Video summary
The video presents a nostalgic reaction to the top 50 hit songs of Japan in the 1990s, offering viewers an immersive look into the musical landscape that defined that era for Japanese children and teenagers. The narrator expresses deep appreciation for the high production values, vibrant fashion, and energetic performances characteristic of the decade, noting how these music videos captured a specific "vibe" that feels lost in modern times. A recurring theme throughout the commentary is the contrast between the polished, respectful culture of 90s Japan—where concertgoers were seen without phones and artists wore elaborate costumes—and what the narrator perceives as the more casual or "trashy" trends of today. The selection heavily features rock and pop genres, with a notable absence of hip-hop at that time in Japan, which sparks curiosity about whether the genre was rejected or simply had not yet taken root compared to its popularity elsewhere.
Throughout the reaction, specific artists like Mr. Children are highlighted as absolute legends who dominated the charts during this period, often overshadowing other groups due to their incredible vocal power and enduring hits that continue to resonate decades later. The narrator frequently comments on the unique aesthetics of the time, from Hawaiian shirts worn by bands named "Men" to elaborate hairstyles resembling coconuts or pirate hats, all while marveling at the live instrumentation that was standard practice then but has largely vanished in modern digital production. There is a particular emphasis on winter-themed songs and snow imagery, which were popular motifs during colder months, alongside observations about female artists who received significant attention for their elegance and talent rather than just physical appearance, challenging some of the objectifying norms often seen in Western media industries.
As the countdown progresses toward the number one spot, the anticipation builds around two main contenders: Hikaru Utada or Mr. Children, with the narrator confidently predicting that Mr. Children will take the top position due to their sheer volume of hits and iconic status within the country's music history. The video concludes by celebrating how these songs represent a golden age where talent was prioritized over gimmicks, creating an emotional connection for listeners who grew up during those years or are discovering this era anew. Ultimately, the summary serves as both a tribute to the superior quality of 90s Japanese pop and rock music and a reflection on how that specific cultural moment created memories and sounds that remain timeless despite the passage of thirty years.
Read the full video transcript
Hey,
>> you know, I've always wondered as a '90s
child myself, what was a Japanese90s
child doing back in the day? What were
their hobbies? What were they listening
to? Well, today I'm getting an answer to
that question. Top 50 hit songs from the
'9s in Japan.
Hey, watch out. Was this real?
Did this actually happen?
>> Wow. Back when movies looked good.
[music and singing]
>> Mr. Children.
>> Wow. What a beautiful man. Holy [ __ ] I
wasn't alive yet. That is uh May 10th,
1995. Yeah, I wasn't born yet. I was
three months dead. Three months later, I
would have been alive. That's crazy.
Wait, is May the No,
July.
Yeah. Yeah. May is the fifth month.
Wait, January, February, March, April.
Yeah. I'm I'm I'm brilliant
>> American right here. If you couldn't
tell.
>> [music]
>> starting off really nice. Really
beautiful.
[music]
>> Hey.
Yeah, that was great.
>> Can we go back to this era?
>> Four months before I was born. Can we go
back to this, man? Look at the vibes.
You ain't getting vibes like this
anymore.
>> [music]
>> Only vibes you're getting in a club is
seeing it shot at.
>> Wow.
>> These were the Backstreet Girls. I heard
this group is called Men.
>> Yo, this guy's going off in my ears.
Really good. [music]
Are they from Hawaii?
They're all wearing Hawaiian shirts.
[screaming]
>> I love that [ __ ] man. Oh my god. I was
Oh, no. I wasn't alive. It says 1991. I
was four years dead. I was negative4.
Crazy.
Look at this. They're called men, but I
see women.
>> What's that about? [music]
>> Japan was progressive in the '9s.
>> [music]
>> Wow,
>> I love his hairstyle. He looks like
coconut heads. Remember him? [music]
I was one years old. Wow.
Smack.
[music]
>> Yo, look at this handsome man. Look at
this handsome men.
They
>> they don't use that instrument anymore,
man. The magic sound. They don't do that
anymore.
