Iconic City Pop Songs Covered or Sampled by Overseas Artists
With it being Retro Week at Tokyo Weekender, we are focusing on city pop for our latest
List of 7
. Considered more of a vibe associated with the 1970s and 1980s in Japan than a strict musical genre, it experienced a revival in the late 2010s. Its popularity also spread overseas, influencing foreign musicians. Here's a look at some of the most iconic city pop hits that have been covered or sampled by overseas artists.
List of Contents:
Tatsuro Yamashita: Christmas Eve
Miki Matsubara: Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me)
Tomoko Aran: Midnight Pretenders
Anri: Last Summer Whisper
Kingo Hamada: Machi no Dorufin
Hi-Fi Set: Sky Restaurant
Mai Yamane: Tasogare
More From This Series
Tatsuro Yamashita: Christmas Eve
Covered by the Commodores and Pentatonix
The best place to start is with the man known as the 'King of City Pop.' Tatsuro Yamashita, who will make his Fuji Rock debut this July, has released 13 original studio albums, five cover CDs and two live records. His most successful track, 'Christmas Eve' (1983), was Japan's best-selling single of the 1980s. It also holds the record for the most consecutive years — 39 and counting — to appear on the Oricon Chart Top 100.
Given its popularity, it's no surprise that several artists have covered the song, including overseas acts. American funk and soul group, the Commodores, included it on the Japanese edition of the band's 1992 album,
Commodores Christmas
. Cappella group Pentatonix did likewise on their 2014 LP
That's Christmas To Me
.
Miki Matsubara: Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me)
Covered by Rainych, Sampled by 1nonly
A domestic hit in 1979, Miki Matsubara's debut single, 'Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me),' became an international one four decades later due to platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Written by famed composers Tetsuji Hayashi and Tokuko Miura, it's a sad song about lost love, yet has an upbeat sound and catchy chorus. Matsubara, who was also known for singles such as 'Neat na gogo san-ji' and 'The Winner,' sadly passed away in 2004 at the age of just 44.
Sixteen years after Matsubara's death, Indonesian YouTuber Rainych uploaded a cover of her most famous track to her YouTube channel, which garnered millions of views. 'Stay With Me,' the breakout single from Korean-American rapper 1nonly (Nathan Scott Fuller), also sampled the song.
Tomoko Aran: Midnight Pretenders
Sampled by the Weeknd
Embodying the spirit of the 80s, Tomoko Aran — birth name Tomoko Yamaguchi — is known for her distinctive vocals and catchy melodies. Between 1981 and 1990, she released nine albums, including
More Relax
(1984) and
Last Good-bye
(1986). Her most celebrated album, though, is the 1983 LP,
Fuyu Kukan
, meaning 'floating space.' A synth-heavy record, it features two standout tracks: 'I'm in Love' and 'Midnight Pretenders.' The latter, in particular, has garnered a lot of attention in recent years due to the rising popularity of city pop.
A laid-back track with a seductive, dream-like quality, 'Midnight Pretenders' was heavily sampled by four-time Grammy Award-winning Canadian artist the Weeknd (Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) for his song 'Out of Time' from the album
Dawn FM.
Anri: Last Summer Whisper
Sampled by Jenevieve
Mariya Takeuchi is widely referred to as the 'Queen of City Pop,' though for many, Anri — birth name Eiko Kawashima — is just as deserving of that title. During her career, which has spanned more than four decades, she has released over 40 albums. Her most successful LP,
Timely
, released in 1983, featured 'Cat's Eye.' Used as the opening track for the anime series of the same name, it topped the charts for four weeks. The previous year, Anri worked with Toshiki Kadomatsu for the first time on her fourth studio album,
Heaven Beach
.
Kadomatsu wrote and composed 'Last Summer Whisper,' a bittersweet song about a fleeting summer fling. The catchy hit was sampled by American R&B artist Jenevieve Johnson — known professionally as Jenevieve — for her song, 'Baby Powder.'
