[Classic Showa Kayō Hits] The captivating Showa-era pop songs beloved even by younger generations
Nowadays, thanks to the internet, vinyl records, and other avenues, Showa-era pop songs have become popular with younger generations.
Here are some classic Showa hits that are especially loved by today’s youth!
We’re highlighting timeless songs that have been sung for decades, tracks that saw revival hits, and—city pop included—songs that are gaining fresh momentum by going viral on TikTok.
Many of these tracks are danceable, but part of the charm of Showa pop is how beautifully it lets you relax and sink into the music.
Let’s focus on that unique appeal of Showa-era pop.
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[Masterpieces of Showa-era Kayōkyoku] Captivating Showa songs loved by younger generations (1–10)
Lullaby of a Serrated HeartChekkāzu
A classic Showa-era song that, with a lively rhythm, portrays the jagged, whittled-down hearts of youth.
Released in September 1983 as one of The Checkers’ signature tracks, this piece deftly captures the emotional instability unique to adolescence.
Its lyrics convey the pain and anguish of youth—farewells with friends, feelings being forcibly suppressed, and dreams and hopes being shaved away by reality.
It was also used in the TV drama “Uchi no Ko ni Kagitte…,” earning affection across generations.
With a danceable tempo, it’s perfect for livening up occasions like after-parties.
A recommended song for anyone feeling nostalgic about their teenage years.
Playback Part 2Yamaguchi Momoe
A signature hit by Momoe Yamaguchi—an idol from the Showa era whose image differs a bit from today’s idols.
Following “Akai Shogeki,” it sold over 500,000 copies.
Thanks to a TikTok trend where the performer glares at the camera and then, without changing expression, goes straight into the choreography, many young people today know this song.
When she performed it on NHK, it made news that the lyric mentioning “Porsche” was changed to “car.” A nostalgic track distinguished by its cool, well-placed breaks.
Roppongi HeartbreakAn Ruisu
As a classic of Showa-era kayōkyoku, this song continues to be loved by many to this day.
Set against the nightlife of Roppongi, it portrays a passionate yet heartrending story of a man and woman falling in love.
The phrase “CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU BABE” leaves a strong impression, beautifully expressing both the sweetness and the transience of romance.
Ann Lewis’s powerful vocals further elevate the song’s world.
Although released in October 1984, it did not become a major hit at first; however, its popularity on cable radio and in karaoke lit the spark, and it went on to become a long-running hit.
From May 1985, it was also used as the opening theme for the TV Asahi drama Triangle Blue.
It’s a recommended track when you want to savor the sweetness and bitterness of love or immerse yourself in the mood of the night city.
Masterpieces of Showa-Era Kayōkyoku: Captivating Showa Pop Loved by Younger Generations (11–20)
MUGO… so sexyKudō Shizuka
The song performed by Shizuka Kudo with lyrics by Miyuki Nakajima deftly portrays the feelings of a woman carrying emotions she can’t put into words.
Centered on the desire to connect through eye contact, it symbolically expresses a longing for nonverbal connection and understanding.
Released in August 1988, the track was used as Kanebo’s autumn promotion image song, and its title was taken from the advertising copy.
Although Nakajima struggled with the directive to incorporate the ad copy into the lyrics, she completed the piece through her own interpretation.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to closely, feeling the passionate emotions held within.
Wine Red Heartanzenchitai
A masterpiece that captures the bittersweetness and passion of adult romance led to the band’s breakthrough.
The complex emotions where reason and instinct intersect are brilliantly expressed through lyrics by Yosui Inoue and vocals by Koji Tamaki.
Released in 1983, the song was featured in a Suntory “Akadama Punch” commercial and used as the opening theme for Fuji TV’s National Thursday Theater series “Machigaidarake no Otto Erabi” (Choosing the Wrong Husband).
It’s a track we highly recommend to anyone struggling with adult relationships.
It’s also very popular at karaoke, and many people try to emulate Koji Tamaki’s distinctive singing style.
Friday ChinatownYasuha
When you hear “city pop,” what kind of music do you imagine? Music like Suchmos or Fujii Kaze, or music like Tatsuro Yamashita or Yasuha? Since the late 2010s, songs like “Friday Chinatown” and other Japanese music from the same era have been reappraised, especially in California, and that wave has spread around the world.
In Japan, it sparked a renewed boom via a kind of reimportation, and the official video was uploaded to YouTube in 2022.
When you compare it with today’s city pop, you notice quite a few differences in the finer details.
Dancing Hero (Eat You Up)Oginome Yōko
This song drew renewed attention with Osaka Prefectural Tomioka High School’s “Bubble Dance,” which won second place at the Japan High School Dance Championships.
Videos of the schoolgirls dressed in bodycon fashions from the bubble era delivering razor-sharp moves—and featuring a surprise appearance by Nora Hirano—became hits, and the track even climbed back up the Billboard Japan charts in 2017.
The upbeat dance sound combined with Yoko Oginome’s rich vocals makes for an exhilarating, top-tier pop tune.
