In 1984 (Shōwa 59), 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 music market in the world.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.
Awards, contests and festivals The 13th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 1 April 1984."Tokyo Music Festival" and "Music Festival Party" in "Today's TV Choice". The Japan Times. 1 April 1984. No 30608. p 7. cols 2 to 4. The 26th Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 13 to 25 April 1984.1984年度のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation. The 27th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 13 May 1984.第27回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation. The 28th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 7 October 1984.第28回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation. The final of the 15th World Popular Song Festival was held on 28 October 1984.Billboard. 11 May 1985. p J-6.World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo '84. Yamaha Music Foundation catalogue number YL-8406. The final of the 13th FNS Music Festival was held on 18 December 1984."7:00 (S) FNS Song Festival '84 Grand Prix". The Japan Times. 18 December 1984. No 30864. p 11. cols 1 and 5. The 26th Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1984.第26回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association. The 35th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1984.第35回NHK紅白歌合戦. NHK.
The 33rd Otaka prize was won by Akira Miyoshi.尾高賞 in "Archive". NHK Symphony Orchestra.
Concerts A Super Rock '84 concert was held in Seibu Stadium.Billboard. 15 December 1984, p 31. The farewell concert of Saki Kubota was held at Kudan Kaikan in Tokyo on 26 November 1984.久保田早紀. Oricon Weekly. Volume 6. 14 December 1984.Saki Kubota Farewell Concert (1985) CBS/Sony catalogue number 96ZM3018.Akane Maruyama. "大ヒットから40年 二人の「異邦人」の心の旅". 論座 (Ronza). (Asahi Shimbun's website "Webronza"). 30 March 2019."久米小百合さんデビュー40周年 記念BOX「久保田早紀プレミアム」来年1月末発売". Christian Today. 26 December 2019.
Number one singles
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine1984年8月13日、松田聖子「ピンクのモーツァルト」がオリコン1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 13 August 2019.1984年7月16日、小林麻美「雨音はショパンの調べ」がオリコン1位を獲得～8年ぶりにリリースされたシングル曲. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 16 July 2019.1984年1月2日、わらべ「もしも明日が...。」がオリコンチャートの1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 2 January 2018. Issue dateSongArtist(s)2 January""Warabe9 January16 January23 January30 January6 February13 February""Seiko Matsuda20 February27 February5 March12 March""Masahiko Kondō19 March""Anzen Chitai26 March2 April""Kyōko Koizumi9 April""Shibugakitai16 April23 April"Southern Wind"Akina Nakamori30 April7 May14 May""The Checkers21 May""Seiko Matsuda28 May4 June""Toshihiko Tahara11 June18 June""Masahiko Kondō25 June2 July""Kyōko Koizumi9 July16 July""Asami Kobayashi23 July30 July6 August"Jukkai (1984)"Akina Nakamori13 August""Seiko Matsuda20 August""Toshihiko Tahara27 August"Jukkai (1984)"Akina Nakamori3 September""The Checkers10 September17 September24 September"Eien ni Himitsu sa" (永遠に秘密さ)Masahiko Kondō1 October""Kyōko Koizumi8 October15 October22 October""Tomoyo Harada29 October""The Alfee5 November""Hiroko Yakushimaru12 November""Seiko Matsuda19 November26 November"Kazari ja Nai no yo Namida wa"Akina Nakamori3 December""The Checkers10 December17 December24 December31 December""Kyōko Koizumi
Number one albums and LPs Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart: 9 January: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 21 January 1984, p 62. 16 January, 23 January, 30 January and 6 February: Best Akina Memoires - Akina NakamoriBillboard. 21 January 1984, p 62. 28 January 1984, p 65. 4 February 1984, p 52. 11 February 1984, p 72. 13 February and 20 February: Timely!! - AnriBillboard. 18 February 1984, p 50. 25 February 1984, p 67. 27 February and 5 March: Kokinshū - Hiroko YakushimaruBillboard. 3 March 1984, p 56. 10 March 1984, p 62. 12 March, 19 March, 26 March, 30 April and 7 May: Thriller - Michael JacksonBillboard. 17 March 1984, p 56. 24 March 1984, p 103. 31 March 1984, p 53. 5 May 1984, p 64. 12 May 1984, p 55. 2 April, 9 April, 16 April, 23 April: - Eiichi OhtakiBillboard. 