1983 in Japanese music

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Overview of the events of 1983 in Japanese music

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In 1983 (Shōwa 58), 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.[1][2]

## Awards, contests and festivals

[edit]

The 12th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 27 March 1983.[3][4] The 25th Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 April to 8 May 1983.[5] The 25th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 15 May 1983.[6] The 26th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 2 October 1983.[7] The 14th World Popular Song Festival was held from 29 to 30 October 1983.[8][9] The final of the 12th FNS Music Festival was held on 20 December 1983.[10] The 25th Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1983.[11] The 34th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1983.[12]

The 32nd Otaka prize was won by Toshi Ichiyanagi.[13]

## Concerts

[edit]

Yumi Matsutoya had a concert at the Nippon Budokan on 6 July 1983.[14]

## Number one singles

[edit]

Main article: List of Oricon number-one singles of 1983

The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:[15][16][17][18]

Issue date  | Song  | Artist(s)

|
|

3 January  | "3 Nenme no Uwaki [ja]"  | Hiroshi & Kibo [ja]
10 January
17 January  | "Second Love"  | Akina Nakamori
24 January
31 January  | "Midnight Station [ja]"  | Masahiko Kondō
7 February
14 February  | "Himitsu no Hanazono [ja]"  | Seiko Matsuda
21 February
28 February  | "Pierrot [ja]"  | Toshihiko Tahara
7 March  | "½ no Shinwa"  | Akina Nakamori
14 March
21 March
28 March
4 April
11 April
18 April  | "Yagiri no Watashi [ja]"  | Takashi Hosokawa
25 April
2 May
9 May  | "Manatsu no Ichibyo [ja]"  | Masahiko Kondō
16 May  | "Tengoku no Kiss [ja]"  | Seiko Matsuda
23 May  | "Megumi no Hito [ja]"  | Rats & Star
30 May  | "Shower na Kibun [ja]"  | Toshihiko Tahara
6 June  | "Tantei Monogatari / Sukoshi Dake Yasashiku [ja]"  | Hiroko Yakushimaru
13 June
20 June
27 June
4 July
11 July
18 July
25 July  | "Tameiki Rockabilly [ja]"  | Masahiko Kondō
1 August
8 August
15 August  | "Glass no Ringo / Sweet Memories [ja]"  | Seiko Matsuda
22 August  | "Saraba... Natsu [ja]"  | Toshihiko Tahara
29 August
5 September  | "Flashdance... What a Feeling"
Japanese title: (フラッシュダンス...ホワット・ア・フィーリング) | Irene Cara
12 September
19 September  | "Kinku"  | Akina Nakamori
26 September  | "Cat's Eye"  | Anri
3 October
10 October
17 October
24 October
31 October  | "Glass no Ringo / Sweet Memories"  | Seiko Matsuda
7 November  | "Hitomi wa Diamond / Aoi Photograph [ja]"  | Seiko Matsuda
14 November  | "Royal Straight Flash" (ロイヤル・ストレート・フラッシュ)  | Masahiko Kondō
21 November  | "Hitomi wa Diamond / Aoi Photograph"  | Seiko Matsuda
28 November  | "Loving [ja]"  | Toshihiko Tahara
5 December
12 December
19 December  | "Love Is Over [ja]"  | Ouyang Fei Fei
26 December

## Number one albums and LPs

[edit]

Music Labo

The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:

* 21 March: Yokan \- Miyuki Nakajima[19]
* 7 March and 14 March: Reincarnation [ja] \- Yumi Matsutoya[20]
* 21 February and 28 February: Another Page \- Christopher Cross[21]
* 7 February and 14 February: Eve Only [ja] \- Toshihiko Tahara[22]
* 24 January and 31 January: Variation (Hensoukyoku) \- Akina Nakamori[23]
* 10 January and 17 January: Seventeen [ja] \- Akina Nakamori[24]

Cash Box

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

* 17 December: Seiko Plazza [ja] \- Seiko Matsuda[25]
* 24 September, 29 October, 5 November, 12 November and 10 December: Soundtrack of "Flashdance"[26]
* 13 August, 20 August and 3 September: Kireyi [ja] \- Southern All Stars[27]
* 16 July: Utopia [ja] Seiko Matsuda[28]
* 28 May: Vitamin [ja] \- EPO [ja][29]
* 7 May: Fantasy (Gensoukyoku) \- Akina Nakamori[30]

