Masterpieces and hit songs of 80s Japanese pop (kayōkyoku)
The ’80s were full of hit songs, weren’t they?
Here are some especially recommended classics and hits from the era’s signature kayōkyoku tunes.
It’s a timeless, legendary playlist that rewrote the history of Japanese music—one we want both those who spent their youth back then and those who didn’t to listen to.
We feature a wide range of artists, from bands and singer-songwriters to idols.
A karaoke contest limited to this decade would be a blast, wouldn’t it?
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- Classic and hit songs by nostalgic Japanese pop idols of the 80s
- Top 1980s Female Singer-Songwriters: Popular Songs Ranking [2026]
- Recommended youth songs for people in their 80s: A collection of nostalgic classics
- A special feature on classic and hit songs by bands that were active in the 1980s
- Nostalgic yet fresh!? Classic masterpieces of Japanese rock from the 1970s and 1980s
- Classic nostalgic summer hits from the ’80s. A roundup of summer songs.
- [1980s J-Pop] Popular winter songs: from chart-toppers to hidden gems!
- Including global hits! 80s songs popular on TikTok
- Thrilling to Cool Showa-Era Tunes! Classic Songs from Female Singers and Artists of the Showa Period
Masterpieces and Hit Songs of 80s Kayōkyoku (11–20)
A Man’s Badge of HonorShima Daisuke
This song was released as a single in 1982.
Daisuke Shima debuted as a junior member of the rock band Yokohama Ginbae.
“Otokono Kunsho” was his second single and became a huge hit.
It’s also frequently used as background music on variety shows.
Incidentally, in 2005 he also released a song called “Otona no Kunsho.”
I’ll wait.amin
It was released in 1981 as Amina’s debut single.
The fact that it was a song by an active female college student duo also drew attention, and it ranked first in Oricon’s annual sales for 1982.
At the end of 1982, they made their first appearance on the 33rd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
Although it was their debut song, it remains a beloved classic to this day.
Lullaby of a Serrated HeartChekkāzu
It’s a single by The Checkers released in 1983.
They were explosively popular at the time, and among boys of the same generation, hairstyles imitating Fumiya Fujii’s hair became a trend.
It’s a classic with a simple rock flavor, featuring an impressive saxophone tone.
Can’t Stop the RomanticC-C-B
Included on the 1985 album “Suteki na Beat.” It was chosen as the theme song for the drama “Maido Osawagase Shimasu.” It’s an uptempo track with a light digital drum beat that pairs well with the high-tone vocals, making it easy to listen to.
Embraced by the wintry windKoizumi Kyoko
It was released in 1986 as Kyoko Koizumi’s 20th single.
Toshihiko Takamizawa of THE ALFEE wrote both the lyrics and the music.
It is the theme song for the film “Don’t Touch My Woman,” starring Kyoko Koizumi.
With this song, she also performed at the 38th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen at the end of 1987, and it is counted as one of her signature songs.
Under the big onionbakufū suranpu
It was included on the 1989 album I.B.W.
“The big onion” refers to the giboshi finial on the roof of the Nippon Budokan.
Sunplaza Nakano’s earnest vocals, singing about an unfulfilled romance with a pen pal, make this a song that truly resonates.
Masterpieces and hit songs of 80s kayōkyoku (21–30)
Full of memoriesH₂O
Released as a single in 1983, it was used as the ending theme for the anime Miyuki.
H2O is a duo from Nagano Prefecture formed in 1976.
With its gently played melody and the duo’s conversational vocals, this classic evokes a sense of nostalgia.