[Nostalgic Hits] Smash Hits with the Showa Generation! Classic and Popular Songs Sung by Female Vocalists
Saying “Those were the good old days” might make you feel a bit old—but honestly, there are times when remembering the past really does make you happy, right?
The TV shows you watched when you were young, the streets you walked, and the music you listened to…
In this article, I’ve put together a list of nostalgic Showa-era hit songs sung by female artists.
Feel free to reminisce about the past, find fresh motivation—and of course, use it as a reference for your next karaoke selection!
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[Nostalgic Songs] Hits with the Showa Generation! Classic and Popular Songs Sung by Female Singers (21–30)
Second LoveNakamori Akina
It was Akina Nakamori’s third single, released on November 10, 1982.
I experienced her debut era in real time, and when I heard her voice back then, I thought, “What a low, rich voice.” But listening to the track again now for the first time in a while to write this piece, I was surprised by how girlish her voice sounds.
Still, while there’s a certain innocence in her tone, her singing is solid, and the way she fully conveys this gentle, heartfelt ballad really makes you think: singers from the Showa era truly were something special!
Blue Coral ReefMatsuda Seiko
Seiko Matsuda’s second single, released on July 1, 1980.
She had debuted that April with “Hadashi no Kisetsu,” but with this song’s huge success, she quickly became one of the top idols of the 1980s.
It also sparked major trends of the time, like the “burikko” cutesy persona and the “Seiko-chan cut” hairstyle.
I remember it being a go-to song for girls to sing at fun class events in elementary school back then.
Just listening to it conjures up images of blue seas on a southern island—an exhilarating, up-tempo Showa-era classic!
FriendsREBECCA
The classic song “Friends” is so iconic that it’s almost always featured in specials on Showa-era pop.
It’s Rebecca’s signature track, a band that helped lead the late-’80s scene.
Some of you might also remember it as the ending theme of the drama “Half Potato na Oretachi.” The wistful intro leaves a strong impression, and NOKKO’s distinctive, sultry vocals pull you right in.
The lyrics evoke both delicate feelings of love and a sense of nostalgia.
It was wonderful in real time, of course, and it may resonate even more emotionally as time goes by.
Return To MyselfHamada Mari
This song, which was featured in a cosmetics commercial and became a hot topic, is by singer-songwriter Mari Hamada, known for her clear, soaring vocals that seem to fly endlessly.
It was released in April 1989 as her ninth single.
Many people have surely been encouraged by this anthem that boldly sings about loving in your own way and living true to yourself.
If you’re feeling “a bit worn out lately” or “a little lonely,” listening to it might just blow all those feelings away.
Like the flow of a riverMisora Hibari
Hibari Misora’s recording sessions were usually wrapped up with a single take unless something extraordinary happened.
Of course, that speaks to her talent.
Then Yasushi Akimoto, who wrote the lyrics to this song, tossed a stone into the pond by saying, “If you sing it one more time, Ms.
Misora, you could make it an even better piece.” The room must have frozen over.
But Misora smiled and said, “You’re interesting,” and stepped up to the microphone again.
What resulted was ‘Like the Flow of the River.’ Listening with that in mind, you can almost see Misora’s smile come back to life.
Life is a long river…
I imagine quite a few people have been sustained by this song.
Don’t take off my sailor uniformo nyanko kurabu
This was the debut and signature song of the idol group Onyanko Club, who sprang out of the TV show “Yuyake Nyan Nyan.” It was said that students even disappeared from the school grounds after classes—everyone hurried home because they wanted to watch “Yuyake Nyan Nyan.” I still remember the lively performances by Terumi Yoshida and Makoto Otake, and how the young Tunnels were going wild in front of the TV cameras.
I wonder if the slightly risqué, ahead-of-its-time lyrics were part of lyricist Yasushi Akimoto’s strategy.
It’s a truly nostalgic track.
My RevolutionWatanabe Misato
This was Misato Watanabe’s fourth single, released on January 22, 1986.
It became her first No.
1 on the weekly Oricon chart and was a major hit, selling 445,000 copies.
The composer was Tetsuya Komuro.
With its repeated key changes that keep pushing the pitch higher and arrangements that make full use of shimmering synthesizer sounds, you can catch glimpses of the “Komuro sound” in its formative stage, before he became truly famous.
Watanabe’s vocals are also very powerful, showcasing the high caliber of singers of that era.
Released during the run-up to Japan’s unprecedented bubble economy—a time when the country was brimming with energy—this song will surely bring back that bright atmosphere for those who experienced it in real time.
Let it help you forget today’s gloom, if only for a moment!