Alexei Volkov
Plastic Love is a song by Japanese singer Mariya Takeuchi from her 1984 album Variety. It is a city pop song with an upbeat arrangement and danceable tune that contrasts with melancholic lyrics. The song's lyrics tell the story of a woman who, after being scorned by a lover, embraces a hollow and hedonistic lifestyle, unable to find love again as she views it as a game and covers up her loneliness. The song gained a cult following and went viral decades after its release, with an eight-minute remix by Plastic Lover amassing over 22 million views on YouTube by 2019.
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What You'll Learn
It's a city pop song
"Plastic Love" is a song by Japanese singer Mariya Takeuchi from her 1984 album "Variety". Takeuchi wrote the song and it was arranged by Tatsuro Yamashita, who also produced it and performed backing vocals. "Plastic Love" is a city pop song, and it has been described as the "'best-known example' of the genre".
City pop as a genre is associated with the strong Japanese economy of the 1970s and 1980s, blending numerous genres of Western popular music. It is musically tied to the "cosmopolitan lifestyle". According to New York Times writer David Leonhardt, city pop "often pairs shimmery vocals with funky production", resulting in an "effervescent sound".
In an interview with The Japan Times, Takeuchi explained her songwriting process for "Plastic Love":
> I wanted to write something danceable, something with a city pop sound. I wanted to write something that had 16 beats and lyrics capturing what life in a city was like.
In the late 2010s, an eight-minute remix of "Plastic Love" went viral on YouTube, receiving over 55 million views by 2021. The song's popularity has been cited as a key factor in city pop's increasing popularity among Western audiences.
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The lyrics are melancholic despite its upbeat arrangement
"Plastic Love" is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi from her 1984 album "Variety". The song is a classic example of city pop, a genre of music that emerged in Japan in the 1970s and 1980s, heavily influenced by Western music and tied to the cosmopolitan lifestyle.
Despite its upbeat arrangement, the lyrics of "Plastic Love" are melancholic and introspective. They tell the story of a woman who, after being scorned by a lover, adopts a hollow and hedonistic lifestyle to cope with her heartbreak. She realises that true love does not exist and is unable to commit herself to future relationships, choosing instead to play games and pretend to be in love. This sense of alienation and privatisation of emotion is reflected in the line "I'm just playing games, I know that's plastic love/Dance to the plastic beat/Another morning comes".
The song's upbeat melody and nostalgic vibe belie the sadness of its message, creating a sense of irony and a commentary on the disconnect between appearance and reality. This contrast between form and content adds depth and complexity to the song, perhaps contributing to its enduring popularity.
The song's hypnotic and nostalgic quality has been described as evoking a dreamlike trance, capturing the attention of millions worldwide and sparking a cult following for Takeuchi. The song's resurgence in the late 2010s, driven by a fan-made eight-minute remix that went viral on YouTube, further solidified its status as a timeless classic.
"Plastic Love" has transcended its original context and taken on a life of its own, inspiring fan art, English translations, and countless remixes. Its impact extends beyond the realm of music, influencing digital counterculture and postmodern internet memes. The song's unique blend of melancholy and euphoria continues to captivate audiences, solidifying its place as a beloved and influential pop culture phenomenon.
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It was written and performed by Japanese singer Mariya Takeuchi
"Plastic Love" is a song by the Japanese singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi. Takeuchi wrote and performed the song, which was recorded and mixed at Onkio Haus in Ginza, Tokyo. It was arranged by Tatsuro Yamashita, who also produced the song and provided backing vocals. Yamashita mixed the song with Yasuo Sato.
"Plastic Love" was recorded for Takeuchi's sixth studio album, "
The song is considered the "best-known example" of city pop, a genre associated with the strong Japanese economy of the 1970s and 1980s. City pop is musically tied to the "cosmopolitan lifestyle" and blends numerous genres of Western popular music. According to New York Times writer David Leonhardt, the genre often pairs "shimmery vocals with funky production," resulting in an "effervescent sound."
Upon its initial release in 1985, the single reached number 86 on the Oricon Singles Chart and sold around 10,000 copies. However, in the late 2010s, the song experienced a resurgence in popularity when an eight-minute fan-made remix was uploaded to YouTube and went viral, receiving over 22 million views by 2019. The song's popularity led to a re-release of the single on 12-inch vinyl in 2021, which peaked at number five on the Oricon Singles Chart and became the best-selling analog single of that year in Japan.
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The song went viral on YouTube in the late 2010s
"Plastic Love" is a song by Japanese singer Mariya Takeuchi from her 1984 album "Variety". It is a city pop song with an upbeat arrangement and danceable tune that contrasts with melancholic lyrics. The song's lyrics tell the story of a woman who, after being scorned by a lover, embraces a hollow and hedonistic lifestyle to mask her loneliness.
