEE 70's/80's/90's JAPANESE SONGS!!! PLEASE BRING THEM BACK!
Two years ago a friend of mine at work introduced me to Japanese city pop music and ever since then it's been a fantastic ride. I've always had a love of movies and music from the the eighties, nineties or earlier. But when it comes to Japan I love Samurai cinema, imperial Japanese military songs, traditional music and city pop.
I discovered City Pop during the dark times of Covid, I already had a certain passion for Japan but that was limited to Kurosawa films and the Tokusatsu series... So I discovered by pure chance on TH-cam the three artists who will be essential for my karaoke and solo evenings: Mariya Takeuchi, Miki Matsubara and ANRI. I already knew synthwave and vaporwave but city pop is authentic and nostalgic even though I'm only 23 and those aren't my years, everyone thought I was crazy at the time in fact in France city pop has done good for millions of young people but I can't find friends who admire this music. Currently I have become a big fan of Tatsuro Yamishita and Toshiki Kadomatsu, I frequently listen to Tomoko Aran and Momoko Kikuchi, I also listen to the group Saint Four rather j-pop I think. City pop allowed me to travel musically to Japan but this Japan of the 80s perhaps no longer exists, I frequently buy CDs and vinyls because certain artists prefer not to be on musical platforms which makes this music secretly unique. It transformed my life and I strive to introduce this music to my friends, when I listen to city pop I hover in the streets of Tokyo on a rainy evening with blue and pink neon lights, it's a permanent dream.
For me, it began when I heard Plastic Love on a youtube poop around 2016. I simply thought "This sounds nice", searched for even more songs similar to it and fell down the rabbit hole. Nowadays Momoko Kikuchi (especially her RaMu phase) is my favourite and no other genre hits the same. As other people have commented, it brings a feeling of nostalgia even if I've never lived during the times such songs were made
I'm Brazilian and my country is where there are most Japanese people outside of Japan, since I was 5 years old I grew up watching anime because of this strong influence that Japan has in the state of SÃO PAULO, here there are many descendants and thanks to anime I was introduced to Japanese songs and this love for this music comes from my youth when I was 12 years old, I'm happy to see young people taking an interest in this style of music
A millennial here, I’ve been listening to City Pop really since 2009 because of anime like Maison Ikkoku and Kimagure Orange Road but I wasn’t aware of the genre at the time but Artists like Anri and Mari Ijima were in my MP3 players roster but I really became a fan, became reborn in the genre in 2013-2014. It’s such a healing genre and makes me long for my teenage days back in the early 00s
City pop has such a resurgence because people are discovering that it's genuinely good shit. To think Mariya Takeuchi and Tatsuro Yamashita both had a huge hit when they wrote "Plastic Love" is amazing. Both versions are loved and appreciated, that's for sure. I think it's awesome that this genre has been brought back from the dead. It has a wonderfully, upbeat nostalgic sound with that air of sadness lingering in the background when it comes to the lyrics. You don't need to understand Japanese to appreciate this style of music, but when you do learn the language and come to figure out what each song means, boy does it hit hard. Great and informative video. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks to youtube I discovered so many citypop songs that aren't available on spotify that I now love and listen to often. When I went to japan 2 months ago, I bought a vinyle of Junko Ohashi (magical) to bring as a souvenir :)
Millennial here. Its like synthwave for me. It reminds me of when i first started watching anime. It reminds me of when i first started watching grey market DVDs from japan. I always wanted more, and at the time, it just wasnt readily available. As a 38 year old adult, i now find many of my favorite types of media to have originated from Japan. I still need to visit soon
Gen X here. I have been stuck in 80s music, for decades. A few years ago, I discovered some obscure 80s Euro Pop and Punk that I never knew existed. Only last week TH-cam algorithm thought I might like 'Japanese City Pop.' I had been listening to 60s and 70s lounge music and instrumental covers of 80s music while I worked. Lyrics often distract me, while working, so instrumental works well for concentration. When I clicked that first "City Pop" link, the first song I heard was "Shyness Boy" by Anri and I was hooked. While there are some English words that I catch here and there, the fluid and musical Japanese lyrics don't get in my head and distract me. Nevertheless, the music is so damn good, it has become the background music of my life, in the car, while doing yard work, while cleaning house, while cooking, while walking the dog. It's that good.
I stumbled upon City Pop around 2017 and ever since I’ve been completely obsessed! So many great artists and songs, so many emotions and moods. All the absolute best!
I'm 32 and YT started offering me this stuff about two years ago through the MF DOOM + Tatsuro Yamashita mashup album (go ahead, look). Someone commented on the first city pop album tried, "this music finds you when you're entering a new era in life." It was a bullseye: I had never seen or heard anything like it, and I was making big changes. I imagine Google picked that up by my searches & usage, and showed me something new. The right thing new. It's like positive vaporwave, but real primary source. Music with actual optimism to it. I love it.
"City Pop", good start...but to really understand the timeless zeitgeist, look at "Enka Pop", a phenomena from mid 1960-early 1980s JUST before City Pop emerged. Enka Pop represents a union between outwardness and inwardness, traditional and Westernness, old and young...that was the time where literally pop songs in Japan were designed to be enjoyed from a 4-5grade schoolkids to grandparents; from a street cleaner, truck drivers to CEOs, ministers/lawmakers...when 3-4 generation of families literally binge-watching NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen pitting their idols...
No lie citypop has lifted me up from my lowest lows for the fact that it can make me envision a future where everything will be okay and i’ll be listening to a citypop track while relaxing in my home while the sun shines on a beautiful world
Im a millennial and I have been listening to city pop since at least 2015. I started bc of vaporwave and wanting to find the source music used to make it. Love both genres as well as future funk. Have a few dozen citypop albums on vinyl to include much of Tatsuro Yamashitas work as well as Toshiki Kadomatsu and others.
Same! Discovered in 2015 and I’ve just got more obsessed since. Bought myself a record player last year and now enjoy listening to Toshiki Kodamatsu, Tatsuro Yamashita, and Masayoshi Takanaka on vinyl. Millennial over here.
Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed the City Pop journey🎶 Sadly, by playing these magnificent tunes, I receive no ad revenue from this video (looking especially at you Yamashita Tatsuro 😡). But hey, the party's still on at my newsletter (www.konichivalue.com/ ) where your support helps me spin tales of Japan's coolest parts and hidden economic gems! ❤
Speaking of pop... Maybe the strict copyright law of Japan is the one that limits their expansion unlike Kpop. Also, hope one day, we talk about Ōdorobodō or the The Great Way of a Thief like why Kakuei Tanaka got prosecuted and the fact that Japan isn't as noble as it is like the stereotypes that honor is everything for every Japanese. Sorry for spamming but can't tag you.
@@reinpinebook825 Hey there! You're hitting some real truths with your comment. Japan's tight copyright laws have indeed been a double-edged sword. On one hand, they've helped protect domestic artists, but on the other, they've limited J-pop's global reach, especially compared to the international juggernaut that K-pop has become. It's important to note that Japan's massive domestic market has been enough for most artists, but as Japan's influence is fading and neighboring countries growing, Japanese record labels are finally easing their restrictions. Now, diving into Kakuei Tanaka and Ōdorobodō, that's a deep rabbit hole! I might make a video on that one day, but I'm scared I won't do it justice... And don't worry about spamming, it's always great to dive into these discussions!
I lived in Tokyo, Japan for 9 years (2007-2016). I love 1990s Jpop and absolutely love Enka! I listen to city-pop at work when I winding down the day. Thank you for the little exploration.
My first introduction to city pop Stay With Me by Miki Matsubara. From there is was just a beautiful aesthetically pleasing rabbit hole. While I was born of the early 90s, I grew up with a fondness for 70s & 80s aesthetics. That never stopped. I never knew Japan's version of that "big city" feel would be so beautiful.
I was first introduced to City Pop when digging through samples of future funk and vaporwave music. I can definitely tell you its shaped my current taste of music!!
80s-90s Indonesian pop songs are also labelled as city pop. The popularity of it has risen significantly and some artists in Indonesia have tried to imitate the music of that era.
Let’s just say these songs will never fizzle out, no matter what generation you are. I would still love these songs no matter how many years have passed :)
Nightcore is what got me into Citypop. Back around 2013-14 along with vocaloids so many of the classics were reborn, though I had never heard it before youtube. Listening to City Pop now makes me nostalgic for 10 years ago. I think the current trend I'm following is 4th wave of Visual Kei and Vtuber cover songs.
