[Heisei Retro] Hit Japanese songs that defined the 1990s. Recommended J-POP classics.

When you think of the Japanese music scene of the ’90s, what kind of sounds come to mind? It was an era when million-selling hits kept emerging and CD sales marked a golden age for the music industry.

Hit songs poured from TV and radio into the streets, and everyone was humming the same tunes.

From guitar rock to dance music, from the Shibuya-kei movement to the Being-kei style, a wide variety of genres coexisted, each shining with its own unique brilliance in the ’90s.

In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of hit songs that colored that rich musical scene.

For those who lived through the era, they’ll feel nostalgic; for first-time listeners, they’ll sound fresh.

Please take your time and enjoy.