In the late 2010s, an eight-minute remix of "Plastic Love" went viral on YouTube, receiving over 22 million views by 2019 and 55 million views by 2021. The video was first uploaded by the YouTube account Plastic Lover in 2017 and was a fan-made version of the original song that looped several parts to extend its length. The song's virality can be attributed to the YouTube recommendation algorithm, which frequently suggested the video to millions of Western users. Despite the language barrier, the song resonated with listeners around the world, with many commenting on the sense of nostalgia it evoked, even for a time they had not lived through.
The popularity of "Plastic Love" can also be understood within the context of the vaporwave genre, a subgenre of electronic funk music that emerged in the late 2010s and drew heavily on the aesthetics and sounds of the 1980s and 1990s. The song's hypnotic and nostalgic qualities, combined with its association with vaporwave, contributed to its widespread appeal and enduring legacy.
The viral success of "Plastic Love" on YouTube led to a resurgence of interest in the song and Mariya Takeuchi's music. It inspired fan art, English translations, and countless remixes, as well as an official music video released in 2019, 35 years after the song's initial release. The song's popularity also extended beyond the digital realm, with a reissue of the single on 12-inch vinyl in 2021, which peaked at number five on the Oricon Singles Chart and became the best-selling analog single of that year in Japan.
The enduring appeal of "Plastic Love" and its viral resurgence in the late 2010s can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the song's catchy melody, relatable themes of heartbreak and alienation, and its association with the vaporwave and city pop genres. The role of the YouTube algorithm in promoting the song to a wider audience also played a significant part in its viral success, introducing "Plastic Love" to a new generation of listeners and solidifying its place in popular culture.
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'Plastic Love' is considered a cult classic
"Plastic Love" is a song by Japanese singer Mariya Takeuchi from her 1984 album "Variety". It is considered a cult classic due to its viral popularity decades after its initial release, sparking a dedicated fanbase and a resurgence of interest in city pop and vaporwave music.
The song's unique appeal lies in its blend of upbeat music and melancholic lyrics. "Plastic Love" tells the story of a woman who, after being scorned by a lover, embraces a hollow and hedonistic lifestyle to cope with her loneliness. This relatable narrative of heartbreak and the struggle to find genuine love in a world driven by monetary exchange resonates deeply with listeners. The song's hypnotic quality, with its dreamy city pop sound and catchy beats, further enhances its allure, creating a sense of nostalgic déjà vu for listeners, even those who may not understand the original Japanese lyrics.
The song's journey to viral fame began in 2017 when a fan-made eight-minute version was uploaded to YouTube by Plastic Lover. This remix, featuring loops of the original song, captivated millions of viewers, leading to numerous remixes, mashups, and fan art. The song's popularity extended beyond the digital realm, with re-releases of the single and Variety charting highly on the Oricon Singles Chart in the early 2020s. "Plastic Love" became the best-selling analog single of 2021 in Japan, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the song and its ability to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers.
The resurgence of "Plastic Love" also played a pivotal role in revitalizing the city pop genre, which had strong ties to the Japanese economic boom of the 1970s and 1980s. City pop, with its blend of Western musical influences and urban feel, resonated with the postwar economic miracle in Japan. The song's popularity sparked a digital counterculture movement, recycling the aesthetics and sounds of 1980s popular culture and blending them with contemporary styles. This fusion resulted in the creation of vaporwave, a subgenre of electronic funk that builds upon city pop while adding elements of cyberpunk and postmodern commentary on pop culture and capitalism.
"Plastic Love" by Mariya Takeuchi has undoubtedly earned its status as a cult classic, influencing music trends, sparking a global fanbase, and leaving an enduring impact on the music industry decades after its initial release. Its unique blend of catchy beats and poignant lyrics continues to captivate audiences worldwide, solidifying its place in musical history.
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Frequently asked questions
'Plastic Love' is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi.
The song was originally released in 1984 as part of Takeuchi's album 'Variety'.
'Plastic Love' tells the story of a woman who, after being scorned by a lover, can only view love as a game. She covers up her loneliness with vanity, indulgence, and hedonism.
In 2017, a fan-made eight-minute version of the song was uploaded to YouTube by Plastic Lover. This video was picked up by the YouTube algorithm and went on to receive over 22 million views by 2019.
'Plastic Love' is often associated with the Vaporwave meme, a subgenre of electric funk music that remixes old songs from the '80s and '90s. The meme also draws on the aesthetics of these decades, such as neon and cyberpunk.
