1989 in Japanese music
| By location |
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| By genre |
| By topic |
| List of years in Japanese music |
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In 1989 (Shōwa 64 / Heisei 1), 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] and fourteen percent of all record sales took place in that country.[3]
Awards, contests and festivals
The 31st Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 31 January to 14 May 1989.[4] The 2nd "Band Explosion" festival was held on 12 February 1989.[5] The international contest of the 18th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 2 June 1989.[6][7] The 3rd Teens' Music Festival was held on 3 August 1989.[8] The final of the 20th World Popular Song Festival was held on 27 October 1989.[9] The 3rd "Band Explosion" festival was held on 29 October 1989.[10] The final of the 18th FNS Music Festival was held on 12 December 1989.[11] The 31st Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1989.[12] The 40th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1989.[13]
Boøwy won the grand prix for Japanese artist of the year at the 3rd Japan Gold Disc Awards.[14][15]
Concerts
There was a Kenji Sawada concert at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall on 13 October 1989.[16]
Number one singles
Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:[17][18][19]
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 January | "Tonbo" | Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi |
| 9 January | ||
| 16 January | "Aki" | Otokogumi[20] |
| 23 January | "Koi Hitoyo" | Shizuka Kudo |
| 30 January | ||
| 6 February | "True Love" | Yui Asaka |
| 13 February | "Ai ga Tomaranai (Turn It into Love)" | Wink |
| 20 February | "Gekiai" | Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi |
| 27 February | ||
| 6 March | "Rosécolor" | Miho Nakayama |
| 13 March | "Time Zone" | Otokogumi |
| 20 March | "Chikyu wo Sagashite" | Hikaru Genji |
| 27 March | "Namida wo Misenai de (Boys Don't Cry)" | Wink |
| 3 April | ||
| 10 April | ||
| 17 April | "Be My Baby" | Complex |
| 24 April | ||
| 1 May | "Gomen yo Namida" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| 8 May | "Liar" | Akina Nakamori |
| 15 May | "Arashi no Sugao" | Shizuka Kudo |
| 22 May | ||
| 29 May | ||
| 5 June | "Return to Myself (Shinai, Shinai, Natsu.)" | Mari Hamada |
| 12 June | "Diamonds" | Princess Princess |
| 19 June | "Sayonara Baby" | Southern All Stars |
| 26 June | "Diamonds" | Princess Princess |
| 3 July | "Maitta ne Konya" | Shonentai |
| 10 July | "Sekai de Ichiban Atsui Natsu" | Princess Princess |
| 17 July | "Samishii Nettaigyo" | Wink |
| 24 July | ||
| 31 July | "Taiyo ga Ippai" | Hikaru Genji |
| 7 August | "Summer Game" | Kyosuke Himuro |
| 14 August | "Rockin' My Soul" | Otokogumi |
| 21 August | "Taiyo ga Ippai" | Hikaru Genji |
| 28 August | ||
| 4 September | ||
| 11 September | ||
| 18 September | "Kōsa ni Fukarete" | Shizuka Kudo |
| 25 September | ||
| 2 October | ||
| 9 October | ||
| 16 October | ||
| 23 October | ||
| 30 October | "Niji o Mitakai" | Misato Watanabe |
| 6 November | "Running to Horizon" | Tetsuya Komuro |
| 13 November | "One Night in Heaven (Mayonaka no Angel)" | Wink |
| 20 November | ||
| 27 November | "Gravity of Love" | Tetsuya Komuro |
| 4 December | "Shiroi Christmas" | Jun Sky Walker(s) |
| 11 December | "Film no Mukōgawa" | Yoko Minamino |
| 18 December | "Shoppai Mikazuki no Yoru" | Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi |
| 25 December | "Christmas Eve" | Tatsuro Yamashita |
Number one albums
Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
- 16 January: Best II - Akina Nakamori[21]
- 31 January: Taboo - Buck-Tick[22]