Oricon

Main article: w:ja:Template:オリコン週間LPチャート第1位 1983年

The following reached number 1 on the Oricon LP chart:[31]

* 6 June: Naughty Boys \- Yellow Magic Orchestra
* 4 July: Melodies \- Tatsuro Yamashita
* 22 August and 29 August: New Akina Etranger \- Akina Nakamori

## Music industry

[edit]

Main article: Japanese music industry

Polydor Japan introduced the uniform coding system.[32]

## Film and television

[edit]

The music of Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, by Ryuichi Sakamoto, won the 38th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.[33] The music of The Geisha and Kairei (Japanese: 海嶺) and Sensei (all from 1983), by Masaru Sato, won the 7th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1984).[34] Musicals include Toshi in Takarazuka – Love Forever.

## Overseas

[edit]

The song Forbidden Colours, by David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto, reached number 16 on the UK singles chart,[35] and also charted in Ireland, Australia and Iceland. The single Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, by Ryuichi Sakamoto, reached number 93 on the UK singles chart,[36] and also charted in Australia and New Zealand. The album Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, by Ryuichi Sakamoto, reached number 36 on the UK albums chart,[37] and also charted in Australia,[38] New Zealand,[39] Sweden,[40] Iceland[41] and the Netherlands.[42]

## Debuts

[edit]

* April: Azumi Inoue released her debut single "Star Storm" (Japanese: スターストーム).[43][44][45] The song is included in her first album "Space Fantasy" (Japanese: スペースファンタジー).[46][47]
* Hiromi Koide [ja][48]

## Other singles released

[edit]

* Twilight (Yūgure Dayori) by Akina Nakamori
* Toki O Kakeru Shōjo by Tomoyo Harada
* Ai No Jidai by Saki Kubota
* Summer Suspicion by S. Kiyotaka & Omega Tribe
* Haru na no ni by Yoshie Kashiwabara
* "O-kay" by Mico[49]
* 23 April: Koukiatsu Girl [ja] by Tatsuro Yamashita[50]
* 21 November: Tasogare Dancing [ja] by Miki Asakura [ja].[51]

## Other albums released

[edit]

* Service by Yellow Magic Orchestra
* Timely!! by Anri
* Nefertiti by Saki Kubota
* Lunatic Doll and Romantic Night by Mari Hamada
* Photographs and Jive Jive by Casiopea
* The Law of Devil's Land and Live-Loud-Alive: Loudness in Tokyo by Loudness
* Holy Expedition by Bow Wow
* The Water of the Rainbow by T-Square

## See also

[edit]

* Timeline of Japanese music
* 1983 in Japan
* 1983 in music
* w:ja:1983年の音楽

## References

[edit]

* J-POPの歴史「1982年と1983年、70年代のムードを断ち切った転換点」. Rolling Stone Japan. 11 December 2019.
* Oricon magazine
* Music Labo magazine
* 新譜ジャーナル magazine
* 1983 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report.
* 1984 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).