>> They don't even play instruments
anymore. [music]
[music]
[singing]
Really nice.
Pride before the pride flag.
>> This is the type of pride I like. It's
really good.
[music]
>> Come on.
>> Y'all, I wish the names were translated,
too. [music]
>> Y'all going to have to tell me the names
down below.
>> Oh,
her voice is beautiful, man.
Look at her.
[music]
>> Hey, he's back. Coconut head.
>> Can we bring back black and white music
videos?
>> Look at this.
>> This guy was making hits in the '9s.
Damn.
>> Yeah.
I like that little pitch change right
there. [music]
>> Gay. Oh, glade.
>> Oh my god, this before anime openings.
Yo, these guys got style. Damn.
>> Look at them, man. They're rocking out.
Sick.
[music]
>> Yeah. They don't do performances like
this anymore.
>> It looks like the lantern fish. You
know, when they had the lanterns on
their head.
>> I wonder if this song's about underwater
adventure.
Oo.
>> Oh my god, man. Everything sounded so
good so far.
To be Japanese in the '9s. I wish.
>> Nah, I had a good childhood. [music]
>> Wearing cowboy hats.
Hey,
>> gay again. GL,
>> they were killing it too in the 90s.
[ __ ]
>> What a voice on this guy.
>> It reminds me of Flow a little bit.
[music] Like Flow Before Flow when they
were glad.
in the winter. That must be a Hokkaido
[laughter]
>> giving that his song. Love to see that.
[music]
>> Look how happy it was.
>> They look like higher beings. You know
what I mean? Like when you watch the
Hunger Games, they're dressed all
different. That's what they look like
right now.
We gota
>> Yo,
>> I'm waiting for a song to blow me away.
So far, Charizard. Like, I'm okay with
these.
They're good. They're fun songs.
Some of them are dated,
but it's still cool to experience what
it was like in the '9s, what they were
listening to. These were the hits.
>> [music]
>> They're so bright. Oh my god. Getting
flashbangs.
>> Bro, just came out in 1999.
It's like the luckiest day of all time
before the world ended.
>> Yeah, I'm not a fan of this. It's too
girly.
>> [music]
>> There we go. Here we go. This is more my
style. [music]
>> Come on. Yo, look at these men. Oh,
>> the Japanese Backstreet Boys.
>> It ain't NSync, it's Jyn.
>> Come on.
>> Hey, they're killing it, man.
Oh yeah,
>> Japanese BTS. [music]
[singing]
>> It's all rock. You love to hear it, man.
I wonder if any hip-hop was popping back
in the 90s in Japan or did Japan reject
hip-hop?
>> Curious
like any meme songs, you know what I
mean?
[music]
>> So far, it's rock and roll
and pop,
>> but it's good pop.
Usually I hate radio pop.
[music]
>> God looks like a biker.
>> I like it.
>> Yeah.
>> Yo, this sounds like second action.
>> You know what I mean? Has a second
action vibe. [music]
>> Yeah. I wonder if they were inspired by
this group.
[music]
Even the vibe of it, man. Yo, look at
me. When's the last time I dance like
this?
>> This is the shoulder popper. [music]
>> Another winter song. Nice.
>> Yo, that guitar, everything sounds so
good.
Yeah, winter vibes. [music] Come on.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
>> Yo, this is not I'm adding this to my
phone. Just going on my Spotify.
Yo, imagine driving home to this 4hour
drive blasting that [ __ ]
Mr. Children back at it again. They
ain't children. That's false
advertisement.
What a powerful, strong voice.
>> You know what I mean?
>> Beautiful.
>> Love it.
[music]
>> Yo, this is live. How the [ __ ] is this
live?
>> Oh yeah, he knows he's the chick. Wow.
This guy has rocked to his core.
Look at this. Even performerwise,
[music]
>> they're dressed like nurses.
Take us to the clinic. This guy [ __ ]
mongos, man. We at the tribe. OH, HEY.
HEY, he's drunk.
