80s commercial songs. A roundup of Japanese songs from the 80s that have been used in commercials.
In this article, we’ll be introducing, all at once, the songs that were used in commercials aired in the 1980s, as well as 80s tracks that have been featured in commercials over the years!
Speaking of 80s music, a wide variety of artists—bands, female idols, singer-songwriters—burst onto the scene, and all of them gained tremendous popularity.
Countless songs were used in commercials, and many timeless classics that are still loved today were born during this era.
We’ve picked a wide range, from staple tunes you still hear often to hidden gems you might not have heard in a while, so please take this opportunity to listen closely and enjoy.
- 80s Western pop hits featured in commercials. A roundup of nostalgic CM songs.
- Catchy Showa-era commercial jingles. Introducing famous songs recently featured in commercials, too!
- [Nostalgic Commercials] A compilation of commercials that aired in the Showa era
- Heartwarming nostalgic commercial jingles: a special collection of timeless hits that take you back.
- Classic and hit Japanese pop songs from the nostalgic 80s
- Western songs from the 90s featured in commercials. A roundup of CM songs.
- A must-see for people in their 30s and 40s! A roundup of nostalgic 1990s commercial jingles
- [Touches the heart] Bittersweet commercial songs: those famous tracks that make you tear up
- Commercial songs from the 70s. Nostalgic TV commercial jingles.
- [I want to hear it again!] Songs from Suntory commercials. Popular commercial jingles
- Classic nostalgic summer hits from the ’80s. A roundup of summer songs.
- [Nostalgic Classics] Hit Japanese Love Songs from the 1980s
- Legendary Western rock masterpieces and hit songs of the 80s
80s commercial songs. A compilation of Japanese pop songs from the 80s used in commercials (21–30)
With a fiery heartKobayashi Akira
Akira Kobayashi was a major star of Japanese cinema in the 1950s and is renowned as an actor, but he’s also famous as a singer.
Amazingly, “Atsuki Kokoro ni” was his 124th single, released in 1985.
The lyrics were written by Yū Aku, and the music was newly composed by Eiichi Ohtaki.
The song was used in a coffee commercial—part of the “Person of ~” series like “Person of Flowers.” Though the ads had no dialogue and were simple, they matched the warmth of the song, and the commercial, like the track itself, remains a classic.
The song has a grand sense of scale, and Kobayashi’s commanding presence hasn’t faded even today—highly recommended as a masterpiece.
A Lovely Cinderella ComplexGō Hiromi
Hiromi Go’s “Suteki ni Cinderella Complex,” which was featured in a Toyota Corolla commercial, is his 47th single, released in 1983.
Hiromi Go has many famous songs, but I think this one is a hidden gem among them.
So for those who remember that era, hearing it will probably make them go, “Ah, that song!” In the commercial, he even appeared playing rugby with the song in the background.
The melody is catchy and pleasant to listen to, and it really sticks with you.
It’s easy to see why it’s been loved by the public and listened to for so long.
SWEET MEMORIESMatsuda Seiko
A song by the legendary idol Seiko Matsuda, who enjoyed immense popularity in the 1980s and continues to thrive at the forefront of the J-pop scene as a singer-songwriter.
Originally included as the B-side to her 14th single “Garasu no Ringo” (“Glass Apple”), the track was re-released as a double A-side single due to its strong fan support and its use in a Suntory CAN Beer commercial.
Many listeners likely discovered a new side of Seiko Matsuda through the song’s mature, jazz-inflected atmosphere.
With an arrangement that overturned the conventional image of idol songs and aligned perfectly with the direction of the commercial, it stands as a classic that left its mark on the history of idol music.
And then I’m at a lossŌsawa Yoshiyuki
Many different songs have been used in commercials for Nissin Cup Noodles, a staple of cup ramen, and one of them is Yoshiyuki Osawa’s single “Soshite Boku wa Tohō ni Kureru,” released in September 1984.
Its highest position on the Oricon chart was No.
6.
You’re Kiwi, Papaya, and Mango.Nakahara Meiko
It was released in 1984 as Meiko Nakahara’s sixth single.
Chosen as the theme song for Kanebo’s summer cosmetics campaign, it became Nakahara’s biggest hit.
The song was created with the image of women sparkling in a variety of colors under the sun’s rays, resulting in a cute tune.
Remember MeTUBE
TUBE’s “Remember Me” is a song that was used in a Ginza Jewelry Maki commercial.
It was released in December 1988 and reached No.
12 on the Oricon chart.
This video shows a performance from a live concert held in 2005.
Stop the night once moreSakiya Kenjirō
“Lighthouse” was a wristwatch model released by Citizen in the late 1980s, and the song chosen for its commercial was Kenjirō Sakiya’s “Mou Ichido Yoru o Tomete” (Stop the Night Once More).
It was later also used as an insert song in the TV drama “Tokyo Love Story.”