The Top 10 ’80s Idol Songs—Decided Through Debate!

Everyone was captivated by their voices, flowing from TV and radio —
Akio Nakamori × Yusuke Nakagawa × Suzy Suzuki engage in a heated debate!

The 1980s began with the retirement of Momoe Yamaguchi (66). It became the golden age of idols, as national stars appeared one after another like glittering constellations—Seiko Matsuda (63), Akina Nakamori (60), Kyoko Koizumi (59), Yū Hayami (59), Iyo Matsumoto (60) and the rest of the “Class of ’82,” along with Onyanko Club, Yuki Saito (59), Yoko Minamino (58), Yui Asaka (55), and Hiroko Yakushimaru (61).

At that time, the main work of an idol was music shows and concerts. In the 1980s, record and CD sales—and fan enthusiasm—were on a completely different level compared to today. It was the peak era of idol songs.

For this feature, FRIDAY brought together idol critic Akio Nakamori, writer Yusuke Nakagawa, known for his deep knowledge of idol songs, and music critic Suzy Suzuki for a roundtable discussion titled “The Ultimate 1980s Idol Songs.” From the vast catalog of 1980s idol music, they selected the supreme masterpieces.

[Part 1] Seiko Matsuda, Akina Nakamori, Kyoko Koizumi Let’s determine the greatest 1980s Idol Song!

 

The Sukeban Idols of 1985

Suzuki: “1985, when Kyoko Koizumi released ‘Nantettatte Idol’, was a bumper year—so many idols debuted, including Nanno (Yoko Minamino), Minako Honda (who passed away at 38), Yui Asaka, and others.”

Nakagawa: “Nanno’s signature hit may be ‘Hanashikaketakatta’ from 1987, but I personally think ‘Aki no Indication’, from the same year, is a masterpiece—and one of my favorites.”

Nakamori: “In the early days of her career, Nanno often appeared on the cover of Weekly Shonen Magazine, and she gained popularity as a gravure-style idol. Because of that, her support from women was not very strong.”

Nakagawa: “That’s where she differs decisively from Seiko and Akina. Perhaps she was simply too beautiful. But that worked in her favor with male fans, who supported her overwhelmingly.”

Nakamori: “Even so, she became a major star all at once with the 1985 drama ‘Sukeban Deka’. In the 1987 film version, the theme song ‘Rakuen no Door’ became her first No.1 on the Oricon weekly chart. From there, she scored eight consecutive No.1s with songs like ‘Hanashikaketakatta’, ‘Pandora no Koibito’, and ‘Aki no Indication’.”

Suzuki: “Yuki Saito, who debuted the same year with ‘Sotsugyo’, followed a very similar path to Nanno. She also debuted through gravure in Weekly Shonen Magazine and likewise starred in Sukeban Deka.”

Nakamori: “My standout song from Saito is ‘AXIA – Kanashii Kotori’, where she tells a boy who likes her that she already has someone she loves. The part where she apologizes for hiding her boyfriend all along really shows the songwriter’s wicked streak (laughs). Still, considering how it elevated her to a special status among the ’85 generation, ‘Sotsugyo’ would have to be her best.”

Nakagawa: “If we’re talking about the ’85 group, we should also mention Minako Honda.”

Nakamori: “Her signature song is ‘1986-nen no Marilyn’, but the one that left the strongest impression on me is ‘HELP’. If you read the lyrics, you’ll see the theme is basically, ‘Entertainers are puppets.’ When she performed it live, Honda would sing inside a cage. It was shocking—in a good way.”

Suzuki: “How about Yukiko Okada, who debuted around the same period?”

Nakamori: “If I had to choose one song, it would be her biggest hit, ‘Kuchibiru Network’. Seiko Matsuda wrote the lyrics during her own hiatus, and it was with this song that Okada topped the Oricon weekly chart for the first time. She was at the peak of her popularity—so her death at 18 was truly devastating.”

And the No. 1 idol song is

Suzie: “Idols like Yoshie Kashiwabara (60) and Naoko Kawai (62), who debuted in 1980, aren’t often discussed in the context of idol songs, are they?”

Nakamori: “There’s the famous story that when the current Emperor was still Crown Prince, he attended one of Kashiwabara’s concerts, and she handed him flowers afterward.”

Suzie: “Among Kashiwabara’s songs, ‘Haru Nanoni’ is wonderful. Written and composed by Miyuki Nakajima (73), it became a major hit with over 300,000 copies sold.”

Nakagawa: “Yoko Oginome’s (56) ‘Dancing Hero’ would certainly make it into a ‘Supreme Best 10.’”

Nakamori: “‘Dancing Hero’ had a revival in the 2010s thanks to TV and YouTube. It’s a timeless classic.”

Suzie: “For around 10th place, how about Yū Hayami’s ‘Natsuiro no Nancy’? It was her biggest hit, and it gave her a standout presence among the Class of ’82.”

Nakagawa: “What about Miho Nakayama (who passed away last year at 54)? She debuted in 1985.”

Suzie: “My favorite is her 1988 song ‘You’re My Only Shinin’ Star.’ But Nakayama is better known for her collaborations with WANDS in 1992 (‘Sekai chū no Dare yori Kitto’) and her 1994 release ‘Tada Naketakunaru no,’ so she may not fit into a ranking focused specifically on 80s idol songs.”

Nakamori: “We still have much more to talk about, but we should decide the No. 1 song. For this ranking, I suppose Seiko should take the top spot.”

Nakagawa: “The idol golden age would not have existed without Seiko and Akina. No one can disagree with that. But neither could have done it alone. In that sense, Seiko and Akina should share first place.”

Based on the trio’s roundtable discussion, the editorial team finalized the ‘Ultimate Best 10 Idol Songs of the 1980s.’
The No. 1 spot went to Seiko’s hidden gem ‘Seifuku’ and Akina’s signature song ‘Kita Wing.’

Now that those uniquely memorable mega-hits everyone could hum are hard to find, why not revisit these sparkling idol masterpieces chosen by the experts?

[Part 1] Seiko Matsuda, Akina Nakamori, Kyoko Koizumi. Let’s decide the strongest 1980s Idol Song!

 

Akio Nakamori: Born in 1960 in Mie Prefecture. Gained attention in the mid-1980s as part of the “New Breed” generation and is also known as the originator of the term otaku. His recent works include “O su Chikara: Jinsei o Kaketa Aidoru Ron”(Shueisha Shinsho).

Yūsuke Nakagawa: Born in 1960 in Tokyo. Author of numerous books on film, kabuki, classical music, and pop music. His latest publication is “Seiko Matsuda and Akina Nakamori: The Idol Revolution of the 1980s” (Asahi Shinsho).

Susie Suzuki: Born in 1966 in Osaka Prefecture. Appears on BAYFM’s 9 no Onsui on Mondays. Major works include “80s Music Dissection” (Sairyūsha) and “Koisuru Radio” (Bookman). His recent book is “Otona no Blue Hearts” (Kōsaidō Publishing).

From “FRIDAY”, November 7, 2025 issue