Songs by Showa-era idols that you’ll want to listen to now, in the Reiwa era!
In the Showa era, many hit songs were released by singers known as “idols.” At the time, music genres weren’t categorized as finely as they are today.
From quintessential “Showa kayō” numbers to rock-influenced tracks and techno-tinged sounds, the scene was a bit of a genre melting pot—but that eclecticism is part of what makes Showa pop music so appealing to listen to.
Many artists who are now respected, full-fledged singers also came from this scene.
We hope you’ll enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Showa period through footage and vocals from their youthful, fresh days.
It can also be fun to pay attention to their fashion and hairstyles as seen in the videos!
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Women (1–10)
Blue Coral ReefMatsuda Seiko
Seiko Matsuda has an unmistakable image of a quintessential 1980s—Showa-era idol.
The song I’m introducing today is one of her early signature hits, “Aoi Sangoshō” (“Blue Coral Reef”).
It was used in a Glico ice cream “Yorell” commercial and went on to become a million seller.
This song also marked Seiko’s first appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
It’s a very bright, up-tempo track, and together with Seiko’s radiant vocals, just listening to it conjures up scenes of coral reefs—you can almost feel the refreshing breeze over the blue sea of a midsummer southern island.
After all, I’m an idolKoizumi Kyoko
This is a masterpiece by Kyoko Koizumi that portrays the light and shadow of idols with a mix of irony and humor.
By confronting the very idea of an idol head-on and vividly expressing both its front and back sides without concealment, it overturned the conventional concept of idol songs.
The complex emotions embedded within its bright, catchy melody—self-affirmation and inner conflict, loneliness amid glamour—sparked a major response when it was released in 1985.
The song was used in a commercial for Fujifilm’s Caldia and topped the Oricon chart, selling 420,000 copies.
It’s a track that resonates with the feelings of wavering between the “ideal self” and the “real self,” something people of any age or gender can relate to.
Spring sceneryMinamino Yoko
This gem of a love song by Yoko Minamino portrays the bittersweet feelings of a young woman entering university and her boyfriend who has become a ronin student after failing his entrance exams, set in the spring of graduation.
Initially included on the April 1986 album “Gelato” and later featured as the B-side of “Kanashimi Monument” in July of the same year, the song delicately captures the subtleties of youth against the backdrop of Kobe.
Amid warm sunlight and fluttering cherry blossoms, the couple’s confusion about their changing circumstances resonates with a nostalgic melody.
Celebrated as a classic idol song, it continues to be loved as a piece that stays close to the heart at life’s milestones—love, parting, and setting out on new journeys.
Women (11–20)
Between the Sky and YouNakajima Miyuki
Singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima holds the remarkable record of topping the singles chart across four decades, from the 1970s through the 2000s.
Her 31st single, Between the Sky and You, released as a double A-side with Fight!, became a million-selling hit as the theme song for the TV drama A Homeless Kid, which sparked a major social phenomenon.
The sentimental lyrics, woven through her trademark powerful vocals, instantly bring scenes from the drama to mind as you listen.
It’s an emotional number that’s sure to draw attention at karaoke, especially with people from that generation.
Summer MissSakakibara Ikue
This is Ikue Sakakibara’s 7th single—she’s married to actor Toru Watanabe—released in July 1978.
It became her biggest hit, with total sales reaching 200,000 copies.
Incidentally, it peaked at No.
11 on the Oricon chart.
The bright, up-tempo, cute melody and the arrangement of the backing track are a perfect match for Sakakibara’s very cheerful voice, and just listening to it conjures up images of a sun-drenched summer beach.
Another classic that colored the summers of the Showa era! With so much gloomy news around these days, this might be a song you’ll especially want to hear now.
youKozaka Akiko
Akiko Kosaka’s debut single, released in December 1973.
Notably, both the lyrics and music were written by Kosaka herself.
Despite being her debut, it reached No.
1 on the Oricon charts one month after release and held the top spot for seven consecutive weeks thereafter.
It also won the Grand Prix (Top Prize) at the 4th World Popular Song Festival.
From its release to the present, it has recorded cumulative sales exceeding two million copies.
The song and its performance are simple yet highly polished—and it’s astonishing that Kosaka was just 16 years old when she wrote it.
The contrast and structure between the ballad-like sections and the slightly more rhythmic chorus are superb.
The high notes on the chorus where the title is sung are especially pleasing to the ear—truly a classic!
After all, I’m an idolKoizumi Kyoko
This is the 17th single by Kyoko Koizumi, a.k.a.
Kyon Kyon, released in 1985.
When you think of Kyon Kyon, this is THE song—truly her signature hit.
The “Nantettatte” part of the title was named by Kazuhiro Onishi, who is also well-known as a writer, reportedly selected from 170,000 ideas submitted in a public contest.
The call-and-response near the end is great fun too—a song that lifts your spirits just by listening.
In these somewhat gloomy Reiwa times, I really hope people give it a listen! It’s also perfect for everyone to sing together at karaoke!