This is a ranking chart that u/rocket_brown on the CityPop subreddit made to help others recommend City Pop artist to others who don't know where to start on their musical journey. Don't think of this as a "Good Music vs Bad music" type of list, but rather a Ranking of who some would take priority over recommending to someone. This is HIGHLY subjective.
S-TIER
(MANDATORY LISTENING)
These Artists are Pioneers & Helped Define the genre. They also have an Extensive library of quality City Pop Music.
Not mandatory listening, have a very exceptional & unique library of City Pop and have songs that are considered iconic to the genre.
While their music isn't groundbreaking to the genre, they provide some excellent examples of City Pop Music
Artists who are not considered City Pop Artists, but may have songs in their catalog that are.
S-TIER
(MANDATORY LISTENING)
These Artists are Pioneers & Helped Define the genre. They also have an Extensive library of quality City Pop Music.
- Anri
- Casiopea
- Junko Ohashi
- Mariya Takeuchi
- Masayoshi Takanaka
- Taeko Ohnuki
- Tatsuro Yamashita
- Toshiki Kadomatsu
- T Square
- Yoshino Fujimaru
- Eiichi Ohtaki
- EPO
- Harry Honsono
- Junko Yagami
- Makoto Matsushita
- Miki Matsubara
- Minako Yoshida
- Omega Tribe
- Toshinobu Kubota
- Yellow Magic Orchestra
- Yumi Arai (Yumi Matsutoya)
Not mandatory listening, have a very exceptional & unique library of City Pop and have songs that are considered iconic to the genre.
- Abe Yasuhiro
- AB's
- Amii Ozaki
- Bread & Butter
- Haruko Kuwana
- Hi Fi Set
- Hiroshi Sato
- Issei Endoh
- Kazuhito Murata
- Kenji Ohmura
- Meiko Nakahara
- Momoko Kikuchi
- Noriko Miyamoto
- Chu Kosaka
- Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Dreams Come True
- Jadoes
- Junk Fujiyama
- Kazumi Watanabe
- Kingo Hamada
- Mai Yamane
- Noriki
- Shigeru Matsuzaki
- Shigeru Suzuki
- Takako Mamiya
- Yukihiro Takahashi
- Yurie Kokubu
- Tetsuji Hayashi
While their music isn't groundbreaking to the genre, they provide some excellent examples of City Pop Music
- Aru Takamura
- Cindy
- H20
- Hitomi Toyama
- Katsumi Horri Project
- Kengo Kurozumi
- Sentimental City Romance
- Akira Terao
- Kiyoshi Sugimoto
- Narumin & Etsu
- Seiko Matsuda
- Soap
- Spectrum
- Stardust Revue
- Terumasa Hino
- Masahiroh Kuwana
- TM Network
- Tony
- Yasuko Agawa
- Moonriders
- Chocolate Lips / Miho Fujiwara
- Kahoru Kohiruimaki
- Ginji Ito
- Kimiko Kasai
- Koh Suzuki
- Mari Ijima
- Hiroyuki Namba
- Mizuki Koyama
- Motoyoshi Iwasaki & WINDY
- PAO
- Piper
- Hideki Saijo
- RAJIE
- Sadao Watanabe
- Sai Etsuko
- So Nice
- Super Pumpkin
- Tomoko Aran
- Yoichi Takizawa
Artists who are not considered City Pop Artists, but may have songs in their catalog that are.
- Blend
- Masahiro Kuwana
- Carol
- The Cools Rockabilly Club
- Crystal King
- Hako Yamasaki
- Kyozo Nishioka
- Masahito Arai
- Miki Asakura
- Myx
- Shigeo Sekito
- Southern All Stars
- Yasuyuki Okamura
- Ann Lewis
- Ayako Aya
- Char
- Crystal King
- Hiromi Go
- Jullan
- Kenjiro Sakiya
- Makoto Kubota & The Sunset Gang
- Masanori Ikeda
- Pink Lady
- Sadistic Mika Band
- SHOGUN
- Yasuyuki Okamura