Southern All Stars facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Southern All Stars
Southern All Stars in 2023
Background information
Origin	Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Rock J-pop new wave kayōkyoku (early)
Years active	1975–1977 1977–1985 1988–2000 2003–2008 2013–present
Labels	Victor Entertainment/Taishita [ja]
Members	Keisuke Kuwata Kazuyuki Sekiguchi Hiroshi Matsuda [ja] Yuko Hara Hideyuki Nozawa [ja]
Past members	Takashi Omori [ja]

Southern All Stars (Japanese: サザンオールスターズ, Hepburn: Sazan Ōru Sutāzu), also known as Southern or SAS, is a famous Japanese rock band. They formed in Shibuya, Japan, in 1975. The band's main members include Keisuke Kuwata (singer and guitarist), Yuko Hara (keyboardist and singer), Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (bassist), Hiroshi Matsuda [ja] (drummer), and Hideyuki Nozawa [ja] (percussionist). These five have played together since 1977.

A former member, Takashi Omori [ja], was the guitarist from 1977 to 2001. Southern All Stars is one of the best-selling music groups in Japan. They have sold over 47 million albums and singles. By 2008, they had more than 40 top ten singles. They also had 16 No. 1 albums on Japan's Oricon music charts. Their 1998 album Umi no Yeah!! is the best-selling double album in Japanese history. The band was also named the No. 1 "Top 100 Japanese Musical Act" by HMV Japan in 2003.

The Story of Southern All Stars

Starting Out in the 1970s

Keisuke Kuwata is the main singer, songwriter, and leader of Southern All Stars.

In 1974, Keisuke Kuwata started a band with friends from Aoyama Gakuin University. They were part of a popular music club. In the beginning, the band had many different names. In 1975, keyboardist Yuko Hara joined the group. They then chose the name "Southern All Stars." A friend of Kuwata's came up with the name. It was inspired by other bands like the Fania All-Stars.

The band briefly stopped playing in 1977. But they soon started up again later that year. Hiroshi Matsuda and Hideyuki Nozawa joined, making the band's lineup complete. At a music contest called Yamaha EastWest '77, Kuwata won an award for "best vocalist."

On June 25, 1978, their first single, "Katte ni Sindbad," was released. Its name was a mix of two popular Japanese songs from 1977. The band appeared on many TV shows to promote their song. Their unique outfits and energetic performances made a big impression. The song slowly became popular and reached No. 3 on the Oricon Singles Chart.

At first, some people thought they only made funny songs. But their third single, "Itoshi no Ellie," changed that. This beautiful pop-ballad came out on March 25, 1979. Many music critics and artists loved it. It is still one of their most famous songs. In 1988, Ray Charles even covered it. His version became a top-selling single by a Western artist in Japan.

Their first album, Atsui Munasawagi [ja], came out two months after their first single. Their second album, 10 Numbers Carat [ja], was released only eight months later. It included "Itoshi no Ellie." Kuwata felt very tired during this time. He later said he wasn't happy with the quality of this album.

Big Hits in the 1980s

In February 1980, Southern All Stars started a project called "Five Rock Show." They released one new single every month for five months. These songs did fairly well. But the band already had many fans from their earlier hits. Since their third album, Tiny Bubbles [ja] (1980), all their studio albums have reached No. 1. This album also featured songs sung by Yuko Hara and Hiroshi Matsuda.

On January 24, 1982, they released the single "Chako no Kaigan Monogatari." Kuwata wanted a big hit. He wrote it in a popular Japanese style called kayōkyoku. This song became their most successful single since "Itoshi no Ellie." Their fifth studio album was even more popular. It became the best-selling album of 1982.

Kuwata and keyboardist Yuko Hara (pictured) married in 1982.

