From Japan! Technopop masterpieces and recommended popular tracks
Even if you have a vague image of the music genre “techno-pop,” only those quite knowledgeable about music likely know its actual origins and definition.
In fact, it’s a coined term that was created in Japan to introduce the legendary German electronic group Kraftwerk, and from the late 1970s to the early 1980s it also became a musical trend—centered around YMO—as a genre in its own right.
In this article, we’ve gathered classic tracks born during the heyday of techno-pop, which can be considered a Japan-originated movement.
The lineup also includes great contemporaneous tracks from overseas synth-pop and electro-pop, so please take a look!
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From Japan! Technopop Masterpieces: Recommended Popular Songs (11–20)
CarsGary Numan
With a beat as impersonal as a machine, looping synth phrases, and vocals that calmly deliver simple lyrics… Gary Numan from the UK made his solo debut in 1979, the year the waves of post-punk and new wave came crashing in, and with his distinctive individuality he quickly rose to become a top star.
His solo debut single “Cars,” released the same year, became a synth-pop/techno-pop classic, hitting No.
1 on the UK charts and reaching No.
3 in the US.
The song embodies the very public image of techno-pop, with the traits mentioned above, and at the time it was received with great shock.
Listening again now in the 2020s, it carries a retro vibe, yet its unique coolness and cynicism feel quintessentially British and undeniably stylish.
The key is that it’s pop even without much inflection.
If you want to savor this side of Gary’s musicality, I highly recommend checking out his early works!
Sticky MusicSandii & The Sunsetz
SANDII & THE SUNSETZ is a synth-pop band from 1980s Japan that enjoys strong popularity overseas.
Fronted by Sandii—a singer of American and Japanese heritage also known for her solo work—the band grew out of Makoto Kubota and the Sunset Gang, active since the 1970s.
Their cutting-edge musicality at the time, paired with Sandii’s supple, expressive vocals, boasted truly world-class quality.
Sticky Music, released in 1984, is a single composed and arranged by Haruomi Hosono; it became a hit in Australia and is more widely known abroad than in Japan.
Built on a new wave–style sound anchored by a funky bass line, the refined elegance of Sandii’s voice and the urban, sophisticated melodies still feel completely fresh today.
It might sit slightly outside the strict technopop context, but keep in mind that music like this was being made in the ’80s—and enjoy it.
Sweet DreamsEurythmics
A techno-pop/synth-pop smash hit and a bona fide classic that later artists love to cover! It’s “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” released in 1983 by Eurythmics, one of the quintessential British music duos of the 1980s.
The song topped the charts not only in the UK but also in the US, becoming the track that propelled their name to worldwide recognition, including in Japan.
What’s fascinating about this song is how Annie Lennox’s expansive, soulful vocals stand out amid a sound built around stark, mechanical drums and distinctly era-defining synthesizer tones.
In techno-pop and synth-pop, it’s common to lean on catchy synth phrases with relatively subdued vocals, but in this case, Annie’s voice is the song’s greatest appeal—something anyone can grasp as soon as they listen.
PATEPurasutikksu
Plastics were one of the bands known as the “Techno Big Three” in Japan’s 1980s music scene.
Despite an active period of only about five years, they became a legendary group that had a huge influence on later artists.
Aside from the late Masahide Sakuma—one of Japan’s leading music producers and musicians who joined later—the band was made up of unconventional members from outside the music world, such as illustrator Toshio Nakanishi and graphic designer Hajime Tachibana.
Because most of them were amateurs as performers, they incorporated a rhythm box, which naturally led them to create a technopop sound.
Among their many songs that were also popular overseas, let’s highlight Pate, a fan favorite that never appeared on an album.
It was the B-side to the 1980 single good, and features a striking vocal by the sole female member, Chica Sato, who repeatedly chants “piko piko.” It’s a technopop classic you should hear at least once!
Jenny is in a bad moodJūshii Furūtsu
A killer tune that’s almost always included on ’80s hit compilations, and an ’80s classic beloved as a masterpiece of technopop and techno kayō.
It’s “Jenny wa Gokigen Naname,” the 1981 debut single by Juicy Fruits, a band that evolved from Haruo Chikada & BEEF, formed by Japan’s renowned producer-composer Haruo Chikada.
Sung in falsetto by Atsuko Okuno, who also handles lead guitar and vocals throughout, the track blends techno elements—like its beeping, toy-like synth tones—with guitar rock in a way that was strikingly fresh at the time.
The result is an irresistibly catchy, poppy song that later artists continue to cover regularly.
If anything, the guitar-rock flavor is stronger overall, and Okuno’s powerful guitar solo is nothing short of awesome.
Cosmic TreatPerfume
This is one of the tracks included on the album “Nebula Romance: Part I.” The song was selected as the ending theme for the TV anime BEYBLADE X.
It’s an electropop piece that expresses the grand theme of space with dazzling synths and a buoyant beat.
The lyrics depict a weightless world, brimming with a sense of floating that lures listeners into the extraordinary.
It’s the perfect number for when you want to indulge in daydreams.
From Japan! Technopop Masterpieces: Recommended Popular Tracks (21–30)
MoonPerfume
A dance tune that blends into the city nightscape, cool yet suffused with a bittersweet emotion.
Written as the theme song for the drama “Barakamon,” it was released as a single in September 2023.
Over a sprightly beat, the faintly wistful timbre of the synths rings out—classic Perfume at their best.
Gazing at the moon alone, lost in thought—it’s the perfect companion for a sentimental night.