1979 in Japanese music explained

Japanese music accounted for sixty percent of record sales in the Japanese music market in 1979 (Shōwa 54), the rest being sales of foreign music.[1] During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest music market in the world.[2]

Awards, contests and festivals

The 12th Japan record sales awards (Japanese: 日本レコードセールス大賞) were held in 1979.[3] The 21st Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 to 24 April 1979.[4] [5] [6] [7] The 17th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 6 May 1979.[8] The 8th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 17 June 1979.[9] [10] [11] The 18th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 7 October 1979.[12]

The 10th World Popular Song Festival was held from 9 to 11 November 1979.[13] The song by Crystal King, and the song Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean by Bonnie Tyler, won the grand prix awards.[14]

The 10th Japan Music Awards were held on 23 November 1979.[15]

The final of the 8th FNS Music Festival was on the 18 December 1979.[16] [17] The grand prize winner was Hideki Saijo.[18]

The 21st Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1979.[19] [20] The song by Judy Ongg won the Japan Record Award.[21]

The 30th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1979.[22]

Concerts

The "Japan Jam" was held on 4 to 5 August. The Southern All Stars appeared.[23] [24]

Number one singles

Oricon

See main article: List of Oricon number-one singles of 1979. The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:[25] [26] [27] [28]

Issue dateSongArtist(s)
January 1"Chameleon Army"Pink Lady
January 8
January 15
January 22
January 29""Alice
February 5
February 12
February 19
February 26""
March 5
March 12""Hideki Saijo
March 19
March 26
April 2
April 9
April 16""Judy Ongg
April 23
April 30
May 7
May 14
May 21
May 28
June 4
June 11
June 18""
June 25
July 2
July 9
July 16
July 23""Sachiko Kobayashi
July 30""Masashi Sada
August 6
August 13
August 20
August 27
September 3
September 10
September 17
September 24
October 1
October 8""
October 15
October 22
October 29""Masashi Sada
November 5
November 12
November 19
November 26
December 3
December 10"Ihōjin"Saki Kubota
December 17
December 24
December 31

The Best Ten

The following reached number 1 on The Best Ten chart:

Number one albums and LPs

Oricon

The following albums reached number 1 on the Oricon chart:

Music Labo

The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:

Cash Box

The following reached number 1 on the Cash Box chart:

Annual or year-end charts

The song "Omidezake", by Sachiko Kobayashi, was number 1 on The Best Ten annual chart for 1979, announced on 27 December 1979.[31]

Radio

The program "Mirage Love USA" was broadcast by Tokyo FM.[49] (Cf USA Love Mirage.)

Film and television

The music of Nomugi Pass, by Masaru Sato, won the 34th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.[50] The music of The Castle of Cagliostro is by Yuji Ohno,[51] and the singer of Hono no Takara Mono (or "Fire Treasure") is Bobby (ボビー).[52] [53]

Music industry

The record industry grossed $62 million in January.[54] Average sales for the 1979 Christmas and New Year season were ten percent higher than those of the 1978 Christmas and New Year season, with particularly high sales for ABBA, Saki Kubota, Masashi Sada and Alice.[55]

PolyGram and Young Japan agreed to enter into a partnership.[56]

Overseas

The song "Kiss in the Dark", by Pink Lady, reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States of America.[57] Pink Lady were the first Japanese musicians to enter the record charts in the United States since Kyu Sakamoto in 1963.[58] [59]

Yellow Magic Orchestra did a world tour in October and November 1979.[60]

Debuts

Other singles released

Foreign music

Other albums released

History

In 2008, Shūkan Shōwa Taimuzu featured Judy Ongg on the back cover as person of the moment (Japanese: 時の人) for 1979.[64]

