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A wonderful youth song

[2026 Edition] Songs Loved by People in Their 60s: Classic Hits from Their Youth

For people now in their 60s, their youth was around the 1970s, right?

The music you listened to in your teens and twenties still resonates in your heart today, wrapped in memories.

In this article, we’ve compiled songs that colored the youth of those in their 60s—classics from the era when many Showa pop and folk masterpieces were born.

We hope it helps you reminisce alongside your memories of those days, and also serves as a guide for choosing karaoke songs to enjoy with your peers.

Of course, it’s also recommended for younger generations interested in Showa-era music!

[2026 Edition] Songs Loved by People in Their 60s: Classic Hits from Their Youth (31–40)

Sinbad on the Shorepinku redii

One of the signature songs by the legendary idol duo Pink Lady, who were hugely popular around 1970, is Nagisa no Sindbad.

Since its release in 1977, it has been reissued many times and has been widely featured as a TV drama theme and in commercials.

If you’re in your 60s, it’s sure to stir nostalgia—this is a song almost everyone knows.

The lyrics tell of a crush on a flirtatious man who hits on all kinds of women.

Many women probably had similar feelings—admiration or a first love like that—when they were young.

When you’re young, you can’t help being drawn to men who are a little dangerous!

17 years oldMinami Saori

Amateur singer-songwriter performance: 17 Years Old by Saori Minami
17 years oldMinami Saori

She made a striking debut with this song and won the Best New Artist Award at the 1971 Japan Record Awards.

Composed by Kyohei Tsutsumi, it was a fresh-sounding track for the time, blending kayōkyoku and pop.

Its style matched her exotic, sun-kissed, and cute image, and her popularity soared in no time.

She later shocked the public by marrying photographer Kishin Shinoyama.

The song is also famous for being covered by Chisato Moritaka in 1989, which led to a major resurgence.

Sūdara-bushiHana Hajime to Kureēji Kyattsu

Hitoshi Ueki “Sūdara-bushi” ANALOG RECORD MUSIC
Sūdara-bushiHana Hajime to Kureēji Kyattsu

This is also a song that represents the Showa era: “Sudara-bushi” by Hajime Hana and the Crazy Cats.

Its lyrics, which truly capture the spirit of the times, and its irresistibly comical melody have surely stayed in many people’s memories.

That carefree vibe and laid-back lifestyle are perhaps quintessentially Showa.

It’s a true classic—no one over sixty is unfamiliar with it.

Drifters’ Zundoko BushiZa Dorifutāzu

Shin Drifters no Zundoko-bushi [The Drifters]
Drifters' Zundoko BushiZa Dorifutāzu

Although they are strongly associated with being a comedy troupe, The Drifters actually focused mainly on band activities until around 1969.

This is their third single, also famous as the theme song for the film “Zundoko Zundoko Zen’in Shūgō!!”.

With impactful festival-style chants and mood chorus-like call-and-response interjections, the arrangement feels of its time, yet its catchiness is outstanding.

Leader Chosuke Ikariya passed away in 2004, and central member Ken Shimura in 2020, but perhaps that is all the more reason this song can help us rediscover The Drifters’ appeal beyond just their comedy sketches.

younger boykyandīzu

Younger Boy – Candies (Full)
younger boykyandīzu

One of the idols who colored the 70s was Candies! Their unit name, “Candies,” was chosen with the idea of “girls so cute you could just eat them up.” Even their breakup announcement at the peak of their popularity has now become a legend.

This song, ‘Younger Boyfriend,’ was the one that sparked their big breakthrough.

It’s a nostalgic tune that tugs at the hearts of people in their 60s—a track that brings back the sweet-and-sour memories of youth.

Be sure to add it to your own memory playlist!