kayokyoku
what it is
Kayōkyoku (歌謡曲, literally "Lyric Singing Music") is a Japanese pop music genre, which became a base of modern J-pop. The Japan Times describes kayōkyoku as "standard Japanese pop" or "Showa era pop.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make kayokyoku a playlist
turn these 15 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is kayokyoku?
Kayōkyoku (歌謡曲, literally "Lyric Singing Music") is a Japanese pop music genre, which became a base of modern J-pop. The Japan Times describes kayōkyoku as "standard Japanese pop" or "Showa era pop.
What are good kayokyoku albums to start with?
Try 梶芽衣子のはじき詩集(うた) by Meiko Kaji, 灯ともし頃 by 浅川マキ, 狼少年 by Douji Morita, and Seiko Jazz 3 by Seiko Matsuda.
Who are some women making kayokyoku?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/kayokyoku/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making kayokyoku, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-22