Hit J-Pop songs from 2002. Recommended classics and popular tracks.
Dragon Ash, Chitose Hajime, Ketsumeishi, Hikaru Utada, Porno Graffitti, MISIA, Kishidan…
From among the many classic songs that lit up the J-POP charts in 2002, our studio staff have selected their recommended hits.
It’s a moving playlist that still hasn’t lost its luster.
Women Artists (1–10)
travelingUtada Hikaru
This song was used in an NTT Docomo “FOMA” commercial.
It was apparently created with the concept of being an uplifting, energizing track, and its playful spirit shines through in the uniquely styled music video that uses CG and animation, as well as lyrics that quote The Tale of the Heike.
It won Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year at the 16th Japan Gold Disc Awards.
Peach-Colored CrushMatsuura Aya
An idol everyone recognizes.
One of Ayaya’s signature songs, Momoiro Kataomoi, was used as the commercial jingle for Tisera Mune-Kyun Peach, in which Ayaya herself appeared, and it’s the song that sparked her big break.
It’s a super pop track overflowing with cuteness!
ValentiBoA
BoA’s 7th single, which ranked No.
2 on the Oricon weekly and monthly charts and No.
65 on the year-end chart.
The title is often explained as Portuguese, but it’s actually Italian.
Among BoA’s songs, it recorded her best sales, and for many people, this is the song that comes to mind when they think of BoA.
She later performed this song on the Kōhaku Uta Gassen, and the second album of the same title also achieved a million-seller status.
Cherry on the beakEGO-WRAPPIN’
This is a song that was used as the theme for the drama “Private Detective Mike Hama.” While it fits the drama’s hard-boiled atmosphere very well, when placed alongside other music from that period, this track—strongly colored by EGO-WRAPPIN’s jazz and Showa-era pop—feels distinctive and somewhat utilitarian.
The Perfect VisionMINMI
This was the debut single of MINMI, who was active as a reggae singer.
It caught on after being put on heavy rotation on the radio.
The melody is striking for its complex, distinctive phrasing with a strong emphasis on the backbeat.
It’s a very difficult song to sing at karaoke, and back then, people who were confident in their singing all rushed to take on the challenge.
STARSNakajima Mika
This was Mika Nakashima’s debut release, which entered the Oricon chart at No.
3 and ranked No.
34 for the year.
Remarkably, it became her best-selling song.
It was tied in as the theme song for the Fuji TV/Kansai TV drama “A Love Song Bruised All Over,” in which she also appeared, marking her simultaneous debut as an actress.
Feel Fine !Kuraki Mai
Mai Kuraki’s 12th single, which debuted at No.
2 and ranked No.
16 for the year.
Even more noteworthy is that with this No.
2 debut, she achieved the remarkable feat of setting the all-time record for the most No.
2 debuts by a Japanese artist.
It’s an upbeat guitar-pop track that’s a joy to listen to.