City Pop

City pop is a Japanese genre born in the late 1970s and which flourished in the 1980s, intimately tied to Japan's economic and urban boom during the bubble era. A sophisticated synthesis of funk, soul, bossa nova, soft rock and disco, it embodies the dream of cosmopolitan modernity — the image of a glittering Tokyo, late-night drives and urban freedom that the era's artists projected into their music. Mariya Takeuchi, Tatsuro Yamashita and Anri are its tutelary figures.

Musically, city pop is defined by its precisely crafted productions, arrangements rich in brass and strings, groovy bass lines and warm electric keyboards. Melodies are sophisticated without being inaccessible; vocal harmonies are impeccable. The genre experienced a spectacular revival in the 2010s and 2020s thanks to YouTube and recommendation algorithms that propelled 1980s tracks to unexpected global audiences. The contemporary city pop scene is truly global.

Marsy embodies the creative continuity of city pop, bringing contemporary sensibility to the genre's vintage aesthetic. Ginger Root, the California project of Cameron Lew, is one of the most celebrated artists on the international city pop scene, with videos and productions that pay tribute to the Showa era with humour and flair.

City pop appears at world music festivals, J-culture events and indie pop stages across Europe, the United States and Asia. Its global popularity wave has created an international community of fans and artists that transcends geographical and generational boundaries. City pop festivals are the ideal opportunity to immerse yourself in this nostalgic yet elegantly modern sonic universe.