Kingo Hamada: Machi no Dorufin
Sampled by Engelwood
A violinist as a child, Kingo Hamada switched to the guitar as he got older and then joined the folk band Craft in 1974. When the group disbanded, he launched his solo career, releasing his debut album
Manhattan in the Rain
in 1980. Over the next five years, he recorded another six original LPs. The one that garnered the most attention was
Midnight Cruisin'
, which is known for its smooth and funky sound. Highlights include the title track, 'Yokogao no Taxi Driver' (A Taxi Driver's Profile) and 'Machi no Dorufin' (City Dolphin), which is his most famous song.
Matt Engels, known by his stage name Engelwood, sampled Hamada's track for his popular future-funk song 'Crystal Dolphin.' The electronic music producer also sampled Yamashita's hit 'Sparkle' on another track.
Hi-Fi Set: Sky Restaurant
Sampled by J. Cole and Chris Brown
In 1974, the folk group Akai Tori disbanded due to musical differences. Three of its members — Junko Yamamoto, Toshihiko Yamamoto and Shigeru Okawa — subsequently formed a new group called Hi-Fi Set. The name was suggested by the influential musician Haruomi Hosono. Performing as a trio for two decades, many of the group's biggest hits came in their first 10 years, including 'Sotsugyo Shashin' (Graduation Photo), 'Tsumetai Ame' (Cold Rain) and 'Sunao ni Naritai' (I Want to Be Honest).
The group's catchiest tune is arguably 'Sky Restaurant' (1975), written by legendary artist Yuming (birth name Yumi Arai). Jermaine Lamarr Cole, known professionally as J. Cole, sampled the intro for his track 'January 28th' in 2014, as did Chris Brown for his song 'Moonlight' on his 2023 album
11:11
.
Mai Yamane: Tasogare
Sampled by Playboi Carti and Young Nudy
A talented performer with a husky voice, Mai Yamane is most well-known for her collaborations with Yoko Kanno on various soundtracks for the
Cowboy Bebop
anime series, including the first ending theme, 'The Real Folk Blues,' released in 1998. Yamane launched her music career almost two decades earlier with her debut album,
Tasogare
(1980), meaning 'twilight.' Produced by Makoto Matsushita, it's considered a city pop masterpiece, especially the title track, which incorporates elements of funk.
'Tasogare' garnered global attention in the late 2010s after Playboi Carti and Young Nudy utilized the intro of the song for the recording of their track 'Pissy Pamper.' Leaked in 2019, it proved very popular online, but as the sample wasn't cleared, it was never officially released.
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Tokyo Weekender
2 days ago
- Tokyo Weekender
Iconic City Pop Songs Covered or Sampled by Overseas Artists
With it being Retro Week at Tokyo Weekender, we are focusing on city pop for our latest List of 7 . Considered more of a vibe associated with the 1970s and 1980s in Japan than a strict musical genre, it experienced a revival in the late 2010s. Its popularity also spread overseas, influencing foreign musicians. Here's a look at some of the most iconic city pop hits that have been covered or sampled by overseas artists. List of Contents: Tatsuro Yamashita: Christmas Eve Miki Matsubara: Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me) Tomoko Aran: Midnight Pretenders Anri: Last Summer Whisper Kingo Hamada: Machi no Dorufin Hi-Fi Set: Sky Restaurant Mai Yamane: Tasogare More From This Series Tatsuro Yamashita: Christmas Eve Covered by the Commodores and Pentatonix The best place to start is with the man known as the 'King of City Pop.' Tatsuro Yamashita, who will make his Fuji Rock debut this July, has released 13 original studio albums, five cover CDs and two live records. His most successful track, 'Christmas Eve' (1983), was Japan's best-selling single of the 1980s. It also holds the record for the most consecutive years — 39 and counting — to appear on the Oricon Chart Top 100. Given its popularity, it's no surprise that several artists have covered the song, including overseas acts. American funk and soul group, the Commodores, included it on the Japanese edition of the band's 1992 album, Commodores Christmas . Cappella group Pentatonix did likewise on their 2014 LP That's Christmas To Me . Miki Matsubara: Mayonaka no Door (Stay With Me) Covered by Rainych, Sampled by 1nonly A domestic hit in 1979, Miki Matsubara's debut single, 'Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me),' became an international one four decades later due to platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Written by famed composers Tetsuji Hayashi and Tokuko Miura, it's a sad song about lost love, yet has an upbeat sound and catchy chorus. Matsubara, who was also known for singles such as 'Neat na gogo san-ji' and 'The Winner,' sadly passed away in 2004 at the age of just 44. Sixteen years after Matsubara's death, Indonesian YouTuber Rainych uploaded a cover of her most famous track to her YouTube channel, which garnered millions of views. 