[50s] Popular Japanese Music / J-POP Rankings [By Generation]

Two People’s Summer Story – NEVER ENDING SUMMER –Sugiyama Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe29rank/position

FUTARI NO NATSU MONOGATARI -NEVER ENDING SUMMER- (2018 Remix)

A landmark of city pop by Kiyotaka Sugiyama & Omega Tribe, this song paints a sweet yet bittersweet love story set on summer shores.

Against backdrops of sandy beaches and marinas, the fleeting arc of a romance—from first meeting to parting—is rendered beautifully with an urbane, sophisticated sound.

Released in March 1985, it was featured in a JALPAK ’85 TV commercial for Japan Airlines, reached No.

5 on the Oricon charts, and achieved the remarkable feat of ranking No.

2 for the year on The Best Ten.

An eternal classic that pairs perfectly with summer memories, it’s a song to accompany seaside dates and quiet moments spent reflecting on an unforgettable love.

SWEET MEMORIESMatsuda Seiko30rank/position

Seiko Matsuda / SWEET MEMORIES

Seiko Matsuda’s hit number, “SWEET MEMORIES.” Haven’t most people sung it at karaoke at least once? This song has a relaxed tempo, making it easy to follow the pitch.

On the other hand, there’s a slightly high long note near the end of the chorus, so proper key adjustment is necessary.

If you set the key based on this long-note section, you won’t run into vocal range issues in any part of the song, so keep that in mind.

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Ryo

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Lullaby of a Serrated HeartChekkāzu31rank/position

The Checkers “Lullaby of a Zigzag Heart” (LIVE)

The Checkers, with Fumiya Fujii on vocals, were hugely popular as an idol-style band in the 1980s.

I love the intro to this song, and it modulates at the end so the pitch goes up! It’s just too cool.

The same melodic line repeats several times, and the overall range sits comfortably for male voices, so it seems perfect for singing along and having fun.

By the way, did you know the very last phrase after the key change in the final chorus goes even higher? When you sing it at karaoke, focus on that part and nail the pitch—you’ll land it in style! In general, if you keep your energy up while singing, your vocal cords will resonate better and the high notes will come out more easily, so go for it with confidence!

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Kubota Mami

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Can’t Stop the RomanticC-C-B32rank/position

Romantic Ga Tomaranai (Single Mix)

A song released in 1985 that was also used as the theme for the smash-hit drama “Sugao no Mama de.” Its lyrics portray the shift from friends to lovers, paired with a catchy melody.

It became C-C-B’s biggest hit and cemented the band’s status.

The song greatly influenced youth culture of the time and is still beloved by many fans today.

With its pop 80s sound and lyrics that skillfully capture both the sweetness and bitterness of romance, it evokes nostalgia even for men in their 50s.

For karaoke, it’s perfect for singing while reminiscing about your youth.

It’s also an ideal go-to for parties and class reunions, where you can get hyped together with friends of the same generation.

Roppongi HeartbreakAn Ruisu33rank/position

ANN LEWIS W/PINX “Roppongi Shinju” A・A・OH! ’86 LIVE at Nakano Sunplaza

For women in their 50s, when you think of female rock singers, Anne Lewis is probably the first that comes to mind, isn’t she? Among her songs, the one that boasts overwhelming popularity and singability is Roppongi Shinju.

The vocal range of this piece is mid2D to hiA, which is quite narrow for a female song.

Because many of the pitches suit a male vocalist’s range, it’s easy for men to sing, while women will need to adjust the key.

However, there’s plenty of room to shift the key both up and down, so this shouldn’t be a barrier.

Singing it with a rough, gritty edge will heighten the excitement, so give that approach a try.

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Ryo

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the first strong spring windkyandīzu34rank/position

Candies 'Haru Ichiban' (Spring No. 1 / First Sign of Spring)

This song by Candies is a refreshing track that evokes the arrival of spring.

The lyrics depict the warmth carried by the spring breeze and the excitement of new encounters, filling listeners with anticipation.

Released on March 1, 1976, the song became a major hit, selling around 490,000 copies.

It also appeared on the year’s NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, becoming a beloved spring staple for many.

Even today, it remains popular as a song people want to hear in the spring season.

It’s the perfect track for those moments when you want to feel new encounters and fresh beginnings, or when you’re ready for a reset.

I want to protect youMatsutōya Yumi35rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya – I Want to Protect You (from “Love in Japan, with Yuming.”)

Yumi Matsutoya’s 17th single, released in June 1981.

It also became the theme song for the film “The Aimed School” starring Hiroko Yakushimaru.

Although it’s a hit by the grand master Yuming, this song is composed with a relatively even melody, making it quite easy to sing even for people who aren’t confident singers and don’t get many chances to sing.

Women in their 50s have probably heard it at least once.

Yuming herself has a very distinctive singing style, but be careful not to turn it into an impersonation when you sing it.

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Kei Takahata

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