>> He's doing the drunka or the drunk rock
lee. My bad. [music]
>> I love how most of this [music] music is
live.
kill it girl.
>> Look at her.
>> Oh, she looks really nice.
>> Some people look mean. You know what I
mean? I won't say who.
She just looks nice.
Love her. Yo.
>> Was that A WHITE WOMAN? NO WAY.
>> [music]
>> OKAY, I don't know who Bees are,
>> but I love their music.
>> I'm in love with their music, man. This
is the second time I heard them. They're
sick.
>> Is that guy blind?
[music]
>> Heck, he probably is. He's killing, bro.
He's shining, though. [music]
Yeah, I get [music]
>> I don't know what vibe I get from his
voice
>> so much. She came out in 95 the best
year of all [music] time because I was
born and you don't believe me. It's
patted on my wrist
as proof.
This is okay.
>> Oh, I have no rhythm, bro. This the best
one so far. I'm addicted to this.
Addicted to you. I'm addicted to
>> No, man. We need more of that. That was
great.
>> [music]
>> Look at these boys. Oh my god, these sex
magnets. They're called the kinky kids.
Kinky kids. I don't think those words go
together.
>> This guy's feeling it. Mr. Children,
man. Mr. Children,
>> you can tell music's in their bloods, in
their veins.
>> That ain't a vein, bro. That's a wire
inside of them.
vocal cord.
[music]
is [music]
>> so classy.
>> What a classy performance.
[music] Love it.
Winter vibes from this performance.
[music]
>> Talk about winter vibes. Everybody was
doing songs in the winter in the snow.
>> We just love the snow. Oh, wait a
minute. Wait a minute.
[music]
>> This is baggy pants type music.
>> Jumpsuit type music.
>> Spinning a basketball on my finger
[music] type music.
Get a girl for killing it in the '9s. I
prefer the women over the men's music,
not going to lie.
>> It's just a feeling to it.
>> All right.
My little lover.
>> Yo, they're so elegant. It's like the
opposite of America. In America, the
less you have on, the better. You know
what I mean? According to the industry.
>> Not in Japan. The more you have on, the
better.
It's classy. It's respectful.
>> You know, they want you to focus on the
talent, on the voice,
>> not [music] on the titties.
>> Or the booty cheeks. The dirty booty
cheeks.
>> LA love. Hey yo, wait a minute. I like
this guy.
>> Yeah. Finally, a guy that I see myself
being friends with.
Oh,
hey.
[music]
>> This guy's killing it, man.
>> Yeah, I could be friends with this dude.
How old is he?
>> 96. I was one years old.
>> Yeah, I got to listen to the bees.
>> The birds of the bees. Is that what it
means?
This guy looks legendary. I have no idea
who he is. [music]
>> 95 was their year, not just mine.
[music]
Wait,
wait. I'm
I feel like I know this song.
>> Am I dumb?
>> It reminds me of an anime opening.
[music]
>> It sounded like an anime opening. Broke
Mr. Children. Leave some space for
others.
D. They don't want to share the success,
the limelight. They're just taking over.
>> Look at this.
The '9s were in the palm of their hands.
It was all about the children.
>> I bet the lyrics are beautiful, too.
It's called Innocent World.
>> Wonder what that means.
The world is far from innocent.
Big balls. [music]
[singing]
type of song you listen to when you have
two cigarettes in your mouth. [music]
[singing]
>> Wow.
>> Like if my mom was Japanese, this would
be the song she listen to every day. It
sounds like a mom song.
[music and singing]
Damn.
Guy was singing to the heavens.
Con.
This is happy. Damn. 1990.
Wow.
Look at the crowd. Look how respectful
they are. No phone in sight. How it
should be. Ban phones from concerts. I'm
I'm serious. Ban him. Is that a pirate
hat, bro? Is he a pirate?
>> Was One Piece made for him?
I miss when these videos kind of fan
hitting you. Like look at that, bro. Her
hair blowing.
[music]
>> Now, nowadays, Americans, the only thing
they're blowing is dick.
