What Is City Pop?

City pop (Japanese: シティ・ポップ, Hepburn: shiti poppu) is a loosely defined form of Japanese pop music. It originally emerged as an offshoot of Japan’s Western-influenced “new music.” However, it quickly evolved to include a wide range of styles associated with the country’s nascent economic boom and leisure class. Here are some key points about city pop:

Stylistic Origins:

• City pop draws influences from various genres, including:
• Funk
• Disco
• R&B
• AOR (Adult-Oriented Rock)
• Soft rock
• Boogie

Artists embraced new technologies like the Walkman, cars with built-in cassette decks, and FM stereos. Tropical flourishes, jazz fusion, Okinawan, Latin, and Caribbean elements also found their way into city pop tracks.

Pioneering Artists:

• Singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita is often called the “king” of city pop. His smooth vocals and catchy melodies epitomize the genre.
• Other notable artists include Mariya Takeuchi, Anri, and Toshiki Kadomatsu.

Urban Vibe:

• City pop projected an “urban” feel, targeting urbanites.
• Unlike some predecessors, city pop artists leaned heavily on American influences, drawing from funk, soft rock, and boogie.

Decline and Resurgence:

• City pop lost mainstream appeal after the 1980s.
• However, in the early 2010s, it gained an international online following and became a touchstone for sample-based microgenres like vaporwave and future funk1.

Iconic City Pop Songs

Here are 12 iconic city pop tracks from the ’70s and ’80s that you can play on repeat:

1. Tatsuro Yamashita — “Ride on Time”
2. Mariya Takeuchi — “Plastic Love”
3. Toshiki Kadomatsu — “If You…”
4. Anri — “Remember Summer Days”
5. Taeko Ohnuki — “4:00 AM”
6. Piper — “Summer Breeze”
7. Makoto Matsushita — “First Light”
8. Junko Ohashi — “Telephone Number”
9. Yumi Matsutoya — “Haru yo, Koi”
10. Toshinobu Kubota — “La La La Love Song”
11. Miki Matsubara — “Mayonaka no Door / Stay with Me”
12. Minako Yoshida — “Town”

Feel free to explore these tracks and immerse yourself in the nostalgic sounds of city pop! 🌆🎵

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I blend City Pop elements with modern music influences, creating what I call Neo City Pop! Take a listen and let me know what you think! :)