Description: Ryuichi Sakamoto (January 17, 1952 – March 28, 2023) was a pioneering Japanese musician, composer, and actor who co-founded the influential synth-pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). He studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music before becoming a global icon in electronic and film music
Description: Akira Terao (born May 18, 1947) is a celebrated Japanese musician, singer, and actor who uniquely holds both the Japan Record Award and the Japan Academy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Born in Yokohama to actor Jūkichi Uno, Terao began his career as the bassist for the group sounds band The Savage in 1966 before transitioning to acting with his film debut in The Sands of Kurobe (1968)
Description: Omega Tribe (オメガトライブ, Omega Toraibu) was a Japanese music project led by producer Koichi Fujita from 1983 to 1995. With the help of composers Tetsuji Hayashi, Tsunehiro Izumi, and Hiroshi Shinkawa, the project had three different bands with three different lead vocalists: Kiyotaka Sugiyama (1983–1985), Carlos Toshiki (1986–1991), and Masahito Arai (1993–1994). Under Fujita's directions, recordings were performed by studio musicians and production handled by the project's production team.[1] The project has been described as helping form the city pop sound, especially with the project's usage of summer and sea themes
Description: Makoto Matsushita (松下誠, born November 16, 1955, in Kakegawa, Shizuoka, Japan) is a renowned Japanese multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and vocalist, widely regarded as a discreet pillar of the City Pop genre. He studied guitar, theory, and arrangement at the Nem Conservatory before launching a professional career at age 19, quickly becoming a sought-after session musician and arranger in the Japanese pop industry
Description: Toshiki Kadomatsu (角松 敏生, Kadomatsu Toshiki; born 12 August 1960) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, musician, and producer[2][3] best known as one of the pioneers of the city pop genre. He has released many studio albums, as well as several instrumental and live albums. He has been active since 1981
Description: Masayoshi Takanaka (born March 27, 1953, originally Masayoshi Liu) is a renowned Japanese guitarist, composer, and record producer who pioneered the jazz fusion and city pop genres during the 1970s and 1980s. Born in Tokyo to a Chinese father and Japanese mother, he was naturalized as a Japanese citizen in fourth grade and adopted his mother's surname
Description: Hiroshi Sato (1947–2012) was a highly influential Japanese singer-songwriter and keyboardist known for his pioneering work in city pop, jazz fusion, and electronic music. Born in Kagoshima and raised in Kyoto, he began his professional career in the early 1970s, collaborating with artists like Haruomi Hosono and Masaki Ueda before releasing his debut solo album, Super Market, in 1976
Description: Junko Yagami (born January 5, 1958, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture) is a prominent Japanese singer-songwriter known for her significant contributions to the city pop, funk, and soul genres during the 1970s and 1980s. She is the eldest daughter of Ryozo Yagami, the fourth president of Yagami Seisakusho, and began learning piano at age three before making her professional debut in 1978 with the hit single "Omoide wa Utsukushisugite."
Description: T-Square (stylized in all caps, formerly known as The Square) is a Japanese jazz fusion band formed in 1976.[1] They became famous in the late 1970s and the 1980s alongside other Japanese jazz fusion bands such as Casiopea, Prism, and Naniwa Express,[2] and are known for songs such as "Truth", "Japanese Soul Brothers", "Takarajima", and "Omens of Love", among others
T-SQUARE T-Shirt
$24
Description: Casiopea is a legendary Japanese jazz fusion band formed in 1976 by guitarist Issei Noro and bassist Tetsuo Sakurai. Known for their energetic instrumental style blending funk, rock, and jazz, they are considered pioneers of the Japanese fusion scene
CASIOPEA T-Shirt
$24
Description: Momoko Kikuchi (菊池 桃子, born May 4, 1968) is a multifaceted Japanese actress, singer, entertainer, and scholar who rose to fame as a top idol in the 1980s. She was scouted in 1982 and officially debuted as an idol in 1984, achieving massive success with seven consecutive number-one singles on the Oricon Chart from 1985 to 1987, including hits from her album Adventure
Description: Yurie Kokubu (born January 18, 1955) is a prominent Japanese singer, songwriter, and lyricist known for her versatility in City Pop, soul, and Christian music. She began her solo career in 1983 with the album Relief 72 Hours, produced by Tetsuji Hayashi, after gaining experience as a vocalist for the band Quyz and various television programs
Description: Minako Yoshida (born April 7, 1953, in Ōmiya, Saitama, Japan) is a prominent Japanese singer, lyricist, and composer known for her work in funk, city pop, and soul genres. She made her professional debut in 1973 with the album Tobira no Fuyu after meeting Happy End members Haruomi Hosono and Takashi Matsumoto in high school
Description: Meiko Nakahara (born Meiko Obara on May 8, 1959, in Chiba Prefecture) is a former Japanese singer-songwriter and composer renowned for her contributions to the city pop genre. Active from 1982 to 1992, she blended Latin, funk, and pop influences, becoming known as the "Queen of the College Festival" for her popularity among university students
Description: Junko Ohashi (大橋 純子; April 26, 1950 – November 9, 2023) was a celebrated Japanese singer renowned for her powerful vocals and significant contributions to the city pop, soul, and J-pop genres. Born in Yūbari, Hokkaido, she achieved widespread success in the late 1970s and early 1980s with iconic hits such as "Tasogare My Love" (1978) and "Silhouette Romance" (1981)
Description: Tomoko Aran (born Tomoko Yoshiura on January 14, 1958, in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture) is a prominent Japanese singer-songwriter and book author recognized as an icon of the City Pop genre. She began her career as a lyricist at age 19, writing for artists such as B'z, Tube, and Tetsurō Oda, before making her singing debut in 1981 with the single "Kanashiki Vaudevillian."
Description: Taeko Onuki (born Ōnuki Taeko on November 28, 1953) is a seminal Japanese singer-songwriter and pianist widely regarded as a pioneering architect of the city pop genre. Born in Suginami, Tokyo, she began her career in the early 1970s, famously co-founding the influential band Sugar Babe in 1973 alongside Tatsuro Yamashita and Kunio Muramatsu
Description: Anri (born Kawashima Eiko on August 31, 1961) is a legendary Japanese singer-songwriter from Yamato, Kanagawa Prefecture, who has been active since her 1978 debut. She rose to prominence in the 1980s as a central figure in the city pop and new music scenes, achieving massive commercial success with hits like "Cat's Eye" and "Kanashimi ga Tomaranai" (I Can't Stop the Loneliness)
ANRI T-Shirt
$24
Description: Miki Matsubara was a prominent Japanese singer, songwriter, and composer born on November 28, 1959, in Kishiwada, Osaka. She is best known for her 1979 debut hit "Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me)", a defining track of the city pop genre that has seen massive international resurgence on platforms like TikTok since 2020
Description: Mariya Takeuchi (born March 20, 1955, in Shimane Prefecture, Japan) is a celebrated Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer, widely regarded as the "Queen of City Pop." She has sold over 16 million records in Japan and is internationally renowned for her 1984 hit "Plastic Love," which sparked a global revival of the city pop genre in the 21st century
Description: Tatsuro Yamashita (born February 4, 1953, in Ikebukuro, Tokyo) is a renowned Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer widely regarded as a pioneer and "King of City Pop." He began his career in the band Sugar Babe in the 1970s before launching a highly successful solo career with his 1976 debut album Circus Town
