Nostalgic Japanese hit songs from the 1970s: the golden age of idols and kayōkyoku (Japanese pop songs)
What songs come to mind when you think of Japanese hit songs from the 1970s?
Those who lived through that era in real time probably recall a wide range of hits.
With the spread of color television, people began to enjoy music from a visual perspective as well.
The 1970s are often called the golden age of kayōkyoku and idols.
Even generations who weren’t yet born will find many familiar, approachable songs that make you think, “Hey, I’ve heard this before!”
Please enjoy these captivating hit songs from the 1970s!
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Nostalgic Japanese Hit Songs of the 1970s: The Golden Age of Idols and Kayōkyoku (21–30)
Thank you for everything.Inoue Jun
A 1971 hit song.
Following “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” it was another hit for Jun Inoue after The Spiders disbanded and he went solo.
With lyrics by Rofu Yamagami and music by Kyohei Tsutsumi, the song—enhanced by Inoue’s warm personality—fills you with a cozy, friendly feeling just by listening.
A café in a student districtGaro
The No.
3 single on the 1973 year-end chart was claimed by the folk group Garo.
This song, their signature hit that catapulted them to fame, is an excellent track with a uniquely melancholic atmosphere.
It sold 760,000 copies and remains enduringly popular even today.
younger boykyandīzu
Released in 1975, it’s a pop love song, just as the title says, about a “younger boy.” Thanks to this song, Candies made their first appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen and also entered the Oricon Top 10 for the first time.
The choreography is cute.
17 years oldMinami Saori
This is the striking debut single by Saori Minami, who burst onto the scene from Okinawa in 1971 like a comet.
The title “17-sai” (“Seventeen”), sung by her at the age of 16, is incredibly memorable, isn’t it? The scene of being alone by the seaside with someone you love, heart fluttering with a slightly grown-up kind of romance, is something many of us may have experienced.
The sweet-and-sour, slightly bittersweet feelings carried by the stylish, Western-influenced sound blend perfectly with Saori Minami’s clear, luminous voice, and even today it makes your heart tighten without you realizing it.
applausechiaki naomi
In the 1973 annual singles ranking, Naomi Chiaki ranked fourth.
The song, which has the feel of a mature woman’s blues, became one of her signature pieces.
It sold 620,000 copies, making it the top-selling single by a female singer.
applausechiaki naomi
Released in 1972, this is one of the classic nostalgic hits.
It is one of Chiaki’s signature songs and won the Grand Prize at the Japan Record Awards.
The song portrays a woman who has lost her lover, depicting her resolve to stand on stage and sing even as she nearly loses hope.
The song is based on Chiaki’s real experience of losing someone she dearly loved.
Because of its content, it came to be called a “private novel” kayō (confessional pop) song.
Run, Kotaro!Sorutī Shugā
1970.
It’s a comic song by Salty Sugar.
There are hit comic songs by folk groups like “Kaettekita Yopparai” and “Akatonbo no Uta,” but in terms of sound, this song in a C&W style is, I think, the most appealing.