After the success of "Chako no Kaigan Monogatari," Kuwata married Yuko Hara on his 26th birthday. They even invited their fans to their wedding! Throughout their career, Kuwata has sometimes used playful or bold themes in his songs and promotions. For example, Hara's first solo single, "I Love You wa Hitorigoto," was not widely released due to its bold lyrics. The cover of the band's 1983 single "Body Special II" featured a striking and artistic image. Their unique artistic choices continued.

The albums Kirei [ja] (1983) and Ninki-mono de Iko [ja] (1984) mainly featured rock songs for adults. With "Miss Brand-New Day," a successful single from Ninki-mono de Iko, the band became very well-known. In 1985, Southern released the double album Kamakura [ja]. Many people consider it one of their best albums. They used many advertisements to promote it, including a TV commercial with comedian Sanma Akashiya.

During the recording of Kamakura, there were some disagreements between Kuwata and Sekiguchi. They spent over 1,800 hours making the album. But the final result was a huge success. Critics and fans loved it. When Hara and Kuwata had a child that same year, the band took a break. Around 1986, Kuwata started solo projects, like the Kuwata Band [ja]. Other band members also worked on their own projects.

Kuwata's first successful solo single, "Kanashii Kimochi (Just a Man in Love)," came out in 1987. It was produced by Takeshi Kobayashi. Kuwata liked working with Kobayashi and they continued to collaborate. Kobayashi worked with Southern All Stars members on many projects in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

On June 25, 1988, ten years after their debut, Southern All Stars started playing together again. They released the single "Minna no Uta." Their 1989 single "Sayonara Baby" became their first No. 1 hit on the Oricon Singles Chart. That same year, a special 4-CD collection called Suika was released. Even though it was big and expensive, it reached No. 1 and sold over 300,000 copies.

Success in the 1990s

The 1990s were a very good time for the Japanese music industry. Southern All Stars continued to be very popular and successful. In 1990, they released a self-titled studio album [ja] that sold over a million copies. That same year, Kuwata directed a movie called Inamura Jane. The movie's soundtrack [ja] was a huge hit. It reached No. 1 and sold over one million copies, becoming the best-selling Japanese soundtrack ever. "Manatsu no Kajitsu" was a popular song from the soundtrack. Many Asian singers, like Jacky Cheung, covered this song.

In 1991, Kazuyuki Sekiguchi took a break from the band for health reasons. He returned in 1995. In 1992, the other members released two singles at the same time: "Shulaba-La-Bamba" and "Namida no Kiss." "Namida no Kiss" was No. 1 for seven weeks and sold over 1.5 million copies. It was their first single to sell over a million copies. Two months later, their tenth album, Yo ni Manyō no Hana ga Sakunari [ja], was released. It sold nearly 1.8 million copies.

In 1993, a remix album called Enoshima was released under the name "Z-Dan." It sold over 900,000 copies.

Kuwata worked as a solo artist again in 1994. The band did not release new music that year. They returned in 1995. The next year, they released two more singles, including "Ai no Kotodama -Spiritual Message-," which sold over a million copies. Their 11th album, Young Love [ja], included these hits. It sold over 2.5 million copies and is their most successful studio album.

2000s and Beyond: "Tsunami" and Changes

On January 26, 2000, their 44th single, "Tsunami," was released. It was the theme song for a popular TV show. The song was No. 1 for five weeks and sold over 2.9 million copies. It is one of the best-selling singles in Japan. "Tsunami" won the 42nd Japan Record Awards on New Year's Eve 2000. After this huge success, the band released fewer singles, but they all became hits.

After a concert tour in 2000, Takashi Omori left the band in August 2001 to pursue other interests. By the early 2000s, each band member was also working on solo projects. Kuwata, especially, released several million-selling records around 2001 and 2002.

Southern All Stars released the double-album Killer Street [ja] in October 2005. It debuted at No. 1 and has sold over a million copies. In 2008, the band took another break. In 2010, Kuwata shared that he had been diagnosed with early-stage esophageal cancer. He stopped all music activities and had successful surgery. After five years, Southern All Stars started playing together again on June 25, 2013.

