Genres · Soul & groove
City pop
Glossy 80s Japanese pop with funk basslines and a night-drive feel.
- Tempo, BPM
- 95–120
- Where it started
- Tokyo, late 1970s to 80s
What it sounds like
Japanese pop from the boom years: funky bass, smooth keys, saxophone and dreamy vocals. It sounds like driving through a city at night, and it was rediscovered online in the 2010s.
Hear it
Mariya Takeuchi, “Plastic Love”
The song that brought city pop back, through YouTube.
1984 · Posted by Mariya Takeuchi · Open on YouTube
Listen for
- Funky, slapped bass
- Shiny electric piano and sax
- Japanese vocals with English hooks
Go if
You want a dreamy, nostalgic vibe with a groove.
Hear it this week
No nights with a city pop DJ posted this week yet. See everything on
DJs who play it
No Poblacion DJ has added city pop to their page yet.