How to Write City Pop Songs

You want neon in audio form. You want grooves that feel like cruising late on a summer highway. You want chord colors that sound expensive without breaking your brain. City Pop lives where slick production meets everyday longing. It is glossy but human. It smiles into a memory and then drinks alone on a balcony. This guide gives you everything you need to write and produce City Pop songs that sound authentic and modern.

We will keep it useful and trash free. Expect chord recipes, actual bass lines you can copy then tweak, synth and guitar tricks, vocal approaches, lyrical themes, arrangement templates, mixing tips you can do in a laptop, and release ideas built for millennial and Gen Z ears. We explain any acronym and nerdy word like a real friend would explain a bad tattoo. You will leave with a ready to record workflow and exercises to make a City Pop song in days not weeks.

What Is City Pop

City Pop is a Japanese music movement that rose in the late 1970s and hit full glow in the 1980s. Think expensive summers, neon, new money, small modern sadness, and shows on vinyl that play inside glossy apartments. Musically it mixes pop, soft rock, funk, jazz fusion, and early electronic production. It is warm like old vinyl but clean like a new sports car. Artists like Tatsuro Yamashita, Mariya Takeuchi, Miki Matsubara, Anri, and Haruomi Hosono wrote the playlist for urban dreams. Today City Pop has new life thanks to online discovery, crate digging, sampling, and modern artists who borrow the vibe.

Core Elements of City Pop

• Chord color with rich extensions and frequent major minor shifts that feel sophisticated but not showy.
• Funk informed grooves where bass and drums lock into a pocket with slight syncopation.
• Electric piano like Fender Rhodes or a good emulation, layered with bright synth pads.
• Guitar comping using clean tones, rhythmic stabs, and occasional chorus effect on arpeggios.
• Vocal tone intimate yet polished, with close doubles and tasteful ad libs.
• Lyrical themes about city nightlife, ambiguous romance, freedom with attachment, and late night reflection.

Why City Pop Works Today

There is a longing for analog warmth and a love for curated nostalgia. City Pop provides both. It is also structurally friendly for modern streaming short formats. Hooks arrive quickly and grooves loop well. The style translates across language. You do not need to sing in Japanese to capture the vibe. You do need to write with visual details and melodic shapes that feel effortless.

Songwriting Mindset for City Pop

Start with an image not an agenda. Picture a rooftop bar at sunset. Picture a taxicab that took the long way through the city. Picture a cassette tape left in a glove box. Those micro scenes are the arteries of City Pop lyrics. Keep language casual and a little specific. Avoid lecturing listeners. City Pop invites them to feel a scene then live inside it.

Titles and Core Promise

Write one sentence that captures the feeling. This is your promise. It can be optimistic, wistful, or ambiguous. Turn that into a title that is short and singable. Examples:

• Sunset on the 8th floor
• Taxi Lights and Cigarette Glows
• Midnight Mornings

If your title is long use a short chorus hook that unfolds the title into a lyric phrase that fits melody. City Pop loves short memorable tags sung with open vowels.

Tempo and Groove

City Pop tempos range from laid back 88 BPM to dancey 120 BPM. Most classic City Pop grooves live between 90 and 110 BPM. Pick a tempo that supports the mood.

• Late night lounge 88 to 96 BPM, smooth bass, spacious drums.
• Drive and gloss 98 to 105 BPM, funkier bass, snappier hi hats.
• Bright summer 105 to 120 BPM, upbeat groove, more percussion.

Drum Programming and Live Drums

Drums in City Pop are clean with body and a soft snap. Use a tight kick with an audible beater attack then add a bit of low mid warmth. Snare often sits slightly higher in the mix with room reverb but not splashy reverb. Short gated reverb works for that 80s feel. Hi hats are measured and syncopated. Add light ghost snare notes on the off beats for groove. Keep the drum arrangement uncluttered so the bass breathes.

Real life tip: If you have a drummer, tell them to play like they are smiling through a cigarette. That is the pocket vibe.

Bass Lines That Carry City Pop

The bass is the engine. It locks the groove and supplies melodic movement. Use a round electric bass tone, sometimes with light compression. Play syncopated lines that emphasize the root and include passing notes on beats two and four. Sliding approach notes and double stops add flavor. Consider occasional octave jumps to add brightness in choruses.

