1985 in Japanese music


In 1985, 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.

Awards, contests and festivals

The 14th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 31 March 1985. The 27th Osaka International Festival was held from 8 to 24 April 1985. The 29th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 12 May 1985. The 30th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 29 September 1985. The final of the 16th World Popular Song Festival was held on 27 October 1985. The final of the 14th FNS Music Festival was held on 17 December 1985. The 27th Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1985. The 36th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1985. The 1st Tokyo Summer Festival was held in 1985.

Concerts

A Super Rock '85 concert was held.

Number one singles

The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:
Issue dateSongArtist
7 January""Kyōko Koizumi
14 January""Kyōko Koizumi
21 January""Kōji Kikkawa
28 January""Kōji Kikkawa
4 February""Kōji Kikkawa
11 February""Seiko Matsuda
18 February""Seiko Matsuda
25 February"Yoisho!" Masahiko Kondō
4 March""The Alfee
11 March""Momoko Kikuchi
18 March"Mi Amore (Meu amor é...)"Akina Nakamori
25 March"Mi Amore (Meu amor é...)"Akina Nakamori
1 April""The Checkers
8 April""The Checkers
15 April""The Checkers
22 April""Kyōko Koizumi
29 April""Kyōko Koizumi
6 May""Kōji Kikkawa
13 May"Akaitori Nigeta"Akina Nakamori
20 May""Seiko Matsuda
27 May""Momoko Kikuchi
3 June""Momoko Kikuchi
10 June""Yumi Matsutoya, Kazumasa Oda,
17 June""Yumi Matsutoya, Kazumasa Oda,
24 June""Naoko Kawai
1 July"Sand Beige (Sabaku e)"Akina Nakamori
8 July""Seiko Matsuda
15 July""The Checkers
22 July""The Checkers
29 July""The Checkers
5 August""Kyōko Koizumi
12 August""Anzen Chitai
19 August""Anzen Chitai
26 August""Toshihiko Tahara
2 September"Kanashimi ni Sayonara"Anzen Chitai
9 September"Kanashimi ni Sayonara"Anzen Chitai
16 September""Sonoko Kawai
23 September""Sonoko Kawai
30 September""The Checkers
7 October""Momoko Kikuchi
14 October""Momoko Kikuchi
21 October"Solitude"Akina Nakamori
28 October""Akiko Kobayashi
4 November""Akiko Kobayashi
11 November""The Checkers
18 November"Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love"Akiko Kobayashi
25 November"Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love"Akiko Kobayashi
2 December""Kyōko Koizumi
9 December"Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love"Akiko Kobayashi
16 December"Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love"Akiko Kobayashi
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:
Oricon
  • Soundtrack of Tan Tan Tanuki
  • Rebecca IV ~maybe tomorrow~ by Rebecca

Karaoke

Hitachi introduced new karaoke machines.

Music industry

Fewer tapes and disks were produced in January 1985, than were produced in January 1984.

Film and television

The music of Sorekara and, by Shigeru Umebayashi, won the 40th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music. The music of, Fire Festival and Ran, by Tōru Takemitsu won the 9th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music. The music of Night on the Galactic Railroad is by Haruomi Hosono, and includes the theme song by Kaori Nakahara.

Video

43% of LaserVision disk releases were music, and the most popular included "Off Course Budokan Concert".

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.

Overseas

The album Thunder in the East by Loudness reached number 74 on the Billboard 200.

Debuts

Other singles released

Other albums released

Deaths