Ranking of Popular Oldies and Classic Songs [1960s Japanese Music Rankings]
We present the latest top 100 ranking of classic Japanese pop songs, all at once, ordered by the highest number of plays!
We’ve picked out nostalgic hits from the 1960s!
Listening again, you’ll notice many songs are still being revived today.
Be sure to check them out.
The playlist is updated weekly.
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Popular Oldies and Classic Songs Ranking [1960s Japanese Music Ranking] (81–90)
I like you, I like you—I love you.Togawa Jun85rank/position
Jun Togawa’s music is known for its distinctive worldview and expressive power.
This work, which depicts extreme expressions of affection and explosive, intense emotions, may at first seem like a love confession, yet it portrays a form of love with violent and obsessive aspects.
Released in November 1985 as the title track of its album, it was produced and art-directed by Togawa herself.
Its title, inspired by the works of R.
D.
Laing, and its unique vocals are particularly notable.
In recent years, it has become a viral hit among overseas TikTok users, gaining a new fan base.
Highly recommended for those who resonate with fierce emotional expression or who want to explore fresh facets of Showa-era kayō music.
Romantic Flightkome kome CLUB86rank/position
This song captures the spirit of adventure in love and dreams, carried by a light, upbeat rhythm, and expresses the feeling of taking off into the unknown with a free spirit.
Crafted by Kome Kome Club, who blend a funky sound with a positive message, it was released in April 1990 and is known as one of the group’s signature works.
It also drew attention as the tie-in song for JAL’s “Okinawa Travel” campaign and topped the Oricon weekly chart.
With its highly entertaining, stage-ready flair, the track delivers a sense of exhilaration and refreshment, as if you’re soaring through the sky.
Even today, it remains a beloved song across generations.
Midnight PretendersAran Tomoko87rank/position
A song depicting a secret love hidden in the darkness of night is once again in the spotlight.
Released by Tomoko Aran in 1983, this work is notable for its falsetto vocals—slow in tempo yet influenced by disco.
The lyrics, which sing of an earnest desire to have one’s beloved all to oneself, are sure to resonate with many.
Included on Aran’s third album, Floating Space, the track later earned high acclaim as a city pop classic.
In 2022, it garnered worldwide attention when Canadian star The Weeknd sampled it.
It’s a perfect recommendation for anyone nursing a bittersweet love in the stillness of the night.
Fly-day ChinatownYasuha88rank/position
“Furaidi Chinatown” has been going viral on TikTok too, hasn’t it? It’s a track by singer-songwriter Yasuha, included on her 1981 album Yokohama Gensō (Yokohama Fantasy), which features songs themed around Yokohama.
The exotic, foreign-flavored lyrics and the alluring, sultry sound have earned widespread support.
I hope you’ll savor its mysterious atmosphere.
By the way, the “Furaidi” in the title isn’t “Friday,” but a coined word derived from “to fly.”
Lonely Tropical FishWink89rank/position
This song, with its fresh sound incorporating Eurobeat that was popular overseas at the time, was released in 1989 as Wink’s fifth single.
It opens with synthesizer tones, kicks off with a beeping, game-like sound, and features catchy, repeated phrases that really stick with you.
Back then, despite wearing cute outfits, they were the idols who didn’t smile.
Their signature spin into a striking pose and their gently swaying choreography were performed with unwaveringly blank expressions—performances that still feel innovative today.
Be sure to pay attention to Japan’s unique originality in combining idols with Eurobeat.
era; age; time; periodNakajima Miyuki90rank/position
This is the second single by singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima, who continues to captivate listeners with a powerful voice you can’t forget after hearing it once and lyrics that depict both love and madness.
Known as a staple for graduation ceremonies, it has been featured in music textbooks and selected as one of the “100 Best Japanese Songs,” making it a beloved piece across generations.
Its dramatic development and an arrangement that makes you feel there could be no better lyrics for the melody showcase Nakajima’s timeless, original sensibility from the very start of her career.
Catchy yet tinged with melancholy that resonates in the heart, it’s a classic from the Showa era that will surely continue to be sung for years to come.
Popular Oldies and Classic Songs Ranking [1960s Japanese Music Ranking] (91–100)
Surely more than anyone else in the worldNagayama Miho91rank/position
Released in 1992, this duet by Miho Nakayama and WANDS gained attention as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Dareka ga Kanojo o Aishiteru” (“Someone Loves Her”).
Their sweet yet heartrending vocals leave a strong impression, and the love story—beginning with imagery that evokes the end of summer—strikes a chord.
Its message of a fateful reunion and the resolve to keep dreaming with a passion hotter than anyone’s blends perfectly with the drama’s narrative.
The song was also a commercial success, topping the Oricon weekly singles chart and selling over one million copies within just 20 days of its release.
Even now, thanks to frequent use on television and numerous artist covers, it remains widely recognized across generations.
Highly recommended for those who want to resonate with powerful feelings for a loved one and the pure determination to pursue one’s ideals.