In 1985 (Shōwa 60), 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.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 14th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 31 March 1985.Billboard. 11 May 1985, p J-6. The 27th Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 to 24 April 1985.1985年度のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation. The 29th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 12 May 1985.第29回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation. The 30th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 29 September 1985.第30回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation. The final of the 16th World Popular Song Festival was held on 27 October 1985.第16回世界歌謡祭. Yamaha Music Foundation. The final of the 14th FNS Music Festival was held on 17 December 1985."FNS Song Festival: '85 Grand Prix" in "Today's TV Choice". The Japan Times. 17 December 1985. No 31220. p 11. col 1. The 27th Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1985.第27回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association. The 36th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1985.第36回NHK紅白歌合戦. NHK. The 1st Tokyo Summer Festival was held in 1985.〈東京の夏〉音楽祭、第25回の今年で終了. Asahi Shimbun Digital. 25 June 2009.
Concerts A Super Rock '85 concert was held.Classic Concert of the Day: Dio at Super Rock '85, at Odaiba Kouen Hiroba, Tokyo, Japan. MetalSucks. 16 October 2022.The Video Source Book. 24th Edition. Gale Group. 2000. vol 1. pp 713 & 973.
Number one singles
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine1985年7月8日、松田聖子が12インチシングル「DANCING SHOES」で20作連続のオリコン1位を獲得～"聖輝の結婚"に花を添える. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 8 July 2018.1985年3月8日、中森明菜「ミ・アモーレ」がリリース～第二期明菜の起点となった名曲. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 8 March 2019.1985年2月27日、菊池桃子「卒業-GRADUATION-」が発売～3者に初のシングル1位をもたらし"卒業対決"を制する. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 27 February 2019.
Issue dateSongArtist(s)7 January""Kyōko Koizumi14 January21 January""Kōji Kikkawa28 January4 February11 February""Seiko Matsuda18 February25 February"Yoisho!" (ヨイショッ!)Masahiko Kondō4 March""The Alfee11 March""Momoko Kikuchi18 March"Mi Amore (Meu amor é...)"Akina Nakamori25 March1 April""The Checkers8 April15 April22 April""Kyōko Koizumi29 April6 May""Kōji Kikkawa13 May"Akaitori Nigeta"Akina Nakamori20 May""Seiko Matsuda27 May""Momoko Kikuchi3 June10 June""Yumi Matsutoya, Kazumasa Oda, 17 June24 June""Naoko Kawai1 July"Sand Beige (Sabaku e)"Akina Nakamori8 July""Seiko Matsuda15 July""The Checkers22 July29 July5 August""Kyōko Koizumi12 August""Anzen Chitai19 August26 August""Toshihiko Tahara2 September"Kanashimi ni Sayonara"Anzen Chitai9 September16 September""Sonoko Kawai23 September30 September""The Checkers7 October""Momoko Kikuchi14 October21 October"Solitude"Akina Nakamori28 October""Akiko Kobayashi4 November11 November""The Checkers18 November"Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love"Akiko Kobayashi25 November2 December""Kyōko Koizumi9 December"Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love"Akiko Kobayashi16 December23 December"Kamen Butōkai"Shonentai30 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: 7 January, 14 January, 19 January, 28 January, 2 February, 11 February, 18 February and 25 February: 9.5 Carats - Yōsui InoueBillboard. 19 January 1985, p 63. 26 January 1985, p 75. 2 February 1985, p 80. 9 February 1985, p 62. 16 February 1985, p 72. 23 February 1985, p 63. 2 March 1985, p 72. 4 March and 11 March: - Kyoko KoizumiBillboard. 9 March 1985, p 75. 23 March 1985, p 63. 18 March and 25 March: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 23 March 1985, p 63. 30 March 1985, p 67. 1 April: - Yutaka OzakiBillboard. 6 April 1985, p 65. 8 April: - Kōji KikkawaBillboard. 13 April 1985, p 67. 15 April and 22 April: Bitter and Sweet - Akina NakamoriBillboard. 20 April 1985, p 65. 27 April 1985, p 63. 29 April: Oiro Naoshi - Miyuki NakajimaBillboard. 4 May 1985, p 64. 6 May and 13 May: Soundtrack of Billboard. 18 May 1985, p 64. 20 May, 27 May, 3 June and 10 June: We Are the World - USA for AfricaBillboard. 25 May 1985, p 73. 1 June 1985, p 65. 8 June 1985, p 70. 15 June 1985, p 66. 17 June, 24 June and 8 July: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 22 June 1985, p 65. 29 June 1985, p 62. 13 July 1985, p 66. 29 June: - The AlfeeBillboard. 6 July 1985, p 73. 15 July, 22 July, 29 July and 5 August: - S. Kiyotaka & Omega TribeBillboard. 20 July 1985, p 63. 27 July 1985, p 61. 3 August 1985, p 72. 17 August 1985, p 64. 12 August: - Off CourseBillboard. 17 August 1985, p 64. 19 August: D404ME - Akina NakamoriBillboard. 24 August 1985, p 59. 26 August: - Seiko MatsudaBillboard. 31 August 1985, p 79. 2 September, 9 September and 16 September: - The CheckersBillboard. 7 September 1985, p 57. 14 September 1985, p 88. 21 September 1985, p 60. 23 September, 30 September, 7 October, 14 October, 21 October, 28 October, 4 November and 11 November: - Southern All StarsBillboard. 28 September 1985, p 71. 5 October 1985, p 60. 12 October 1985, p 69. 19 October 1985, p 82. 26 October 1985, p 74. 2 November 1985, p 68. 9 November 1985, p 75. 16 November 1985, p 63. 16 November: miss M. - Miyuki NakajimaBillboard. 23 November 1985, p 62. 25 November and 2 December: - RebeccaBillboard. 30 November 1985, p 53. 14 December 1985, p 59. 9 December and 16 December: - Yumi MatsutoyaBillboard. 14 December 1985, p 59. 21 December 1985, p 55. 23 December: - S. Kiyotaka & Omega TribeBillboard. 28 December 1985, p 78.
