1985 in Japanese music
| By location |
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| By genre |
| By topic |
| List of years in Japanese music |
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In 1985 (Shōwa 60), Japanese music was released on records, and there were charts, awards, contests and festivals.
During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest music market in the world.[1][2]
Awards, contests and festivals
The 14th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 31 March 1985.[3] The 27th Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 to 24 April 1985.[4] The 29th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 12 May 1985.[5] The 30th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 29 September 1985.[6] The final of the 16th World Popular Song Festival was held on 27 October 1985.[7] The final of the 14th FNS Music Festival was held on 17 December 1985.[8] The 27th Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1985.[9] The 36th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1985.[10] The 1st Tokyo Summer Festival was held in 1985.[11]
Concerts
A Super Rock '85 concert was held.[12][13]
Number one singles
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:[14][15][16][17]
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 January | "The Stardust Memory" | Kyōko Koizumi |
| 14 January | ||
| 21 January | "You Gotta Chance: Dance de Natsu wo Dakishimete" | Kōji Kikkawa |
| 28 January | ||
| 4 February | ||
| 11 February | "Tenshi no Wink" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 18 February | ||
| 25 February | "Yoisho!" (ヨイショッ!) | Masahiko Kondō |
| 4 March | "Cinderella wa Nemurenai" | The Alfee |
| 11 March | "Sotsugyō: Graduation" | Momoko Kikuchi |
| 18 March | "Mi Amore (Meu amor é...)" | Akina Nakamori |
| 25 March | ||
| 1 April | "Ano Ko to Scandal" | The Checkers |
| 8 April | ||
| 15 April | ||
| 22 April | "Tokonatsu Musume" | Kyōko Koizumi |
| 29 April | ||
| 6 May | "Nikumare Sōna New Face" | Kōji Kikkawa |
| 13 May | "Akaitori Nigeta" | Akina Nakamori |
| 20 May | "Boy no Kisetsu" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 27 May | "Boy no Theme" | Momoko Kikuchi |
| 3 June | ||
| 10 June | "Ima Dakara" | Yumi Matsutoya, Kazumasa Oda, Kazuo Zaitsu |
| 17 June | ||
| 24 June | "Debut / Manhattan Joke" | Naoko Kawai |
| 1 July | "Sand Beige (Sabaku e)" | Akina Nakamori |
| 8 July | "Dancing Shoes" | Seiko Matsuda |
| 15 July | "Ore-tachi no Rockabilly Night" | The Checkers |
| 22 July | ||
| 29 July | ||
| 5 August | "Majo" | Kyōko Koizumi |
| 12 August | "Kanashimi ni Sayonara" | Anzen Chitai |
| 19 August | ||
| 26 August | "Kareinaru Kake" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 2 September | "Kanashimi ni Sayonara" | Anzen Chitai |
| 9 September | ||
| 16 September | "Namida no Jasmine Love" | Sonoko Kawai |
| 23 September | ||
| 30 September | "Heart of Rainbow: Ai no Niji wo Watatte / Blue Pacific" | The Checkers |
| 7 October | "Mō Aenai Kamo Shirenai" | Momoko Kikuchi |
| 14 October | ||
| 21 October | "Solitude" | Akina Nakamori |
| 28 October | "Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love" | Akiko Kobayashi |
| 4 November | ||
| 11 November | "Kami-sama Help!" | The Checkers |
| 18 November | "Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love" | Akiko Kobayashi |
| 25 November | ||
| 2 December | "Nantettatte Idol" | Kyōko Koizumi |
| 9 December | "Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love" | Akiko Kobayashi |
| 16 December | ||
| 23 December | "Kamen Butōkai" | Shonentai |
| 30 December | "Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love" | Akiko Kobayashi |
Number one albums and LPs
Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
- 7 January, 14 January, 19 January, 28 January, 2 February, 11 February, 18 February and 25 February: 9.5 Carats - Yōsui Inoue[18]
- 4 March and 11 March: Today's Girl - Kyoko Koizumi[19]
- 18 March and 25 March: Seiko-Train - Seiko Matsuda[20]
- 1 April: Kaikisen - Yutaka Ozaki[21]
- 8 April: Innocent Sky - Kōji Kikkawa[22]
- 15 April and 22 April: Bitter and Sweet - Akina Nakamori[23]
- 29 April: Oiro Naoshi - Miyuki Nakajima[24]
- 6 May and 13 May: Soundtrack of Tan Tan Tanuki[25]
- 20 May, 27 May, 3 June and 10 June: We Are the World - USA for Africa[26]