'Stay With Me,' the breakout single from Korean-American rapper 1nonly (Nathan Scott Fuller), also sampled the song. Tomoko Aran: Midnight Pretenders Sampled by the Weeknd Embodying the spirit of the 80s, Tomoko Aran — birth name Tomoko Yamaguchi — is known for her distinctive vocals and catchy melodies. Between 1981 and 1990, she released nine albums, including More Relax (1984) and Last Good-bye (1986). Her most celebrated album, though, is the 1983 LP, Fuyu Kukan , meaning 'floating space.' A synth-heavy record, it features two standout tracks: 'I'm in Love' and 'Midnight Pretenders.' The latter, in particular, has garnered a lot of attention in recent years due to the rising popularity of city pop. A laid-back track with a seductive, dream-like quality, 'Midnight Pretenders' was heavily sampled by four-time Grammy Award-winning Canadian artist the Weeknd (Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) for his song 'Out of Time' from the album Dawn FM. Anri: Last Summer Whisper Sampled by Jenevieve Mariya Takeuchi is widely referred to as the 'Queen of City Pop,' though for many, Anri — birth name Eiko Kawashima — is just as deserving of that title. During her career, which has spanned more than four decades, she has released over 40 albums. Her most successful LP, Timely , released in 1983, featured 'Cat's Eye.' Used as the opening track for the anime series of the same name, it topped the charts for four weeks. The previous year, Anri worked with Toshiki Kadomatsu for the first time on her fourth studio album, Heaven Beach . Kadomatsu wrote and composed 'Last Summer Whisper,' a bittersweet song about a fleeting summer fling. The catchy hit was sampled by American R&B artist Jenevieve Johnson — known professionally as Jenevieve — for her song, 'Baby Powder.' Kingo Hamada: Machi no Dorufin Sampled by Engelwood A violinist as a child, Kingo Hamada switched to the guitar as he got older and then joined the folk band Craft in 1974. When the group disbanded, he launched his solo career, releasing his debut album Manhattan in the Rain in 1980. Over the next five years, he recorded another six original LPs. The one that garnered the most attention was Midnight Cruisin' , which is known for its smooth and funky sound. Highlights include the title track, 'Yokogao no Taxi Driver' (A Taxi Driver's Profile) and 'Machi no Dorufin' (City Dolphin), which is his most famous song. Matt Engels, known by his stage name Engelwood, sampled Hamada's track for his popular future-funk song 'Crystal Dolphin.' The electronic music producer also sampled Yamashita's hit 'Sparkle' on another track. Hi-Fi Set: Sky Restaurant Sampled by J. Cole and Chris Brown In 1974, the folk group Akai Tori disbanded due to musical differences. Three of its members — Junko Yamamoto, Toshihiko Yamamoto and Shigeru Okawa — subsequently formed a new group called Hi-Fi Set. The name was suggested by the influential musician Haruomi Hosono. Performing as a trio for two decades, many of the group's biggest hits came in their first 10 years, including 'Sotsugyo Shashin' (Graduation Photo), 'Tsumetai Ame' (Cold Rain) and 'Sunao ni Naritai' (I Want to Be Honest). The group's catchiest tune is arguably 'Sky Restaurant' (1975), written by legendary artist Yuming (birth name Yumi Arai). Jermaine Lamarr Cole, known professionally as J. Cole, sampled the intro for his track 'January 28th' in 2014, as did Chris Brown for his song 'Moonlight' on his 2023 album 11:11 . Mai Yamane: Tasogare Sampled by Playboi Carti and Young Nudy A talented performer with a husky voice, Mai Yamane is most well-known for her collaborations with Yoko Kanno on various soundtracks for the Cowboy Bebop anime series, including the first ending theme, 'The Real Folk Blues,' released in 1998. Yamane launched her music career almost two decades earlier with her debut album, Tasogare (1980), meaning 'twilight.' Produced by Makoto Matsushita, it's considered a city pop masterpiece, especially the title track, which incorporates elements of funk. 'Tasogare' garnered global attention in the late 2010s after Playboi Carti and Young Nudy utilized the intro of the song for the recording of their track 'Pissy Pamper.' Leaked in 2019, it proved very popular online, but as the sample wasn't cleared, it was never officially released. More From This Series Japanese Films That Influenced Quentin Tarantino Legendary Figures From Osaka Recommended Japanese Documentaries
