411 REFERENCE · Wikipedia
1989 in Japanese music
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
none
February 2026
1989
1989 Japanese music
In 1989 (Shōwa 64 / Heisei 1), 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. and fourteen percent of all record sales took place in that country.(1991) 159 Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys, (from Standard & Poor's Corporation), (Leisure Time), 14 March 1991, p 42, citing Billboard's report of an IFPI survey.
Awards, contests and festivals
The 31st Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 31 January to 14 May 1989.1989年のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation. The 2nd "Band Explosion" festival was held on 12 February 1989.INTERNATIONAL POPULAR MUSIC FESTIVAL BAND EXPLOSION '88世界大会(審査会). Yamaha Music Foundation. The international contest of the 18th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 2 June 1989.Close Up Magazine. vol 24. No 3: March 1989. p 16. From Country Music Association (CMA). ISSN 0896-372X."Fast Facts". The Hard Report. No 137: 14 July 1989. p 38. From "The Hard Report Inc", Medford, New Jersey. The 3rd Teens' Music Festival was held on 3 August 1989.TEENS' MUSIC FESTIVAL '89 全国フェスティバル. Yamaha Music Foundation. The final of the 20th World Popular Song Festival was held on 27 October 1989.第20回世界歌謡祭記念大会 World Popular Song Festival 20th Anniversary Special -Benefit for unicef-. Yamaha Music Foundation. The 3rd "Band Explosion" festival was held on 29 October 1989.BAND EXPLOSION '89 WORLD FINAL IN JAPAN ~世界大会. Yamaha Music Foundation. The final of the 18th FNS Music Festival was held on 12 December 1989."(S) FNS Popular Song Grand Prix: 7:00-9:24 p.m. FUJI, KTV, THK" in "Today's Choice". The Japan Times. 12 December 1989. No 32644. p 14. col 4. The 31st Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1989.第31回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association. The 40th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1989.第40回NHK紅白歌合戦. NHK.
Boøwy won the grand prix for Japanese artist of the year at the 3rd Japan Gold Disc Awards.The Japan Gold Disc Successive Award.第3回 日本ゴールドディスク大賞.
Concerts
There was a Kenji Sawada concert at the Tokyo Bay NK Hall on 13 October 1989.ジュリー・沢田研二「伝説のコンサート」が36年たった今も"伝説"とされる理由 「やっぱりジュリーは派手でないと」という声への"反動"と"進化". AERA Digital. 11 October 2025.
Number one singles
Oricon
List of Oricon number-one singles of 1989
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine1989年6月12日PRINCESS PRINCESS「Diamonds(ダイアモンド)」がオリコン1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 12 June 2019.1989年1月23日、工藤静香「恋一夜」で通算4曲目となるシングル1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 23 January 2019.
Issue dateSongArtist(s)2 January"Tonbo ja とんぼ (長渕剛の曲)"Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi9 January16 January"Aki (song) ja 秋 (男闘呼組の曲) Aki"Otokogumi"Oricon Single Hot 100" in "Hot Chart 100: 1.16 Oricon". Oricon Weekly. vol 11. 23 January 1989. p 19.23 January"Koi Hitoyo"Shizuka Kudo30 January6 February"True Love (Yui Asaka song) ja TRUE LOVE (浅香唯の曲) True Love"Yui Asaka13 February"Ai ga Tomaranai (Turn It into Love)"Wink20 February"Gekiai ja 激愛"Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi27 February6 March"Rosécolor"Miho Nakayama13 March"Time Zone (song) ja TIME ZONE Time Zone"Otokogumi20 March"Chikyu wo Sagashite ja 地球をさがして"Hikaru Genji27 March"Namida wo Misenai de (Boys Don't Cry)"Wink3 April10 April17 April"Be My Baby (Complex song) ja BE MY BABY Be My Baby"Complex24 April1 May"Gomen yo Namida ja ごめんよ涙"Toshihiko Tahara8 May"Liar"Akina Nakamori15 May"Arashi no Sugao"Shizuka Kudo22 May29 May5 June"Return to Myself (Shinai, Shinai, Natsu.)"Mari Hamada12 June"Diamonds"Princess Princess19 June"Sayonara Baby (Southern All Stars song) ja さよならベイビー Sayonara Baby"Southern All Stars26 June"Diamonds"Princess Princess3 July"Maitta ne Konya ja まいったネ今夜"Shonentai10 July"Sekai de Ichiban Atsui Natsu"Princess Princess17 July"Samishii Nettaigyo"Wink24 July31 July"Taiyo ga Ippai ja 太陽がいっぱい (光GENJIの曲)"Hikaru Genji7 August"Summer Game ja SUMMER GAME"Kyosuke Himuro14 August"Rockin' My Soul ja CROSS TO YOU/ROCKIN' MY SOUL"Otokogumi21 August"Taiyo ga Ippai ja 太陽がいっぱい (光GENJIの曲)"Hikaru Genji28 August4 September11 September18 September"Kōsa ni Fukarete"Shizuka Kudo25 September2 October9 October16 October23 October30 October"Niji o Mitakai ja 虹をみたかい"Misato Watanabe6 November"Running to Horizon ja RUNNING TO HORIZON"Tetsuya Komuro13 November"One Night in Heaven (Mayonaka no Angel)"Wink20 November27 November"Gravity of Love (Tetsuya Komuro song) ja GRAVITY OF LOVE Gravity of Love"Tetsuya Komuro4 December"Shiroi Christmas ja 白いクリスマス"Jun Sky Walker(s) ja JUN SKY WALKER(S)11 December"Film no Mukōgawa ja フィルムの向こう側"Yoko Minamino18 December"Shoppai Mikazuki no Yoru ja しょっぱい三日月の夜"Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi25 December"Christmas Eve (Tatsuro Yamashita song) ja クリスマス・イブ (山下達郎の曲) Christmas Eve"Tatsuro Yamashita
