What is City pop? -2. Shibuya-kei- (2024)

"City Pop." You may have heard this term as its popularity is spreading all over the world. However, its definition is ambiguous and has changed over time, just like the appearance of a city changes. To resolve this ambiguity, we would like to explain city pop in different periods, introducing some masterpieces.

This series is divided into four sections and this is the second volume.
The previous article is here: What is City Pop? -1. The Origin of City Pop-

2. 90s. Shibuya-kei

In the 90s, reissues of past masterpieces and rarities began to be released in CD format. And people were able to get them easily, which had been difficult to access.

Along with this trend, there was a growing re-evaluation of past works, but this was not nostalgia. Those that matched the values and sensibilities of the times were appreciated. For example, among them were not only so-called masterpieces, but also many albums that had been buried.

Pop, soft rock, acid jazz, soul, lounge, film music, clubs, and many other genres were intermingling, and people were ready to listen to new and past music without distinction.

Shibuya Udagawa-cho, Tokyo, was home to many major and independent record stores, where music from all over the world gathered. Every night in the clubs, DJs played carefully selected music.

Music fans naturally became more music literate as they learned about information from record shops, free newspapers, club DJs, and by word of mouth.

Musicians and DJs, who are also excellent listeners, absorbed and reconstructed such various good music, and created works that became very popular.

It was the music that lots of music lovers had wanted to hear for years. Musicians were not only expressive musicians, but also music introducers. Such a listener-centered music scene was called, "Shibuya-kei."

For example, FLIPPER'S GUITAR, when creating their songs, paid homage to a wide range of music such as new wave, alternative rock, country music, funk, and more. Flipper's Guitar, one of the representatives in the Shibuya-kei culture, was formed by Keigo Oyamada (aka Cornelius) and Kenji Ozawa.

Kenji Ozawa featuring Scha Dara Parr "Konya wa boogie back"

Kenji Ozawa made a song "Konya wa boogie back” in collaboration with Scha Dara Parr.
This song consists of the main part by Kenji Ozawa and the rap part by Scha Dara Parr, sampling "Cake & Eat It Too" by Nice & Smooth for the backing tracks.

Nice & Smooth / Cake & Eat It Too

Although there are prominent homages to foreign works, it can be said that Shibuya-kei music is in part a continuation of the city pop of the 70s and 80s. Complex bass lines, keyboards, and wind instruments were heavily used.

Shibuya-kei was not limited to music, but also influenced fashion, art, movies, and lifestyle, becoming a major movement that influenced the youth generation of the time.

PIZZICATO FIVE captured the atmosphere of Tokyo at that time with its sophisticated sound and lyrics expressing the feelings of lovers.

It then spread throughout Japan. It might be better to say that it occurred simultaneously.

There was a similar cultural trend overseas. A similar layer of values and sensibilities must have emerged at the same time, and perhaps the 1990s, especially the first five years before the Internet became widespread, were a happy time for music.

This article featured the origin of City Pop in the 90s, especially Shibuya-kei.

Shibuya-kei was born in the flow of City Pop. Like city pop in the 1970s, it was heavily influenced by foreign music. It spread through record stores, free newspapers, club DJs, and word of mouth, like an underground culture. In Shibuya-kei, many music genres were intermingling, and it influences fashion, art, film, and lifestyle.

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

Next: What is City Pop? -3. City Pop Revival-

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