Tel Liyanto wasn't alive during Japan's 1980s boom, but she loves the “timeless” City Pop hits of the era, now going viral thanks to a new
Tel Liyanto was not alive during Japan’s 1980s boom, but she loves the “timeless” city pop hits of the era, now going viral thanks to a new generation of young, international fans.
The glamorous soundtrack that accompanied the nation’s economic miracle is exploding in popularity decades after its upbeat synths, influenced by soft rock, boogie and soul, first hit the airwaves.
The retro genre is so hot that Canadian star The Weeknd sampled the 1983 track Midnight Pretenders on his latest release, and record companies are racing to reissue long-forgotten city pop vinyl.
“It’s like disco: a nostalgic sound, but also modern,” said
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The interest in J-pop, or Japanese music at large, is often propagated by the country’s associated entertainment industries, like anime and manga, which have long enjoyed cult followings across the globe