They released the studio album Budō in 2015. The compilation album Umi no Oh Yeah! followed in 2018. All 15 of their studio albums received a digital remaster towards the end of 2024. Their 16th Studio album, Thank You So Much, was released in March 2025.

Southern All Stars' Lasting Impact

Southern Beach in Chigasaki was named after Southern All Stars.

Southern All Stars are seen as one of Japan's greatest musical acts. They have been called the country's "national rock band" and a "national treasure." HMV Japan ranked them No. 1 on their 2003 list of "Top 100 Japanese Musical Acts." In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan placed their 1984 album Ninki-mono de Iko at No. 32 on a list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time." In 2019, Nikkei Entertainment! magazine ranked them second in music.

Southern Beach in Kuwata's hometown of Chigasaki was named after the band in 1999. Officials in Chigasaki say Southern All Stars helped make the city famous. In 2013, Kenzo Tanaka, President of the Chigasaki Chamber of Commerce, said the band helped the local economy. They included the name of Chigasaki in many hit songs.

Southern All Stars are also one of the best-selling music groups in Japan. They have sold over 47 million albums and singles. By 2008, they had over 40 top ten hit singles. They also had 16 No. 1 albums on Japan's Oricon music charts. They are the only group to have 44 songs on the Oricon Singles Chart at the same time. Their 1998 album Umi no Yeah!! has sold over 3.3 million copies. It is the best-selling double album in Japanese history. "Tsunami" (2000) is their most successful song. It sold over 2.9 million copies and won "Song of the Year" at the 42nd Japan Record Awards.

Music critic Suzie Suzuki says Southern All Stars helped Japanese rock music in many ways. They found a way to fit the Japanese language into rock music. They also made rock lyrics more diverse. And they helped make rock music a successful business. Suzuki explained that Kuwata used many vocal tricks. He mixed Japanese and English quickly. This made Japanese rock music sound natural and exciting. Suzuki believes this was a huge step for Japanese rock vocals. Every artist since has learned from his style.

Suzuki also noted that Kuwata writes about many different topics. While love songs are central, his work also includes funny songs and songs with important messages. Finally, Suzuki said that even though the band was creative and unique, they always appealed to many people. This is why they have stayed popular for so long.

Band Members

Current members

• Keisuke Kuwata – vocals, guitar (1975–1977, 1977–1985, 1988–2000, 2003–2008, 2013–present)
• Kazuyuki Sekiguchi – bass (1975–1977, 1977–1985, 1988–1991, 1995–2000, 2003–2008, 2013–present)
• Hiroshi Matsuda [ja] – drums (1975–1977, 1977–1985, 1988–2000, 2003–2008, 2013–present)
• Yuko Hara – keyboards, vocals (1975–1977,1977–1985, 1988–2000, 2003–2008, 2013–present)
• Hideyuki Nozawa [ja] – percussion (1975–1977, 1977–1985, 1988–2000, 2003–2008, 2013–present)

Former members

• Takashi Omori [ja] – guitar (1975–1977, 1977–1985, 1988–2000)

Discography

Studio albums

• Atsui Munasawagi [ja] (1978)
• 10 Numbers Carat [ja] (1979)
• Tiny Bubbles [ja] (1980)
• Stereo Taiyo-zoku [ja] (1981)
• Nude Man [ja] (1982)
• Kirei [ja] (1983)
• Ninki-mono de Iko [ja] (1984)
• Kamakura [ja] (1985)
• Southern All Stars [ja] (1990)
• Inamura Jane [ja] (1990)
• Yo ni Manyō no Hana ga Sakunari [ja] (1992)
• Young Love [ja] (1996)
• Sakura [ja] (1998)
• Killer Street [ja] (2005)
• Budō [ja] (2015)
• Thank You So Much [ja] (2025)

Awards and Recognitions

See also

In Spanish: Southern All Stars para niños