I passed this love of retro music to my kids, so I'm doing my part. One is a dancer who collects cds, one is a dancer and singer, and my littlest one loves to listen to music for hours while crafting. I love that the younger gen is getting into this and other various old skool styles. There was a time when music was real and I think that is what people get drawn to. Keep it going!
I will never forget how I got my incredibly colorful, air-brush-technique colored vintage roadbike, took the train to my boyfriend for the first time and we rode around the Bodensee (a lake in between Austria, Switzerland and Germany) in one day. I listened to City Pop while on the train and in my memory, it will always be connected with that amazing time.
Anri - Heaven Beach, was my first city pop album I purchased. I have heard other songs like plastic love and stay with me but this was the first city pop album I listened too. It holds such a special place in my heart
It's just so catchy in sound. I never really listened to city pop but I can say that "stay with me". popped up in my head frequently throughout my life.
Citypop fused and continues in its rebirth to fuse some really iconic musical elements, and has become a very fluid genre as a result. I don't see it as one type of music, so much as a collection of similar genres that all evoke nostalgia. Much as the likes of Steely Dan were a progression from classic jazz, Citypop was able to borrow from new sounds such as synthwave to move the jazz-derived sound forward. My parents happend to listen to jazz-type music when I was a kid, so citypop tickles my brain in a very similar way.
I've been a huge fan of city pop since 2015-2016, and my favorite track I found about a year ago was Yoshino Fujimal's Pacific, off of his album Romantic Guys
I got into City Pop thanks to Future Funk back in 2015, and loved that stuff. I'd gotta say that my favorite piece of music is the entire "JOY" Live Album by Tatsuro Yamashita, the GOAT of GOATs, because it's a compilation album of his best songs, but each of them gets a bit of a live variation and addon that makes them even better.
I am a Nikkeijin (3rd generation) Japanese- American. I grew in the Los Angeles area and graduated high school around the mid-80's. I had many Japanese friends that came over as foreign students. Majority returned to Japan, however to this day, I still keep in touch with them. We would always hang out in Little Tokyo or down in the Westside of town now known as Little Osaka. Times were great then, the music, karaoke bars /clubs, piano lounges, karaoke boxes, and restaurants were so much different in the 80's. Life seemed so much easier and care-free back then. I truly miss those days. These are some of the singers/bands that I remember from those days. Maybe you can recognize some of them. X-Japan, Matsuda Seiko, Kome Kome Club, Southern All Stars, Nagabuchi, Tsuyoshi, Anri, Princess Princess, Wink, Matsubara, Miki, Nakayama Miho, Nakamori Akina, Moritaka Chisato, The Checkers, Anzen Chitai, Complex, Boowy, Shonentai, J-Walk, Buck Tick, The Blue Hearts, Ziggy, Bakufu Slump, BB Queen, Tokunaga, Hideaki, Jun SkyWalkers, Okamura, Takako.
As someone who caught the city pop bug back before/at the start of the pandemic let me tell you its not just gen z I'm solidly millennial and me and my partner at the time are both still hooked to city pop.As for my favorite track .. as far as the new breed and reworks I'd easily say Loretta by Ginger Root. but for the classic era, there's just foo many good tracks. I guess id go with I can't stop the loneliness by Anri. but ask me again tomorrow and I'd probably say Cat's eye (new take) also by Anri or Give me taboo by Yuiko Tsubokura. There's just such a lovely tapestry of different sounds in tis genera.
Beyond nostalgia, and crossing language barriers is something as amazing as Mariya Takeuchi's voice - so pure and emotive, I'm pretty sure she could sing the telephone directory and make it sound good, especially when gifted with the glitter of Tatsuro Yamashita's production magic. This is simply pop magic.
I think City Pop caught on because it gives this nostalgia, for what I call a modernity that was more modern than the actual modernity. It's a sort of lost future in a contemporary world that feels bleak. As someone else said in the comments it was City Pop that caught on, but there were other genres that gives that same sort of lost modernity vibe. In some alternate reality gen-z's are really into High Energy or Italo Disco or Deep House or... You get the idea
No matter what, God blessed me the day that I found out about Akina Nakamori. I am literally obsessed. I am glad TH-cam introduced me to her. I also like Miho Nakayama. Meiko Nakahara and Kaoru Akimoto are who brought me this far into it. I will also forever love Meiko Nakahara as well. Her music never gets old. ❤❤❤
This music just brings memories of good bright life and lifestyle Gen Z and Millenials never had and never will. To be fair Japanese people in the 80s might not have had it either, working 16 hours a day, but at least they lived in beautiful clean country with booming economy, future looked so bright in a way it never will again. Every business seemed to work, computers were magic, future seemed to promise more advanced and dignified civilisation than ever. Now we know that's not the case, wars will go, crisises will repeat and reality we know might well collapse during climate catasthrope and subsequent migration wars. Japan itself is a the very risk of self-destruction from imploding demographics and growing immigration. Not only we won't even have our own homes, we might well experience doom of our world during our lifetime.
I was brought up in a big SEA city known as the fragrant port. It was really prominent during the 80s and 90s for Cantonese artists to do cover or rewrite of hit Japanese or English pop, so the past decade had been a journey rediscovering old Japanese hits I remember in Cantonese. I'm hitting my 40s this year, everybody's adoration for Plastic Love in the last decade has me reminiscent my childhood being surrounded by those covers. I remember first ever hearing Plastic Love in the late 80s playing in the background of a big label Japanese department store while my mum was contemplating new plates. We migrated to Australia soon after so growing up meant I had a stronger yearning for those tunes that had well and truly disappeared from my life pre-consumer internet era. Jumping to 2014, I was well into vaporwave (or mallwave as some would call it,) and was on a scholarship studying in Japan. Future funk was well and truly on its way to establishing itself as a genre while I was also rediscovering songs like (and not limited to) Hacken Lee's Red Sun in Japanese. It has been an extremely fun journey that still continues to this day. Oh and I think my favourite city pop would be Shambara's Solid Dance. Even picked up the album on my recent trip to Japan from my favourite Tower Records store. It's the little things that bring a bit of peace in this chaotic world right now.
As a GenXer who discovered City Pop back in the 1980s and an early adopter of the Internet - before browsers were invented - I can tell you that the genre gets "rediscovered" every 5-7 years as it picks up new fans who get all hyped. Not hating it just sad to see Gen Z taking credit for "bringing it back" when it never really went away. City Pop has always had a place online - from BBS postings back in the days of vinyl to Tumbler 1.0 pages and MySpace pages dedicated to the genre. Welcome to the party but please don't act like you're hosting the fun.
I'm a Xenial and discovered City Pop through Future Funk. While I hadn't any contact with City Pop when I was growing up, the genre influenced a lot of games and animes and that's why (I think) it seems like I already knew the genre and instantly fell in love with it. There are TONS of games influenced by City Pop (Yeah Starman Theme from Mario, I'm looking at you)! My favorite song is from the legend Tatsuo Yamashita - Love Talkin'.
I don't know what a "Xenial" is, but I'm a solid Millennial, and if you have any memories of watching 90s anime and playing Japanese video games, you were already exposed to the "vibe" of Japanese City Pop. I just rediscovered it by 2010 or so, and it wasn't by accident, I actively searched for it, looool
@@robto Xennial is the micro-generation overlap between Gen X and Milennials (from 1975 up to 1985). We played in the streets and struggle to keep a schedule to watch those cartons we liked (since they were available only at certain times) but got the oportunity to play games online too and we saw the internet as we know it today emerge, living a little of both worlds. The analog and digital generation.
I'd say while CityPop by itself captivated me, the beats of Yellow Music Orchestra (YMO) was the one that really, really grind my gears. It was what made me fall in love with Japanese Music in general.
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It ain't just Gen Z that's obsessed with this music. Old X'ers who were alive, but not exposed to it when it came out can enjoy it as well. Japanese pop culture (toys, games, anime) was fairly prominent even back in the 70's when we grew up, so the ground is fertile indeed for new fans of this fantastic musical movement.
