紅白歌合戦選考曲目リスト発表 (Updated)

Akina performing "Desire" at 1986 Kohaku

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, NHK is changing the format of this years Kohaku Utagassen from the usual where they invite the most popular singers of the year to perform at the program to one where they get the fans to vote for the songs they would like to see most being performed this year.

It is an attempt to revive the flagging viewership and I think that if they manage to invite the top singers of the 70s, 80s and 90s to perform again, it will be so wonderful. I hope that they realise that Kohaku means less to the younger generation than to fans like us, who used to sit behind the idiots box waiting for our favourite singers to appear. The younger people just want to party and for older fans like us, we don't want to watch it if we don't know or like who is on the program.

Of course, fans like us are hoping to see Akina on the list, but I am also praying to see many more familiar faces than the newer ones that I can't be bothered about.

Anyway, here are the links to the websites:

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/sukiuta.pdf

For those who can't read the 2nd link above like myself previously, my very kind and generous friend, Eugin, has decoded it sent it to me, and I have uploaded the zip file here. Thanks Eugin, you're always so nice!

Looking at the lists, I see so many familiar names and songs and I wonder if some of the really old singers will be able to come out and sing those old hits. Momoe and Seiko had 3 songs on the list while Akina has two, which is alright since Ayu has two only as well.

山口百恵

Surprisingly, they omitted her best selling single opting for better songs in my opinion and only one song "プレイバックPart2" was ever performed by Momoe at Kohaku:

秋桜, プレイバックPart2, いい日旅立ち

All I'm wondering about is how are they going to play these songs if people chose them? Momoe is not coming back onto stage to sing them for sure.

松田聖子

青い珊瑚礁, 赤いスイートピー, あなたに逢いたくて～Missing You～

In contrary to Momoe, Seiko has performed 2 of the 3, missing out on her most memorable hit "赤いスイートピー" in 1982.

中森明菜

Akina has two songs and both of which she performed in 1986 and 2002. I hope she performs the former because I don't like the "pant suit" concept for the latter song. It will be great to see her perform "Desire" in a kimono again.

飾りじゃないのよ涙は, Desire

The surprising entries:

悲しみがとまらない - 杏 里 (instead of Cats Eye)

春なのに - 柏原芳恵 (only 2 appearances and got nominated and 河合奈保子 who performed for 6 times did not receive a single nomination)

In my opinion, the biggest surprise, someone who has never appeared in Kohaku ...

センチメンタル・ジャーニー - 松本伊代

I think online voting starts on the 31st August and I certainly hope that this year's Kohaku will be dream come true for many of us.