Oricon
Soundtrack of Tan Tan Tanuki1985年5月6日、チェッカーズ主演映画『CHECKERS IN TAN TAN たぬき』サウンドトラックがオリコン・アルバム・チャート1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 6 May 2019. Rebecca IV ~maybe tomorrow~ by Rebecca1985年11月15日、レベッカ『REBECCA IV～Maybe Tomorrow』がオリコン・アルバム・チャート1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 15 November 2018.
Annual charts The Checkers' (Julia Ni Shoushin) 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.
Karaoke Hitachi introduced new karaoke machines."New Karaoke Machines Hit Japanese Mart". Billboard. 31 August 1985. p 78.
Music industry Fewer tapes and disks were produced in January 1985, than were produced in January 1984."Production Down In Japan". Billboard. 23 March 1985. p 65.
Film and television The music of Sorekara and , by Shigeru Umebayashi, won the 40th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.第40回 日本映画大賞 The music of , Fire Festival and Ran (1985), by Tōru Takemitsu won the 9th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1986).Prizes. The music of Night on the Galactic Railroad is by Haruomi Hosono, and includes the theme song by Kaori Nakahara (Japanese: 中原香織).Non-Standard catalogue number 07NS-101細野晴臣、33年前の未発表音源追加した「銀河鉄道の夜」サントラ特別版リリース. Natalie. 7 November 2018.細野晴臣による映画「銀河鉄道の夜」サントラ、未発表音源追加の2枚組特別版に. AV Watch, from Impress Watch. 8 November 2018. The music of the first Sukeban Deka television series includes the song Shiroi Honō by Yuki Saito.斉藤由貴が演じる宿命の少女・麻宮サキ「スケバン刑事」は初代こそ最高傑作！. Re:minder. 11 April 2025.The music of episode 6 includes Yogen (予言) by .
Video 43% of LaserVision disk releases were music, and the most popular included "Off Course Budokan Concert"."LaserVision booms in Japan". Billboard. 20 July 1985. p 29.
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.Billboard. 7 June 1986. p J-6.
Overseas The album Thunder in the East by Loudness reached number 74 on the Billboard 200.Billboard 200
Debuts Miho Morikawa森川美穂デビュー35周年、ガールポップシーンをけん引した真の歌姫. Re:minder. 22 July 2020.
Other singles released Mukokuseki Romance, Koishite Caribbean, Kokoro no Mama ni (I'm Just a Lady) and Dancing Hero (Eat You Up) by Yōko Oginome Blue Revolution by Mari Hamada Futari no Natsu Monogatari by S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe Plastic Love by Mariya Takeuchi Sotsugyō, Hatsukoi and Jōnetsu by Yuki Saito Sailor Fuku o Nugasanai de and Oyoshi ni Natte ne Teacher by Onyanko Club C, Namaiki and Be-Bop High School by Miho Nakayama 7 August: Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete by Hiroko Moriguchi本日8月7日は森口博子が「水の星へ愛をこめて」でデビューした記念日. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 7 August 2019.
Other albums released Freesia no Ame, Kaigara Terrace and The Best by Yōko Oginome Esperanto by Ryuichi Sakamoto Coincidental Music by Haruomi Hosono Rainbow Dream, Magical Mystery "Mari" and Blue Revolution by Mari Hamada Halle and Casiopea Live by Casiopea Karkador by P-Model Odin by Loudness R.E.S.O.R.T. by T-Square Sonoko by Sonoko Kawai Mizu no Hoshi e Ai wo Komete by Hiroko Moriguchi Axia by Yuki Saito Kick Off by Onyanko Club C and After School by Miho Nakayama Masquerade Show by Show-Ya Traumatic Kyokutotanteyidan by Masayoshi Takanaka
Deaths 12 August: Kyu Sakamoto was killed in the crash of Japan Air Lines Flight 123Wine left by singer Kyu Sakamoto who died in 1985 JAL crash treasured by his family. The Asahi Shimbun. 12 August 2015.
See also Timeline of Japanese music 1985 in Japan 1985 in music w:ja:1985年の音楽
References Ongaku Nenkan Showa 60-nen Ban (Japanese: 音楽年鑑 昭和 60 年版). Ongaku No Tomo Sha. "Spotlight on Japan". Billboard. 11 May 1985. pp J-1 to J-9. 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. 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 1985 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report. 1986 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report Oricon No.1 Hits 500. Clubhouse (Japanese: クラブハウス). 1998. ISBN 9784906496129. vol 1 (1968~1985). 「おニャン子クラブがヒットチャート席巻 「新田恵利派」か「国生さゆり派」か 後期には工藤静香も人気を集める. zakII. 15 January 2025. 「シティーハンター」「ドラゴンボール」...アニソンの歴史を振り返ろう！1985年～1989年編. USEN encore, from USEN. 10 May 2025.