Showa Era Popular Artist Rankings [2026]

A café in a student districtGaro96rank/position

GARO – Gakuseigai no Kissaten (Official Audio)

A classic song that portrays youthful days spent in a beloved coffee shop.

Its gentle melody and delicate lyrics resonate deeply with many listeners.

Released in June 1972, it became a major hit, topping the Oricon Singles Chart for seven consecutive weeks the following year.

Known as one of Garo’s signature songs, it has since been covered by various artists.

Set against the backdrop of Bob Dylan’s music, this piece evokes memories of the casual conversations shared with friends and lovers.

It’s a recommended track for when you want to rekindle nostalgic memories or reflect on time spent with someone special.

Rainy BlueTokunaga Hideaki97rank/position

Hideaki Tokunaga – Rainy Blue ~1997 Track~

This is the major debut single by singer-songwriter Hideaki Tokunaga, who has earned enduring popularity with his distinctive high-tone voice and lyrical singing.

Given how many prominent musicians have covered it, chances are everyone has heard it at least once.

The lingering feelings for an unforgettable, precious person intertwine with the rainy scenery, and Tokunaga’s androgynous, translucent vocals double the sense of poignancy.

Its fragile, beautiful melody soothes a wounded man’s heart, making it a quintessential unrequited-love song.

SHOW MEMorikawa Yukari98rank/position

Yukari Morikawa - SHOW ME

Released in 1987 and a big hit as the theme song for the TV drama “Danjo 7-nin Aki Monogatari,” this is one of Yukari Morikawa’s signature tracks.

It’s a cover of a song by the Western artist The Cover Girls.

With a sound that exudes a glamorous vibe and evokes the end of the Showa era and the bubble economy, it may be a song that even shifted the dynamics of relationships between men and women.

Reading the lyrics, you can sense a dependable strength, as if she’s the one leading the man.

At the same time, there’s a gentleness in lines like “I’ll stay by your side when times are tough,” making it perhaps a revolutionary love song for its time.

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Unstoppable ha~haYazawa Eikichi99rank/position

Eikichi Yazawa - Tomaranai ha~ha

Just hearing the intro guitar riff makes you want to throw your fist in the air—Eikichi Yazawa’s powerful rock anthem! It’s a track from the classic album “Tokyo Night,” released in July 1986.

The song has become familiar as the opening theme for Fuji TV’s “IPPON Grand Prix,” and has also been used in Daiichikosho commercials as well as entrance music for many top athletes, including Ichiro.

The lyrics blast away logic and pretense, urging you to “let the feeling take over and get fired up!” Yazawa’s shouts and the exhilarating, fast-paced sound seem to tell you to unleash your instincts, filling you with energy for tomorrow.

Message of RougeArai Yumi100rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya – Rouge no Dengon (Yumi Matsutoya Concert Tour The Universe Library 2016-2017)

Known as one of Yumi Arai’s signature songs, this track was released in February 1975.

Lauded for its American pop style, it features prominent artists such as Tatsuro Yamashita and Minako Yoshida on backing vocals.

The piece is characterized by deep emotional expression and delicate melodies, and is interpreted as symbolizing love, longing, and a young girl’s coming of age.

It has been used in various commercials and was featured as an insert song in the 2022 film “Suzume.” It’s a perfect pick for those who want to relax and immerse themselves in music on Halloween night.