Exactly. I was born in 1968, so was a 70s/80s kid. That means I love music from that era and went through a whole phase of nostalgia for music from back then. With City Pop I get to re-live that whole time through a different ‘lens’ (and being a Japanophile obviously helps)
I'm not exactly a Z and I have loved City-Pop since 2011. In 2018 was the definitive boom when I become absolutely devoted to it but only originals. No Future Funk or Vaporwave. Only the real thing.
and millenials too, I am Millenial and I've been into this music since 2014
and with Millennials anime had gotten huge with our Gen. This was a time when kids were trying everything Japanese wherever they went. Creating meetups and groups and shit. Vaporwave and Future funk are just variations of music popular with what we were growing up with.
One of the first anime to really become popular among geek culture in the US was Star Blazers, the English dub of Space Battleship Yamato, in the mid 1970s. You can see so much of what would influence Star Wars as well as the Stark Trek films in the work of Leiji Matsumoto.
Millenial here. Main reason why I'm into citypop is how the Japanese tend to be much more creative with their chord progressions than most mainstream western artists. You can hear the western jazz of the 50s and 60s play a major role in the sound as triads are seldom used as 7ths and extended chords are the norm in citypop.
Additionally, I find the blending of different genres in citypop to be really interesting and unique. It incorporates elements of funk, disco, jazz, and electronic music, creating a sound that is both nostalgic and fresh at the same time.
The retro aesthetic of citypop also appeals to me, as it transports me to a different time and place. The music, the fashion, and the overall vibe of citypop just make me feel good and happy when I listen to it.
Overall, citypop has a certain charm and energy that resonates with me, and I appreciate the artistry and creativity that goes into creating this genre of music. It's always a fun and enjoyable experience to listen to citypop and discover new artists and songs from this era.
@@PoisonelleMisty4311 you sound like an AI lol.
@@AnticlericanailleThey honestly do
I don't think this is true, I think it's just differences in norms making you think Japanese music is more diverse because you're used to western. For example the most popular chord progression in Japanese music of the 21st century is different from the most popular one seen in english pop music, but it's similarly extremely popular within the sphere of Japanese music.
If you swapped how much exposure you had to Japanese and English music I feel like you would be singing the praises of how inventive American and British bands are
I'm just glad I get to experience both musical worlds and plenty more
@@Amaling fair take, contemporaries are contemporaries still.
Japanese City Pop gives you a nostalgic feeling of something you missed a long time ago, in a time you were not born yet. This is the most intriguing sensation I have experienced.
So true. City Pop is like Nostalgia incarnated as music.
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In case if you don't know, it's not a thing that only Japanese city pop has, but other genres from other countries have it as well. There's no magic here (fortunately), us humans just naturally get nostalgic feelings of something that we did in fact used to hear, know, see or experienced through.
If you are curious for non-Japanese city pop nostalgic songs that can also bring you to the time you 'thought' you once lived through, you may wanna try out these songs : "Radio Ga Ga" by Queen, "Take On Me" by a-ha, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds, "Where The Streets Have No Name" by U2, "Sealed In A Kiss" by Jason Donovan, "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springteen, "At Dawn" by Alliance, "Give Life Back To The Music" by DaftPunk.
@user-ph3ji8gp3p hmm... unluckily none of these names seem familiar to me. My bad 😭, I may check them out if you hope so
I was one of the first to publish city pop videos in English with an account that was deleted a while ago (DanaWhite0). Back then people talked more about "japanese funk" than "city pop". And I've been obsessed with it since 2006, which is logical because I was raised with Japanese anime from the 80/90s which had a lot of that kind of music in the background or OP/ED (kimagure orange road, city hunter, yu yu hakusho, DBZ,...). But before you had to search a lot to find those obscure tracks (on forums, peer-to-peer softwares, blogs,...). It's not just nostalgic, it's very groovy and seems at the same time generic and unique. It's also very romantic...
would like to share ur playlist?
i'll be waiting
Thank you for your early contribution to this musical movement. I still find it upsetting how so many who built the foundation got removed later as it grew into a much larger product because of it. I am thankful a new generation has grown to appreciate this media rather than have it lost over time and fade away. Perhaps we will even get new retro creations from this over time. So many positive vibes from this era!
@@jtplatinum Yeah but what got me banned was actually something else I think : I also posted K-1 fights that were and still are unavailable on the internet (I had bought burned DVDs on some obscure auction websites - lost them during one of my moves). It was end of the 2000s early 2010s, and some of these videos started getting a lot of views which in the end got my whole account banned... Fortunately most of the things I had are now available on TH-cam, and this revival as well as Spotify allowed me to find even more music. I am by no means a true collector, as I didn't have the money to get those very expensive vinyls, but I would spend sometimes nights and whole days browsing through the internet and some peer 2 peer programs. One time I even found a forum quite unknown and secret that had a lot of 80s Japanese music shared : I'd browse through it to find city pop gems (back then I didnt even know it was the name of that specific genre of pop). So much of it is gone and I'd have to recover an old hard disk to get those thousands of mp3s...
That's what I said to my friend the other day. I don't know much about the new music genres... So I told him, this funky japanese music has the best bass lines and trumpets... and he's always catching up with new trends.. ande he said to me it is called city pop... but the drums and the bass lines seems pretty funky to me. I really have not serched for the difference yet.
I used to call it Japanese Funk when i was listening to them back then i didnt know it was now called City Pop
not only gen z I am a millenial. I've been into this music since 2014. It is amazing.
I am also millenial from 1985. I started listening around 2009 when i first heard hiromi iwasaki's version of you are everything by the stylistics then was recommended ride on time by tatsuro. That's where I got my YT username lol.
I was gonna say. Sure Gen Z is also into it, but I've been into it for ages just like many of my millenial friends are
yea but most millennials may remember the times when mainstream music was good but by the time we were teenagers in the 2000s it was all bad maybe even worse than today. and we want to recapture that feeling of hear good but new music but we pretty much heard all the popular stuff from America. so we look for 80s music from other countries that we missed out on because the radio only played American and local stuff .
Facts!! same here! 1992 kid got hooked in 2015
@@belstar1128As a zoomer myself, honestly 2000s music wasn’t that bad, even early 2010s was nice. It’s been going downhill since the middle of the decade though
I'm not Gen Z. This is proof good music's age or place of origin doesn't matter.
It does prove that the 80's is uniquely chock full of quality music
My mom was stationed in Okinawa in the mid '80s. I played her some of the CityPop playlists that I'd found online, and while she didn't recognize any specific song, she recognized the style and remembered that it was popular back then. While my mother and I have a great relationship, we don't have all that many common interests, so CityPop was a really unexpected but welcomed way for us to connect.
I can say that Millennials were drawn to CityPop because that style of music was used in or had an influence on classic anime openings (see: "A Cruel Angel's Thesis"), so it's very nostalgic for those of us who grew up watching those shows.
She'll recognize if you mention Yumi Matsutoya, Akina Nakamori, Seiko Matsuda, Onyanko Club, Marlene, Yu Hayami, Meiko Nakahara, Anri and Teresa Teng
ok my mom is into punk and metal and darkwave. so when i said i like 80s music she was happy at first. but she hates the city pop style she thinks its too posh and soft .but i do also like metal punk and dark wave too. but i am not picky with 80s music i am just glad that it has no auto tune
Neon Genesis ❤
My teacher used to live in Okinawa. He was kind of like a father to me. I never heard him listening to city pop, but he would sing what he called "Japanese blues" when he was drinking. Old songs from the 1930s I think.
"Kuro li i, uki o no. Kono oramachi wo"
Mr Myagi teach me the art of City Pop
I'm 57yo right now.
I fell in love with this genre of music since early 80s and still listen to it every day. Thanks to internet, I can find all the songs I once liked and discover other artists I never heard before.
Everything sucks nowadays, but when I hear music like this it takes me to a place filled with hope and optimism. Like things are going in the right direction. Nostalgia for a time I never lived through.
Yep the 1980's was an awesome time in Japan especially economically. Then as you know the property bubble burst and their stock market the Nikkei went down in half in 1990. The lost decade happened. But in the 80's, people enjoyed the fruits of success and the vibrant night life was happening.
Love songs were the mainstay of pop. To these old ears modern lyrics just seem so narcissistic.
Personally, everything sucks or is optimistic depending on the time and place you are in. To contrast, during the time City Pop was being created and Japan was experiencing an optimistic economic boom, my country was the opposite - under a dictatorship that set it back 20 years. But nowadays, everything is far more optimistic where I live compared to the way things were before; and the opposite of the way even Japan is right now - with their recent recessions.
