Best City Pop Classics: Recommended Popular Songs [Timeless & Modern]
City pop has been gaining momentum, especially overseas, after Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” exploded in views on YouTube.
Originally, it referred to songs from the late 1970s to the 1980s that emphasized a sophisticated, urban vibe, but over time its definition and interpretation have gradually expanded.
Since the 2000s, it’s also been discussed in terms of its stylish, moody image, and perceptions vary from person to person.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of tracks—from classic, beloved city pop that laid the foundations of modern pop music to songs that capture a fresh, contemporary feel.
- Classic and hit Japanese pop songs from the nostalgic 80s
- [BGM] Attractive City Pop
- City pop perfect for creating a romantic date atmosphere (Adults Only)
- A collection of nostalgic hit songs and classics from the 70s
- Classic and hit J-pop songs from the nostalgic ’90s
- [Revisited] A roundup of popular and classic Showa-era songs that are trending now [2026]
- [Japanese Music] Masterpieces of 2000s Pop: A roundup of hit songs from 00s J-POP
- From City Pop to Ballads!! Mariya Takeuchi’s Easy-to-Sing Songs
- From Japan! Technopop masterpieces and recommended popular tracks
- Popular Showa-era pop. Timeless hit songs.
- Memorable Youth Songs: Looking Back on New Music Masterpieces from the 1970s–80s
- A Classic of Korean City Pop [KOREAN CITY POP]
- Nothing but iconic hits that defined an era! 2000s classics popular on TikTok
Best City Pop Classics: Recommended Popular Songs [Classics & Modern] (41–50)
Sorrowful Diamond RingInagaki Junichi
Opening the 1984 album “Personally,” this track captivates with a sophisticated sound that evokes a city skyline at night.
In Masao Urino’s lyrics, a wedding ring—ordinarily a symbol of blessing—gradually transforms into a painful memory that conjures misalignment and loneliness.
Tetsuji Hayashi’s melody and arrangement masterfully build from the shaded nuances of the verse to the sense of release in the chorus, while the performances by virtuosos like Jun Aoyama and Chiharu Mikuzuki paint a distinctly urban scene.
The album reached No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly chart and the song was performed at the 1984 Budokan concert, securing its place as one of Junichi Inagaki’s signature repertoire pieces.
It’s grown-up city pop, perfect for a night drive or an autumn dusk.
Best City Pop Classics: Recommended Popular Songs [Timeless & Modern] (51–60)
Goodbye DayKisugi Takao
Takao Kisugi, famous as a composer, made his solo debut in the 1970s.
Just before “The Remaining Dream” (Yume no Tochū), the theme song of Sailor Suit and Machine Gun that he provided to Hiroko Yakushimaru, became a hit, he released Goodbye Day in May 1981.
Chosen as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama Love Hotline, it wasn’t an explosive hit, but its quality gradually caught on and it became a long-running success.
In the Canary IslandsOhtaki Eiichi
It was a single released by Eiichi Ohtaki in 1981, paired with the smash hit “Kimi wa Tennenshoku.” In terms of name recognition, “Kimi wa Tennenshoku” is probably better known, but this one gives off a stronger vacation vibe.
The track was included on the album aptly titled “A LONG VACATION.” The feeling of spending a holiday in the tropics radiates throughout the entire song.
And then I’m at a lossŌsawa Yoshiyuki
Works by Yoshiyuki Osawa that still don’t feel dated even today.
Along with the sound, the lyrics are superb, piercing straight into the heart.
There’s a single moment where the otherwise steady-flowing melody shifts, as if echoing the movement of one’s emotions.
That’s where all the poignancy seems to be concentrated.
Released in 1984.
There are numerous cover versions by other artists.
Spirit Of LoveSing Like Talking
SING LIKE TALKING is a three-member band led by vocalist Chikuzen Sato that made its major debut in 1988.
As they continued to take on new challenges by incorporating diverse music from around the world, such as jazz and soul, they grew to the point where their albums reached No.
1 on the Oricon charts in the 1990s.
They had few hit singles; their best-selling single is “Spirit Of Love,” released in 1995, which sold around 80,000 copies.
Wednesday MoonTokunaga Hideaki
HIDEAKI Tokunaga, now also known as a cover singer, released his 11th single “Wednesday Moon” in April 1991.
It was used in a Kanebo men’s cologne commercial, in which he himself appeared.
It became his first single to reach No.
1 on the Oricon charts, with total sales of 226,000 copies.
Circus NightNanao Tabito
Singer-songwriter TAVITO NANAO’s masterpiece “Circus Night.” That slow, unhurried beat and laid-back groove—it’s a song where the drama just never stops.
It has an urban vibe that’s similar to city pop, and this track might well fit into that genre too.
This kind of mellow, beautiful ensemble is the best good music for chilling out with your shoulders relaxed.
It’s one of those moments, unique to the melody of Japanese lyrics, that makes me feel glad to be Japanese.
