# 1981 in Japanese music

In 1981 (Shōwa 56), Japanese music was released on records and performed in concerts, and there were charts, awards, contests and festivals.
During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest music market in the world, eleven percent of all record sales took place in that country, and the value of tapes and records made there was $1.15 billion.

## Awards, contests and festivals

The 10th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 29 March 1981. The 23rd Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 to 28 April 1981. The 21st Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 10 May 1981. The 22nd Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 4 October 1981. The 12th World Popular Song Festival was held on 1 November 1981. The 12th Japan Music Awards were held on 12 November 1981. The final of the 10th FNS Music Festival was held on 15 December 1981. The 23rd Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1981. The 32nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1981.

## Concerts

The economic recession adversely affected concerts. Pioneer Live Special concerts were held in 1981.

## Number one singles

Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
| January 5 | "Sneaker Blues [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| January 12 | "Sneaker Blues [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| January 19 | "Sneaker Blues [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| January 26 | "Koi wa Do! [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| February 2 | "Koi wa Do! [ja]" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| February 9 | "Cherry Blossom [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| February 16 | "Cherry Blossom [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| February 23 | "Cherry Blossom [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| March 2 | "Cherry Blossom [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| March 9 | "Machikado Twilight [ja]" | Chanels |
| March 16 | "Machikado Twilight [ja]" | Chanels |
| March 23 | "Machikado Twilight [ja]" | Chanels |
| March 30 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| April 6 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| April 13 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| April 20 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| April 27 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| May 4 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| May 11 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| May 18 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| May 25 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| June 1 | "Ruby no Yubiwa [ja]" | Akira Terao |
| June 8 | "Natsu no Tobira [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| June 15 | "Natsu no Tobira [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| June 22 | "Blue Jeans Memory [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| June 29 | "Blue Jeans Memory [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| July 6 | "Blue Jeans Memory [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| July 13 | "Nagai Yoru [ja]" | Chiharu Matsuyama |
| July 20 | "Nagai Yoru [ja]" | Chiharu Matsuyama |
| July 27 | "Nagai Yoru [ja]" | Chiharu Matsuyama |
| August 3 | "Shiroi Parasol [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| August 10 | "Shiroi Parasol [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| August 17 | "Shiroi Parasol [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| August 24 | "High School Lullaby [ja]" | Imo-kin Trio [ja] |
| August 31 | "High School Lullaby [ja]" | Imo-kin Trio [ja] |
| September 7 | "High School Lullaby [ja]" | Imo-kin Trio [ja] |
| September 14 | "High School Lullaby [ja]" | Imo-kin Trio [ja] |
| September 21 | "High School Lullaby [ja]" | Imo-kin Trio [ja] |
| September 28 | "High School Lullaby [ja]" | Imo-kin Trio [ja] |
| October 5 | "High School Lullaby [ja]" | Imo-kin Trio [ja] |
| October 12 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| October 19 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku [ja]" | Masahiko Kondō |
| October 26 | "Kaze Tachinu [ja]" | Seiko Matsuda |
| November 2 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" | Masahiko Kondō |
| November 9 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" | Masahiko Kondō |
| November 16 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" | Masahiko Kondō |
| November 23 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" | Masahiko Kondō |
| November 30 | "Akujo [ja]" | Miyuki Nakajima |
| December 7 | "Akujo [ja]" | Miyuki Nakajima |
| December 14 | "Akujo [ja]" | Miyuki Nakajima |
| December 21 | "Sailor Fuku to Kikanjū [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| December 28 | "Sailor Fuku to Kikanjū [ja]" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
The Best Ten
The following reached number 1 on The Best Ten chart:
* 27 August: "Shiroi Parasol [ja]" - Seiko Matsuda

## Number one albums and LPs

Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the Oricon chart:
* 12 October, 19 October and 26 October: Tsukasa - Tsukasa Itou [ja]
Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
* 21 December: Over [ja] - Off Course
* 7 December and 14 December: Kishoutenketsu II [ja] - Chiharu Matsuyama
* 16 November and 30 November: Sakuban Oai Shimashou [ja] - Yumi Matsutoya
* 2 November and 9 November: Kaze Tachinu [ja] - Seiko Matsuda
* 19 October and 26 October: Tsukasa - Tsukasa Itou [ja]
* 7 September, 14 September, 21 September, 28 September, 5 October and 12 October: Selection 1978-1981 [ja] - Off Course
* 10 August, 17 August, 24 August and 31 August: Stereo Taiyo Zoku [ja] - Southern All Stars
* 27 July and 3 August: Live at Whiskey A Go Go [ja] - Chanels
* 13 July and 20 July: Utsuroi [ja] - Masashi Sada
* 29 June: Toki O Koete [ja] - Chiharu Matsuyama
* 22 June and 6 July: Reflections - Akira Terao
Cash Box of Japan
The following reached number 1 on the Cash Box of Japan chart:
* 9 May: Heart & Soul [ja] - Chanels
* 11 April, 18 April, 25 April and 2 May: Ringetsu - Miyuki Nakajima
* 28 March and 4 April: Bucchigiri II (Japanese: ぶっちぎりII) - Yokohama Ginbae [ja]

## Film and television

The music of Station (1981), by Ryudo Uzaki, won the 36th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music (awarded in 1981), and the 5th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1982).
NHK Pops Hall [ja] was first broadcast on 7 April 1981. (Also translated "NHK Song Hall" and "NHK Kayo Hall").

## Compositions

* First version of Toward the Sea by Tōru Takemitsu

## Overseas

Eyes of the Mind, by Casiopea, reached number 33 on the Billboard Jazz LPs chart.

## Other singles released

* Last Pretender and Oh! by Pink Lady
* Suzume by Keiko Masuda
* Mamotte Agetai by Yumi Matsutoya
* Orange Airmail Special and Lens Eye by Saki Kubota
* 15 October: Hello Goodbye [ja] by Yoshie Kashiwabara

## Other albums released

* A Long Vacation by Eiichi Ohtaki
* Sayonara Pink Lady by Pink Lady
* I My Mie by Mie
* BGM and Technodelic by Yellow Magic Orchestra
* Neuromantic by Yukihiro Takahashi
* Airmail Special by Saki Kubota
* Cross Point by Casiopea
* Potpourri by P-Model
* The Birthday Eve by Loudness
* Magic by T-Square

## History

The song Unazuki March [ja] by the Unazuki Trio [ja] was recorded on 14 November 1981.