Number one albums
Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
16 January: Best II - Akina NakamoriBillboard. 28 January 1989, p 67.
31 January: Taboo - Buck-TickBillboard. 25 February 1989, p 68.
7 February: Root 5 ja √5 (アルバム) - Barbee BoysBillboard. 25 February 1989, p 68.
20 February: Stand Up!! 5 Years Realive Document ja STAND UP!! (矢沢永吉のアルバム) - Eikichi YazawaBillboard. 11 March 1989, p 85.
7 March: Hey Say ja Hey! Say! (アルバム) - Hikaru GenjiBillboard. 25 March 1989, p 65.
27 March: Joy - Shizuka KudoBillboard. 8 April 1989, p 71.
10 April: Showa (album) ja 昭和 (アルバム) Showa - Tsuyoshi NagabuchiBillboard. 22 April 1989, p 68.
24 April and 1 May: Like a Prayer - MadonnaBillboard. 6 May 1989, p 78. 20 May 1989, p 66.
8 May: Complex (Complex album) ja COMPLEX (アルバム) Complex - ComplexBillboard. 20 May 1989, p 66.
22 May: Dress (TM Network album) ja DRESS (TM NETWORKのアルバム) Dress - TM NetworkBillboard. 3 June 1989, p 69. 17 June 1989, p 73.
12 July: Naporeon Fish To Oyoguhi ja ナポレオンフィッシュと泳ぐ日 - Motoharu SanoBillboard. 1 July 1989, p 72.
19 June and 26 June: Return to Myself - Mari HamadaBillboard. 1 July 1989, p 72. 15 July 1989, p 63.
3 July: Joji (album) ja 情事 (矢沢永吉のアルバム) Joji - Eikichi YazawaBillboard. 15 July 1989, p 63.
10 July and 24 July: Otokogumi Nimaime ja 男闘呼組 二枚目 - OtokogumiBillboard. 29 July 1989, p 67. 12 August 1989, p 71.
17 July: Flower Bed (album) ja Flower bed Flower Bed - Misato WatanabeBillboard. 29 July 1989, p 67.
31 July: Seven Heaven ja Seven Heaven - CheckersBillboard. 12 August 1989, p 71.
7 August, 14 August, 21 August and 4 September: Cruise - Akina NakamoriBillboard. 26 August 1989, p 84. 9 September 1989, p 79. 23 September 1989, p 82.
11 September: Wasted Tears ja Wasted Tears - Shōgo HamadaBillboard. 23 September 1989, p 82.
18 September: Outerlimits - Show-YaBillboard. 7 October 1989, p 78. 14 October 1989, p 80.
25 September: Karakuri House - La-ppisch ja レピッシュBillboard. 7 October 1989, p 78. 14 October 1989, p 80.
9 October and 16 October: Neo Fascio - Kyosuke HimuroBillboard. 28 October 1989, p 95.
30 October: Red Monkey Yellow Fish ja redmonkey yellowfish - Senri OeBillboard. 11 November 1989, p 86. 18 November 1989, p 80.
13 November: I.B.W. (Bakufu Slump album) ja I.B.W I.B.W. - Bakufu SlumpBillboard. 2 December 1989, p 60.
20 November: 5 1/2 ja 5 1/2 - Kome Kome ClubBillboard. 2 December 1989, p 60.
27 November: Lovers - Princess PrincessBillboard. 16 December 1989, p 66.
4 December, 18 December and 25 December: Love Wars (Yumi Matsutoya album) ja LOVE WARS (松任谷由実のアルバム) Love Wars - Yumi MatsutoyaBillboard. 16 December 1989, p 66. 13 January 1990, p 64.
