Junko Yagami is a Japanese singer-songwriter and pianist known for her soaring range and two No. 2 hits at the turn of the 1980s, “Mizuiro no Ame” and “Purple Town”.[1]
Early career
Born in Nagoya in 1958, Yagami won awards at the Yamaha Popular Song Contest in 1974 and 1975 and debuted professionally on 5 January 1978 with “Omoide wa Utsukushisugite” on Discomate.[1]
Hits
“Mizuiro no Ame” (September 1978) and “Purple Town” (July 1980) each reached No. 2 on Oricon and sold about 600,000 copies.[1] The first half of “Purple Town” drew on Ray Kennedy’s “You Oughta Know By Now”, and Kennedy was later credited.[1]
Life in the US
After marrying British producer John Stanley in 1986 she moved to California, returning to Japan for yearly concerts from 1990. NHK appearances in 2010 led to a renewed Japanese career, and in 2022 she was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.[1]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Omoide wa Utsukushisugite | — |
| 1979 | Sugao no Watashi (No. 1) | — |
| 1980 | Mr. Metropolis | — |
| 1982 | Yume Miru Koro wo Sugite mo | — |
| 1983 | Lonely Girl | — |
| 1983 | I Wanna Make a Hit Wit-Choo | — |
| 1983 | Full Moon | — |
| 1985 | Communication | — |
| 1985 | Jun | — |
| 1986 | Yagamania | — |
| 1987 | Truth Hurts | — |
| 1989 | Love Is Gold | — |
| 1990 | My Invitation | — |
| 1991 | State of Amber | — |
| 1993 | Mellow Cafe | — |
| 1994 | Renaissance | — |
| 1997 | So Amazing (as June Stanley) | — |
| 2013 | Here I Am ~Head to Toe~ | — |
| 2016 | There You Are | — |
Notable singles
| Year | Title | Oricon peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | “Omoide wa Utsukushisugite” | 25 |
| 1978 | “Mizuiro no Ame” | 2 |
| 1980 | “Purple Town” | 2 |
References
- “Junko Yagami”. Wikipedia. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
In the catalogue · 9
I'm A Woman - New Music Special
1981 · PD-1004
I'm A Woman = アイム・ア・ウーマン
1981 · DSF-210
サマー イン サマー 〜想い出は、素肌に焼いて〜
1982 · DSF-227
Lonely Girl = ロンリー・ガール
1983 · DSF-8014
Full Moon
1983 · DSF-8017
Communication
1985 · MOON-28024
ルーザー / Brother & Sister
1986 · MOSE-119
Truth Hurts
1987 · N28U-1
Love Is Gold
1989 · N28U-20
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