How to Make City Pop Music
City pop is the smooth, nostalgic sound of 1980s Japan, built on jazz-funk chord voicings, vintage synthesizers, and that unmistakable late-night shimmer. From Mariya Takeuchi's Plastic Love to Tatsuro Yamashita's Ride on Time, this guide breaks down every element of the genre and how to recreate it today.
Step 0: Detect Your Reference Track Key First
City pop production often starts with a reference sample or interpolation target. Before building chord progressions or bass lines on top, detect the key of your starting material with BeatKey. Harmonic clashes between your source material and new chords are the most common city pop production mistake.
Step 1: Set Your BPM
City pop lives in the 95-120 BPM range. The mid-tempo groove is a defining characteristic. Too slow feels like ballad territory; too fast pushes into dance pop.
| Substyle | BPM | Key | Artists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic City Pop | 100-115 | F, Bb, C major | Mariya Takeuchi, Tatsuro Yamashita |
| City Pop Funk | 112-120 | Eb, Ab, F major | Toshiki Kadomatsu, Omega Tribe |
| AOR Ballad | 80-95 | C, G, D major | Anri, Miki Matsubara, EPO |
| Modern City Pop Revival | 100-110 | F, Bb major | Yung Bae, Macross 82-99, Nulbarich |
| City Pop R&B | 90-105 | D minor, A minor | Akina Nakamori (later era) |
Step 2: Build Jazz-Funk Chord Progressions
City pop chords are what separate it from ordinary pop. Standard pop uses triads (C-E-G). City pop uses extensions: major 7ths, dominant 9ths, minor 11ths. These lush voicings are the genre's musical signature.
Fmaj7 - Gm7 - Am7 - Gm7The iconic city pop loop. Smooth, circular, never resolves.
Tip: Repeat for 4 bars. Add octave bass and DX7 electric piano.
Cmaj7 - Am7 - Dm7 - G7Classic jazz ii-V-I turnaround with major 7th color.
Tip: Use inversion: Am7/C bass for smooth voice leading.
Fmaj7 - Bbmaj7 - Gm7 - C9Sunny, optimistic. Dominant 9th creates forward momentum.
Tip: Bb electric piano voicing: Bb D F A (both hands spread wide).
Am7 - Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7Bittersweet. Minor start resolves to major for emotional payoff.
Tip: G7(9) adds color: G B D F A.
Ebmaj9 - Ab13 - Gm11 - C7More sophisticated. Chord extensions create harmonic richness.
Tip: Play chords loosely, not blocked. Light touch on the upper notes.
Fmaj7 - Em7 - Dm7 - Cmaj7Descending diatonic walk. Smooth and inevitable feeling.
Tip: Add a descending bass line E-D-C under the chord changes.
Step 3: Program the City Pop Drum Groove
City pop drums are rooted in disco and jazz-funk. Four-on-the-floor or half-time kick, snare on beats 2 and 4, 16th-note hi-hats with slight swing, and the classic open hat on the disco upbeat position (beat 1.75).
| Instrument | 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kick | 1 . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . | Four-on-the-floor (beats 1 and 3) or half-time (beat 1 only) |
| Snare | . . . . 1 . . . . . . . 1 . . . | Beats 2 and 4. Gated reverb or snappy 80s electronic snare. |
| Closed HH | 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 1 . | 16th-note pattern. Slightly swung (8-12%). |
| Open HH | . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . 1 . | Disco open hat position (beat 1.75 and 3.75). |
| Rimshot | . . 1 . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . | Cross-stick on beat 1.5 adds funk to the groove. |
8-12% swing on 16th-note hi-hats. Too much feels lo-fi, too little feels stiff. City pop sits in the middle.
Gated reverb on snare is iconic 80s. Or a tight electronic snare with a slightly roomy sample.
Deep and warm, not overly punchy. City pop kick sits in the groove rather than punching forward aggressively.