@@loopyzreal Okay, but think about this. In no other time in history except the last 75 years has the world been able to be completely destroyed by nuclear bombs three times over. I get what you're saying and I know it probably helps you cope but there is empirical enshitification happening all around us. It is nice to think about the pretty flowers though.
@@TheReneg4de Ah, so you’re talking about the past 75 years then? It seemed vague with the way you talked about 80s japan. Then in that case, just deal with it and stop complaining. I’m not trying to cope or dream of a world full of beautiful flowers. I am simply dealing with what is given to me (good or bad) and finding optimism and opportunities in improving my own situation; no matter how grim the world looks. If there’s one thing that really gets on my guts, it’s fatalistic people.
As an early gen z (2001) i feel so drawn to city pop music because it makes me feel transported to another realm. a world full of neon lights, retro tecnology, joy, melancholy and true passionate romance. it's such perfect music that makes me escape from my unhappy reality and yet, keeps me yearning for the day i will live the life of my dreams. city pop playlists helped me sleep well during the anxiety-ridden reality of the pandemic.
yes i second this!! i am also early gen z, 2001 too! i swear city pop literally helps my brain make serotonin😂
Im an even earlier gen z, 1999 here, and i love how passionate music was in the 80s and 90s. Its like they put their souls into it and its also so dancy, i love the disco vibes. I usually say i was a boomer or gen X in a past life because i love the 80s so much.
City pop music has a unique ability to create a sense of nostalgia for a time and place that many of us never experienced firsthand. Its blend of catchy melodies, smooth vocals, and funky instrumentals provides a sense of comfort and escapism that is especially welcome during difficult times. As a young person, I find myself constantly seeking out ways to escape the stresses of my everyday life, and city pop music has become a go-to source of solace for me.
Listening to city pop feels like stepping into a dream world filled with bright lights, bustling streets, and endless possibilities. The music evokes a sense of longing for a different era, yet somehow feels timeless and relevant even in today's world. It's a reminder that beauty and joy can be found even in the most challenging of times, and that there is always hope for a brighter future.
In a world that can often feel overwhelming and chaotic, city pop music provides a much-needed escape and a sense of peace. It's a reminder that there is still beauty and wonder to be found in the world, even when everything seems bleak. So as I continue to navigate the ups and downs of early adulthood, I know that city pop music will always be there to provide me with a sense of comfort and inspiration. Thank you, city pop, for guiding me through the ups and downs of life and helping me to find solace in the midst of chaos.
@@jinkstkittensen99Ironically enough, growing up with parents who heard 80s music when it was new, they usually swore that 80s music was soulless and corporate. I wonder if there's a sort of anti-zeitgeist thing, where people who _experienced_ something know all of the dirt and grime of its reality, but 40 years later, you get people picking it up in an idealized form without all the troubles of its era.
late gen z (2009) i feel that
As a Gen Z, I stumbled upon this through searching for obscure Japanese music in early 2017. I was undergoing depression, so anime and Japanese culture was great escapism for me. I value city pop songs for not only nostalgia factor, but how powerful yet chill the sound can be.
Powerful yet chill, that’s a great way to describe it!
The smooth melodies and groovy beats of city pop have a way of transporting you to a different time and place, making it perfect for escaping the stresses of everyday life. It's no wonder that it has gained a following among younger generations like Gen Z who are looking for something unique and soothing to listen to. The fusion of jazz, funk, and pop elements in city pop creates a dreamy and nostalgic atmosphere that is truly captivating. It's great to hear that it has been a source of comfort and joy for you during difficult times. Music truly has a way of healing and connecting us to our emotions. Keep exploring and enjoying the beautiful world of city pop!
All of us are obsessed with great music. No matter how old your age is, good music is good music.
agreed. You can't encase music tastes to a demographic
Exactly, good music is timeless.
Some people have no taste and swallow every corporate and fake rap and pop
My introduction to Japanese City Pop was from _City Hunter_ . The opening and ending songs are masterpieces.
Ah yes, the mokkori man!!
Get wild and tough!
city hunter is so good
for me it was Cat's eyes
@@triplebs3520the new one i suppose? Kaori looks so good in that dress!
As someone who’s been listening to Japanese music in general for years now, I’m glad other people are finally catching on. Not just city pop but Japanese music in general is so fire. The chord progression just hits different.
I'm honestly glad Tatsuro Yamashita was mentioned, his music is legendary and can be hard to find especially in a digital space. Which is why having an album of his is always handy
Yes I didn't realise that's why I couldn't find him on Spotify. I first heard his music (and City pop in general) when I visited Japan in 2018 and this restaurant we went to in Matsumoto was playing his Come Along 2 album. I really liked it, so I shazaamed it and ended up finding the CD in Tower Records later and buying it. So glad I did, because like you said, it's hard to find his music digitally. Plus it's my favourite souvenir from that trip!
Sigh. It's unfortunate that, some artist don't want their music out there. While there isn't much in the way of money or other reasons. They have created something that is lost to a few people.
Not City Pop, but a 2014~present folk-band doesn't have many of their songs available to the world, region locked to Japan. :(
"Good Bye The Day Of Today" by Special Favorite Music Yes, "Special Favorite Music" is the band's name, that song is on YT. 5,700 plays on YT.
@TexasCat99 this is why sometimes I prefer looking up Korean songs than Japanese songs, it's just so much easier. Plus I have not heard A SINGLE youtube channel/video that got terminated for sharing Korean songs so far! W for K-Pop on this one 💪🏻🇰🇷💯
@@blackman5867 there are American and British artists who also do not want their music on the internet. Prince?
Most Japanese songs are on TH-cam. There's only a few that I can't find. There was a cool idol girl soundtrack called "Star cats: full house" from the early '90s. It is still available but it is a much shorter version than the full soundtrack. Which was pulled off early last year. :(
@@blackman5867 The Japanese are more finicky about their copyrights, which is their right. It's a pain that copy strikes happen so easily, even for English content.
Takako shirai, is an obscure artist in comparison to others. She is almost 70, and she still performs. Her music is legally available to listen to on TH-cam. Most of her tracks have only gotten a few thousand views over the past 5 years... Sigh.
She is far more talented than typical idol singers. Because she actually writes and sings her own music.
Japanese City Pop just has a groove that not many other genres have. It’s fun and pleasant to listen to.
City Pop is just RnB/funk/disco so if you want music with that sound just listen to 70s-80s R&B music like Earth Wind and Fire, the Bee Gees, the Jacksons, Stevie Wonder, etc., as well as R&B tinged rock groups like Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. That sound was everywhere in the 70s-80s in America.
@@triad5766 Excellent recommendations there but I think what makes CityPop different is also that foreign feel of it. Not only just not knowing what is being said but not knowing the mindset or general mood of the world when the songs were made. Music really can transport you to a time and place that you have never been to and I don't know about you, but I'm more interested in a place wholly different than my own.
It was made by seasoned jazz and funk musicians. They were highly competent players and songwriters, who crossed over into pop to historic effect. 🎉
@@triad5766 Those of us who grew up with your recommendations and want to hear good songs we haven't already heard a thousand times before have plenty to enjoy with City Pop.
@@Blodhelm Yeah but how many of their albums have you listened to? Everyone knows the Bee Gees’ Stayin Alive, but not many people are familiar with their actual *albums* like Children of the World or Spirits Having Flown, which have material very similar to what became City Pop. Knowing a couple songs by groups doesn’t mean anything lol
For me, Citypop represents a time I long for in my own life. No worries, no stress, just thriving, joy, whimsy, and good times with good people. Lasting summer memories and peaceful spring nights, cityscape adventures with friends and new encounters with people who I didn't even think could exist.
A time where hardship is hard to come by, and people are just content all around... The opposite of what we live in now, and music that captures that energy is like a portal to another world.
Look, here me out. City Pop literally saved my life. I'm not joking. When I was in college I had a pretty bad 2015-2017. I started off 2015 strong but I started experiencing early signs of depression in Summer that year. It got so bad by Fall that I failed two classes, and the quarter after, I failed Chemistry. Around 2016 was when I started listening to Future Funk. I had a few great college quarters but by Winter 2017 that depression happened again and I just couldn't... but it was 2017 where I listened to City Pop more as I felt I had become exhausted of good Future Funk songs.
