[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.
Playlist
| [Classic Showa Kayō Hits] The captivating Showa-era pop songs beloved even by younger generations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1east | Blue Coral ReefMatsuda Seiko | play_arrow | A famous song about a girl’s yearning for love on a tropical beach… |
| 2east | Dress DownAkimoto Kaoru | play_arrow | Kaoru Akimoto, who skillfully expressed the emotions of a glamorous woman... |
| 3east | DESIRE -Passion-Nakamori Akina | play_arrow | A legendary and immensely popular idol of the Showa era, and... |
| 4north_east | Plastic LoveTakeuchi Mariya | play_arrow | Night …, a South Korean DJ and producer, |
| 5south_east | First loveMurashita Kōzō | play_arrow | While having released numerous hit songs into the world, ... |
| 6east | Playback Part 2Yamaguchi Momoe | ![]() | A Showa-era image that’s a bit different from today’s idols… |
| 7east | Lullaby of a Serrated HeartChekkāzu | play_arrow | With a sprightly rhythm, it gently soothes the jaggedly carved hearts of the young… |
| 8north_east | Midnight Door ~ Stay With MeMatsubara Miki | play_arrow | Released in 1979 and by the end of 2020… |
| 9south_east | Love FugueZa Pīnattsu | ![]() | This song, known as a classic of Showa-era kayōkyoku (Japanese pop), … |
| 10east | Tears aren’t just for show.Nakamori Akina | play_arrow | It still radiates an unfading charm as a classic song from the Showa era… |
| 11east | Friday ChinatownYasuha | play_arrow | When you hear city pop, what kind of music do you im... |
| 12east | Roppongi HeartbreakAn Ruisu | play_arrow | As a classic of Showa-era kayōkyoku, even now it continues to be loved by many people... |
| 13east | I like you, I like you—I love you.Togawa Jun | play_arrow | Jun Togawa's songs, with their distinctive worldview and expres... |
| 14east | MUGO… so sexyKudō Shizuka | play_arrow | Shizuka Kudo’s song with lyrics by Miyuki Nakajima... |
| 15east | bullseyeYamamoto Rinda | play_arrow | Just hearing the opening phrase instantly makes you think, “That song…” |
| 16east | Dancing Hero (Eat You Up)Oginome Yōko | play_arrow | Osaka Prefecture, which won second place in the Japan High School Dance Club Championship... |
| 17east | You’re Kiwi, Papaya, and Mango, aren’t you?Nakahara Meiko | play_arrow | Masterpieces of Showa-era kayōkyoku: the origins of their distinctive titles and the background of their production |
| 18east | Wine Red Heartanzenchitai | play_arrow | A masterpiece that expresses the bittersweetness and passion of adult love... |
| 19east | Sinbad on the Shorepinku redii | play_arrow | Set against a summer seaside, the feelings of a woman who has fallen in love… |
| 20east | Purple Town ~ You Oughta Know By NowYagami Junko | play_arrow | With its sophisticated, urban sound, and Junko Yagami… |
| 21east | Do whatever the hell you want.sawada kenji | play_arrow | Julie, aka Kenji Sawada, an idol who represents the Showa era... |
| 22east | younger boykyandīzu | play_arrow | At the height of their popularity, they suddenly announced their breakup, and one of the members... |
| 23east | Listening to OliviaAnri | play_arrow | Because it’s a work from 1978, the category and… |
| 24east | Sweet MemoriesMatsuda Seiko | play_arrow | If you ask about iconic songs that represent the Showa era, Seiko Matsuda... |
| 25east | Let yourself go with the flow of timeTeresa Ten | play_arrow | It sings of the resolve to love one person for a lifetime... |
| 26east | pale blue rainYagami Junko | play_arrow | A 1978 song by Junko Yagami. Yamashita… |
| 27east | applausechiaki naomi | play_arrow | Even if someone important is gone, the path I’ve chosen… |
| 28east | Cotton HandkerchiefŌta Hiromi | play_arrow | The most talked-about co… in the city pop boom |
| 29east | I can’t stop this sadnessAnri | play_arrow | A shite actor who was active from the late Showa period to the early Heisei era… |
| 30east | Surely more than anyone else in the worldNagayama Miho | play_arrow | Miho Nakayama and WANDS’ summer love song, a big hit |
| 31east | ControlKawai Naoko | play_arrow | A sparkling, glittering pop synthesizer sou... |
| 32east | Message of RougeMatsutoya Yumi | play_arrow | A classic song about standing up to infidelity and celebrating women's strength |
| 33east | EnchantedJudi Ongu | play_arrow | I heard the impressive intro and chorus on TV and... |
| 34east | The Day the Seagulls FlewWatanabe Machiko | play_arrow | Released in 1978, this work, Shin Watanabe… |
