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Japanese music accounted for sixty percent of record sales in the Japanese music market in 1979 (Shōwa 54), the rest being sales of foreign music.[1] During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest music market in the world.[2]
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The 12th Japan record sales awards (Japanese: 日本レコードセールス大賞) were held in 1979.[3] The 21st Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 to 24 April 1979.[4][5][6][7] The 17th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 6 May 1979.[8] The 8th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 17 June 1979.[9][10][11] The 18th Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 7 October 1979.[12]
The 10th World Popular Song Festival was held from 9 to 11 November 1979.[13] The song Daitokai by Crystal King, and the song Sitting on the Edge of the Ocean by Bonnie Tyler, won the grand prix awards.[14]
The 10th Japan Music Awards were held on 23 November 1979.[15]
The final of the 8th FNS Music Festival was on the 18 December 1979.[16][17] The grand prize winner was Hideki Saijo.[18]
The 21st Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1979.[19][20] The song Miserarete by Judy Ongg won the Japan Record Award.[21]
The 30th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1979.[22]
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The "Japan Jam" was held on 4 to 5 August. The Southern All Stars appeared.[23][24]
Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:[25][26][27][28]
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | "Chameleon Army" | Pink Lady |
| January 8 | ||
| January 15 | ||
| January 22 | ||
| January 29 | "Champion" | Alice |
| February 5 | ||
| February 12 | ||
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | "Hero (Hero ni Naru Toki, Sore wa Ima)" | Kai Band |
| March 5 | ||
| March 12 | "Young Man (Y.M.C.A.)" | Hideki Saijo |
| March 19 | ||
| March 26 | ||
| April 2 | ||
| April 9 | ||
| April 16 | "Miserarete" | Judy Ongg |
| April 23 | ||
| April 30 | ||
| May 7 | ||
| May 14 | ||
| May 21 | ||
| May 28 | ||
| June 4 | ||
| June 11 | ||
| June 18 | "Kimi no Asa" | Satoshi Kishida |
| June 25 | ||
| July 2 | ||
| July 9 | ||
| July 16 | ||
| July 23 | "Omoide-zake" | Sachiko Kobayashi |
| July 30 | "Kanpaku Sengen" | Masashi Sada |
| August 6 | ||
| August 13 | ||
| August 20 | ||
| August 27 | ||
| September 3 | ||
| September 10 | ||
| September 17 | ||
| September 24 | ||
| October 1 | ||
| October 8 | "Sexual Violet No. 1" | Masahiro Kuwana |
| October 15 | ||
| October 22 | ||
| October 29 | "Oyaji no Ichiban Nagai Hi" | Masashi Sada |
| November 5 | ||
| November 12 | ||
| November 19 | ||
| November 26 | ||
| December 3 | ||
| December 10 | "Ihōjin" | Saki Kubota |
| December 17 | ||
| December 24 | ||
| December 31 |
The Best Ten
The following reached number 1 on The Best Ten chart:
- 26 July, 2 August, 9 August and 16 August: Kariforunia Konekushon (California Connection) by Yutaka Mizutani[29]
- 23 August, 30 August, 6 September, 13 September, 20 September, 27 September: The Galaxy Express 999 by Godiego[30][29]
- 27 December: Ihojin by Saki Kubota[31]
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Oricon
The following albums reached number 1 on the Oricon chart:
- 31 December: Yumegatari by Saki Kubota[32]
- Shin'ai Naru Mono e by Miyuki Nakajima reached number 1 on the Oricon chart.[33]
Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
- 10 and 17 December: Kisho Tenketsu - Chiharu Matsuyama[34]
- 26 November and 3 December: Essay - Masashi Sada[35]
- 12 November and 19 November: Magic Capsule - Godiego[36]
- 22 October, 29 October and 5 November: The Long Run - Eagles.[37]
- 24 September, 1 October and 8 October: Breakfast in America - Supertramp[38]
- 20 August, 27 August, 3 September, 10 September and 17 September: Original Sound Track of Gingatetsudo 999[39]
- 16 July, 23 July, 30 July, 6 August and 13 August: Morning - Satoshi Kishida[40]
- 9 July: Kiss Me Please - Eikichi Yazawa[41]
- 2 July: Alice 7 - Alice[42]
Cash Box
The following reached number 1 on the Cash Box chart:
- 7 July: Soraotobu Torinoy Nookakeru - Chiharu Matsuyama[43]
- 9 June and 16 June: Voulez-Vous - ABBA[44]
- 26 May and 2 June: Yumekuyo - Masashi Sada[45]
- 21 April and 28 April: Young Man (Y.M.C.A.) - Hideki Saijo[46]
- 24 February, 17 March, 24 March and 31 March: Sayiyuki - Godiego[47]
- 17 February: Soundtrack of "Grease"[48]
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The song "Omidezake", by Sachiko Kobayashi, was number 1 on The Best Ten annual chart for 1979, announced on 27 December 1979.[31]
The program "Mirage Love USA" was broadcast by Tokyo FM.[49] (Cf USA Love Mirage.)
The music of Nomugi Pass, by Masaru Sato, won the 34th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music.[50] The music of The Castle of Cagliostro is by Yuji Ohno,[51] and the singer of Hono no Takara Mono (or "Fire Treasure") is Bobby (ボビー).[52][53]
The record industry grossed $62 million in January.[54] Average sales for the 1979 Christmas and New Year season were ten percent higher than those of the 1978 Christmas and New Year season, with particularly high sales for ABBA, Saki Kubota, Masashi Sada and Alice.[55]
PolyGram and Young Japan agreed to enter into a partnership.[56]
The song "Kiss in the Dark", by Pink Lady, reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States of America.[57] Pink Lady were the first Japanese musicians to enter the record charts in the United States since Kyu Sakamoto in 1963.[58][59]
Yellow Magic Orchestra did a world tour in October and November 1979.[60]
- 1 October: Saki Kubota[61]
- Zipangu, Pink Typhoon, Nami Nori Pirates, Monday Mona Lisa Club and Do Your Best by Pink Lady
- Holy and Bright by Godiego
- Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī - Akira Fuse
- Mayonaka no Door - Miki Matsubara
- 20 December: Wake Up by "Kazuo Zaitsu"[62]
Foreign music
- Solid State Survivor by Yellow Magic Orchestra
- Live in Budoukan, Magical Music Tour, Pink Lady and We Are Sexy, by Pink Lady
- Okaerinasai by Miyuki Nakajima
- Casiopea and Super Flight by Casiopea
- In a Model Room by P-Model
- Sneaker Dancer by Yōsui Inoue
- Moonglow by Tatsuro Yamashita
- 1 December: Kanashii Hodo Otenki by Yuming[63]
In 2008, Shūkan Shōwa Taimuzu featured Judy Ongg on the back cover as person of the moment (Japanese: 時の人) for 1979.[64]
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