In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in what’s new in J-pop.
With that in mind, here’s where you come in: I’m one person with one set of musical preferences, so please embed any other new J-pop tracks you’ve enjoyed in the comments so we can get a fuller spectrum each week.
*And just like I do with my reviews, I’ll wait until full versions of songs are available before posting them in this round-up. This will mostly apply to Johnny’s groups, who still limit the majority of their YouTube uploads to shorter, edited versions.
2023 Index
2024 Index: Dec 24 – Jan 6 // Jan 7 – Jan 13 // Jan 14 – Jan 20 // Jan 21 – Jan 27 // Jan 28 – Feb 3 // Feb 4 – Feb 10 // Feb 11 – Feb 17 // Feb 18 – Feb 24 // Feb 25 – Mar 2 // Mar 3 – Mar 9 // Mar 10 – Mar 16 // Mar 17 – Mar 23 // Mar 24 – Mar 30 // Mar 31 – Apr 6 // Apr 7 – Apr 13 // Apr 14 – Apr 20 // Apr 21 – Apr 27 // Apr 28 – May 4 // May 5 – May 11 // May 12 – May 18 // May 19 – May 25 // May 26 – Jun 1 // Jun 2 – Jun 8 // Jun 9 – Jun 15 // Jun 16 – Jun 22 // Jun 23 – Jun 29 // Jun 30 – Jul 6 // Jul 7 – Jul 13 // Jul 14 – Jul 20 // Jul 21 – Jul 27 // Jul 28 – Aug 3 // Aug 4 – Aug 10 // Aug 11 – Aug 17 // Aug 18 – Aug 24 // Aug 25 – Aug 31 // Sep 1 – Sep 7 // Sep 8 – Sep 14 // Sep 15 – Sep 21
THIS WEEK: September 22 – September 28
ANGERME – Yuuyuu Kankan Gonna Be Alright!!
I really like this style of Hello Project song. It’s a lot of fun!
ATARASHII GAKKO! – Omakase
The beat is great in parts but I wish there was more consistency.
Charisma.com – Hoshizora Feeling (ft. Riyo Kurose)
This frothy dance track goes down real easy and proves that city pop doesn’t have to be overly laidback.
ClariS – Kogarashi ni Dakarete
I love this classic J-pop sound so this 80’s cover is right up my alley.
Elsee – Pow Pow
This is very K-pop-coded. Not a huge fan, but I imagine many will like it.
Exile Tribe – Akanegumo
I like the overall sound but I wish the song developed into something more than it does.
Galileo Galilei – Retry
This band keep releasing videos from their new album. This is my favorite of the ones released this week.
ICEx – Hollywood
I enjoyed their last single much more than expected, but this one’s just not as catchy.
imase & Natori – Metrocity
A solid example of this city pop style.
iScream – Kira Kira
Was this mv made by AI? The song itself is pretty good. It needs better melodies, but the production is fun.
J Soul Brothers III – Baby Don’t Cry
I selfishly wish they’d return to EDM. This is nice but a little dull.
Let Me Know – Ubu na feeling
I just discovered this band and love the retro sound.
One N’ Only – Fiesta
This really should have come out in summer, but the blast of hot energy is still appreciated today.
ORβIT – Upperside
A big improvement over their song last week. This one’s much more energetic and fun.
Perfume – Mobius (song of the week!)
I’m a week late but I finally had time to check out the new Perfume album. I really, really like it! The synths make me melt — they’re so cosmic and grand. Ima Ima Ima seems to be the track they’re promoting, but Mobius‘s dramatic sound has really caught my attention.
Phantom Siita – Hanabami
Ado’s girl group continues to chug along with another quirky (kinda spooky) track.
Queen Bee – Rhapsody (song of the week!)
Avu-chan is my favorite composer working at the moment. There’s such a sense of primal catharsis in her songwriting and performance. This is another stunner, punctuating its anthemic nature with a gut-wrenching climax.
Sakurazaka46 – I Want Tomorrow To Come (song of the week!)
This really gets going after its subdued, fake-out intro. It’s such an intense, ambitious piece of music, moving through several distinct segments while maintaining a sense of melodrama. It’s a total knockout, and the best thing they’ve released in awhile.
Uchida Maaya x Yuma Uchida – Carnival
It’s a double shot of Uchida! This is fun and super upbeat.
WANIMA – Rolling Days
A welcome blast of rock intensity.
Watwing’s Ryo & Asahi – Get Out The Way
I like the production but I wish the song was stronger.
Wild Blue – First Light (song of the week!)
I really like these guys. At first, I worried the song was a bit too subdued but it builds to some lush, compelling peaks. The production is immaculate.
This week’s old favorite:
E-Girls – Dance With Me Now (2016)
If you’re a fan of K-pop girl groups and you haven’t already checked out E-Girls’ discography, you’ve got a treasure trove waiting for you. This is just one of their great singles.