- 7 February: Root 5 - Barbee Boys[23]
- 20 February: Stand Up!! 5 Years Realive Document - Eikichi Yazawa[24]
- 7 March: Hey Say - Hikaru Genji[25]
- 27 March: Joy - Shizuka Kudo[26]
- 10 April: Showa - Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi[27]
- 24 April and 1 May: Like a Prayer - Madonna[28]
- 8 May: Complex - Complex[29]
- 22 May: Dress - TM Network[30]
- 12 July: Naporeon Fish To Oyoguhi - Motoharu Sano[31]
- 19 June and 26 June: Return to Myself - Mari Hamada[32]
- 3 July: Joji - Eikichi Yazawa[33]
- 10 July and 24 July: Otokogumi Nimaime - Otokogumi[34]
- 17 July: Flower Bed - Misato Watanabe[35]
- 31 July: Seven Heaven - Checkers[36]
- 7 August, 14 August, 21 August and 4 September: Cruise - Akina Nakamori[37]
- 11 September: Wasted Tears - Shōgo Hamada[38]
- 18 September: Outerlimits - Show-Ya[39]
- 25 September: Karakuri House - La-ppisch[40]
- 9 October and 16 October: Neo Fascio - Kyosuke Himuro[41]
- 30 October: Red Monkey Yellow Fish - Senri Oe[42]
- 13 November: I.B.W. - Bakufu Slump[43]
- 20 November: 5 1/2 - Kome Kome Club[44]
- 27 November: Lovers - Princess Princess[45]
- 4 December, 18 December and 25 December: Love Wars - Yumi Matsutoya[46]
Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the Oricon Albums Chart:[47]
- 16 January: Best II - Akina Nakamori[48]
- 15 May: Especially for You: Yasashisa ni Tsutsumarete by Wink
- 29 May: Blond Saurus - Rebecca
- 24 July: Gauche - Yoko Minamino
- 18 September: Hide 'n' Seek by Miho Nakayama
- 16 October, 23 October and 30 October: The Baddest by Toshinobu Kubota
Film and television
The music of Untamagiru, by Kōji Ueno, won the 44th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.[49] The music of Black Rain and Rikyu, both by Tōru Takemitsu, won the 13th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1990).[50]
Ikaten was first broadcast on 11 February 1989[51] during the band boom (Japanese: バンドブーム, bando būmu).[52][53]
Debuts
Other singles released
- Verge of Love, Shōnan Heartbreak and You're My Life by Yōko Oginome
- The Stress and Daite by Chisato Moritaka
- Virgin Eyes by Miho Nakayama
- Kurenai and Endless Rain by X Japan
- Kimi no Naka de Odoritai by B'z
Other albums and EPs released
- Beauty by Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Fair Tension by Yōko Oginome
- Twin Memories by Wink
- Hijitsuryokuha Sengen and Moritaka Land by Chisato Moritaka
- Karelia and Harvest by Shizuka Kudo
- Ballads and Merry Merry by Miho Nakayama
- Kaikinetsu by Miyuki Nakajima
- Soldier of Fortune by Loudness
- Wave by T-Square
- Blue Blood by X Japan
- Off the Lock and Bad Communication by B'z
Deaths
- 31 January: Yasushi Akutagawa[55]
- 24 June: Hibari Misora[56]
See also
References
- "Japan". ("Japan '89"/"Spotlight on Japan"). Billboard. 3 June 1989. pp J-1 to J-20. (International Spotlight).
- J-POPの歴史「1988年と89年、CDが切り開いたミリオンセラーの時代」. Rolling Stone Japan. 8 January 2020.
- Oricon magazine
- Music Labo magazine
- シンプジャーナル magazine
- 1989 オリコン年鑑
- 1990 オリコン年鑑
- Oricon No. 1 Hits 500. Clubhouse (Japanese: クラブハウス). 1998. ISBN 9784906496136. vol 2 (1986~1994).
- ^ 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.
- ^ (1991) 159 Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys, (from Standard & Poor's Corporation), (Leisure Time), 14 March 1991, p 42, citing Billboard's report of an IFPI survey.
- ^ 1989年のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation.
- ^ INTERNATIONAL POPULAR MUSIC FESTIVAL BAND EXPLOSION '88世界大会（審査会）. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ Close Up Magazine. vol 24. No 3: March 1989. p 16. From Country Music Association (CMA). ISSN 0896-372X.
- ^ "Fast Facts". The Hard Report. No 137: 14 July 1989. p 38. From "The Hard Report Inc", Medford, New Jersey.