- 17 June, 24 June and 8 July: The 9th Wave - Seiko Matsuda[27]
- 29 June: For Your Love - The Alfee[28]
- 15 July, 22 July, 29 July and 5 August: Another Summer - S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe[29]
- 12 August: Back Streets of Tokyo - Off Course[30]
- 19 August: D404ME - Akina Nakamori[31]
- 26 August: Sound of My Heart - Seiko Matsuda[32]
- 2 September, 9 September and 16 September: Mainichi Checkers - The Checkers[33]
- 23 September, 30 September, 7 October, 14 October, 21 October, 28 October, 4 November and 11 November: Kamakura - Southern All Stars[34]
- 16 November: miss M. - Miyuki Nakajima[35]
- 25 November and 2 December: Rebecca IV ~maybe tomorrow~ - Rebecca[36]
- 9 December and 16 December: Da Di Da - Yumi Matsutoya[37]
- 23 December: First Finale - S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe[38]
Oricon
Karaoke
Hitachi introduced new karaoke machines.[41]
Music industry
Fewer tapes and disks were produced in January 1985, than were produced in January 1984.[42]
Film and television
The music of Sorekara and Tomo Yo, Shizuka Ni Nemure, by Shigeru Umebayashi, won the 40th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.[43] The music of Shokutaku No Nai Ie, Fire Festival and Ran (1985), by Tōru Takemitsu won the 9th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1986).[44] The music of Night on the Galactic Railroad is by Haruomi Hosono, and includes the theme song by Kaori Nakahara (Japanese: 中原香織).[45][46][47]
Video
43% of LaserVision disk releases were music, and the most popular included "Off Course Budokan Concert".[48]
Composers and lyricists
The highest selling composers were Kyōhei Tsutsumi, Hiroaki Serizawa and Tetsuji Hayashi. The highest selling lyricists were Masao Urino and Takashi Matsumoto.[49]
Overseas
The album Thunder in the East by Loudness reached number 74 on the Billboard 200.[50]
Debuts
Other singles released
- Mukokuseki Romance, Koishite Caribbean, Kokoro no Mama ni (I'm Just a Lady) and Dancing Hero (Eat You Up) by Yōko Oginome
- Blue Revolution by Mari Hamada
- Futari no Natsu Monogatari by S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe
- Plastic Love by Mariya Takeuchi
- Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete by Hiroko Moriguchi
- Sotsugyō, Shiroi Honō, Hatsukoi and Jōnetsu by Yuki Saito
- Sailor Fuku o Nugasanai de and Oyoshi ni Natte ne Teacher by Onyanko Club
- C, Namaiki and Be-Bop High School by Miho Nakayama
Other albums released
- Freesia no Ame, Kaigara Terrace and The Best by Yōko Oginome
- Esperanto by Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Coincidental Music by Haruomi Hosono
- Rainbow Dream, Magical Mystery "Mari" and Blue Revolution by Mari Hamada
- Halle and Casiopea Live by Casiopea
- Karkador by P-Model
- Odin by Loudness
- R.E.S.O.R.T. by T-Square
- Sonoko by Sonoko Kawai
- Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete by Hiroko Moriguchi
- Axia by Yuki Saito
- Kick Off by Onyanko Club
- C and After School by Miho Nakayama
- Masquerade Show by Show-Ya
- Traumatic Kyokutotanteyidan by Masayoshi Takanaka
Deaths
- 12 August: Kyu Sakamoto was killed in the crash of Japan Air Lines Flight 123[52]
See also
References
- "Spotlight on Japan". Billboard. 11 May 1985. pp J-1 to J-9.
- J-POPの歴史「1984年と1985年、ニューミュージックから新世代へ」. Rolling Stone Japan. 19 December 2019.
- Oricon magazine
- Music Labo magazine
- シンプジャーナル magazine
- 1985 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report.
- 1986 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report
- Oricon No.1 Hits 500. Clubhouse (Japanese: クラブハウス). 1998. ISBN 9784906496129. vol 1 (1968~1985).
- 「おニャン子クラブがヒットチャート席巻 「新田恵利派」か「国生さゆり派」か 後期には工藤静香も人気を集める. zakII. 15 January 2025.
- ^ Tokita and Hughes. The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music. 2008. p 355.
- ^ Gronow and Saunio. International History of the Recording Industry. 1998. Reprinted 1999.p 209.
- ^ Billboard. 11 May 1985, p J-6.
- ^ 1985年度のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation.
- ^ 第29回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ 第30回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ 第16回世界歌謡祭. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ "FNS Song Festival: '85 Grand Prix" in "Today's TV Choice". The Japan Times. 17 December 1985. No 31220. p 11. col 1.
