1980 in Japanese music

The 13th Japan record sales awards (Japanese: 日本レコードセールス大賞) were held in 1980.^[2]

The 9th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 30 March 1980.^[3][4] Feeling Old Feelings by Dionne Warwick won the grand prize. Body Language by The Dooleys won the Gold Award.^[5]

The 22nd Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 7 to 27 April 1980.^[6] The 19th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 11 May 1980.^[7] The 20th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 5 October 1980.^[8] The 11th World Popular Song Festival was held on 14 to 16 November 1980.^[9] The 11th Japan Music Awards were held on 18 November 1980.^[10][11] The final of the 9th FNS Music Festival was held on 16 December 1980.^[12] The 22nd Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1980.^[13] The 31st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1980.^[14]

The 29th Otaka prize was won by Tōru Takemitsu.^[15]

The "All Nite Rock Show '80" was held from 21 to 22 June 1980.^[16] Momoe Yamaguchi's farewell concert was on 5 October 1980.^[17] (There was a live album and video).

Oricon

The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:^[18]

The Best Ten

The following reached number 1 on The Best Ten chart:

• 10 January and 17 January: Ihojin - Saki Kubota. There was no broadcast on 3 January.^{[19][20][21][22]}
• 26 June, 3 July, 24 July, 31 July, 7 August, 14 August, 21 August: "Dancing All Night [ja]" - Monta & Brothers [ja]^[23]
• 28 August, 4 September and 11 September: "Aishu Deito (New York City Nights)" - Toshihiko Tahara.^{[24][25][26][27]}

Oricon

The following reached number 1 on the Oricon chart:

• 7 January, 14 January, 21 January, 28 January, 4 February, 11 February: Yumegatari by Saki Kubota^[28]
• Public Pressure - Yellow Magic Orchestra^[29]

Music Labo

The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:

• 14 January, 21 January, 28 January and 4 February: Yumegatari by Saki Kubota^[30]
• 11 February, 18 February, 25 February and 3 March: Kishotenketsu [ja] - Chiharu Matsuyama^[31]
• 10 March and 17 March: Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - ABBA^[32]
• 24 March and 31 March: Love Songs [ja] - Mariya Takeuchi^[33]
• 7 April and 14 April: Tiny Bubbles [ja] - Southern All Stars^[34]
• 21 April, 28 April and 5 May: Ikiteite mo Ii Desu ka - Miyuki Nakajima^[35]
• 12 May, 19 May, 26 May and 2 June: Roman [ja] - Chiharu Matsuyama^[36]
• 9 June and 16 June: Mr Black [ja] - Chanels^[37]
• 23 June and 30 June: X∞Multiplies - Yellow Magic Orchestra^[38]
• 7 July, 14 July, 21 July, 28 July and 4 August: Solid State Survivor - Yellow Magic Orchestra^[39]
• 11 August, 18 August and 25 August: Act - Monta & Brothers [ja]^[40]
• 1 September and 8 September: Gyakuryu [ja] - Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi^[41]
• 16 September: Alice VIII [ja] - Alice^[42]
• 22 September, 29 September and 6 October: Kampai [ja] - Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi^[43]
• 13 October: Ride on Time - Tatsuro Yamashita^[44]
• 20 October: Koibito Yo [ja] - Mayumi Itsuwa^[45]
• 27 October and 3 November: Inshouha [ja] - Masashi Sada^[46]
• 10 November, 17 November and 24 November: The Best [ja] - Junko Yagami^[47]
• 1 December and 8 December: Kogarashi Ni Dakarete [ja] - Chiharu Matsuyama^[48]
• 15 December and 22 December: We Are [ja] - Off Course^[49]

Cash Box of Japan

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

• 22 March and 29 March: Kishotenketsu [ja] - Chiharu Matsuyama^[50]
• 5 April, 12 April, 19 April and 26 April: Love Songs [ja] - Mariya Takeuchi^[51]
• 3 May: Tiny Bubbles [ja] - Southern All Stars^[52]
• 10 May and 24 May: Ikiteite mo Ii Desu ka - Miyuki Nakajima^[53]
• 7 June: Roman [ja] - Chiharu Matsuyama^[54]
• 28 June and 5 July: Mr Black [ja] - Chanels^[55]

The music of Kagemusha, by Shin'ichirō Ikebe, won the 35th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.^[56] The music of A Distant Cry from Spring (1980), by Masaru Sato, won the 4th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1981).^[57] Lalabel, the Magical Girl includes songs by Mitsuko Horie.^[58][59][60] Animation: The Best Ten 1980, a parody of The Best Ten, was released on 20 December.^[61]

The single Gandhara by Godiego reached number 56 on the UK singles chart.^[62][63]

From 1 March to 4 April, Pink Lady appeared in the television programme, sometimes called Pink Lady and Jeff, broadcast in the United States of America.^[64] Pink Lady participated in the World Song Festival held in Seoul in South Korea from 21 to 23 November, and were the first Japanese musicians to perform in a concert in Seoul.^[65][66][67]

The eponymous album Yellow Magic Orchestra reached number 81 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.^[68] The single, "Computer Game", from that album, reached number 17 on the UK singles chart,^[69] and number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[70][71][72] The album X∞Multiplies, by the same band, reached number 177 on the Billboard 200 chart.^[73]

The song "Hana" (花〜すべての人の心に花を〜) by Shoukichi Kina was a hit in China, Thailand, Indonesia and other Asian countries, and sold 30 million copies.^[74][75]

• Ai Giri Giri, Sekai Eiyushi, Utakata and Remember (Fame) by Pink Lady
• Behind the Mask and Rydeen by Yellow Magic Orchestra
• Ride on Time and My Sugar Babe by Tatsuro Yamashita
• Nijūgoji and Kugatsu No Iro by Saki Kubota
• Ōsaka Shigure by Harumi Miyako
• Aoi Sangoshou by Seiko Matsuda
• Shanikusai [ja], Rock 'n' Roll Widow [ja], Sayonara no Mukōgawa [ja] and Ichie [ja] by Momoe Yamaguchi

• Turning Point by Pink Lady
• Tenkai and Saudade by Saki Kubota
• B-2 Unit by Ryuichi Sakamoto
• Murdered by the Music by Yukihiro Takahashi
• Make Up City by Casiopea
• Landsale by P-Model
• Every Night by Yōsui Inoue
• Rockoon by T-Square
• Tasogare by Mai Yamane^[76]
• Harutsugedori [ja], Möbius Game [ja], Phoenix Densetsu [ja] and This is My Trial [ja] by Momoe Yamaguchi
• 21 June: Toki no Nai Hotel - Yuming^[77]
• November: Yume Hikō (Japanese: 夢飛行) by Mioko Yamaguchi^[78][79]
• 5 December: On the Street Corner by Tatsuro Yamashita^[80]