Top 1980s Female Singer-Songwriters: Popular Songs Ranking [2026]
We’ll introduce a ranking of popular songs by female singer-songwriters from the 1980s, including classic and hit tracks.
These songs were hits during Japan’s economic peak, the era known as the bubble.
Many are still frequently used as TV background music, so chances are you’ve heard most of them.
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Top 80s Female Singer-Songwriters: Popular Songs Ranking [2026] (71–80)
The last spring breakMatsutōya Yumi78rank/position
A beautiful ballad by Yumi Matsutoya that gently embraces the transience of the season when spring arrives and the milestone of graduation.
With tender emotion, it portrays the feelings of saying goodbye to student life while carrying a faint crush and lingering attachment, set against quiet scenes of the school.
Included on the album “OLIVE” and released in July 1979, this piece features Matsutoya’s delicate vocals and soft piano melody that resonate deeply.
It gently depicts moments that evoke nostalgic memories—such as classrooms bathed in spring sunlight and the sound of footsteps along long corridors—and is a song that, when listened to with older adults, can spark lively reminiscences of each person’s youthful days.
Snow reportMatsutōya Yumi79rank/position
When it comes to timeless songs that delicately depict winter scenes of the ’80s, many people are likely to think of this one.
Included on Yumi Matsutoya’s 25th album, “SURF & SNOW,” this track was released in December 1980.
It’s a ballad that gently portrays the melancholy of heartbreak and the hope of reunion, themed around a chance meeting at a ski resort, expressing memories carried by the snow and the changing seasons.
The soft piano and string accompaniment are striking, and the gentle, medium-tempo melody resonates deeply.
It remains beloved by many as a mature love song perfect for quiet winter nights alone.
If I’m wrapped in kindnessMatsutoya Yumi80rank/position
It’s a song many people know as the ending theme of Studio Ghibli’s film Kiki’s Delivery Service.
Released in April 1974 as the third single by Yumi Matsutoya, who was still using the name Yumi Arai at the time.
Its universal theme—that if we don’t forget the pure feelings we had as children, everything we see turns into a precious message—gently warms the hearts of listeners.
The version included on the album MISSLIM features a country-style arrangement, and its friendly, catchy melody is especially appealing.
If you pair it with gentle reels or stories—like posts that capture everyday scenes or memories with someone special—I think it will make the visuals even more moving.
1980s Women Singer-Songwriters: Popular Songs Ranking [2026] (81–90)
Message of RougeMatsutoya Yumi81rank/position
A Showa-era hit song is drawing attention again on Instagram.
The track is distinguished by a moving melody themed around love and farewell.
Released in February 1975, it stayed on the Oricon charts for 16 weeks.
In 2022, it was featured as an insert song in Makoto Shinkai’s film “Suzume,” winning the hearts of a new generation.
This work captivates with Yumi Matsutoya’s delicate vocals and deeply emotional lyrics.
It’s a song that resonates with anyone feeling the bittersweetness of love or the pain of parting, and it’s perfect for creating a nostalgic atmosphere.
They are lovers.Moritaka Chisato82rank/position
She entered the entertainment industry after winning the Grand Prix at the 1st Pocari Sweat Image Girl Contest.
Her seventh single, “17-sai,” drew attention as a remake of Saori Minami’s song.
She also wrote lyrics herself, and her distinctive words were well received.
Her cosplay-style outfits also became famous.
Her husband is the actor Yosuke Eguchi.
“Futari wa Koibito” is her top-selling single.
Lonely ChristmasMariko Nagai83rank/position
“Lonely Christmas” is a Christmas song by Mariko Nagai, who hails from Gotemba City in Shizuoka Prefecture.
The song is included on an omnibus album released under the title “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU,” featuring four artists: Akiko Kobayashi, Mariko Nagai, Remi, and Midori Karashima.
Today, at last, I will change my heartMariko Nagai84rank/position
This is a hidden gem performed by Mariko Nagai, included in the omnibus release “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU” from November 1989.
With lyrics penned by Nagai herself, the song delicately portrays a bittersweet crush on a man she always sees on the same train.
The lyrics convey the frustration of being unable to confess her feelings despite truly liking him, along with the protagonist’s resolve to make a fresh start and finally express her heart on Christmas Day—evoking a universally relatable flutter of first love.
The brilliant strings and horn section, composed by Katsuki Maeda and arranged by Takayuki Negishi, perfectly capture the exhilaration of the season.
Blending warmth with poignancy, this song is a Christmas recommendation for anyone who wants to cherish the feeling of being in love.