Tokyo Weekender
2 days ago
- Tokyo Weekender
The Kimono-Wearing Snowboarder Carving a New Path for Japanese Crafts
On a slope blanketed with powdery snow, a young woman glides gracefully downhill in a flash of red, the long sleeves of her kimono billowing behind her like streamers in the wind, her snowboard carving elegant, meandering arcs into the mountainside. The snowboarder, Sumire Morino, had come to the mountain that day for a special reason: to celebrate Coming of Age Day, a Japanese national holiday that honors the transition into adulthood, traditionally considered to be at age 20. Across the country, it's marked by formal ceremonies and gatherings where newly minted adults come together, often at local town halls or shrines. The men generally wear tailored suits; the women, furisode — a traditional kimono distinguished by its long, flowing sleeves and vivid patterns. But Morino wanted to mark the milestone in her own way. A short video of the ride, which Morino posted on Twitter (now X) in January 2023, captivated viewers in Japan and beyond. It resulted in a flurry of media attention; to date, it's been viewed nearly 20 million times. 'Now, furisode snowboarding has become one of my signature pieces,' she tells Tokyo Weekender. Rooted in Snow and Craft Furisode-clad runs aren't the only way that Morino puts a unique spin on Japanese tradition: As part of her graduation thesis for art school, she creates one-of-a-kind artworks on the surface of snowboarding and ski equipment, decorating them with urushi lacquer. This traditional Japanese craft involves applying refined tree sap in multiple layers to create a durable, glossy finish; it's typically seen on bowls, boxes and other household items. Instead of furniture or ceramics, Morino chose the unconventional surface of high-performance snow sports gear, made from materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber. Her designs are distinctly contemporary and often whimsical — opalescent whales, for instance, or patterns of skiers nestled in swirling puffs of snow. A bold, red board is emblazoned with a smattering of fried eggs and a frying pan. The 'egg whites' are made with quail eggshells, painstakingly glued on one fragment at a time, while the 'yolks' are glazed with a shimmering finish made of silver powder. 'My graduation project happened to focus on winter sports because they were familiar to me,' Morino explains. Her relationship with snow began in childhood, shaped by her time in Aomori Prefecture, known for its long winters and deep snowdrifts. She often visited her grandmother's house, which was filled with traditional Tsugaru-nuri lacquerware, recognizable by its vivid layered patterns and rich, textured finish — her first introduction to lacquerware and traditional arts. Before becoming a lacquer craftswoman and snowboarder, Morino's formative years were far from smooth. By fourth grade, she began struggling with a health condition that made mornings nearly impossible and school attendance sporadic. Her mental health also deteriorated after her parents' divorce, and all these challenges eventually led to her withdrawing from traditional education entirely. 'I sat alone in an empty auditorium at my graduation. No one wrote in my yearbook. My report card had blank spaces where grades should've been,' Morino recounts in a post on her personal blog. But instead of closing her off, these isolating experiences ended up widening her world. Tradition Meets Terrain In high school, while enrolled in a nontraditional learning program, Morino spent her days camping, riding her bike and taking up part-time jobs. One winter, she decided to take a position at a ski resort in Nagano — a decision that would forever alter the trajectory of her life. It was here that she first tried snowboarding, and here that she discovered a subculture of snowboarding cosplayers and enthusiasts creating custom 'ita snowboards' — creations in the same vein as 'ita bags' or 'ita cars,' where everyday objects are heavily decorated with anime art, like decals, badges or stickers. Morino was hooked. She invested nearly all her earnings in her first snowboard and boots. What began as a seasonal escape evolved into a passionate pursuit and, eventually, a canvas for her artistic expression. In college, she began studying urushi techniques, and instinctively brought them out of the classroom into her daily life. In place of anime decals, she began ornamenting her boards with mother-of-pearl, gold leaf and layers of red and black lacquer. 