Lovely hit song

[1980s J-Pop] Popular winter songs: from chart-toppers to hidden gems!

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Thanks to eternally beloved hits and the renewed appreciation for city pop, many masterpiece songs from Japanese music of the 1980s continue to be loved by people of all ages even now, well into the 2020s.

With the resort boom and the popularity of leisure activities, a stream of glamorous winter hits was also released.

In this article, we present winter hit songs from 1980s Japanese music!

We’ll cover everything from massive hits everyone knows to hidden gems that weren’t singles but have become beloved winter staples.

If you spent your youth in the ’80s, these will feel nostalgic; if you’re not from that generation, they’ll feel fresh—so be sure to check them out.

[1980s Japanese Music] Popular Winter Songs: From Hit Tracks to Hidden Gems! (71–80)

Dreams shatteredNagabuchi Tsuyoshi

Nagabuchi Film of History: Broken Dreams

Dreams shatteredNagabuchi Tsuyoshi

A track included on the self-cover album “NEVER CHANGE,” released in 1988.

It’s a song that conveys the feeling of hitting rock bottom—failing in your dreams and losing someone important.

When things aren’t going well, nothing seems to go right no matter what you do.

You end up feeling isolated, thinking it’s only you.

But realizing that even Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi went through slumps like that and climbed back up time and again might ease that loneliness a little, reminding us that we’re all in this together.

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YOUR CHRISTMAST-SQUARE

YOUR CHRISTMAS – T-SQUARE

YOUR CHRISTMAST-SQUARE

This is a track included on T-SQUARE’s 14th album, WAVE.

Although “YOUR CHRISTMAS” is an instrumental, it’s a Christmas-themed piece—T-SQUARE’s take on a Christmas song.

It’s quite rare for an instrumental song to be this widely known as a Christmas tune, isn’t it?

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OH!!POPSTARChekkāzu

The Checkers ~ OH!! POP STAR ~.mp4

OH!!POPSTARChekkāzu

This is a winter song by The Checkers, released as a single in 1986.

It sings of a poetic scene where the city lights blur as they reflect on the water surface in the snow.

Notably, in this track, saxophonist Naoyuki Fujii had a broken arm and didn’t play sax; he participated on rhythm guitar instead.

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White LoverMatsuda Seiko

Seiko Matsuda / Shiroi Koibito

White LoverMatsuda Seiko

Seiko Matsuda’s “White Lover” depicts an adorable, heart-fluttering winter crush.

It’s a popular winter song included on her 1980 album North Wind.

Although the romance doesn’t progress as hoped, it doesn’t end in pure sadness; instead, its cute side shines through—so quintessentially Seiko Matsuda! Even if he just won’t turn around, her feelings can’t be stopped, and she doesn’t want to let it end like this.

You can feel that strong resolve, too.

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Time of the AngelsOkamura Takako

Takako Okamura - Time of the Angels

Time of the AngelsOkamura Takako

This is Takako Okamoto’s 12th single, released in 1989.

She debuted with “Matsuwa” at Popcon as part of the duo Amin.

After Amin disbanded, she has been active as a singer-songwriter.

“Tenshi-tachi no Toki” is a Christmas song.

It’s an impressive love song with rhythmic, dramatic melodies and lyrics that express the desire to cherish the time spent with your smiling self.

The refrain is very effective, making it a highly polished track.

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