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As we build toward the 2024 Billboard Music Awards on Dec. 12 and Billboard’s Year-End Charts reveal on Dec. 13, check out our editorial list of staff picks for the best K-pop songs of the year.
As more and more K-pop artists break the genre and cultural barriers that can divide listeners, the Korean music industry grew its visibility and expanded its experimental nature this past year, resulting in greater opportunities for the scene at large while gifting global audiences some undeniably special singles.
In line with trends since the start of the decade, girl groups continued to dominate the singles space as (G)I-DLE, fromis_9, aespa, NewJeans and ILLIT delivered inescapable hits, alongside beloved troupes like Red Velvet, ITZY, Dreamcatcher and Kep1er, who delivered some of the best songs of their career.
K-divas BIBI, Lee Young Ji and K-pop’s standout rookie boy band TWS delivered singles that became mainstays on the charts and across social media. Elsewhere, Lim Young Woong, PENTAGON’s Hui, ATEEZ, Loossemble and ARTMS all stepped up to new moments of musical greatness with creative curveballs that defied expectations but delighted all kinds of audiences.
From the nostalgic reunion of BIGBANG’s leader G-Dragon enlisting his bandmates Taeyang and Daesung for “Home Sweet Home” to the rookie girl group that made Billboard Hot 100 history this year, not to mention a track that samples Afrika Bambaataa and the Afrobeat-infused flair of KISS OF LIFE’s “Sticky,” this year’s best K-pop songs boast some of the most eclectic, exciting tunes in recent history.
While the Korean music industry continues to expand its global reach, with many of its artists releasing English singles or tracks explicitly aimed at the Western pop market, this list focuses on the songs released with Korean lyrics or with core K-pop audiences in mind (as much as we loved bops from the likes of Jimin, AleXa, BABYMONSTER, the BLACKPINK members and many, many more).
With some of the best boy bands, greatest girl groups, specially selected soloists, plus one dynamic duo, dive into the complete list to experience the finest K-pop songs of 2024. And check out our list of the 25 Best K-Pop Albums of 2024, too.
Kep1er, “Shooting Star”
Idols, rookies and global stars all made our list.
Billboard Japan unveiled its year-end charts for 2024, and Mrs. GREEN APPLE is Artist of the Year, based on the Artist 100 ranking compiled from results of both the Japan Hot 100 and Hot Albums charts. Additionally, frontman and principal songwriter Motoki Ohmori (vocals and guitar) dominated the year-end Top Composers and Top Lyricists charts for the second year in a row.
This year, the three-man pop-rock band released a new song every month from April to August. “Lilac,” the opening theme song for the anime series Oblivion Battery, stayed at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs tally for 18 consecutive weeks, becoming popular as the trio’s new signature number. “Ao to Natsu,” the group’s hit from 2018, broke its personal record for most weekly streams on the Streaming Songs chart released Aug. 14 with 6,969,716 weekly streams, coming in at No. 4 for the week. Now in its 11th year as a band, Mrs. GREEN APPLE continues to expand its reach.
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The group consisting of Ohmori, Hiloto Wakai (guitar), and Ryoka Fujisawa (keyboards) also kept busy doing live shows, including collaborative concerts at the Yokohama Arena with other acts in May, a domestic stadium tour entitled Zenjin Mito to Weltraum in July that drew about 150,000 people in total, and a ten-show mini-residency at K-Arena Yokohama that ran from October to November. In recent news, the band released a new song called “Bitter Vacances” written as the theme for the upcoming live-action movie Saint Young Men, due in Japanese theaters Dec. 20. And to make the upcoming 10th anniversary of their major debut a magical year, they have just announced numerous plans, including a 100,000-person outdoor live concert over two days, the release of their best album ’10’, and their first solo performance in Korea. What were the band members feeling as they faced their music while racing through a super-busy year? Ohmori, Wakai, and Fujisawa chatted with Billboard Japan, looking back on a fruitful 2024 and sharing some visions for the new year.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE is No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s year-end Artist 100 chart for 2024. How do you feel about this result?
Fujisawa: I’m very grateful. I was so surprised that I teared up a little.
Wakai: We released a lot of songs this year, so I’m genuinely grateful that they’ve reached so many people in a proper way.
