This series is divided into four sections and this is the third volume.
The previous articles are here:
What is City Pop? -1. The Origin of City Pop-
What is City Pop? -2. Shibuya-kei-

3. 2010- -City Pop Revival!-

Pop music in Japan has evolved in sync with the global trend towards indie pop, shoegaze, chillwave, club music, neo-soul, and disco-funk pop.

Japanese youth, who have become more aware of pop and soul, have actively engaged with the works of their predecessors and sought out the origins. In today's Internet-driven world, this has become an easily accessible endeavor.

In the 2010s, we started witnessing the rise of young artists who were influenced by the original city pop artists from the 70s and 80s.

Gen Hoshino, who was strongly influenced by Haruomi Hosono (Ex. Happy End, YMO, and more), collaborated with him on the song "Nerd Strut" from his album "YELLOW DANCER" released in 2015. This collaboration showcased the impact of Haruomi Hosono's influence on Gen Hoshino's music.

Furthermore, in their album "BLUE HARLEM" released in 2019, Yogee New Waves paid homage to YMO by incorporating the bassline from "TIGHTEN UP" in their song "CAN YOU FEEL IT." This demonstrates the influence and respect of Yogee New Waves to YMO's musical legacy.


This trend is not limited to the connection between pop and rock bands and city pop. The influence of city pop and Shibuya-kei can also be seen in idol groups such as Especia.


Another notable aspect of this movement is that they draw inspiration from Japanese artists. In that context, the city pop revival can be seen as different from the original city pop and Shibuya-kei movements.

While the original city pop and Shibuya-kei absorbed the best parts of overseas music to create something new, the city pop revival often draws inspiration from the original city pop and Shibuya-kei in terms of musical style and production techniques. It pays homage to these earlier genres while incorporating contemporary elements and maintaining a connection to the Japanese pop music tradition.

However, Suchmos, which is the band known as one of the instigator of City Pop Revival, is influenced foreign artists such as Jamiroquai, D'Angelo, and J Dilla.
The point is, whether domestic or international, various music genres are intermingling in City Pop Revival. In that context, Suchmos in City Pop Revival might be like Shibuya-kei.


Also, there is a growing trend of Japanese music being used by DJs and featured on platforms like YouTube. Furthermore, there are foreign artists such as Ginger Root and Mac DeMarco who have been influenced by Japanese city pop from the 70s and 80s.

This demonstrates the cross-cultural influence and global appeal of Japanese music, particularly within the city pop genre. It is exciting to see how these influences inspire artists from different parts of the world.

In the next volume, we will introduce about Worldwide City Pop.


【Official Music Video】CLIMAX NIGHT / Yogee New Waves




The basics of City Pop can be found in these 100 albums


Hitoshi Kurimoto selected 100 works for his book "The basics of City POP can be found in these 100 albums ("City Pop no Kihon" ga Kono 100 Mai de Wakaru!)"
Please check it out. *It includes items not in stock.


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Spotify Playlist




Information of Hitoshi Kurimoto

Hitoshi Kurimoto is a music and travel writer and music selector.
He began his writing career as a music writer while working for a record company. After leaving the company, he spent two years wandering around Central and South America, and after returning to Japan, he worked as a freelance writer for magazines and websites, and selected music for radio and in-flight broadcasts. After working as a booking manager at Billboard Live for about five years, he works as a freelance again.

The following article written by him explains the history of City Pop. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g00631/a-guide-to-city-pop-the-soundtrack-for-japan%e2%80%99s-bubble-era-generation.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tabirhythm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabirhythm/

Sources and References


"A Guide to City Pop, the Soundtrack for Japan’s Bubble-Era Generation" written by Hitoshi Kurimoto (in English):
https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g00631/a-guide-to-city-pop-the-soundtrack-for-japan%e2%80%99s-bubble-era-generation.html
A list made by Hitoshi Kurimoto: https://realsound.jp/book/2022/02/post-973318.html
Website of Van Paugam (Chicago-based DJ / Japanese City Pop Specialist): https://vanpaugam.com/
City Pop wo Meguru Jidai https://www.neowing.co.jp/feature/citypop_201710