'To me, traditional crafts aren't 'old' — they're just cool,' she says. 'I don't feel bound by tradition, nor do I see pop culture as something radically new. Both occupy the same space in my mind as things I like, so combining them feels natural.' She approached snowboarding in an elaborate furisode with the same mindset: 'I'd already been snowboarding in cosplay … so it didn't feel like I was doing anything particularly unusual. It started from a playful idea: Wouldn't this be fun? ' The Beauty of Inefficiency Morino is still studying urushi lacquer techniques at school, and later this year, she'll hold a solo exhibition in Tokyo. In her Instagram bio, she describes herself simply as 'an artist and a craftsperson.' Though deeply committed to traditional crafts, she has a clear-eyed perspective on why many in her generation are drifting away from them: 'I think crafts feel distant because they're not part of most people's daily lives. They're unseen, unconsidered. But crafts have always evolved with the times. It was only when they began to be labeled as 'traditional' that they started feeling frozen in time.' She doesn't see herself as a preservationist so much as a catalyst: 'Rather than a decline in artisans, I think the real issue is a drop in demand — fewer buyers. Without demand, it's hard to sustain a craft. So I hope to contribute by creating that demand.' Objects made with beauty and care, using techniques passed down through generations, carry an inherent value that can't be rushed or replicated. Morino believes this timeless quality will endure. 'In an age of AI and industrial automation, crafts can seem like bundles of inefficiency,' she muses. 'But especially with urushi, which is a uniquely Japanese technique, that inefficiency is what makes it valuable. It's handmade, it's irreplaceable, and that makes it the ultimate luxury.' More Info Follow Sumire Morino on Instagram at @ morinosumire . Her solo exhibition runs in the Art Mall in Nihonbashi, Tokyo from June 24 to 29, 2025. Address: 1 Chome-13-10 Nihonbashimuromachi, Chuo City, Tokyo 103-0022 Related Posts The Beauty of Broken Things: The Artist Using Kintsugi To Heal Emotional Wounds A Complete Guide to Skiing in Japan: Where To Find the Best Powder 5 Best Prefectures in Japan for Skiing and Snowboarding
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Manga-Predicted Megaquake? Baseless Rumors of July Disaster in Japan Deter Some Visitors
Rumors of a major earthquake set to hit Japan on July 5, 2025, based on a prediction of catastrophe in a dream depicted in a 2021 manga by Tatsuki Ryō, have been spreading online. While there is no scientific evidence for such a disaster, social media sharing of the prophecy has led to a drop in visitors to Japan from Hong Kong. A June survey found that 49.4% of Japanese people had heard rumors of the prophecy and 50.6% had not. The survey was conducted by Sky Perfect JSAT, targeting 1,000 people nationwide aged 15 to 69. The highest percentages for people who had heard the rumors were for women in their teens (61.4%) and fifties (57.8%). Among men, those in their teens (54.2%) and twenties (51.8%) were more likely to know. Of the 494 people who heard about the rumors, the most common source was YouTube at 27.7%, followed by television (25.7%), online news (24.1%), family/friends (21.5%), and X (formerly Twitter) (20.4%). YouTube was a popular source for men, while many over 40 heard about it from television, and young people from X. TikTok was common among teenage girls. When asked what trustworthy news source they use on a daily basis, 41.9% of respondents said television, 25.6% online news, and 21.8% newspapers (including digital versions). Television was top among all ages, but there was a considerable gap between the proportion of people in their sixties (71.7%) and those in their twenties (24.7%) who chose it. (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)