[music]
>> You see what he did? The women in the
'9s were killing it. Japanese women. The
music is just superior.
[music]
You
>> sure this is 93 or is it 83?
>> This [ __ ] was recorded on
>> Japanese MTV Cribs. [music]
>> Man, this was straight up recorded on
the VHS on the [ __ ] cassette, bro. on
the Walkman,
>> on the Game Boy Color,
>> the DS camera.
[singing]
[music]
>> Don't y'all feel the love in this? I do.
Hell yeah. Come on. [music]
>> I love these deep voices. Oh man, it
makes me It makes me You know what?
>> I feel the love. That's all I'll say
about that.
[singing]
>> Perfect. [music]
Hey, [laughter]
[screaming]
>> the goat. THIS WOULD BE MY [ __ ] BACK
THEN, MAN. 98, I was three. Look at her
killing it, man. [music]
>> Come on. One more time. One more time.
[music]
>> Perfect. Best song on the list.
>> I just reacted to this on my second
channel. I'm in love with this song,
bro. I've heard it like 40 times already
in the past two days.
>> Jungle with Wait. H Jungle with T. What
does that mean? Oh my god. Look at this
guy. This guy's battling his inner
demons.
He's battling spirits.
>> Wow. War tonight. Yeah. War with your
demons, bro. What the [ __ ] Everybody in
the crowd starts by punching the air.
Whoa.
[music]
>> Yo, the voices together [music] sound
sick.
>> Oh, I got chills, man.
>> Yeah. Yo,
[singing]
>> the male female layered voices.
>> [music]
>> So good.
[music]
>> Uh-huh. Can you celebrate? Yes, I can.
>> Another woman that looks nice, you know,
[music]
>> nice person.
You notice one thing about Japan and uh
uh the top 50 songs, they're all good.
>> Lovely.
>> What a lovely song. Here they come
again.
[music]
>> They need to be in the top 10. They said
they refuse not to be in it.
I wonder what they're doing now.
>> Hopefully, they're alive.
[music]
>> N man, this is 96. They look like they
[music] could be in their 30s there.
>> All right, so they can still be alive in
their 60s, '7s, and late 80s, maybe.
[music]
>> I wonder how many of these songs were
anime songs. I haven't heard any.
[music]
I thought this guy was going to start
rapping.
[music]
>> I don't know about this one.
[music]
>> [music]
>> Yeah, this one was one of my least
favorites. One of the weager ones
[music]
for me at least. Maybe I have no taste.
[music]
Sing it, girl. [music]
[music]
>> So good.
>> Oh, yes. Right.
>> Oh, I like this. I like this. [music]
>> This This is my alley, bro. Right up my
alley.
>> This is the lane I'd be in.
Very
[music]
good one right here. This is number
five.
[music]
>> Four. What is it going to be? Three,
two, and one.
>> We haven't even heard their biggest song
yet, I bet. [music]
This is like the No, this is the biggest
group of the '9s. [music]
>> They've had like eight songs in the top
50.
>> This is the biggest group. [music]
>> Everybody was listening to Mr. Children.
>> Were children listening to Mr. Children?
[music]
>> Tomorrow never knows. I like that.
No doctors
>> 2020 chopper. Yeah.
>> Again with the school ch and [music]
[music]
class, man. Everything from the '9s was
so classy and now it's trashy. We went
from classy to trashy. Maybe not in
Japan. No, no, no. [music]
A few artists,
>> but overall, nah, Japan kept the
classic.
>> Yo, I bet number one, it's either Hikaru
or Mr. Children. It's one of those two.
I bet my hairline on it.
>> Yo, look at this guy's hair. I need to
do that. [singing]
>> I'm going go to the bar with a picture
of him. Tell Tell him to give me that.
It looks like you could skateboard off
it.
Hey. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[music]
>> Watch. Watch. Number one, Mr. Children.
I bet. I bet you. I'll bet my eyeballs.
for
dango
dango dango dango dango [music]
dango
dango.