See, Future Funk and City Pop had this nostalgic feeling that kept my mood high. After I started going to another college (it was in a city)...you can guess what happened next. The next two years of my life were THE BEST. Gone were the days of me driving and studying in a depressing, unfulfilling environment. The highs I felt driving through Seattle listening to Tatsuro Yamashita or Junko Yagami were the peak of my mid 20s.
I got my first job in Redmond after and it was also the same feeling too...the route going to Redmond from South Seattle College, and then Sparkle by Tatsuro Yamashita plays around 7 in the morning as you drive up towards a view of Seattle going up West Seattle Bridge Columbian Way during a dark blue morning...I can't make any of this up! I would also be tired all the in the morning so I often sang City Pop in my car.
I'm 29 now. But when I look back at those years, it was truly magical.
Cool story, dude! Though I wasn't being depressed when I first discovered this genre, but I'm super glad that I have found it. Btw have you discovered Omega Tribe yet? If you haven't, please do because they are literally a lost gold mine. Here are some songs that I think you would love to listen to : Never Ending Summer, Summer Transition, Scramble Macross, Super Chance, You Belong To Him, Aquamarine no mama de ite, Stay Girl Stay Pure.
Also I hope you will enjoy modern J-pop as well. hasoyi and Mmarukudeibu are the 2 channels that I digged the most. Or I can just share with you some of my favourite J-pop playlist vids too!
Nakata/Capsule is a GOD!!!! Perfume and Buono and Morning Museme.
Apparently I also was depressed when I discovered the genre and it’s one of things that cheered me up
City Pop and Future Funk have a way of transporting us to a different time and place, bringing back feelings of nostalgia and joy. It's amazing how music can have such a powerful impact on our emotions and well-being. It's so wonderful to hear that City Pop helped you through a tough time and brought so much happiness and positivity into your life. Music truly is a universal language that can heal and uplift us in ways we never could have imagined. Thank you for sharing your story, and may the music of City Pop continue to bring you joy and comfort for years to come.
did you become trans?
Once I found it, I didn't want to hear anything else. Tomoko Aran, Anri, Tatsuro Yamashita, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Piper, Mai Yamane, Yurie Kokubu, Junko Ohashi, Junko Yagami, Taeko Ohnuki, Sugar Babe, Masayoshi Takanaka, Meiko Nakahara, just so much incredible music.
im going to check some of their songs
Did you know a City Pop band names Yellow Magic Orchestra was the main inspiration for Shigeru Miyamoto's music to Zelda, Super Mario and Kirby?!
Ryuichi Sakamoto fan here. Didn't know that, will have to check YMO out.
Junko Ohadhi is like freakin Aretha with her belting.
Omg i love taeko onuki
It's more than Gen Z - I'm Gen X, and I am really digging City Pop, as well as retrowave. It's just that happy, mindless flow, I think. At least, for me.
I never watched Kiki's Delivery Service growing up, so a year or 2 ago I checked it out and discovered
Yumi Matsutoya (or Arai depending on where you look) - Rouge no Denton
The song plays on Kiki's radio as she flies in the beginning looking for a place to settle, such feel good vibes
It's not a Gen Z thing. I was born in the early early 80s and I've heard bits and pieces of this music all my life. From listening to early works of guys like Joe Hisaishi/Hoshi Katsu, hearing some played in Chinatown and sometimes stumbling upon a western 80s song that takes influence from YMO or Yamashita without realizing it. It was always this type of music I knew existed, but never had a genre name to search for. Until about 7 years ago I stumbled upon a random mix on youtube. And the floodgates opened.
The reason I like it so much is partially because I grew up in the 80s and 90s and it's similar to the 70s and 80s music I was hearing as a kid. But the bigger reason is, it's just more upbeat and features better compositions than most modern pop music. American pop music for the last 30 years has been downright depressing. And even most Japanese music post 2000 has a grunge/synth pop feel. And while the Japanese stuff is better than the American stuff it's imitating, it doesn't compare at all to the so called City Pop, which used every genre and style under the sun. One song will sound like bubble gum pop, then the next Bossa Nova, then the next is like a classical song, the next like a Euro Disco, then the next is a cover of a Beach Boys album. And all of that's just from one artist. Other artists were experimenting with other styles so you have endless variety. Big shoutout to Takanaka and Kikuchi.
Anyway, my experiences and tastes aside, the reason I think it took off is the same reason anime did. A combination of Japan being open to spreading their culture and having the infrastructure to do it. A certain businessman is clearly trying to make KPOP take off in the same way. But one guy can only do so much. Compared to thousands of fans who organically found and shared city pop songs. If some other countries had been more open, the current craze might have had been Italian Disco or various styles of Brazilian music. But a lot of people are listening to music from those genres. They just happen to come from Japanese composers under the label of City Pop/Jazz/Funk.
It isn't just City Pop I would say, but Jazz Fusion as well with artists like Casiopea, Masayoshi Takanaka, and T-Square to name a few. Takanaka definitely at the top of my list for me at the moment, especially his tracks from Brasilian Skies, Seychelles, and The Rainbow Goblins. If anyone likes the music from Gran Turismo, I URGE you to look into Casiopea or T-Square
I love Jazz Fusion. Maybe I'm showing my age, but I don't call it Gran Turismo music, I call it Outrun music 😅
As a millennial I love casiopea and other jazz fusion
Moon Over The Castle is the best track from Gran Turismo, honestly
Citypop definitely gives off a cool nostalgia vibe
IMO it's the *essence* of nostalgia
When you are already born (early 80s) when these music were released but now old enough to enjoy its resurgence.
City pop, vaporwave, retrowave, synthwave, etc. all have that retro flavor but also sound fresh too!
That's it, we dont really want the fresh.
There's an organic quality about the older music i can almost always pick out.
FUTURE FUNK TOO!!! AND NO NOT FUTURE FUNK BY JONATHANGD LOLOL
@@Jocy-y3f Oh yesss Future Funk too!!!
When I started listening to city pop 5 or 6 years ago I didn't understand Japanese at all, but I loved the music. I've now been studying Japanese for 3 years, and living in Osaka for the last 2 years, and now that I can understand the lyrics, I have to say, City Pop has become even better.
The strange thing is a lot of songs that I felt were fun dance songs turned out to be heartbreaking when you can understand what's being said. Understanding Japanese has given me an entirely different perspective on these artists I originally just considered to be pop stars, and has allowed me to look closer into the meanings of their songs. It's truly an incredible feeling to be able to understand the music after hearing it for so long.
I got into Japanese music years ago and it wasn't because it was trendy. The first two artists that really made me fall in love with it were Teresa Teng and Akina Nakamori. Then i branched out from there. Bought a lot from CD Japan and on vinyl. A lot of music not only from Japan but also Hong Kong and Taiwan was amazing throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s.
I was born in 87 and I've been into this music since the early 2010s. I love 80s music but at this point I've listened to western 80s music a gazillions times. Japanese city pop feels both nostalgic and fresh.
I believe the reason I’m personally into Japanese city pop is specifically because of my mom, she introduced me to 80’s free style music when I was younger, which has personally encouraged me to look around for older music and different genres.
My wife just bought me Tatsuro Yamashita's For You album on cassette for Christmas. I've loved city pop for a few years now, and I'm glad that incredibly talented artists get to enjoy success and recognition from a new generation.
If you're from the Philippines, City Pop was famous here in the late 80s and 90s as overseas Filipino workers worked as musicians in Japan. Some of our songs were also renditioned from City Pop. That's our reality. We knew City Pop where nobody outside of Japan knows it.
Yes , I agree there's alot of FM Stations that play Japanese and Tagalized Japanese Songs.
Music today is about sex and drugs.
@@arminjoemarblanche1948 There also songs like that in in the 80s, but it covered with innuendo and double meaning words.
So you lucky! what an interesting note. I'm from Mexico and we had the local pop music in spanish and of course all the american and some international music by the time.
Yeah
The first song to gain popularity was Plastic love posted to TH-cam by “Plastic Lover” which has since been taken down. But in it’s prime was the most viewed city pop song on TH-cam. It was the extended intro version of plastic love with that classic Mariya Takeuchi photo we all know and love as the cover. For whatever reason, upon its posting, the TH-cam algorithm at the time continually recommended it to people and they liked it, and with new suggestions for them on the right side they clicked more and more songs and were suggested more and more and they kept listening. That sparked a large part of the viewing of city pop. 40+ years later we’re left with what I perceive to be only 2 new self proclaimed professional city pop artists on Earth, that being Ai Furihata and Kona Kateru, hopefully they will be the next spark that lights city pop up once again with a new generation of artists and a new breath of life into the amazing but yet stagnant genre, forever keeping city pop alive for generations to come.
