City Pop culture: the soundtrack to Japan's boom years goes viral

Japanese City Pop culture from the 1980s creates a mysterious link to the past for its present-day following. Photo: AFP

Tel Liyanto wasn't alive during Japan's 1980s boom, but she loves the "timeless" City Pop hits of the era, now going viral thanks to a new generation of young, international fans. The glamorous soundtrack that accompanied the country's economic miracle is exploding in popularity decades after its upbeat synths, influenced by soft rock, boogie and soul, first hit the airwaves.

The retro genre is so hot that Canadian star The Weeknd sampled the 1983 track Midnight Pretenders on his latest release, and record companies are racing to reissue long-forgotten City Pop vinyl.