Example bass pattern for a two bar loop in C major

• Bar one: C on beat one, rest on one and the ah of one, E on the and of two, G on beat three, a passing A on the and of three
• Bar two: F on beat one, A on the and of one, G on beat three, a slide to E on the and of three

You can copy the shape then change notes to match chords. Keep rhythm tight with the kick drum.

Harmony and Chord Recipes

City Pop loves extensions. Add sevenths, ninths, and occasional thirteenths. Use modal interchange which means borrowing a chord from the parallel minor to add bittersweet color. A common trick is to move from a major chord to its relative minor then back to create a gentle tug.

Signature City Pop chord moves you can steal

• Imaj7 to II7sus4 to ii7. Example in C major: Cmaj7 to D7sus4 to Dm7. This creates a bright lift then soft landing.
• Imaj7 to IVmaj7 add9. Example in C: Cmaj7 to Fmaj7add9. Smooth and lush.
• vi7 to II7 to V7 to I. Example in C: Am7 to D7 to G7 to Cmaj7. Classic jazz turn that still sounds pop.
• Borrowed bVImaj7 for a bittersweet chorus color. Example in C: Abmaj7 then slide back to Gmaj7.

Chord voicing matters more than complexity. Use spread voicings that leave space for the bass to play root movement. Add small chord stabs on the off beats with guitar or electric piano to accent rhythm.

Electric Piano and Keys

Rhodes or its virtual cousin is almost always a safe bet. Play soft comping with optional bell like stabs in higher register for color. Stack a soft pad under the Rhodes to fill the spectrum. A bright lead synth can carry small melodic hooks between vocal lines.

Tip for Rhodes voicings

• Left hand plays root and a fifth or third
• Right hand plays extensions on top like 7th and 9th with occasional passing tones

Synths and Texture

Synth textures are essential. Use analog style pads with slow attack for swelling chords. Add a bright saw or square lead for melody moments. Chorus, subtle stereo chorus, and gentle phasing give motion. Use a sine sub under bass for modern punch.

Sound design tip: Layer a glassy digital pad on top of a warm analog pad. The contrast gives that 80s luxury feeling while sounding contemporary.

Guitar Work for City Pop

Guitar in City Pop is minimal and tasteful. Use a clean tone, chorus effect, and reverb. Comping with muted chords, small staccato chops on the off beat, and single note lines that mirror the vocal cadence. Slide fills and hammer ons at the end of phrases add human touch.

Try this comp pattern

• Quarter note on beat one, muted eight note on the and of two, short stab on beat three, rest on four. Repeat with slight variation.

Melody and Vocal Approach

City Pop melodies are smooth and singable. They often sit in a mid to upper mid range and use long held vowels on chorus lines. Use stepwise motion with occasional tasteful leaps. Phrase like you are talking to one person in a half lit diner. Keep the delivery slightly behind the beat for warmth.

Vocal layering

• Lead vocal intimate, dry with small plate reverb in verses
• Chorus doubles with wider reverb and light chorus on one double
• Background harmonies in thirds and sixths for a soft lush feel

If singing in English try to keep phrasing simple. If singing in Japanese focus on vowel clarity and timing. City Pop originated in Japanese, so Japanese language lines can fit melodies differently. If you are not fluent, collaborate with a native speaker or use short phrases that are easy to sing and natural to the language.

Lyric Themes and Examples

City Pop lyrics love place, time, and small actions. They are cinematic without being over explanatory. Here are typical themes with example lines.

Night drive romance

Window down, radio low. Neon writes our names on the wet glass.

Summer apartment loneliness

The balcony knows the way you laughed. I water the plant you left and it leans toward your door.

Ambiguous freedom

Passport in a drawer, a postcard half written. I am ready to go and not sure where.

Real life tip: Pick a single object and let it act. A cigarette lighter, a cassette tape, a pair of sunglasses. Repeat that object in different contexts for a lyrical hook that anchors the song.

Song Structures That Work

City Pop is flexible. Use standard pop shapes, but leave space for instrumental hooks and synth breaks.

