City Pop Appreciation Thread

Greetings GB,

Just thought we could use a City Pop appreciation thread. I've been enjoying this stuff for a few years now and enjoy discovering new-old artists via YouTube. Please share your favorite City Pop jam or whatever you're currently listening to.

City Pop can be generalized as 80's J-Pop with a Big City sound.

My personal favorite J-Pop artists from the 80's are Junko Yagami and Toshiki Kadomatsu.

This is my jam

First reply is a jam I haven't heard and I am so god damn hype about it. Thanks @thepickle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moved to Off Topic and Japanese edited out of thread title. English only, please.

Hey thanks! Realized it should have been OT after it was too late!

I dunno if this counts but I love it a lot.

That Chakra is awesome, almost sounds like Japanese Cocteau Twins.

Probably too surface level, but both Kakashi by Yasuaki Shimizu and Utakata No Hibi by his band Mariah are amazing albums front to back, and got pretty good vinyl reissues recently if that's you're thing. Seaside Lovers and Dip In The Pool round out my "you've probably heard it, but if not go check it out" list. (...and Minako Yoshida who arranged that Toshiki Kadomatsu album you are pulling from in the OP).

Somewhat more off the beaten track (and not really City Pop as such, but similar time period and I associate these together):

Piper

The Carmets

C. Memi - Heavenly Peace

If you want to get in to Japanese No Wave and Art Rock I can probably dig up some deeper cuts.

When I was on a New Retro Wave kick over a year ago I found out about Miki Matsubara and really liked and listened to her stuff a lot. Sounds like it fits with the other stuff people have been posting. Here's a favorite of mine. Started listenting to more of her stuff again around the time Persona 5 came out too. Found out the Miki sadly passed away at a young age so RIP Miki and thanks for your beautiful music!

I also really enjoyed Taeko Ohnuki too. She came up very often as the follow-up after I finished listening to the Miki Matsubara playlist on Youtube.

That album from Taeko Ohnuki really is an amazing listen from start to finish.

I think I like City Pop but I don't really know how to identify it from other, laid back japanese songs... I'm not sure what "Big City" is.

For what it's worth, this is my #1 J-Pop jam right now. Does it count? I guess it's not from the 80's, but it's certainly awesome.

These kinds of jams are perfect for me to listen to while at work. Smooth enough to get the creative juices going yet don't distract my writing.

Hey folks. Say Goodbye to the week and say hello to the weekend. Please enjoy one of my favorite tracks!

Hey @explodingshark , those are some great shares. Digging this jam from Piper. Haven't come across this yet!