Editing Enka (section)

=== 2000s: Musical hybridity ===
''Enka''<nowiki/>'s popularity among younger Japanese, however, increased in the first decade of the 21st century. [[Kiyoshi Hikawa]] debuted on [[Nippon Columbia]] in 2000 with the single "Hakone Hachiri no Hanjirō", which became a smash hit. The early solo releases of then-[[Morning Musume]] member [[Yuko Nakazawa]] were also ''enka''. In contrast, [[Nana Mizuki]], who learned ''enka'' as a child, became a voice actress and also appeared as a singer on [[King Records (Japan)|King Records]] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|date=2008-12-10|title=|script-title=ja:才色兼備の声優シンガーはオリコン2位！アニメ界を牽引する水樹奈々を直撃！|url=http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/column/20081203/1021527/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210232911/http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/column/20081203/1021527/|archive-date=2008-12-10|access-date=2009-02-16|publisher=[[Nikkei Business Publications]]|language=ja}}</ref>

On August 25, 2004, [[Johnny & Associates]]' group [[Kanjani Eight]] debuted with the Kansai-limited release of "Naniwa Iroha Bushi" under the [[Teichiku Records]]. The song was based on "[[Kawachi ondo]]" and featured [[rapping|rap]]. The song was a hit and reached No. 8 on the Oricon weekly singles chart on the strength of Kansai sales alone. Then, on September 22, 2004, "Naniwa Iroha Bushi" was released nationwide and re-debuted on the Oricon weekly singles charts at the No. 1 spot, becoming the first ''enka'' single to reach the No. 1 in seventeen years since [[Yujiro Ishihara]]'s 1987 single "Kita no Tabibito" according to Oricon.

Hikawa also released the single "Hatsukoi Ressha" on February 9, 2005, which debuted at the No. 1 position on the Oricon charts, Hikawa's first number-one single on the Oricon weekly charts. Older female singer [[Junko Akimoto]] also debuted on King Records, releasing her first single "Madison-gun no Koi" on July 21, 2005. However,{{?|month=November 2010}} her musical style was '70s ''kayōkyoku'' style.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/special/20080807/1017494/?ST=yahoo_headlines&P=2|script-title=ja:運命的な出会いから生まれたデビュー曲|publisher=[[Nikkei Business Publications]]|date=2008-08-11|access-date=2009-05-05|language=ja|archive-date=2011-07-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720201428/http://trendy.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/special/20080807/1017494/?ST=yahoo_headlines&P=2|url-status=live}}</ref>

Veteran ''enka'' singer [[Hiroshi Itsuki]], at 58, released the single "Takasebune" on April 19, 2006, becoming his first Top 10 single in 22 years since 1984's "Nagaragawa Enka." It debuted at the number-nine position on the Oricon charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/music/news/20060511et01.htm|script-title=ja:五木ひろしの新曲「高瀬舟」 オリコン初登場９位|publisher=Yomiuri Shimbun|date=2006-05-11|access-date=2009-05-04|language=ja|archive-date=2006-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060806025123/http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/music/news/20060511et01.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hikawa's song "Ikken" won the grand prix at the [[48th Japan Record Awards]] on December 30, 2006. Kanjani Eight was transferred to the pop/rock record label Imperial Records, the sub-label of [[Teichiku Records]] in 2007. In the same year, 80s superstar [[Akina Nakamori]] paid her respect to ''enka'' music by releasing an album—full of light ''enka'' songs.

Junko Akimoto released the single "Ai no Mama de…" on January 23, 2008, reaching the top of the Oricon weekly single charts in January 2009, making her, at the age of 61, the oldest solo singer to top the charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-25/bleach-9th-major-5th-singles-debut-at-no.2-no.10|title=Bleach's, Major's Opening Singles Debut at #2, #10|publisher=[[Anime News Network]]|date=2009-01-25|access-date=2009-05-06|archive-date=2009-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525055504/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-25/bleach-9th-major-5th-singles-debut-at-no.2-no.10|url-status=live}}</ref> That same year, Hikawa released two consecutive number-one singles — "Ryōkyoku Ichidai" and "Tokimeki no Rumba" — on the Oricon weekly charts. [[Fuyumi Sakamoto]]'s 2009 song "Asia no Kaizoku", composed by [[Ayumi Nakamura (singer)|Ayumi Nakamura]], was an ''enka'' song featuring [[rock music]].<ref name="asianokaizoku">{{cite web|url=http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/music/news/20090122et01.htm|script-title=ja:坂本冬美、中村あゆみが作詞・作曲の新曲「アジアの海賊」発売|publisher=[[Yomiuri Shimbun]]|date=2009-01-22|access-date=2010-01-07|language=ja}}</ref> Sakamoto said, "If Ayumi sings the song, it's a rock song. If I sing the song, however, it's an ''enka'' song."<ref name="asianokaizoku" /><ref group=fn>Original text: "この曲もあゆみさんが歌ったらロックなのに、私が歌ったら、演歌になる"</ref>