Ohmori: I topped the year-end Top Lyricists and Top Composers charts last year, and those results allowed me to believe in the things I create and the things we think are interesting, and work on them in a positive way for the past year. I’m happy to have received this kind of recognition in what was such a fun year. I hear from people that our songs are being used at sports days in schools ranging from elementary to high school, and that really gives me a sense of how well our songs are known and how they’re being received. I don’t really feel it when I’m going about my daily business, but when I hear that [the songs] are close to someone’s everyday life, it really hits home.
Wakai: They’re also being sung as choral pieces [in schools].
Fujisawa: From the end of last year to this year, we had a lot of opportunities to enjoy ourselves with our fans, like going on our own tour, performing live with other acts, and doing more headlining shows in the summer. It kind of surprised me that so many people knew about us.
There must have been many first-time visitors to your concerts.
Ohmori: Looking out from the stage, I did notice that people of all ages were in the audience. Like grandmothers bringing their grandchildren. It gives us confidence to know that we’re doing shows that families can feel safe and enjoy together.
The band has been busy touring and releasing new music this year. If you were to sum up the year, how would you describe it?
Ohmori: It was fun. Last year, it was like saying hello for the first time [after becoming a three-man band], but this year, I think we were able to reaffirm our unchanging relationship and stance on songwriting as we tried to live up to expectations and adapted to our changing surroundings. I was writing songs for our five-month consecutive release, but it wasn’t like I was pushing myself too hard and I can say that it was a very meaningful and enjoyable year.
Wakai: We really did a lot of things and it was really fruitful.
Fujisawa: Each member had more opportunities to flourish this year, and there were many moments when I saw the other two working hard and was like, “They’re so cool” and “I’m so proud of them.”
Wakai: There are a lot of YouTube videos of people covering “Lilac” on guitar, and personally, it felt like there were more instances where I felt like I was being recognized as a guitarist and that made me happy.
You added some original arrangements at your residency shows (Mrs. GREEN APPLE on “Harmony”) and they were awesome.
Wakai: The crowd seemed to enjoy it, so I was glad.
Fujisawa: While watching Ohmori working hard writing songs at a tremendous pace for the five consecutive releases, we also played those songs at that speed, adding our own arrangements as we went along, and also performed them live again and again. How each member has been able to face things with responsibility shows the growth of our band this year.
Ohmori: Speaking of growth, or something I’ve discovered, is that I’ve come to realize once again that writing songs isn’t something I do for something or someone, but only for myself, even though I’m the type of person who thinks it’s better to enjoy fun things together with everyone. Now that more people are listening to my music, there’s greater responsibility, but in the end I only release things that I feel are good, so I don’t feel any crazy pressure or stress and really enjoy making music naturally. Being able to reconfirm that was a personal growth for me. I’d be lying if I said I don’t feel pressure, but I still feel like I’ve been able to stay natural.
Are there any other motivations that drive the three of you?
Wakai: What we talk about a lot among the members is live performances. I feel that the main source of our energy and motivation is to do something that we can genuinely enjoy ourselves and have the audience also enjoy that, too.
Ohmori: That was notable in our The White Lounge tour.
Fujisawa: Like Wakai said, when we do something we find interesting and new, and see that the people on the receiving end are enjoying it, we want to update ourselves even more. Personally, there are a lot of things I find difficult and set me back, but seeing Ohmori and Wakai working hard gives me power.
So your bandmates are friends you can rely on and also rivals you can compete with.
Ohmori: They’re really important to me. In a good way, I don’t really have the sense that Mrs. GREEN APPLE is being burdened with expectations from the public. The three of us are just having fun making music together. That’s really all there is to it. We’ve been doing this since we were in junior high school, and I think that’s what makes us Mrs. GREEN APPLE.
Lastly, what are your prospects for 2025?
Ohmori: We celebrated our 10th anniversary [since formation] in 2023 and next year will be our 10th since our debut. It’s our anniversary year, so I hope we can be close to our JAMs [Mrs. GREEN APPLE fans]. We hope to keep challenging ourselves individually, and to make the ship that is Mrs. GREEN APPLE even bigger. We also want to do lots of shows.