7 April 1984, p 63. 14 April 1984, p 55. 21 April 1984, p 58. 28 April 1984, p 53. 14 May, 21 May and 28 May: Anniversary - Akina NakamoriBillboard. 26 May 1984, p 54. 2 June 1984, p 55. 4 June and 11 June: - Motoharu SanoBillboard. 9 June 1984, p 62. 16 June 1984, p 64. 18 June, 19 June and 25 June: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 23 June 1984, p 63. 30 June 1984, p 55. 7 July 1984, p 49. 2 July and 9 July: - Off CourseBillboard. 7 July 1984, p 49. 21 July 1984, p 62. 16 July and 23 September: - Southern All StarsBillboard. 6 October 1984, p 60. 21 July 1984, p 62. 1 October: Ocean Side - Momoko KikuchiBillboard. 6 October 1984, p 60. 8 October: - Mariko TakahashiBillboard. 13 October 1984, p 68. 15 October: - Kōji KikkawaBillboard. 20 October 1984, p 64. 22 October and 29 October: Possibility - Akina NakamoriBillboard. 10 November 1984, p 66. 3 November 1984, p 80 (The source of this chart is not stated). 27 October 1984, p 58. 5 November: Hajimemashite - Miyuki NakajimaBillboard. 10 November 1984, p 66. 12 November, 19 November and 26 November: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 1 December 1984, p 69. 24 November 1984, p 62. 17 November 1984, p 68. 3 December: Make It Big - Wham!Billboard. 8 December 1984, p 59. 10 December: - Yumi MatsutoyaBillboard. 15 December 1984, p 69. 17 December: - CheckersBillboard. 22 December 1984, p 66. 24 December: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 5 January 1985, p 61. 31 December: 9.5 Carats - Yōsui InoueBillboard. 12 January 1985, p 56.
Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the Oricon LP chart:See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine 9 January, 16 January, 23 January and 30 January: Best Akina Memoires - Akina Nakamori 6 February, 13 February and 20 February: Timely!! - Anri 27 February and 5 March: Kokinshū - Hiroko Yakushimaru 12 March, 19 March, 23 April and 30 April: Thriller - Michael Jackson 26 March: - Seiko Matsuda 2 April,1984年4月2日、大滝詠一『EACH TIME』がオリコン1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 2 April 2019. 9 April and 16 April: - Eiichi Ohtaki 7 May: Variety - Mariya Takeuchi1984年5月7日竹内まりや『VARIETY』がオリコン・アルバム・チャート1位を記録～世界的に再評価されている「プラスティック・ラブ」収録. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 7 May 2019. 14 May, 21 May and 28 May: Anniversary - Akina Nakamori 4 June and 11 June: - Motoharu Sano 18 June and 25 June: - Seiko Matsuda 10 September: Footloose: Original Soundtrack
Annual charts The highest selling record was Warabe's "1984 Seen Through Numbers". 天声人語 Vox Populi Vox Dei, vol 59, p 147. which was number 1 in the Oricon annual singles chart.シングル年度別のヒット曲 TOP 1. Jipang, from Oricon.
Akina Nakamori was number 1 on the Music Labo top pop album artist chart. Checkers were number 1 on the Music Labo top pop singles artist chart.Billboard. 22 December 1984, p TA-12.
Film and television The music of MacArthur's Children (1984), by Shin'ichirō Ikebe, won the 39th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music第39回 日本映画大賞 and the 8th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1985).Prizes. The music of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is by Joe Hisaishi."A Closer Look Japan's Popular Sound Track Composer: Joe Hisaishi" (1998) 26 Pacific Friend, p 10. The music of The Return of Godzilla is by .Galbraith, The Toho Studios Story, 2008, p 341. The music of Macross: Do You Remember Love? is by Kentarō Haneda,Galbraith, The Toho Studios Story, 2008, p 341. and includes the song Ai Oboete Imasu ka by Mari Iijima.The Palgrave Handbook of Music and Sound in Japanese Animation, p 946. Big Wave, the soundtrack album of the film "Big Wave", is by Tatsuro Yamashita.August Billy. Love Letter to a Record: hanbee on 'Big Wave' by Tatsuro Yamashita. Music Feeds. 1 October 2022. The soundtrack of Urusei Yatsura includes "Chance On Love" by Cindy (Mayumi Yamamoto: 山本真裕美).今月の新人. 明星 (Myojo). December 1984. p 158. (Shueisha).Kitty Records catalogue number 7DS-0081新旧アニメ「うる星やつら」のオープニングテーマ人気ランキングTOP8！ 第1位は「ラムのラブソング」【2023年最新投票結果】. ITmedia. 8/3/2024.うる星やつら(1981) Saint Four appeared in .デビュー40周年【セイントフォー】昭和アイドル史に鮮烈な印象を残した本格派４人組！. Re:minder. 4 November 2024.セイントフォー板谷祐三子、元祖メガネアイドルと橋幸夫さんを結ぶものは？. ZakII. 14 September 2025.