Oricon
w:ja:Template:オリコン週間アルバムチャート第1位 1989年
The following reached number 1 on the Oricon Albums Chart:See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
16 January: Best II - Akina Nakamori"Album Top 100" in "Hot Chart 100: 1.16 Oricon". Oricon Weekly. vol 11. 23 January 1989. p 18.
15 May: Especially for You: Yasashisa ni Tsutsumarete by Wink
29 May: Blond Saurus ja BLOND SAURUS - Rebecca
24 July: Gauche (album) ja GAUCHE Gauche - Yoko Minamino
18 September: Hide 'n' Seek by Miho Nakayama
16 October, 23 October and 30 October: The Baddest by Toshinobu Kubota
Annual charts
Princess Princess' Diamonds 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.
Film and television
The music of Untamagiru, by Kōji Ueno, won the 44th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.第44回 日本映画大賞 The music of Black Rain and Rikyu, both by Tōru Takemitsu, won the 13th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1990).Prizes.
Ikaten ja 三宅裕司のいかすバンド天国 was first broadcast on 11 February 1989あの伝説の番組再び!"イカ天2007復活祭"名物バンド激レア映像今夜限りの大放出SP. TBS. 30 December 2007. during the band boom ja バンドブーム (Japanese: バンドブーム, bando būmu).Mark Schilling. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. Weatherhill. 1997. Fourth printing, 2004. p 231.Steve McClure. Nipponpop. Tuttle Publishing. 1998. p 14.
The music of Hyper Psychic Geo Garaga ja ギャラガ (映画) (aka Garaga) is by Tatsumi Yano ja 矢野立美 and includes vocals by Fuyuko Kurihara (栗原冬子).Kinema Junpo (キネマ旬報) .As to Fuyuko Kurihara, see "栗原冬子" in "Nouveaute File", Oricon Weekly, vol 11, 8 May 1989.
Debuts
Satomi Matsushita ja 松下サトミ松下里美 「Sixteen」. New Release Review & List. Oricon Weekly. (vol 11 Jan 1.23). 23 January 1989. p 20.For album reviews, see 松下里美, CDJournal. For charts, see Oricon.
6 September: CoCoパラダイスGoGo!! 乙女塾出身 "CoCo" 80年代最後に芽吹いた5人の少女たち. Re:minder. 11 October 2020.
Other singles released
Verge of Love, Shōnan Heartbreak and You're My Life by Yōko Oginome
The Stress and Daite by Chisato Moritaka
Virgin Eyes by Miho Nakayama
Kurenai and Endless Rain by X Japan
Kimi no Naka de Odoritai by B'z
Aozora by The Blue Hearts
Other albums and EPs released
Beauty by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Fair Tension by Yōko Oginome
Twin Memories by Wink
Hijitsuryokuha Sengen and Moritaka Land by Chisato Moritaka
Karelia and Harvest by Shizuka Kudo
Ballads and Merry Merry by Miho Nakayama
Kaikinetsu by Miyuki Nakajima
Soldier of Fortune by Loudness
Wave by T-Square
Blue Blood by X Japan
Off the Lock and Bad Communication by B'z
Realize by Hideaki Tokunaga
Sincerely by Mari Hamada
Water in Time and Space by Susumu Hirasawa
Zero by Dead End
Deaths
31 January: Yasushi AkutagawaShig Fujita. "Japanese Composer/Conductor Dies" in "International". Billboard. 25 February 1989, p 66.
24 June: Hibari Misora【6月24日は何の日】1989年、歌手の美空ひばりさんが死去. ツギノジダイ, from The Asahi Shimbun. 24 June 2022. Previously published in the Asahi Shimbun's "bizble" on 24 June 2021.
See also
Timeline of Japanese music
1989 in Japan
1989 in music
w:ja:1989年の音楽
References
Ongaku Nenkan '89 (Japanese: 音楽年鑑 '89).
"Japan". ("Japan '89"/"Spotlight on Japan"). Billboard. 3 June 1989. pp J-1 to J-20. (International Spotlight).
J-POPの歴史「1988年と89年、CDが切り開いたミリオンセラーの時代」. Rolling Stone Japan. 8 January 2020.
Oricon Weekly magazine (オリコンウィークリー)
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
What's In? magazine
1989 オリコン年鑑
1990 オリコン年鑑
Oricon No. 1 Hits 500. Clubhouse (Japanese: クラブハウス). 1998. ISBN 9784906496136. vol 2 (1986~1994).