• Intro with instrumental hook, verse one, pre chorus, chorus, verse two, chorus, instrumental break, bridge, final chorus, outro
• Intro hook, verse, chorus, post chorus vocal tag, verse, chorus, breakdown, chorus with key change

Post chorus tags and instrumental hooks are vital. They are the ear candy that people will hum in the shower and then use for social snippets.

Arrangement Templates You Can Steal

Template A Smooth Drive

• Intro 8 bars with synth pad and Rhodes comp
• Verse 1 16 bars with stripped drums and bass
• Pre chorus 8 bars with rising chords and added hi hats
• Chorus 16 bars full arrangement with guitar stabs and vocal doubles
• Instrumental break 8 bars with synth lead solo
• Verse 2 16 bars similar to first verse with added backing vocals
• Bridge 8 bars pulls back to sparse keys then builds
• Final chorus 24 bars with extra harmony and small key lift in last 8 bars
• Outro 8 bars fade with main instrumental tag

Template B Rooftop Lounge

• Cold open with vocal tag and synth motif 4 bars
• Verse 1 12 bars intimate
• Chorus 12 bars with catchy title line repeated
• Verse 2 12 bars adds percussion elements
• Breakdown 8 bars featuring Rhodes solo
• Chorus 16 bars with layered backing vocals and guitar fills
• Outro 8 bars choir pad and a single vocal ad lib

Production Tricks That Sell City Pop

There are production moves that instantly telegraph 80s luxury. Use them with taste.

• Short gated reverb on snare for that 80s snap without wash
• Stereo chorus on guitars and some synths to give width
• Analog warmth by using tape saturation or tape emulation plugins
• Delay throws on vocal ad libs with cut off high end to avoid clutter
• Sidechain subtlety to let kick and bass breathe, not a pumping EDM effect

Mixing for Clarity and Vintage Flavor

Keep vocals clear and up front. Use a small bus compression on drums for glue. Cut low mids on keys and guitars to make room for the bass. Add a gentle high shelf to synth pads for air. Use parallel compression on the mix bus lightly to get punch without squashing dynamics.

Real life tip: Mix at low volume and check at high volume. City Pop lives in the balance between detail and sheen. If your mix sounds like a nightclub playlist at both volumes you are close.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Too cluttered. Fix by removing one layer per section. Let parts breathe and return. If everything plays all the time the hook loses impact.
• Chords feel amateur. Fix by adding one extension like a 7th or 9th and voicing it higher with a guide note like the 3rd or 7th in the right hand.
• Groove is lifeless. Fix by tightening the bass and kick alignment. Move bass notes a few milliseconds earlier or later for human pocket. Add small ghost notes on snare to breathe.
• Vocals sound generic. Fix by recording doubles, adding tiny pitch variation and breath sounds. Emphasize vowels and leave space between phrases.

Songwriting Workflow to Make a City Pop Track

1. Image and title. Spend five minutes writing a scene. Create a short title from that scene.
2. Chord loop. Build a 4 to 8 bar chord loop with at least one extended chord. Record it simple and repeat for eight loops.
3. Groove skeleton. Program or record basic drums and bass. Lock the pocket. Keep it simple then add a percussive stab to mark groove.
4. Topline on vowels. Vocalize on vowels to find melody. Record multiple takes. Mark your favorite gestures.
5. Lyric pass. Write a verse using an object anchor and a pre chorus that hints at the title. Keep chorus language short and repeatable.
6. Arrangement pass. Create contrast by removing elements for verse then opening full on chorus. Add an instrumental hook or synth counter melody.
7. Vocal production. Record lead, doubles, and harmonies. Add small tasteful ad libs for final chorus.
8. Mix and texture. Add reverb, chorus, light saturation. Mix for clarity and retro sheen.
9. Test. Play the track for friends on a phone and good monitors. Does the chorus hook in under 30 seconds? If not tighten.

Exercises to Practice City Pop Writing

Two Bar Hook Drill

Make a two bar chord loop. Spend ten minutes humming melodies. Pick the top three and sing them over. Choose the one that feels like it should be on a drive playlist. Build the chorus around that gesture.

Object Anchor Verse

Pick one object and write four lines where the object appears as both literal and metaphorical. Use sensory detail. Time yourself for fifteen minutes.