Fujisawa: It’ll be ten years since our debut, so I want to express our gratitude to everyone next year.
Wakai: It’ll be the last year in our twenties for Ohmori and me, so I want to make the final year one without regrets and enjoyable.
—This interview by Takuto Ueda first appeared on Billboard Japan
Billboard Japan has unveiled its 2024 year-end charts, tallying the weeks from Nov. 27, 2023, to Nov. 24, 2024.
The No. 1 Song of the Year on the Japan Hot 100 is Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born.” The opening theme song of the anime series MASHLE Season 2 was released Jan. 7 and racked up 547,310,791 streams during the tallying period.
“We still feel like, ‘We’re able to make a living doing music!’” shares rapper R-shitei of Creepy Nuts upon hearing the news of topping the year-end charts, “We never planned to make songs that would be listened to around the world. It’s really just about expressing what we want to get out and releasing the pent-up expressions we’ve been holding in, basically.” DJ Matsunaga adds, “Now that we’ve returned to a lifestyle focusing on music, it feels like the irresponsibleness that I had before is back. Express bad stuff like it is. It feels like we’ve regained the courage to do that.”
Coming in at No. 2 for the year is “Bansanka” by 15-year-old singer-songwriter tuki., and Omoinotake’s “IKUOKU KONEN,” the theme song of the drama series Eye Love You, follows at No. 3.
Snow Man
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The No. 1 Album of the Year on Billboard Japan’s Hot Albums chart is Snow Man’s RAYS. The fourth album by the nine-member group sold 1,183,100 copies during the tallying period and topped the CD Sales ranking as well.
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“We’re very happy that our fourth album RAYS has been crowned Billboard Japan Hot Albums of the Year 2024. We’re truly grateful to everyone who received our work and touched our music, and to the encouraging staff who were involved in the production,” says Snow Man member RAUL on behalf of the group. “RAYS has a very special place in our hearts because it can be interpreted as the culmination of the first chapter of Snow Man that sublimates the powers we’ve honed and the support we’ve received over the four years since our debut into music. It was challenging, but we always imagined our fans close by as we worked on it. We’re deeply touched that our precious fans have listened to it and given us so many positive comments.”
“The group will be celebrating the fifth anniversary since its debut in 2025, kicking off with a best-of album set to drop on Jan. 22, the day of our debut,” he adds. “We’re also currently planning to spend more time with our fans, so we hope you’ll look forward to it!”
At No. 2 is Kenshi Yonezu’s LOST CORNER, and at No. 3 is SEVENTEEN’s 17 IS RIGHT HERE.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE takes the top spot on the Artist 100 of the Year ranking compiled from the results of the Japan Hot 100 and Hot Albums charts. The three-man band charted 17 songs on the Japan Hot 100, including hits like “Lilac” and “Que Sera Sera.”
“I’m very grateful. I was so surprised that I teared up a little,” says Mrs. GREEN APPLE keyboardist Ryoka Fujisawa. Guitarist Hiloto Wakai adds, “We released a lot of songs this year, so I’m genuinely grateful that they’ve reached so many people in a proper way.” Frontman and principal songwriter Motoki Ohmori notes, “I topped the year-end Top Lyricists and Top Composers charts last year, and those results allowed me to believe in the things I create and the things we think are interesting, and work on them in a positive way for the past year. I’m happy to have received this kind of recognition in what was such a fun year.”
Following at No. 2 on the year-end Artist 100 is back number, rising a notch from its position on the mid-year round-up. The three-man band charted 10 songs on the Japan Hot 100 including “Suiheisen” and “Takaneno Hanakosan.” At No. 3 is YOASOBI, the breakout hitmakers whose performance at Coachella in April made headlines in their home country.
As Japanese artists continue to branch out globally, Creepy Nuts’ music is reaching listeners on a global scale after “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” became a long-running hit both in Japan and overseas. Total global streams for the hip-hop duo has jumped significantly and as a result, “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” achieved 12 No.1s on Billboard Japan’s 2024 year-end charts, including the newly announced year-end Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart, which ranks songs from Japan that are being listened to in over 200 countries around the world excluding Japan.
