What is City Pop?

City pop (シティ・ポップ) is a genre of Japanese pop music that emerged in the late 1970s and reached its peak during the 1980s. Although there isn’t a strict musical definition, city pop generally refers to songs with a “big-city feel”. It became popular in Japan during the country’s nascent economic boom and leisure class. Here are some key points about city pop:

Origins and Influences:

• Initially considered an offshoot of Japan’s Western-influenced “new music”, city pop incorporated a wide range of styles.
• Artists drew inspiration from American funk, soft rock, boogie, jazz fusion, and R&B.
• Tropical flourishes, disco elements, and Latin influences also found their way into city pop compositions.

Photo by Pema Lama on Unsplash

Notable Artists:

• Tatsuro Yamashita: Often called the “king” of city pop, Yamashita was a pioneer and highly successful artist in this genre.
• Other major city pop artists include Ohtaki Eiichi, Ohnuki Taeko, Yoshida Minako, Matsutoya Yumi, and Takeuchi Mariya.

Urban Lifestyle and Technology:

• City pop was associated with urbanites and reflected the lifestyle of city dwellers.
• New technologies like the Walkman, cars with built-in cassette decks, and FM stereos contributed to its popularity.
• Various electronic musical instruments were also part of the city pop sound.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

International Resurgence:

• After losing mainstream appeal in Japan, city pop experienced a revival in the early 2010s.
• Music-sharing blogs and Japanese reissues helped it gain an international online following.
• City pop became a touchstone for sample-based microgenres like vaporwave and future funk.

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