1980 in Japanese music


In 1980, Japanese music was released on records and performed in concerts, and there were charts, awards, contests and festivals.
During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest popular music market in the world.

Awards, contests and festivals

The 13th Japan record sales awards were held in 1980.
The 9th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 30 March 1980. Feeling Old Feelings by Dionne Warwick won the grand prize. Body Language by The Dooleys won the Gold Award.
The 22nd Osaka International Festival was held from 7 to 27 April 1980. The 19th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 11 May 1980. The 20th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 5 October 1980. The 11th World Popular Song Festival was held on 14 to 16 November 1980. The 11th Japan Music Awards were held on 18 November 1980. The final of the 9th FNS Music Festival was held on 16 December 1980. The 22nd Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1980. The 31st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1980.
The 29th Otaka prize was won by Tōru Takemitsu.

Concerts

The "All Nite Rock Show '80" was held from 21 to 22 June 1980. Momoe Yamaguchi's farewell concert was on 5 October 1980..

Number one singles

Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:
Issue dateSongArtist
7 January"Ihōjin"Saki Kubota
14 January"Ihōjin"Saki Kubota
21 January"Ihōjin"Saki Kubota
28 January""Crystal King
4 February""Crystal King
11 February""Crystal King
18 February""Crystal King
25 February""Crystal King
3 March""Crystal King
10 March""
17 March""
24 March""
31 March""
7 April""
14 April""
21 April""Chanels
28 April""Chanels
5 May""Chanels
12 May""Chanels
19 May""Chanels
26 May""Chanels
2 June""Chanels
9 June""
16 June""
23 June""
30 June""
7 July""
14 July""
21 July""
28 July""
4 August""
11 August""
18 August""Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
25 August""Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
1 September""Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
8 September""Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
15 September""Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
22 September""Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi
29 September""Toshihiko Tahara
6 October""Toshihiko Tahara
13 October""Seiko Matsuda
20 October""Seiko Matsuda
27 October""Seiko Matsuda
3 November""Seiko Matsuda
10 November""Seiko Matsuda
17 November"I'm In the Mood for Dancing"
Japanese title: "Dancing Sister"		The Nolans
24 November"I'm In the Mood for Dancing"
Japanese title: "Dancing Sister"		The Nolans
1 December""Mayumi Itsuwa
8 December""Mayumi Itsuwa
15 December""Mayumi Itsuwa
22 December""Masahiko Kondō
29 December""Masahiko Kondō

The Best Ten
The following reached number 1 on The Best Ten chart:

Number one albums and LPs

Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the Oricon chart:
Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
Cash Box of Japan
The following reached number 1 on the Cash Box of Japan chart:

Film and television

The music of Kagemusha, by Shin'ichirō Ikebe, won the 35th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music. The music of A Distant Cry from Spring, by Masaru Sato, won the 4th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music. Lalabel, the Magical Girl includes songs by Mitsuko Horie. Animation: The Best Ten 1980, a parody of The Best Ten, was released on 20 December.

Overseas

The single Gandhara by Godiego reached number 56 on the UK singles chart.
From 1 March to 4 April, Pink Lady appeared in the television programme, sometimes called Pink Lady and Jeff, broadcast in the United States of America. Pink Lady participated in the World Song Festival held in Seoul in South Korea from 21 to 23 November, and were the first Japanese musicians to perform in a concert in Seoul.
The eponymous album Yellow Magic Orchestra reached number 81 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. The single, "Computer Game", from that album, reached number 17 on the UK singles chart, and number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album X∞Multiplies, by the same band, reached number 177 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The song "Hana" by Shoukichi Kina was a hit in China, Thailand, Indonesia and other Asian countries, and sold 30 million copies.

Other singles released

Other albums released

History

In 2007, Shūkan Shōwa Taimuzu featured Saki Kubota on the back cover as person of the moment for 1980.
"Sneaker Blues" by Masahiko Kondō was released on 12 December 1980. Momoe Yamaguchi retired in 1980.