Seiko Matsuda (Matsuda Seiko, 松田聖子, born Kamachi Noriko, 蒲池法子,
on March 10, 1962) is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. Born in
Kurume, Fukuoka, she rose to fame in 1980 as a teen idol, making
her debut with the song "Hadashi no Kisetsu". Later in the same
year, "Kaze wa Aki-iro" became the first of her 24 consecutive #1
hits in Japan.
Seiko used to hold the record for the most number 1 singles by a
female singer until March 2006 when Ayumi Hamasaki's Startin' /
Born To Be... reached number 1, making it her 26th single to top
the charts. Nevertheless Seiko still holds the record of the most
consecutive No.1 singles for a female artist, a record that she has
been holding for two decades and not likely to be broken anytime
soon (Ayumi has only 15 consecutive number 1 singles as of December
2006).
Seiko is also on the Top 3 list of Most No.1 albums, Most Top 10
singles and Most Top 10 albums. Widely recognised as one of the
most influential artists in J-pop history, HMV Japan ranked her No.
10 Top Japanese Artist of All Time, and No. 7 Top Singer of All
Time. Her unusual staying power gives her the title of 'Forever
Idol'.
Nobody in Japanese history (including royalty, politicians and
sports stars) got more news coverage than Seiko. Controversial news
about her personal life, as well as her resilient ability to bounce
back from any scandals or set-backs, garnered extensive media
attention.