- ^ 第27回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association.
- ^ 第36回NHK紅白歌合戦. NHK.
- ^ 〈東京の夏〉音楽祭、第25回の今年で終了. Asahi Shimbun Digital. 25 June 2009.
- ^ Classic Concert of the Day: Dio at Super Rock '85, at Odaiba Kouen Hiroba, Tokyo, Japan. MetalSucks. 16 October 2022.
- ^ The Video Source Book. 24th Edition. Gale Group. 2000. vol 1. pp 713 & 973.
- ^ See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
- ^ 1985年7月8日、松田聖子が12インチシングル「DANCING SHOES」で20作連続のオリコン1位を獲得～"聖輝の結婚"に花を添える. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 8 July 2018.
- ^ 1985年3月8日、中森明菜「ミ・アモーレ」がリリース～第二期明菜の起点となった名曲. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 8 March 2019.
- ^ 1985年2月27日、菊池桃子「卒業-GRADUATION-」が発売～3者に初のシングル1位をもたらし"卒業対決"を制する. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 27 February 2019.
- ^ Billboard. 19 January 1985, p 63. 26 January 1985, p 75. 2 February 1985, p 80. 9 February 1985, p 62. 16 February 1985, p 72. 23 February 1985, p 63. 2 March 1985, p 72.
- ^ Billboard. 9 March 1985, p 75. 23 March 1985, p 63.
- ^ Billboard. 23 March 1985, p 63. 30 March 1985, p 67.
- ^ Billboard. 6 April 1985, p 65.
- ^ Billboard. 13 April 1985, p 67.
- ^ Billboard. 20 April 1985, p 65. 27 April 1985, p 63.
- ^ Billboard. 4 May 1985, p 64.
- ^ Billboard. 18 May 1985, p 64.
- ^ Billboard. 25 May 1985, p 73. 1 June 1985, p 65. 8 June 1985, p 70. 15 June 1985, p 66.
- ^ Billboard. 22 June 1985, p 65. 29 June 1985, p 62. 13 July 1985, p 66.
- ^ Billboard. 6 July 1985, p 73.
- ^ Billboard. 20 July 1985, p 63. 27 July 1985, p 61. 3 August 1985, p 72. 17 August 1985, p 64.
- ^ Billboard. 17 August 1985, p 64.
- ^ Billboard. 24 August 1985, p 59.
- ^ Billboard. 31 August 1985, p 79.
- ^ Billboard. 7 September 1985, p 57. 14 September 1985, p 88. 21 September 1985, p 60.
- ^ Billboard. 28 September 1985, p 71. 5 October 1985, p 60. 12 October 1985, p 69. 19 October 1985, p 82. 26 October 1985, p 74. 2 November 1985, p 68. 9 November 1985, p 75. 16 November 1985, p 63.
- ^ Billboard. 23 November 1985, p 62.
- ^ Billboard. 30 November 1985, p 53. 14 December 1985, p 59.
- ^ Billboard. 14 December 1985, p 59. 21 December 1985, p 55.
- ^ Billboard. 28 December 1985, p 78.
- ^ 1985年5月6日、チェッカーズ主演映画『CHECKERS IN TAN TAN たぬき』サウンドトラックがオリコン・アルバム・チャート1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 6 May 2019.
- ^ 1985年11月15日、レベッカ『REBECCA IV～Maybe Tomorrow』がオリコン・アルバム・チャート1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 15 November 2018.
- ^ "New Karaoke Machines Hit Japanese Mart". Billboard. 31 August 1985. p 78.
- ^ "Production Down In Japan". Billboard. 23 March 1985. p 65.
- ^ 第40回 日本映画大賞
- ^ Prizes.
- ^ Non-Standard catalogue number 07NS-101
- ^ 細野晴臣、33年前の未発表音源追加した「銀河鉄道の夜」サントラ特別版リリース. Natalie. 7 November 2018.
- ^ 細野晴臣による映画「銀河鉄道の夜」サントラ、未発表音源追加の2枚組特別版に. AV Watch, from Impress Watch. 8 November 2018.
- ^ "LaserVision booms in Japan". Billboard. 20 July 1985. p 29.
- ^ Billboard. 7 June 1986. p J-6.
- ^ Billboard 200
- ^ 森川美穂デビュー35周年、ガールポップシーンをけん引した真の歌姫. Re:minder. 22 July 2020.
- ^ Wine left by singer Kyu Sakamoto who died in 1985 JAL crash treasured by his family. The Asahi Shimbun. 12 August 2015.