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"Onban Domei" Time Machine ni Onegai!

ken2102

https://www.diskunionusa.net/post/onban-domei-gives-you-some-insight-of-japanese-music-culture


As I posted a month ago, here's the first English translation of our free booklet "Onban Domei"



Translation for page 19 this time, "Time Machine ni Onegai!"

The column is about CITY POP, price increment etc...



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Please take me there, Time Machine! (Time Machine ni Onegai!)


The item that you bought at the regular price or a second-hand item you bought at a low price is now worth lots of money. If there were a time machine, I would go back in time and buy everything! In this article, we will introduce such CDs and vinyl. The 1st episode features City Pop which is popular, because of the urban sound. Let’s get started!


I have been told by many people that City Pop has been becoming more popular. Putting aside the question of what City Pop is (there are various definitions and opinions). The fact that City Pop is becoming more popular means that the market price which we are checking every day is increasing. Actually, vinyl featuring City Pop have become extremely high. We would like to focus on the “market price” in this episode.


“Windy Lady” from Tatsuro Yamashita’s 1st album “Circus Town” was selected by MURO’s “DIGGIN’ ICE 96” as the only Japanese song featured. Also, some of vinyl that are now called City Pop are very valuable since the 1990’s when DJs began using them. The tendency has been that music made in Japan which is not inferior to Rare Groove and Free Soul is becoming rare and valuable as Wamono. The above-mentioned Tatsuro’s 1st album and his 2nd album “Spacy” have been expensive for a long time. However, in past generations, most of these vinyl were sold for 100 JPY!


The revised edition of the disk guidebook “Light Mellow Wamono 669” was released in 2013 (the 1st edition was in 2004) and “Wamono A to Z” was published in 2015. Personally, I feel this time was the beginning of the City Pop boom that leads to now. The discovery and the reevaluation of sound sources of the late 70’s to 80’s has been progressing one after another since these years, and vinyl of danceable and mellow City Pop albums were added in the category of "the expensive Japanese vinyl". In the 2010’s, there was an increase in bands and artists that became influenced by City Pop.


One of reasons for the soaring price was because younger generations started buying the albums due to the vinyl boom that was occurred almost at the same time.

Also, because the number of foreign visitors to Japan increase and global online buying and selling becomes convenient, a domestic selling price and overseas selling price for Japanese version vinyl becomes almost same. Before COVD-19, many foreign customers came to the store.


The tremendous online popularity of Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” and Miki Matsubara’s “Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me)” were responsible for the recent boom. According to the market price, the two albums,” Variety” and “Pocket Park”, that feature the aforementioned songs, have increase their value times 10 over the past 5 years.


Currently the popularity of City Pop vinyl is on the rise, but no one knows how long this upward trend will continue. Lately I have spoken with many customers and staff members about City Pop and I feel that currently the music is at its highest level of popularity. However, if you think about past decade, it is the truth that almost every City Pop vinyl become expensive.


Do you have Mariya Takeuchi’s vinyl that you bought at a low price as a second-hand item many years ago, or maybe you bought Tatsuro Yamashita’s vinyl when it was released? If you have these albums, we will pay you at a surprisingly high price!


Written by: Hiranaka / Diskunion Shinjuku Japanese Rock/Indies House)



Mariya Takeuchi “Variety” (MOON28018)

3 years ago …buyback price 300 JPY

Now …buyback price 7,000 JPY

“Plastic Love” which is the most popular City Pop song is included.

This masterpiece sold 300,000 units at that time of release and is now the center of City Pop enthusiasm after all these years.



Hideki Saijo “Strangers in the Night” (RHL8454)

2 years ago …. buyback price 500 JPY

Now … buyback price 15,000 JPY

Hardcore Hideki fans and Boogie fanatics are both looking for this album, and the Hideki bubble is coming!


Junko Ohashi “POINT ZERO” (28PL61)

4 years ago … buyback price 500 JPY

Now … buyback price 5,000 JPY

The trend of City Pop moves to Electro-Funk, and this album has been standing out in past few years. There are many Junko Ohashi’s albums which price is soaring such as “MAGICAL” and “DEF”.


Momoko Kikuchi “Adventure” (3018328)

3 years ago … buyback price 200 JPY

Now … buyback price 2,000 JPY

Her album has been evaluated as the urban sound for many years, and the price is soaring due to high demand from overseas.


Yurie Kokubu “Tobashite Taxi Man” (RAS514)

3 years ago …buyback price 300 JPY

Now … buyback price 10,000 JPY

With the arrival of the Japanese Boogie boom, the 7inch is more expensive than the single and the LP which are said to be the best of Disco Funk.



(items selection and written by) Iwasaki / Diskunion Ochanomizu Ekimae House)


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