The thousandth episode of Music Fair was broadcast on 1 April 1984."Music Fair '84" in "Today's TV Choice". The Japan Times. 1 April 1984. No 30608. p 7. cols 4 and 5.
Classical music The Saito Kinen Orchestra was founded.Bonnie C Wade. Composing Japanese Musical Modernity. University of Chicago Press. 2014. p 219.
Debuts Yōko Nagayama今年は「1984年デビュー組」が40周年..."黄金時代"をプロアイドルヲタクが振り返る. Nikkan Gendai. 28 February 2024. Youki Kudoh released her debut single "Yasei Jidai" (野生時代)工藤夕貴、富士山を望む絶景カフェで自家焙煎コーヒーを楽しむプチ贅沢. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 5 November 2025.
Other singles released Kita Wing by Akina Nakamori Otomodachi and Pianissimo De... by Saki Kubota Tsugunai by Teresa Teng Kimi no Heart wa Marine Blue by S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe Mirai Kōkai (Sailing), Sayonara kara Hajimaru Monogatari and December Memory by Yōko Oginome Ora Tōkyō sa Iguda by Yoshi IkuzōOricon Never by MieOricon Crazy Night by LoudnessNippon Columbia catalogue number AH-528 16 May: - Hiroko Yakushimaru1984年5月16日、薬師丸ひろ子「メイン・テーマ」がリリース～歌も映画も転機となった1作. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 16 May 2019. 5 November: Hero: Holding Out for a Hero by .シングル売上TOP6作品
Other albums released Silent Love by Akina Nakamori Suspense by Pink Lady Never by Mie After Service by Yellow Magic Orchestra S-F-X by Haruomi Hosono Yoruno Sokowa Yawarakana Maboroshi by Saki Kubota Teens Romance by Yōko Oginome Misty Lady by Mari Hamada The Soundgraphy and Down Upbeat by Casiopea Another Game and Scuba by P-Model Disillusion by Loudness Adventures and Stars and the Moon by T-Square Natsu Zen Kai by Masayoshi Takanaka
History On 14 May 1984, the Checkers had three songs in the top ten of the Oricon singles chart.1984年5月14日、チェッカーズがオリコンのベスト10に3曲同時ランクイン. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 14 May 2018.
See also Timeline of Japanese music 1984 in Japan 1984 in music w:ja:1984年の音楽
References "Billboard Spotlight on Japan: VCRs and CDs Will Be Pacemakers". Billboard. 26 May 1984. pp J-1 to J-11. J-POPの歴史「1984年と1985年、ニューミュージックから新世代へ」. Rolling Stone Japan. 19 December 2019. LOW IQ 01の青春時代「1番の思春期、匂いまで覚えている1984年」. Rolling Stone Japan. 29 November 2019. Oricon Weekly magazine (オリコンウィークリー) コンフィデンス magazine, from Oricon. ["Confidence Weekly"]. Music Labo magazine ミュージック・リサーチ Music Research magazine シンプジャーナル magazine 1984 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report. 1985 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report 1984年2月28日、マイケル・ジャクソン『スリラー』がグラミー賞で8部門受賞. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 28 February 2018. Oricon No. 1 Hits 500. Clubhouse (Japanese: クラブハウス). 1998. ISBN 9784906496129. vol 1 (1968~1985). Suzie Suzuki. 1984年の歌謡曲. Eastpress. 2017. 『1984年の歌謡曲』そうか、あれは「シティポップ」だったのか. Agora. 13 March 2017. 35年前のティーンネイジドリーム、7月20日は【1984年】に時間旅行！. Re:minder. 5 July 2019. 「1分間、時間をください」引退表明の都はるみに異例アンコール、紅白司会・鈴木健二アナ発した言葉 年明け数分前に産まれた流行語. zakII. 9 November 2024.