Ironic how breaking copyright laws made many artists popular again and potentially more profitable in the future. Takako Mamiya [間宮貴子] - Love Trip failed in the 80s, and now went on Spotify and has been re-released on CD and vinyl.
Something similar happened to spacesynth a few years ago. Whole genre made only by a few guys even in its prime, when pirated on the internet was suddenly remembered, got re-releases and ZYX had Michel Van Der Kuy make another Laserdance album once again.
@@piotrmalewski8178 sure maybe that second genre got popular bc of pirated music, but that’s still another thing. Takako Mamiya didn’t have her work stolen. Riamu here didn’t contribute to the growth of city pop, maybe he made some fakes and those got some views and introduced a few people. That’s gonna happen anyway what can you say? If he didn’t do it then maybe the original would’ve gotten those views instead? Maybe it would’ve been more popular overall and then additional people who don’t know ab city pop now WOULDVE known about the genre from getting recommended the more popular driving my love original. Pirating is one thing, as the consumer it’s illegal and stuff and it has its own repercussions but yet the occasional benefit. Straight up saying “this song here is mine” when it’s not yours then getting views clicks and money off of it is ENTIRELY different. It’s not that X artist didn’t get paid bc their music was pirated, it’s X artist doesn’t get paid bc someone is taking credit for your work and getting away with it. That’s way way worse.
@@connormcateer7125 I wasn't saying about earning money from stolen property, I was saying that without TH-cam piracy this whole genre would have been forgotten and produced lower income for the rightful owners. It's nonsensical to say the owners lost something when their work was forgotten and TH-cam gave them free advertisement and made popular again. Some companies really act like someone who makes something and hides in a drawer so nobody could buy it.
Only thanks to pirated copies on TH-cam I've learnt I wanted to watch Urusei Yatsura and City Hunter. Unfortunately, the owner companies will not provide their product on any online platform where I could buy it like you can with West's movies on TH-cam so I have to hunt for copies and have it shipped over Atlantic Ocean. When those happen to be new, that means they owe their profit to piracy that advertised them.
@@connormcateer7125 Man it sucks that artist can't just file a claim and get the revenue generated by the song.... oh... yea...
@@thisisobviouslybait it’s not that easy though. One, Japanese musicians aren’t exactly out looking for American “artists” claiming to be the creator of their songs. Part of that is bc in the same way Taylor swift isn’t searching for random names of what COULD be re-names of her songs in Portuguese or Russian theses Japanese people aren’t looking for renamed versions of their songs in a foreign language. The other part is their agencies and laws and corporations don’t have American power, youtube is an American website, it’s use globally yea but the laws aren’t international, sometimes it’s a lot more of a hassle to just get your art claimed worldwide as yours than it is to just leave it even if you know full well it’s stolen by someone else, this goes especially for artists who weren’t/aren’t large enough to have any kind of power or money to take action. Thirdly some are dead. What’re they gonna do? Rise from the grave and say hey that’s mine? I wish! But that’s not gonna happen, and will their family be searching for stolen songs in a foreign language on the whole of the internet? Obviously not. And even if an artist isn’t dead a lot of them are 60-70 years old. They don’t have the energy anymore, they no longer care about all this stuff and drama over their 50 year old songs despite it being rightfully theirs. Some do care and still everyday face people re-uploading their music and have to endlessly try and get it off any platform that steals the money from them, like Tatsuro Yamashita. It’s not just some magic button press and bam yay! Everything is all happy and solved now 😃!
SOUL LADY by Yukika Teramoto is a fantastic modern take on the genre. The song is literally about moving to a new city and finding your way. She moved from Japan to South Korea, so the name is a pun. She has become a Seoul Lady!
I love CityPop because I just love how it sounds. Its rythm, melody, Japanese language... Everything is so smooth for me
It gives you nostalgia for something you werent there for. Its a calm, sunshiney type of music.
Not to mention it just sounds great and the vocals and ***BASS PLAYING*** is just incredible
This has been part of the broader nostalgia boom that's mounted for a solid 10 years now. The rise of city pop online was pretty concurrent with pockets of old school music as well as new styles that sampled or directly drew on classic genres, as seen with vaporwave and future funk.
I don't think our generation really has any particular innate obsession with older things, but rather we have access. We have unprecedented opportunity to discover and take in art from any time and place in the modern era.
I first listened to Plastic Love back in 2017 before it was briefly taken down, then I visited Japan for the first time in November of 2018, then I listened to it again soon after returning and fell into the J-pop/City pop rabbit hole! I was listening to some Junko Yagami and my 10 year old nephew told me he liked that song and had no idea it was about 40 years old! I visited Japan again back in Spring of 2023, and this time had my 80's J-pop/city pop + synthwave playlist for the train rides, and it was sublime!
couldn't care less about the lyrics or how good they sing. those funky rhythms and groovy basslines is exactly what i'm here for
Same! You might also enjoy Japanese Jazz Fusion like Cassiopeia or T Square and Masayoshi Takanaka. jazz fusion is like funky rhythms and groovy bass lines but with out lyrics.
If you love groovy bass, here's my recommendation:
Flashin Night - Anri
Juggler - Kengo Kurozumi
If You... - Yoshiki Kadomatsu
Kanashimi Heart wa Moete iru - Kanako Wada
Simple Love - Junko Ohashi
As someone who is 29 years old, who loved anime since 12 and Japanese culture since mid teens, who really does not listen much to Japanese music, I LOOVEEE 70's/80's/90's JAPANESE SONGS!!! PLEASE BRING THEM BACK!
Two years ago a friend of mine at work introduced me to Japanese city pop music and ever since then it's been a fantastic ride. I've always had a love of movies and music from the the eighties, nineties or earlier. But when it comes to Japan I love Samurai cinema, imperial Japanese military songs, traditional music and city pop.
I'm 41 yo, and I've always loved R&B, Funk, Fusion and Disco. City Pop fits perfectly in my music preferences.
I discovered City Pop during the dark times of Covid, I already had a certain passion for Japan but that was limited to Kurosawa films and the Tokusatsu series... So I discovered by pure chance on TH-cam the three artists who will be essential for my karaoke and solo evenings: Mariya Takeuchi, Miki Matsubara and ANRI. I already knew synthwave and vaporwave but city pop is authentic and nostalgic even though I'm only 23 and those aren't my years, everyone thought I was crazy at the time in fact in France city pop has done good for millions of young people but I can't find friends who admire this music. Currently I have become a big fan of Tatsuro Yamishita and Toshiki Kadomatsu, I frequently listen to Tomoko Aran and Momoko Kikuchi, I also listen to the group Saint Four rather j-pop I think. City pop allowed me to travel musically to Japan but this Japan of the 80s perhaps no longer exists, I frequently buy CDs and vinyls because certain artists prefer not to be on musical platforms which makes this music secretly unique. It transformed my life and I strive to introduce this music to my friends, when I listen to city pop I hover in the streets of Tokyo on a rainy evening with blue and pink neon lights, it's a permanent dream.
For me, it began when I heard Plastic Love on a youtube poop around 2016. I simply thought "This sounds nice", searched for even more songs similar to it and fell down the rabbit hole. Nowadays Momoko Kikuchi (especially her RaMu phase) is my favourite and no other genre hits the same. As other people have commented, it brings a feeling of nostalgia even if I've never lived during the times such songs were made
It' s the sense of nostalgia and the longingness to experience the 70s and 80s is making me obsessed with japanese citypop
I'm Brazilian and my country is where there are most Japanese people outside of Japan, since I was 5 years old I grew up watching anime because of this strong influence that Japan has in the state of SÃO PAULO, here there are many descendants and thanks to anime I was introduced to Japanese songs and this love for this music comes from my youth when I was 12 years old, I'm happy to see young people taking an interest in this style of music
I'm so happy to hear that Brazilians still cherish their Japanese roots so much!