Chord Extension Swap

Take a basic progression like I V vi IV. For each chord add a single extension to make the progression richer. Try maj7, sus2, 7th, add9. See which combination feels most City Pop.

Language and Cultural Notes

If you are writing City Pop style in English be mindful of cultural references. You can reference Japan for flavor but avoid stereotypes. If you use Japanese words learn how they are pronounced and spelled. A small chorus line in Japanese can add authenticity. Collaborating with a Japanese lyricist is a fast way to keep lyrics natural.

Quick acronym guide

• DAW means digital audio workstation. It is the software you use to record and arrange music like Ableton Live, Logic Pro, or FL Studio.
• VST means virtual studio technology. It is a plugin format for synths and effects like a Rhodes emulation or tape saturation unit.
• EQ means equalizer. It sculpts frequencies by cutting or boosting specific ranges.

Real Life Release Ideas for City Pop Tracks

City Pop songs are perfect for curated playlists, video soundtracks, and short form social content. Make clips showing the city scene that match the song mood. Think of reels with nighttime neon, rooftop sunsets, or cassette tape aesthetics. Short instrumental hooks work great for loops and transitions. Collaborate with visual artists who can design retro future visuals.

Pitching tip: Target playlists about nostalgia, retro electronic, Japanese pop classics, and synthwave adjacent lists. Use tags that mention City Pop, 80s Japan, and urban funk.

Examples of Modern City Pop Inspired Moves

Listen to modern artists who use City Pop elements to learn how to adapt rather than copy. Some use brighter production with modern drums while keeping harmonic richness. Others sample older tracks. Use these moves as references, not templates. Your own lived detail will keep the song from sounding like a pastiche.

Song Checklist Before Release

1. Does the chorus hook in under 30 seconds?
2. Is the groove locked between bass and drums?
3. Do chords include one extension or borrowed chord?
4. Are vocals clear with at least one double on chorus?
5. Does the mix have space for the bass and vocals?
6. Is there a small visual idea you can pair for social content?

City Pop FAQ

What tempo is best for City Pop

Most City Pop sits between 88 and 110 BPM. Choose slower tempos for intimate late night moods and faster tempos for summer drive songs. The groove matters more than exact tempo. Aim for a pocket where the bass can breathe and the vocals can slide behind the beat for warmth.

Do I need vintage keyboards to make City Pop

No. Modern emulations of Fender Rhodes, Juno pads, and analog synths are excellent. The key is programming and playing style. Use slow attacks on pads, soft comping on Rhodes, and tasteful chorus on guitars. Add mild tape saturation to imitate analog warmth.

How do I avoid sounding like a cover of a classic City Pop song

Use classic elements but anchor your lyrics in contemporary scenes or personal details. Change rhythmic feels, use modern drum samples, or add a unique instrumental hook. Original vocal melodies and fresh lyrical perspective prevent mimicry.

Can City Pop be made in English

Yes. English City Pop works when you respect phrasing and vowel choices. Keep lines singable and short. Use cultural imagery sparingly and authentically. A single Japanese line in the chorus can be a memorable flourish if pronounced correctly.

What chord changes sound most City Pop

Major seventh chords, dominant sevenths with added tensions, and modal interchange moves sound characteristic. Try Imaj7 to IVmaj7 add9, or a ii7 V7 to Imaj7 with passing chords. The secret is to let the melody explore the top notes while chords provide color underneath.

Action Plan You Can Use Today

1. Write a one sentence scene for your song and turn it into a short title.
2. Make a four bar chord loop using at least one 7th or 9th chord. Repeat for eight loops.
3. Create a drum and bass pocket in a tempo between 90 and 105 BPM.
4. Do a vowel pass to find a topline melody. Record several takes and choose the most natural gesture.
5. Write a verse using an object anchor and a chorus that repeats the title with an open vowel.
6. Arrange to add a synth hook after the first chorus. Keep arrangement dynamic with elements removed for verses.
7. Record vocal doubles for chorus and a small harmony third or sixth under the second chorus.
8. Mix with gentle saturation and stereo width on pads and guitars. Keep vocals upfront.
9. Create a 15 second visual clip showing the scene and post it as a teaser.

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