Here's How Ryuichi Sakamoto Influenced Modern Music
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Legendary musician and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28, 2023, at the age of 71 in his native Tokyo, Japan. Sakamoto is recognized for being a pioneer in the electronic music genre, merging different types of music to create unique masterpieces. While Sakamoto may not have been Tik Tok-level popular like Lizzo with the younger crowd, he was a Grammy and Golden Globe recipient for his compositions. With his passing, his music catalog should be an expensive one, thanks to hits that graced Little Buddha and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
Sakamoto's name is well-known in Japan and those that knew him and worked with him are grieving his loss. Aside from leaving behind a musical legacy that broke down cultural boundaries and new genres, Sakamoto also left behind four children, including music artist Miu Sakamoto. With a successful career and a loving personal life, Sakamoto's success in Hollywood wasn't immediate but set him apart from other artists in his lifetime.
Creating The Yellow Magic Orchestra
Via Vice In the early '70s, Sakamoto was a founding member of the electronic pop group, The Yellow Magic Orchestra. While Sakamoto sang and played the keyboard, his bandmates (Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, Hideki Matsutake) took care of the bass, production, drums, and more. Together, the group became popular in Asian countries and created a new kind of sound that brought electronic music mainstream, according to Rolling Stone. Many could say The Yellow Magic Orchestra rivaled The Beatles' many successes.
The new genre that mixed pop music with everything from house to hip-hop made Sakamoto famous. However, fame and fortune were something Sakamoto never wanted. In 2017, he told the Criterion that he never "wanted to be famous." He continued saying, "I never wanted to do it professionally. Then I joined the Yellow Magic Orchestra because I wanted to work with those two very talented musicians." Despite his aversion to fame, the band won awards like Best Album Award (1980 at the Japan Record Awards) and worked with musical acts like Billy Nelson.
Becoming The Soundtrack King
Via Milan RecordsIn 1983, Sakamoto became more globally known thanks to his score for the movie Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Starring David Bowie and Tom Conti, the film was a success and launched Sakamoto into a different kind of stardom that separated his talents from the YMO. He won Best Score for the movie at the Mainichi Film Concours and the BAFTAs. After this holiday film, Sakamoto worked on more soundtracks, making him one of the soundtrack kings with high-grossing movie soundtracks.
According to The Guardian, Sakamoto won an Academy Award for his work on The Last Emperor. In 2015, he was nominated for multiple awards for the Oscar-winning movie, The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Composing award-winning movies led him to compose for TV shows, videos, and more. His career centered around soundtracks in the end.
Sakamoto's Widespread Political & Cultural Impact
According to Japan Times, Sakamoto was as known for his political statements as he was for his music. In the ‘60s—a popular time for standing up to and overcoming injustices—Sakamoto was outspoken about environmental rights and peace on earth. One of his biggest acts was putting an end to the nuclear power plant in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture. Thanks to his, and some of the richest celebrities in Japan, efforts to halt the plant because of the devastation it would cause for generations, the project was put on hold.
The reason why Sakamoto’s political efforts and beliefs were critical for his rise to fame was because it’s rare for Japanese celebrities to go against their political system. Although Sakamoto lived in Tokyo for most of his life, he was also a resident of New York City and pushed for peace in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks. Becoming an activist made Sakamoto even more known and respected by those in the industry and his fans.
The End Of An Era
According to an interview with Roling Stone, Sakamoto shared he took a brief hiatus from composing after getting diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015. He told the publication that while he was cancer free, that didn't mean forever. "The cancer might come back in three years, five years, maybe 10 years," he said. And unfortunately, that's what happened in 2020 when he was diagnosed with rectal cancer.
At the age of 71, cancer overcame Sakamoto and he passed away in Tokyo. In a statement shared on his website, a favorite quote of his was shared that showed the kind of man Sakamoto was: "Art is long. Life is short." Two. months before he died, his final album, 12, was released. It held somber compositions that surely reflected Sakamoto's battle with cancer in his final months. In fact, in an ironic statement told in the documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda, Sakamoto's words are chilling. "I’m not taking anything for granted. But I know that I want to make more music. Music that I won’t be ashamed to leave behind—meaningful work.”
Sources: Bill Nelson, IMDB, Sites Sakamoto, Pitch Fork, Pitch Fork
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