A millennial here, I’ve been listening to City Pop really since 2009 because of anime like Maison Ikkoku and Kimagure Orange Road but I wasn’t aware of the genre at the time but Artists like Anri and Mari Ijima were in my MP3 players roster but I really became a fan, became reborn in the genre in 2013-2014. It’s such a healing genre and makes me long for my teenage days back in the early 00s
City pop has such a resurgence because people are discovering that it's genuinely good shit. To think Mariya Takeuchi and Tatsuro Yamashita both had a huge hit when they wrote "Plastic Love" is amazing. Both versions are loved and appreciated, that's for sure. I think it's awesome that this genre has been brought back from the dead. It has a wonderfully, upbeat nostalgic sound with that air of sadness lingering in the background when it comes to the lyrics. You don't need to understand Japanese to appreciate this style of music, but when you do learn the language and come to figure out what each song means, boy does it hit hard. Great and informative video. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks to youtube I discovered so many citypop songs that aren't available on spotify that I now love and listen to often.
When I went to japan 2 months ago, I bought a vinyle of Junko Ohashi (magical) to bring as a souvenir :)
Millennial here. Its like synthwave for me. It reminds me of when i first started watching anime. It reminds me of when i first started watching grey market DVDs from japan. I always wanted more, and at the time, it just wasnt readily available. As a 38 year old adult, i now find many of my favorite types of media to have originated from Japan. I still need to visit soon
Gen X here. I have been stuck in 80s music, for decades. A few years ago, I discovered some obscure 80s Euro Pop and Punk that I never knew existed. Only last week TH-cam algorithm thought I might like 'Japanese City Pop.' I had been listening to 60s and 70s lounge music and instrumental covers of 80s music while I worked. Lyrics often distract me, while working, so instrumental works well for concentration. When I clicked that first "City Pop" link, the first song I heard was "Shyness Boy" by Anri and I was hooked. While there are some English words that I catch here and there, the fluid and musical Japanese lyrics don't get in my head and distract me. Nevertheless, the music is so damn good, it has become the background music of my life, in the car, while doing yard work, while cleaning house, while cooking, while walking the dog. It's that good.
I stumbled upon City Pop around 2017 and ever since I’ve been completely obsessed! So many great artists and songs, so many emotions and moods. All the absolute best!
Simple composition, no unnecessary notes, catchy beats that makes these songs enjoyable to all gen
I'm obsessed with old Japanese music, now I'm listening to tons of 70s Japanese albums, my favourite musician so far is Sadao Watanabe
I'm 32 and YT started offering me this stuff about two years ago through the MF DOOM + Tatsuro Yamashita mashup album (go ahead, look).
Someone commented on the first city pop album tried, "this music finds you when you're entering a new era in life." It was a bullseye: I had never seen or heard anything like it, and I was making big changes. I imagine Google picked that up by my searches & usage, and showed me something new. The right thing new.
It's like positive vaporwave, but real primary source. Music with actual optimism to it. I love it.
What i like about citypop is that, as a guitar player, has very cool chord progressions and sounds dope to play.
"City Pop", good start...but to really understand the timeless zeitgeist, look at "Enka Pop", a phenomena from mid 1960-early 1980s JUST before City Pop emerged. Enka Pop represents a union between outwardness and inwardness, traditional and Westernness, old and young...that was the time where literally pop songs in Japan were designed to be enjoyed from a 4-5grade schoolkids to grandparents; from a street cleaner, truck drivers to CEOs, ministers/lawmakers...when 3-4 generation of families literally binge-watching NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen pitting their idols...
Enka is great too, Japanese music has great artists, back then and now too
No lie citypop has lifted me up from my lowest lows for the fact that it can make me envision a future where everything will be okay and i’ll be listening to a citypop track while relaxing in my home while the sun shines on a beautiful world
Yamashita's spacy just makes me appreciate this absolute legend of a mans vocals.
Im gen z and I'm obsessed with 80s-,90s- music, especially city pop. Its so fresh.
Im a millennial and I have been listening to city pop since at least 2015. I started bc of vaporwave and wanting to find the source music used to make it. Love both genres as well as future funk. Have a few dozen citypop albums on vinyl to include much of Tatsuro Yamashitas work as well as Toshiki Kadomatsu and others.
Same! Discovered in 2015 and I’ve just got more obsessed since. Bought myself a record player last year and now enjoy listening to Toshiki Kodamatsu, Tatsuro Yamashita, and Masayoshi Takanaka on vinyl. Millennial over here.
i just LOVE Dress down by Kaoru Akimoto. Her singing never fails to give my goose bumps even after listening to it 100 times. Truly a masterpiece
I really don't care about how old those songs are; they go hard.
Yep; I like songs of all sorts. Doesn't matter the year if I like it.... And my (the current gen's) music is utter garbage
I moved to Japan 2 months ago, when I drive or get the train, I love listening to citypop, it's such a vibe! love it here
Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed the City Pop journey🎶 Sadly, by playing these magnificent tunes, I receive no ad revenue from this video (looking especially at you Yamashita Tatsuro 😡).
But hey, the party's still on at my newsletter (www.konichivalue.com/ ) where your support helps me spin tales of Japan's coolest parts and hidden economic gems! ❤
Tatsuro is called the big "softy" of pop music but shows no mercy!
Speaking of pop...
Maybe the strict copyright law of Japan is the one that limits their expansion unlike Kpop.
Also, hope one day, we talk about Ōdorobodō or the The Great Way of a Thief like why Kakuei Tanaka got prosecuted and the fact that Japan isn't as noble as it is like the stereotypes that honor is everything for every Japanese.
Sorry for spamming but can't tag you.
@@reinpinebook825
Hey there! You're hitting some real truths with your comment. Japan's tight copyright laws have indeed been a double-edged sword. On one hand, they've helped protect domestic artists, but on the other, they've limited J-pop's global reach, especially compared to the international juggernaut that K-pop has become. It's important to note that Japan's massive domestic market has been enough for most artists, but as Japan's influence is fading and neighboring countries growing, Japanese record labels are finally easing their restrictions.
Now, diving into Kakuei Tanaka and Ōdorobodō, that's a deep rabbit hole! I might make a video on that one day, but I'm scared I won't do it justice...
And don't worry about spamming, it's always great to dive into these discussions!
What's that first song in the introduction?
@@trajectoryunown it's Stay with me. By Miki Matsubara.
I lived in Tokyo, Japan for 9 years (2007-2016). I love 1990s Jpop and absolutely love Enka! I listen to city-pop at work when I winding down the day.
Thank you for the little exploration.
My first introduction to city pop Stay With Me by Miki Matsubara. From there is was just a beautiful aesthetically pleasing rabbit hole. While I was born of the early 90s, I grew up with a fondness for 70s & 80s aesthetics. That never stopped. I never knew Japan's version of that "big city" feel would be so beautiful.
Not just Gen Z. Millennials too. This is such feel good songs
I was first introduced to City Pop when digging through samples of future funk and vaporwave music. I can definitely tell you its shaped my current taste of music!!
I just saw Ado here in Chicago the other night and she randomly covered "Stay With Me" and a ton of people knew the words and everything.
I love I can't stop the loneliess!
I can't stop listening to I can't stop the loneliness!
Same! Fave song by Anri!
I'm 32 and I'VE BEEN riding city pop wave again for 5 years now and I can't get enough !! Everyday I discover a new Gem
80s-90s Indonesian pop songs are also labelled as city pop. The popularity of it has risen significantly and some artists in Indonesia have tried to imitate the music of that era.
its really good very underrated
any recommendations?
@@AznAfroMan513Fariz R.M, Chrisye, Utha Likumahua, Chaseiro, Chandra Darusman, Karimata, Mus Mujiono, etc
I gotta say, 80s and 90s city pop provides that nostalgic endorphine rush the way new-to-me anime did in the 90s. Also: Retrowave and OutRun.
I was into city pop when I was 12 as a Gen z I was considered the weird kid, but I was amazed by how they made these songs 😌👏
Let’s just say these songs will never fizzle out, no matter what generation you are. I would still love these songs no matter how many years have passed :)
Nightcore is what got me into Citypop. Back around 2013-14 along with vocaloids so many of the classics were reborn, though I had never heard it before youtube. Listening to City Pop now makes me nostalgic for 10 years ago. I think the current trend I'm following is 4th wave of Visual Kei and Vtuber cover songs.