- ^ TEENS' MUSIC FESTIVAL '89 全国フェスティバル. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ 第20回世界歌謡祭記念大会 World Popular Song Festival 20th Anniversary Special -Benefit for unicef-. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ BAND EXPLOSION '89 WORLD FINAL IN JAPAN ～世界大会. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ "(S) FNS Popular Song Grand Prix: 7:00-9:24 p.m. FUJI, KTV, THK" in "Today's Choice". The Japan Times. 12 December 1989. No 32644. p 14. col 4.
- ^ 第３１回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association.
- ^ 第40回ＮＨＫ紅白歌合戦. NHK.
- ^ The Japan Gold Disc Successive Award.
- ^ 第3回 日本ゴールドディスク大賞.
- ^ ジュリー・沢田研二「伝説のコンサート」が36年たった今も“伝説”とされる理由 「やっぱりジュリーは派手でないと」という声への“反動”と“進化”. AERA Digital. 11 October 2025.
- ^ See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
- ^ 1989年6月12日PRINCESS PRINCESS「Diamonds（ダイアモンド）」がオリコン1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 12 June 2019.
- ^ 1989年1月23日、工藤静香「恋一夜」で通算4曲目となるシングル1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 23 January 2019.
- ^ "Oricon Single Hot 100" in "Hot Chart 100: 1.16 Oricon". Oricon Weekly. vol 11. 23 January 1989. p 19.
- ^ Billboard. 28 January 1989, p 67.
- ^ Billboard. 25 February 1989, p 68.
- ^ Billboard. 25 February 1989, p 68.
- ^ Billboard. 11 March 1989, p 85.
- ^ Billboard. 25 March 1989, p 65.
- ^ Billboard. 8 April 1989, p 71.
- ^ Billboard. 22 April 1989, p 68.
- ^ Billboard. 6 May 1989, p 78. 20 May 1989, p 66.
- ^ Billboard. 20 May 1989, p 66.
- ^ Billboard. 3 June 1989, p 69. 17 June 1989, p 73.
- ^ Billboard. 1 July 1989, p 72.
- ^ Billboard. 1 July 1989, p 72. 15 July 1989, p 63.
- ^ Billboard. 15 July 1989, p 63.
- ^ Billboard. 29 July 1989, p 67. 12 August 1989, p 71.
- ^ Billboard. 29 July 1989, p 67.
- ^ Billboard. 12 August 1989, p 71.
- ^ Billboard. 26 August 1989, p 84. 9 September 1989, p 79. 23 September 1989, p 82.
- ^ Billboard. 23 September 1989, p 82.
- ^ Billboard. 7 October 1989, p 78. 14 October 1989, p 80.
- ^ Billboard. 7 October 1989, p 78. 14 October 1989, p 80.
- ^ Billboard. 28 October 1989, p 95.
- ^ Billboard. 11 November 1989, p 86. 18 November 1989, p 80.
- ^ Billboard. 2 December 1989, p 60.
- ^ Billboard. 2 December 1989, p 60.
- ^ Billboard. 16 December 1989, p 66.
- ^ Billboard. 16 December 1989, p 66. 13 January 1990, p 64.
- ^ See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
- ^ "Album Top 100" in "Hot Chart 100: 1.16 Oricon". Oricon Weekly. vol 11. 23 January 1989. p 18.
- ^ 第44回 日本映画大賞
- ^ Prizes.
- ^ あの伝説の番組再び！"イカ天2007復活祭"名物バンド激レア映像今夜限りの大放出SP. TBS. 30 December 2007.
- ^ Mark Schilling. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. Weatherhill. 1997. Fourth printing, 2004. p 231.
- ^ Steve McClure. Nipponpop. Tuttle Publishing. 1998. p 14.
- ^ パラダイスGoGo!! 乙女塾出身 "CoCo" 80年代最後に芽吹いた5人の少女たち. Re:minder. 11 October 2020.
- ^ Shig Fujita. "Japanese Composer/Conductor Dies" in "International". Billboard. 25 February 1989, p 66.
- ^ 【6月24日は何の日】1989年、歌手の美空ひばりさんが死去. ツギノジダイ, from The Asahi Shimbun. 24 June 2022. Previously published in the Asahi Shimbun's "bizble" on 24 June 2021.