| 35east | Until we meet againOzaki Kiyohiko | play_arrow | Overwhelming vocal ability and strikingly deep, almost non-Japanese features… |
| 36east | I LOVE YOUOzaki Yutaka | play_arrow | A song with a straightforward and powerful message, and… |
| 37east | If I Could Play the PianoNishida Toshiyuki | play_arrow | As a distinguished veteran actor, he remains actively engaged in his work, and... |
| 38east | foreignerKUBOTA Saki | play_arrow | An intro that exudes an exotic atmosphere… |
| 39east | You’re 1000%1986 omega toraibu | play_arrow | It was popular during the bubble era in Japan, but has since waned... |
| 40east | Sailor Suit and Machine GunYakushimaru Hiroko | play_arrow | The song that became a huge hit as the theme for a coming-of-age film is… |
| 41east | A Man’s Badge of HonorYokohama Ginbae | play_arrow | A masterpiece that portrays the passionate hearts of young people, driven by a rebellious spirit |
| 42east | Kanda Riverkaguya hime | play_arrow | Kousetsu Minami, known as a folk singer... |
| 43east | UFOpinku redii | play_arrow | Many people who lived through the Showa era imitated the dance, … |
| 44east | The Door to SummerMatsuda Seiko | play_arrow | It fails to fully convey the fresh charm of Seiko Matsuda... |
| 45east | ambushIshikawa Hitomi | play_arrow | With her cute looks and outstanding vocal ability, ... |
| 46east | Red Sweet PeaMatsuda Seiko | play_arrow | Seiko Matsuda, one of the most iconic idols of the Showa era, is… |
| 47east | Inspector Pepperpinku redii | play_arrow | Pink Lady, the legendary idol duo from the Showa era... |
| 48east | School HeavenFingā 5 | play_arrow | An electric guitar rings out, and the listeners’ chants a... |
| 49east | Blue Light Yokohamaishida ayumi | play_arrow | The word “mood kayō” fits perfectly… |
| 50east | metropoliskurisutaru kingu | play_arrow | An ode to youth portraying young people chasing their dreams in the big city... |
| 51east | Lingering Snowiruka | play_arrow | She is also active as a picture book author, and in 2010 she was a wom… |
| 52east | A Member of the Fire BrigadeRattsu & Sutā (Suzuki Masayuki) | play_arrow | At the 2022 Fuji Rock Festival... |
| 53east | Fall in LoveKobayashi Akiko | play_arrow | Forbidden love, a heart-stirring classic |
| 54east | contrailMatsutōya Yumi | play_arrow | It was prominently fea… in the Studio Ghibli film The Wind Rises… |
| 55east | Beautiful SpringKayama Yūzō | play_arrow | A classic hit by Yuzo Kayama that depicts a springtime romance. |
| 56east | Graduation PhotoArai Yumi | play_arrow | A song of youthful bittersweetness and memories |
| 57east | 240 Million Eyes -Exotic Japan-Gō Hiromi | play_arrow | While exuding a Showa-era charm, it still holds up in the modern day… |
| 58east | FRIDAY TO SUNDAYKadamatsu Toshiki | play_arrow | One of the leading figures in city pop, Toshiki Kadomatsu… |
| 59east | Ruby RingTerao Akira | play_arrow | This song, which could be called Akira Terao’s signature piece, … |
| 60east | Love Song of LumMatsutani Yūko | play_arrow | Shimmering techno-pop is, once again, being listened to now… |
| 61east | TouchIwasaki Yoshimi | play_arrow | Touch is an anime song that sings about youthful romance. |
| 62east | To my distant loverSaijō Hideki | play_arrow | Hideo Saijo of the city: a classic song about love from his hometown |
| 63east | I’ll wait.amin | play_arrow | The debut of a female duo that portrays a heartrending love. |
| 64east | FANTASYNakahara Meiko | play_arrow | A positive breakup song, 'FANTASY…' |
| 65east | blue eyesJakkī Yoshikawa to Burū Komettsu | play_arrow | A classic masterpiece from the dawn of the Group Sounds era depicting a bittersweet love in the northern country |
| 66east | poppy flowerAgunesu Chan | play_arrow | Fortune-telling about love with poppy flowers, a memorable classic song |
| 67east | Beyond the GoodbyeYamaguchi Momoe | play_arrow | Momoe Yamaguchi’s moving farewell and song of hope |
| 68east | The Flower Girl of TokyoHaruo Oka | play_arrow | A 1946 classic that portrayed hope in postwar Tokyo |
| 69east | High School LullabyImokin Torio | play_arrow | As a song that vividly depicts the youth of the Showa era... |
| 70east | Spring of the AccordionNakano Tadaharu | play_arrow | A signature song by Tadaharu Nakano, a famed singer of the Showa era. Aco... |
| 71east | 4:00A.M.Ohnuki Taeko | play_arrow | Released in September 1978, this work is Taeko Onuki's... |
| 72east | Lips NetworkOkada Yukiko | play_arrow | The charm of Yukiko Okada’s classic song “Red Sweet Pea” |


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