Billboard JAPAN Hot 100 of the Year 2024
1. “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” / Creepy Nuts
2. “Bansanka” / tuki.
3. “IKUOKUKONEN” / Omoinotake
4. “Idol” / YOASOBI
5. “Lilac” / Mrs. GREEN APPLE
6. “Que Sera Sera” / Mrs. GREEN APPLE
7. “Show” / Ado
8. “Kaiju No Hanauta” / Vaundy
9. “Ao To Natsu” / Mrs. GREEN APPLE
10. “Dance Hall” / Mrs. GREEN APPLE
Billboard JAPAN Hot Albums of the Year 2024
1. RAYS / Snow Man
2. LOST CORNER / Kenshi Yonezu
3. 17 IS RIGHT HERE / SEVENTEEN
4. THE VIBES / SixTONES
5. SPILL THE FEELS / SEVENTEEN
6. No.Ⅰ / Number_i
7. GIANT / Stray Kids
8. No.O -ring- / Number_i
9. SCIENCE FICTION / Hikaru Utada
10. +Alpha / Naniwa Danshi
Billboard JAPAN Artist 100 of the Year 2024
1. Mrs. GREEN APPLE
2. back number
3. YOASOBI
4. Vaundy
5. Official HIGE DANdism
6. Ado
7. Creepy Nuts
8. Kenshi Yonezu
9. King Gnu
10. Aimyon
Billboard JAPAN Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan of the Year 2024
1. “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” / Creepy Nuts
2. “Idol” / YOASOBI
3. “SPECIALZ” / King Gnu
4. “NIGHT DANCER” / imase
5. “Shinunoga E-Wa” / Fujii Kaze
6. “KICK BACK” / Kenshi Yonezu
7. “Where Our Blue Is” / Tatsuya Kitani
8. “Yoru Ni Kakeru” / YOASOBI
9. “TOKYO DRIFT(FAST & FURIOUS)” / TERIYAKI BOYZ
10. “Mayonaka no Door / Stay With Me” / Miki Matsubara
Taylor Swift has wrapped up an early Christmas gift for fans, reclaiming the No. 1 spot on the ARIA Albums Chart with The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.
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The festive season begins in earnest as the chart’s Christmas edition sees Swift’s dominance coinciding with the return of holiday classics like Michael Bublé’s Christmas and Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas, adding a seasonal sparkle to the final stretch of 2024.
Swift’s album, buoyed by the release of vinyl and CD versions, jumps from No. 14 to reclaim its throne for a sixth non-consecutive week. This marks Swift’s 16th week at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart this year, thanks to the success of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Midnights, Lover, and The Tortured Poets Department.
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Meanwhile, Michael Bublé’s Christmas makes its annual return, landing at No. 15, continuing its streak as a perennial festive favorite. First released in 2011, the album has spent a total of 15 weeks at No. 1 and remains a yuletide staple.
Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas also re-enters the chart at No. 100, with her holiday anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You” making its yearly resurgence on the ARIA Singles Chart, re-entering at No. 7.
Rosé and Bruno Mars hold steady at the top of the ARIA Singles Chart with “APT,” which notches its fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1. The track continues its reign as Bruno Mars enjoys a record-breaking run on Spotify, where he became the platform’s most-streamed artist last month with over 126 million monthly listeners, surpassing The Weeknd’s previous record of 120.7 million.
Other holiday hits are also making their move. Wham!’s “Last Christmas” returns at No. 11, with additional classics from Brenda Lee, Ariana Grande, and Kelly Clarkson climbing the charts as the festive season heats up.
Juice WRLD makes a splash on the Albums Chart with The Party Never Ends, debuting at No. 17. The posthumous release features collaborations with The Kid LAROI, Fall Out Boy, Nicki Minaj, and Eminem, marking the rapper’s fourth Top 10 ARIA album since his untimely passing in 2019.
For the full list of chart-toppers, visit ARIA.com.au.
Karol G sets a new record on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 as “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” rules for a 12th consecutive week (chart Dec. 7-dated ranking), the longest-leading No. 1 song in 2024. The song breaks from a tie with Valentino Merlo and The La Planta’s “Hoy” which dominated for 11 consecutive weeks, starting the July 6-dated tally.
