The quick definition of Showa kayou Kei

Showa kayou kei (昭和歌謡系) bands are visual kei bands who have concepts that reference the “retro” Showa (昭和) era from the 1930s~1980s, and songs that prominently feature aspects of popular music from that time—especially “aishuu” melodies that inspire sad, melancholic, or lovelorn feelings. They tend to dress in school or military uniforms that evoke the era.

A brief history of Showa kayou kei

It could probably said that the earliest bands to heavily integrate this kind of reference were MUCC, 【denno:oblaat】 (電脳オヴラアト), or Ove, who all formed in 1997.

But Showa kayou kei didn't capture the zeitgeist until 2002~2003, in step with the 1st wave of osare kei (オサレ系). Osare pioneers baroque had retro references in some of their early graphic design, as did their senior band Kagerou (蜉蝣). This theme also made its way into early second wave osare kei bands like AN CAFE (アンティック-珈琲店-), as well as koteosa (コテオサ) pioneers the GazettE.

Simultaneous to the rise of osare kei, the bands MUCC, MERRY (メリー), and Kagerou (蜉蝣) became known as the “three great families (御三家)” due to their skyrocketing popularity and uniqueness among their visual kei peers. And all three of them often referenced Showa era Japan in their looks, concepts, or music—MERRY (メリー) especially so.

This was also the period during which Misshitsu kei (密室系), shironuri kei (白塗り系), and pikopiko kei (ピコピコ系) were sublimated into visual kei, and many of those bands made reference to the Showa (昭和) era as well.

So from 2001~2004, there emerged several small bands who adopted Showa (昭和) aesthetics as a full-time concept, such as Jinkaku RADIO (人格ラヂオ), DOREMIDAN (ドレミ團), and SID (シド), among others. As osare kei (オサレ系) split into its colorful 2nd wave, these bands remained in their own sepia-toned lane. (SID (シド) pivoted toward soft visual (ソフビ) after a few years and became the most popular of all of them.)

What set these bands apart was their constant integration of kayoukyoku (歌謡曲) {retro Japanese pop music} aspects into their songs. They incorporated touches of several genres from that time, including folk songs (フォークソング), new music (ニューミュージック), group sounds (グループサウンズ), and enka (演歌). In other words, sounds that parents might have heard on Japanese pop radio in the 1950s~1970s.

Crucially, these bands also placed heavy emphasis on “asihuu (哀愁)” songs. The term aishuu literally refers to sorrow, but not in the generic way that many visual kei songs are “sad.” It has a connotation of specific melodies and lyrics that inspire wistful, lovelorn, and melancholic feelings (especially among those who might have been teenagers in the 1950s and 1960s).

From roughly 2005, these influences were sublimated into bands that were not as melancholy. Popular bands like alicenine. (アリス九號.) and D=OUT worked from a base of koteosa (コテオサ). Others, like CATHELINE (キャサリン) and JyuLie, took clear inspiration from the “Dainippon (大日本)” era of the GazettE (ガゼット). And others still, like THE DEAD P☆P STARS and duraluMin, adopted retro rock sounds from other decades in the era.

From the mid-2010s, as the borders between visual kei and other genres were weakening, some visual vocalists started enka (演歌) projects, namely Omitama Takashi (小美玉たかし), Mogamigawa Tsukasa (最上川 司), Hanamizakura Kouki (花見桜こうき), and Miyoshi Seiji (美良 政次). The latter three have even teamed up as an enka supergroup, Sakura Zensen (さくら前線).

Since the 2010s, several long-running Showa kayou kei bands are still active, and newer bands have continued to form in small numbers. Examples from recent decades include LIRAIZO, BELLE (ベル), HELTER SKELTER (ヘルタースケルター), and Kane to Juusei (鐘ト銃声).

Why is it called Showa kayou kei?

Kayou (歌謡) is usually translated as “popular songs,” but is specifically associated with songs that were popular in Japan in the 1930s through the end of the Showa (昭和) era. In other words, it meant something like “pop music” in real-time, but is closer now to “hits of yesteryear.”

Showa kayou kei (昭和歌謡系) {Showa-era pop style} then just indicates that these bands have a style that is reminiscent of that vintage pop music.

What are the other names for Showa kayou kei?

It is less commonly referred to as aishuu kei (哀愁系) {aishuu style} due to the prevalence of aishuu-like melodies, or retro kei (レトロ系) {retro style} due to its constant references to the “retro” era of Japan of the 1930s~1980s.

Many of the bands in this subgenre overlap with other subgenres like Misshitsu kei (密室系), shironuri kei (白塗り系), osare kei (オサレ系), koteosa (コテオサ), or pikopiko kei (ピコピコ系). Thus some may refer to Showa kayou kei bands using those terms instead.

What does Showa kayou kei look like?

Showa-inspired fashions, especially from the 1930s or 1970s: suits, military uniforms, school uniforms; beiges and olive tones; desaturated colors; nationalistic motifs; retro props such as umbrellas, old radios, old televisions. Frequently appear with acoustic instruments such as accordions or upright bass, even if they're not actually used in songs.

“Simplicity” is often a key feature of their costumes; they are more likely to wear styled suits than to wear costumes with extravagant silhouettes and mountains of fabric. Often slightly negative in appearance (i.e. photographed in shadows with black smudged makeup), but can embody happiness and energy as well.

Band names are often written in Japanese characters, and often include long-winded taglines. Song titles often incorporate retro spellings of words (i.e. ヱレジィ instead of エレジー for “elegy”), reference specific cities or streets, and frequently have subtitles like x-hen (x編) {x-edition}.

What does Showa kayou kei sound like?

Rock with Showa-era pop sensibilities; melodies that recall specific wistful/lovelorn Japanese pop songs from the 1950s~1970s; warm-toned vocals; lo-fi or analogue effects; folk, group sounds, new music, or enka influences; sirens, loudspeakers, and other wartime sound effects.

Is Showa kayou kei a legitimate subgenre?

Yes, but barely. It has less recognition than many others, and its constituent bands are relatively few. Furthermore, many of its bands also fall into Misshitsu kei (密室系), shironuri kei (白塗り系), pikopiko kei (ピコピコ系), osare kei (オサレ系), and so on.

Showa kayou kei alignments

Rock, but heavily inspired by retro pop.

Imagined scenarios in real locations.

Purposeful costumes but based on existing uniforms.

Sometimes centered around a particularly talented vocalist.

No extreme in either direction.

Almost always melancholy, or at least nostalgic.

Neutral.

Themes may be on the simplistic side.

When was Showa kayou kei active?

One could say that the earliest bands formed in 1997, but it wasn't classified as a distinct subgenre until roughly 2003 (even though many of its member bands formed a bit earlier). It was especially active through 2007, but has been active in smaller numbers since.

What are the representative Showa kayou kei bands?

Inspirations: MUCC, Kagerou (蜉蝣)

Representatives: MERRY (メリー), SID (シド) (2003~2004), DOREMIDAN (ドレミ團), Jinkaku RADIO (人格ラヂオ), heidi.

Recent: D=OUT (ダウト) (early), BELLE (ベル)

Edit History

• 2025-02-08: corrected featured artist
• 2025-03-02: clarified “is it legitimate” section
• 2025-03-02: typos