1. ^ Tokita and Hughes. The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music. 2008. p 355.
2. ^ Gronow and Saunio. International History of the Recording Industry. 1998. Reprinted 1999.p 209.
3. ^ "Barry Manilow To Headline Tokyo Festival". Billboard. 12 March 1983. pp 9 & 59.
4. ^ "Lionel Ritchie Wins Music Prize". The Japan Times. 29 March 1983. No 30247. p 2. col 6.
5. ^ 1983年度のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation.
6. ^ 第25回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation.
7. ^ 第26回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation.
8. ^ World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo '83. Yamaha Music Foundation catalogue number YL-8307.
9. ^ 1983\. IMZ Bulletin. p 20.
10. ^ "FNS Pops Festival" in "Today's TV Choice". The Japan Times. 20 December 1983. No 30508. p 8. col 1.
11. ^ 第25回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association.
12. ^ 第34回NHK紅白歌合戦. NHK.
13. ^ 尾高賞 in "Archive". NHK Symphony Orchestra]].
14. ^ 1983年7月6日、ユーミンが11年目にして初の武道館公演. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 6 July 2018.
15. ^ See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
16. ^ 1983年12月19日欧陽菲菲「ラヴ・イズ・オーヴァー」がオリコンチャート1位を獲得～発売当初はB面だった！. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 19 December 2018.
17. ^ 1983年10月17日、杏里「CAT'S EYE」が4週目のオリコン1位を獲得～「CAY'S EYE」が開いた新しい時代の『扉』. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 17 October 2018.
18. ^ 35年前の本日、薬師丸ひろ子「探偵物語／すこしだけやさしく」がオリコンチャート5週連続の1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 4 July 2018.
19. ^ Billboard. 26 March 1983, p 59.
20. ^ Billboard. 19 March 1983, p 57. 12 March 1983, p 60.
21. ^ Billboard. 5 March 1983, p 57. 26 February 1983, p 49.
22. ^ Billboard.19 February 1983, p 58. 12 February 1983, p 55.
23. ^ Billboard. 5 February 1983, p 58. 29 January 1983, p 76.
24. ^ Billboard. 22 January 1983, p 59. 15 January 1983, p 45.
25. ^ Cash Box. 17 December 1983, p 25.
26. ^ Cash Box. 10 December 1983, p 23. 12 November 1983, p 27. 5 November 1983, p 32.29 October 1983, p. 24 September 1983, p 27.
27. ^ Cash Box. 3 September 1983, p 27. 20 August 1983, p 31. 13 August 1983, p 24.
28. ^ Cash Box. 16 July 1983, p 24.
29. ^ Cash Box. 28 May 1983, p 30.
30. ^ Cash Box. 7 May 1983, p 38.
31. ^ See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
32. ^ "Polydor Japan Now Using Uniform Coding System". Billboard. 26 March 1983. p 9.
33. ^ 第38回 日本映画大賞
34. ^ Prizes.
35. ^ Forbidden Colours. Official Charts.
36. ^ Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence. Official Charts.
37. ^ Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence. Official Charts.
38. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
39. ^ [https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Soundtrack+/+Ryuichi+Sakamoto&titel=Furyo+-+Merry+Christmas+Mr.+Lawrence&cat=a "Charts.nz – Soundtrack / Ryuichi Sakamoto – Furyo - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence". Hung Medien.
40. ^ [https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Soundtrack+/+Ryuichi+Sakamoto&titel=Furyo+-+Merry+Christmas+Mr.+Lawrence&cat=a "Swedishcharts.com – Soundtrack / Ryuichi Sakamoto – Furyo - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence". Hung Medien.
41. ^ "Vísir - 247. Tölublað (28.10.1983) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. p. 37..
42. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Soundtrack / Ryuichi Sakamoto – Furyo - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence". Hung Medien.
43. ^ 「となりのトトロ」「天空の城ラピュタ」井上あずみが語るジブリ楽曲驚きの裏側！. Yahoo Japan. 19 July 2023.
44. ^ ［歌手 井上あずみさん］（上）アイドルデビューしたが全く売れず、「となりのトトロ」の後も時給650円のアルバイト...歌手一本になるまで苦労. yomiDr. 30 October 2022.
45. ^ 井上あずみ デビューしたころの私へ「40年後も歌っているよ」 「ラピュタ」「トトロ」で誰もが聴いたことのある歌声. ZAKZAK. 28 July 2023.
46. ^ Riv.Star catalogue number 28RL-0001
47. ^ 映画『あの庭の扉をあけたとき』の予告編で流れる曲は？. CDJournal. 14 October 2022.
48. ^ "幻のアイドル"小出広美 汗と涙が染み込んだ衣装をメルカリ出品. Tokyo Sports. 14 January 2019.
49. ^ 本日2月5日は弘田三枝子の誕生日～1983年に"MICO"名義で出されたシングル「O-KAY」はサザンオールスターズ「MICO」へのアンサーソング. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 5 February 2019.
50. ^ 1983年4月23日、山下達郎「高気圧ガール」がリリース～沖縄の空をめぐる"ヤマタツ"対決に勝利する. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 23 April 2019.
51. ^ シングル売上TOP6作品

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Ethnic and regional|

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Charts|

| Oricon|

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|

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Other|

* RIAJ Digital Track Chart (discontinued)

Achievements|

* List of best-selling music artists in Japan
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Record companies|

| "Big 10"

(as of 2025[update])|

* Avex Group
* Sony Music Entertainment Japan
* Universal Music Japan
* King Record Co.
* J Storm
* Victor Entertainment
* Being Inc.
* Warner Music Group
* Pony Canyon
* Teichiku Entertainment

|

Others|

* Major
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Musicians|

* List of musical artists from Japan
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* List of Japanese hip hop musicians
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Timeline and years|

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Other topics|

* Awards
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