Linn LM-1, Roland TR-808, or live jazz-funk drums are all used. Mix acoustic and electronic for modern takes.
Step 4: Choose Your Synthesizers
The synthesizer palette is what makes city pop sound like city pop. The Yamaha DX7 is the genre's signature instrument. Every plugin emulation or original hardware patch traces back to FM synthesis and the glassy electric piano of the 1980s.
The DEFINITIVE city pop instrument. FM electric piano patch (preset 19 E.PIANO 1). Bright, bell-like, glassy.
Tip: Use velocity sensitivity. Soft for chords, loud for runs.
Warm chorus-modulated pads. Lush string pads with the built-in chorus on maximum.
Tip: Layer a slow attack pad under the DX7 for warmth.
Bright digital synth stabs. The Fantasia patch is iconic.
Tip: Use D-50 stabs on the off-beats (beat 2 and 4) for punctuation.
Fat analog lead for solos and hooks. Thicker than the Juno.
Tip: Short portamento and slight vibrato for 80s lead feel.
Free / Affordable Modern Alternatives
DEXED (free) Free DX7 emulator. Load original DX7 patches (.syx files). Best free city pop starting point.
TAL-U-NO-LX Excellent Juno-106 emulation. Affordable. Great chorus section for pads.
Vital (free tier) Load FM-style presets and aim for the electric piano bell character.
Surge XT (free) Free synth with FM capabilities. Good for AOR-style lead sounds.
Step 5: Mix for the City Pop Sound
City pop has a bright, polished, slightly airy mix character. The 1980s production aesthetic emphasizes clarity and sheen rather than warmth or grit. Aim for -9 to -7 LUFS integrated loudness for a streaming-ready master.
BPM-Synced Delay Reference (City Pop Range)
| BPM | Quarter (ms) | Dotted 8th (ms) | 8th note (ms) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 632 | 474 | 316 |
| 100 | 600 | 450 | 300 |
| 105 | 571 | 429 | 286 |
| 108 | 556 | 417 | 278 |
| 110 * | 545 | 409 | 273 |
| 112 | 536 | 402 | 268 |
| 115 | 522 | 391 | 261 |
| 120 | 500 | 375 | 250 |
* 110 BPM = Plastic Love tempo. Dotted eighth delay highlighted in green. Calculate all delay times at delay.beatkey.app
Generous plate reverb on snare and electric piano. High-pass the reverb return at 300Hz to keep it from getting muddy.
Classic 80s production uses chorus on guitars, pads, and often the electric piano. Subtle amount: 30-50% mix.
City pop has a bright, airy high-end. Add a gentle shelf boost around 10-12kHz for the glossy 80s quality.
Bus compression with a slow attack preserves the natural dynamics of the funk groove. VCA-style bus compressor works well.
6 Common City Pop Production Mistakes
City Pop FAQ
What BPM is city pop?
City pop runs from 95 to 120 BPM, with the sweet spot at 108-113 BPM. Plastic Love (Mariya Takeuchi) is 110 BPM, which is the most iconic city pop tempo.
What key is city pop in?
City pop favors major keys: F major, Bb major, Eb major, and C major are most common. The extended chord voicings (maj7, dom9, min11) are more important than the specific key.
What synthesizers do you need for city pop?
The Yamaha DX7 electric piano is essential. The Roland Juno-106 for pads is also iconic. Modern free alternatives: DEXED (free DX7 emulator) and TAL-U-NO-LX (Juno emulation).
Who made city pop famous globally?
Mariya Takeuchi made city pop globally famous when Plastic Love went viral on YouTube in 2017-2019, decades after its 1984 release. Tatsuro Yamashita, Miki Matsubara, and Anri are the other core city pop artists.
Related Genre Guides
Free City Pop Production Tools
BeatKey Tools gives you everything you need: key detection, chord analysis, delay calculator, scale reference, and note frequencies. All free, all in your browser.