I passed this love of retro music to my kids, so I'm doing my part. One is a dancer who collects cds, one is a dancer and singer, and my littlest one loves to listen to music for hours while crafting. I love that the younger gen is getting into this and other various old skool styles. There was a time when music was real and I think that is what people get drawn to. Keep it going!
some of favorite city pop songs are Magic Ways, Shyness Boy, Last Summer whisper, Plastic love, Stay with me, 4:00 AM, Flyday Chinatown
I will never forget how I got my incredibly colorful, air-brush-technique colored vintage roadbike, took the train to my boyfriend for the first time and we rode around the Bodensee (a lake in between Austria, Switzerland and Germany) in one day.
I listened to City Pop while on the train and in my memory, it will always be connected with that amazing time.
Anri - Heaven Beach, was my first city pop album I purchased. I have heard other songs like plastic love and stay with me but this was the first city pop album I listened too. It holds such a special place in my heart
I discovered City pop a couple years ago when it randomly got pushed to me on spotify, loved it ever since. It can lift my mood when nothing else can.
I think "Anklet" by Toshiki Kadomatsu is my favourite song, but "Ocean Side" by Momoko Kikuchi is definitely my favourite album.
It's just so catchy in sound. I never really listened to city pop but I can say that "stay with me". popped up in my head frequently throughout my life.
Citypop fused and continues in its rebirth to fuse some really iconic musical elements, and has become a very fluid genre as a result. I don't see it as one type of music, so much as a collection of similar genres that all evoke nostalgia. Much as the likes of Steely Dan were a progression from classic jazz, Citypop was able to borrow from new sounds such as synthwave to move the jazz-derived sound forward. My parents happend to listen to jazz-type music when I was a kid, so citypop tickles my brain in a very similar way.
been listening to Japanese City Pop since the 1980’s. My aunt who works in Tokyo as an entertainer bring home numerous tapes of Japanese pop music.
I've been a huge fan of city pop since 2015-2016, and my favorite track I found about a year ago was Yoshino Fujimal's Pacific, off of his album Romantic Guys
i though i was weird loving these old songs but thanks for your explanation it all make sense now
I got into City Pop thanks to Future Funk back in 2015, and loved that stuff. I'd gotta say that my favorite piece of music is the entire "JOY" Live Album by Tatsuro Yamashita, the GOAT of GOATs, because it's a compilation album of his best songs, but each of them gets a bit of a live variation and addon that makes them even better.
I am a Nikkeijin (3rd generation) Japanese- American. I grew in the Los Angeles area and graduated high school around the mid-80's. I had many Japanese friends that came over as foreign students. Majority returned to Japan, however to this day, I still keep in touch with them. We would always hang out in Little Tokyo or down in the Westside of town now known as Little Osaka. Times were great then, the music, karaoke bars /clubs, piano lounges, karaoke boxes, and restaurants were so much different in the 80's. Life seemed so much easier and care-free back then. I truly miss those days.
These are some of the singers/bands that I remember from those days. Maybe you can recognize some of them.
X-Japan, Matsuda Seiko, Kome Kome Club, Southern All Stars, Nagabuchi, Tsuyoshi, Anri, Princess Princess, Wink, Matsubara, Miki, Nakayama Miho, Nakamori Akina, Moritaka Chisato, The Checkers, Anzen Chitai, Complex, Boowy, Shonentai, J-Walk, Buck Tick, The Blue Hearts, Ziggy, Bakufu Slump, BB Queen, Tokunaga, Hideaki, Jun SkyWalkers, Okamura, Takako.
As someone who caught the city pop bug back before/at the start of the pandemic let me tell you its not just gen z I'm solidly millennial and me and my partner at the time are both still hooked to city pop.As for my favorite track .. as far as the new breed and reworks I'd easily say Loretta by Ginger Root. but for the classic era, there's just foo many good tracks. I guess id go with I can't stop the loneliness by Anri. but ask me again tomorrow and I'd probably say Cat's eye (new take) also by Anri or Give me taboo by Yuiko Tsubokura. There's just such a lovely tapestry of different sounds in tis genera.
Beyond nostalgia, and crossing language barriers is something as amazing as Mariya Takeuchi's voice - so pure and emotive, I'm pretty sure she could sing the telephone directory and make it sound good, especially when gifted with the glitter of Tatsuro Yamashita's production magic. This is simply pop magic.
I think City Pop caught on because it gives this nostalgia, for what I call a modernity that was more modern than the actual modernity. It's a sort of lost future in a contemporary world that feels bleak. As someone else said in the comments it was City Pop that caught on, but there were other genres that gives that same sort of lost modernity vibe. In some alternate reality gen-z's are really into High Energy or Italo Disco or Deep House or... You get the idea
No matter what, God blessed me the day that I found out about Akina Nakamori. I am literally obsessed. I am glad TH-cam introduced me to her. I also like Miho Nakayama. Meiko Nakahara and Kaoru Akimoto are who brought me this far into it. I will also forever love Meiko Nakahara as well. Her music never gets old. ❤❤❤
This music just brings memories of good bright life and lifestyle Gen Z and Millenials never had and never will.
To be fair Japanese people in the 80s might not have had it either, working 16 hours a day, but at least they lived in beautiful clean country with booming economy, future looked so bright in a way it never will again. Every business seemed to work, computers were magic, future seemed to promise more advanced and dignified civilisation than ever.
Now we know that's not the case, wars will go, crisises will repeat and reality we know might well collapse during climate catasthrope and subsequent migration wars. Japan itself is a the very risk of self-destruction from imploding demographics and growing immigration. Not only we won't even have our own homes, we might well experience doom of our world during our lifetime.
I was brought up in a big SEA city known as the fragrant port. It was really prominent during the 80s and 90s for Cantonese artists to do cover or rewrite of hit Japanese or English pop, so the past decade had been a journey rediscovering old Japanese hits I remember in Cantonese. I'm hitting my 40s this year, everybody's adoration for Plastic Love in the last decade has me reminiscent my childhood being surrounded by those covers.
I remember first ever hearing Plastic Love in the late 80s playing in the background of a big label Japanese department store while my mum was contemplating new plates. We migrated to Australia soon after so growing up meant I had a stronger yearning for those tunes that had well and truly disappeared from my life pre-consumer internet era.
Jumping to 2014, I was well into vaporwave (or mallwave as some would call it,) and was on a scholarship studying in Japan. Future funk was well and truly on its way to establishing itself as a genre while I was also rediscovering songs like (and not limited to) Hacken Lee's Red Sun in Japanese. It has been an extremely fun journey that still continues to this day.
Oh and I think my favourite city pop would be Shambara's Solid Dance. Even picked up the album on my recent trip to Japan from my favourite Tower Records store. It's the little things that bring a bit of peace in this chaotic world right now.
As a GenXer who discovered City Pop back in the 1980s and an early adopter of the Internet - before browsers were invented - I can tell you that the genre gets "rediscovered" every 5-7 years as it picks up new fans who get all hyped. Not hating it just sad to see Gen Z taking credit for "bringing it back" when it never really went away. City Pop has always had a place online - from BBS postings back in the days of vinyl to Tumbler 1.0 pages and MySpace pages dedicated to the genre. Welcome to the party but please don't act like you're hosting the fun.
Gen Y here, got into it once Plastic Love graced my TH-cam feed during Covid back in 2019. It was such a thrill to find and hear in the years since.
I'm a Xenial and discovered City Pop through Future Funk. While I hadn't any contact with City Pop when I was growing up, the genre influenced a lot of games and animes and that's why (I think) it seems like I already knew the genre and instantly fell in love with it. There are TONS of games influenced by City Pop (Yeah Starman Theme from Mario, I'm looking at you)!
My favorite song is from the legend Tatsuo Yamashita - Love Talkin'.
I don't know what a "Xenial" is, but I'm a solid Millennial, and if you have any memories of watching 90s anime and playing Japanese video games, you were already exposed to the "vibe" of Japanese City Pop. I just rediscovered it by 2010 or so, and it wasn't by accident, I actively searched for it, looool
@@robto Xennial is the micro-generation overlap between Gen X and Milennials (from 1975 up to 1985). We played in the streets and struggle to keep a schedule to watch those cartons we liked (since they were available only at certain times) but got the oportunity to play games online too and we saw the internet as we know it today emerge, living a little of both worlds. The analog and digital generation.
That is true for 90s kids as well, specially in europe, good times @@eduardosoares7236
I'd say while CityPop by itself captivated me, the beats of Yellow Music Orchestra (YMO) was the one that really, really grind my gears. It was what made me fall in love with Japanese Music in general.