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Billboard. 26 May 1979. p J-26.
  2. Billboard. 22 December 1979. p 14.
  3. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iCwxAQAAIAAJ 日本の作曲家: 近現代音楽人名事典
  4. https://www.asahizaidan.or.jp/festival/1978-1987/lineup-1979/ 1979年度のラインナップ
  5. 神戸公演チラシ and 第21回大阪国際フェスティバル特別展覧会 in 1979年（昭和54年）. Osaka College of Music.
  6. International Music Guide 1979
  7. International Music Guide 1980
  8. http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/history/e-history/popcon/pop17.html 第17回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト
  9. "Rita Coolidge Is Winner At Tokyo Music Festival". Billboard. 30 June 1979. pp 1 & 62.
  10. "Top Talent Performs At Tokyo Music Festival" and "Festive Ambience Fulfills Festival Reception". Billboard. 7 July 1979. pp 56 & 57.
  11. "U.S. Starts In Tokyo Fest". Billboard. 5 May 1979. p 1.
  12. http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/history/e-history/popcon/pop18.html 第18回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト
  13. "Yamaha Fest Viewed As Product Booster". Billboard. 17 November 1979. p 68.
  14. "1979 World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo Climaxes a Decade of Commitment to Popular Music". Billboard. 8 December 1979. p 41.
  15. 朝日新聞縮刷版  (Asahi Shimbun shukusatsuban). Number 701. p 27, headed "1979 年(昭和 54 年) 11 月 23 日".
  16. (1979) 每日新聞 (Mainichi Shimbun). Issue 360. p 20 headed "1979 年(昭和 54 年) 12 月 18 日(火曜日)".
  17. (1979) 31 日本經濟新聞 (Nikkei). p 20 headed "(1979 年) 12 月 18 日".
  18. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FnQ4vkMg1JQC 朝日年監 1980
  19. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8O3UAAAAMAAJ 新潟県年鑑
  20. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FnQ4vkMg1JQC 朝日年監 1980
  21. https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/293966 ジュディ・オング「『魅せられて』歌い続けていく」音楽プロデューサー酒井政利さん悼む
  22. https://thetv.jp/program/0000916741/30/ 第30回NHK紅白歌合戦
  23. "U.S. Talent Will Appear at Japan Jam". Billboard. 7 July 1979. p 58.
  24. "Beach Boys Headline Inaugural Japan Jam". Cash Box. 7 July 1979. p 54.
  25. https://news.1242.com/article/183309 Nippon Broadcasting System
  26. https://news.1242.com/article/157312 Nippon Broadcasting System
  27. https://news.1242.com/article/139094 Nippon Broadcasting System
  28. See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
  29. https://news.1242.com/article/181397 1979年8月2日、水谷豊「カリフォルニア・コネクション」がザ・ベストテンで連続1位を獲得
  30. https://www.tbs.co.jp/tbs-ch/item/o2517/#anc_highlight ザ・ベストテン(1979年9月27日放送)
  31. https://www.tbs.co.jp/tbs-ch/item/o2560/ ザ・ベストテン(1979年12月27日放送)
  32. https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/57997/full/ "安室奈美恵の勢い衰えず!ドリカム以来14年8ヶ月ぶりの6週連続首位"
  33. https://news.1242.com/article/173724 1982年4月26日中島みゆき『寒水魚』がオリコン・アルバムチャートの1位を獲得～中島みゆきが音楽を獲得したことを証明するアルバム
  34. Billboard. 22 December 1979, p 71. 15 December 1979, p 40.
  35. Billboard. 8 December 1979, p 48. 1 December 1979, p 47.
  36. Billboard. 24 November 1979, p 59. 17 November 1979, p 72.
  37. Billboard. 3 November 1979, p 79. 17 November 1979, p 72.
  38. Billboard. 20 October 1979, p 63. 6 October 1979, p 68.
  39. Billboard. 29 September 1979, p 63. 15 September 1979, p 68. "Hits of the World", 8 September 1979.
  40. Billboard. 25 August 1979, p 70. 11 August 1979, p 76. 4 August 1979, p 54. 28 July 1979, p 51.
  41. Billboard. 28 July 1979, p 51.
  42. Billboard. 14 July 1979, p 86.
  43. Cash Box. 7 July 1979, p 54
  44. Cash Box. 9 June 1979, p 45. 16 June 1979, p 54.
  45. Cash Box. 26 May 1979, p 50. 2 June 1979, p 50.
  46. Cash Box. 21 April 1979, p 48. 28 April 1979, p 51.
  47. Cash Box. 31 March 1979, p 75. 24 March 1979, p 54. 17 March 1979, p 46. 24 February 1979, p 46.
  48. Cash Box. 17 February 1979, p 50.
  49. "Tokyo FM Station Airing U.S. Music Series". Billboard. 17 November 1979. p 69.
  50. https://mainichi.jp/mfa/history/034.html 第34回 日本映画大賞
  51. Beck. The Animated Movie Guide. p 49.
  52. https://reminder.top/741682688/ 炎のたからもの、久しぶりにスクリーンに甦ったカリオストロの城
  53. https://online.stereosound.co.jp/_ct/17588022 ステレオサウンド オリジナルソフトの魅力を語る 名盤ソフト 聴きどころ紹介44 ／『ルパン三世 カリオストロの城 オリジナルサウンドトラックBGM集〜for Audiophile〜』Stereo Sound REFERENCE RECORD
  54. "Jan. Sales Down In Japan Market". Cash Box. 24 March 1979. p 55.
  55. "Holiday Record, Tape Sales Up By 10% in Japan". Cash Box. 2 February 1980. p 37.
  56. "Partnership Ties Polygram With Tokyo's Young Japan". Billboard. 22 December 1979. p 5
  57. Billboard. 19 February 2011. p 4
  58. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=RVFLAAAAYAAJ The Billboard Book of Number One Hits
  59. "Pink Lady ends drouth". Billboard. 23 June 1979. p 9.
  60. https://news.1242.com/article/168581 1980年2月21日YMO『パブリック・プレッシャー／公的抑圧』がリリース
  61. https://reminder.top/660530739/ 久保田早紀の名曲「異邦人」あの日 運命を背負って生まれた歌
  62. https://news.1242.com/article/163889 1979年12月20日、財津和夫「Wake Up」が発売～初回プレスは無色透明の“カラーレコード”
  63. https://news.1242.com/article/131444 1979年の12月1日、ユーミンの『悲しいほどお天気』がリリース
  64. "1979". 週刊昭和タイムズ (Shūkan Shōwa Taimuzu). DeAgostini. No 36. 10 June 2008.

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