Further, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” which added a 20th week atop Billboard‘s overall Latin Airplay chart on the current ranking, also enters a tie with Maluma and The Weeknd’s “Hawai” and Pedo Capo and Farruko’s “Calma (Alicia Remix),” for the fifth-most weeks atop the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 since its inception in 2018. Here is the recap of the songs with the most weeks at No. 1:
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Weeks at No. 1, Song, Artists, Peak Date25, “Tusa,” Karol G & Nicki Minaj, Jan. 11, 202016, “Entre Nosotros,” Tiago PZK, Lit Killah, Nicki Nicole & Maria Becerra, July 31, 202115, “La Bachata,” Manuel Turizo, Sept. 10, 202213, “Otro Trago,” Sech, Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna & Anuel AA, May 25, 201912, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” Karol G, Sept. 21, 202412, “Hawai,” Maluma & The Weeknd, Aug. 29, 202012, “Calma (Alicia Remix),” Pedro Capo & Farruko, Jan. 12, 2019
Rauw Alejandro adds a second song on the current chart as “Khé?,” with Romeo Santos, arrives as the Hot Shot Debut of the week, at No.55. The Puerto Rican also takes the Greatest Gainer honors with “Qué Pasaría…,” with Bad Bunny, which rallies 28 spots, from No. 56 to No. 28 for a new peak.
Five other songs debut below the top 50, starting with the bilingual “¿Cómo Pasó?” by Ela Taubert and Joe Jonas, at No. 76. It’s the first chart appearance for both the best new artist Latin Grammy winner and the American singer-songwriter.
Maluma adds his 38th entry as “Cosas Pendientes” starts at No. 84. Meanwhile, Argentinians La T y La M secure their 14 career visit with “Un Montón De Estrellas (Gran Rex)” at No. 84.
Lastly, Nicki Nicole breaks from a tie with Emilia for the third-most entries among women with 38 career performances thanks to two new debuts, “Forty” and “Sheite” which open at Nos. 88 and 97, respectively.
Reading & Leeds Festival has confirmed the first artists to appear on 2025’s lineup, including its four headliners. Travis Scott, Chappell Roan, Hozier and Bring Me the Horizon will top the bill at the dual festivals in Reading, Berkshire, and Leeds, Yorkshire, on Aug. 21-24. The events will take place at Richfield Avenue in Reading, and Bramham Park in Leeds.
Scott’s appearance will be a European festival exclusive, while Hozier and Bring Me the Horizon will be U.K. exclusives. Roan’s appearance at the top of the bill will be an English headline exclusive, and her first ever performance at Reading & Leeds.
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They’ll be joined on the bill by AJ Tracey, Becky Hill, Sammy Virij, Trippie Redd, Amyl and The Sniffers, Conan Gray, The Kooks, The Dare, Enter Shikari, Wallows, Sea Girls, Mannequin Pussy, Soft Play, Lambrini Girls, DJ EZ and more.
Bloc Party will perform Reading & Leeds Festival’s inaugural Icon Set, which the festival said in a press release “will celebrate the defining acts synonymous with the festival.” The London-formed indie band performed in consecutive years between 2005 and 2009 on a variety of stages.
Tickets for the two events go on general sale on Dec. 9 from the festival’s official website, and follow a number of presales that begin Friday (Dec. 6) for customers of Three Mobile and Mastercard.
In 2024, Reading & Leeds Festival was headlined by Blink-182, Fred Again.., Liam Gallagher, Lana Del Rey, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Gerry Cinnamon. In recent years, artists such as Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion and Halsey have also topped the bill.
The most recent edition in Leeds was impacted by severe weather, with two stages at the festival having to be closed due to high winds brought by Storm Lilian.
See the 2025 lineup below:
Dorset’s End of The Road Festival has announced its first lineup for 2025’s event, confirming that Father John Misty, Sharon Van Etten, Caribou and Self Esteem will headline.
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Next year’s edition will take place at Larmer Tree Gardens in the south of England on Aug 29-31, 2025. The festival premiered in 2006 and has been held every year since (except 2020 due to the COVID pandemic).
Joining them on the lineup will be: Mount Kimbie, Black Country New Road, GOAT, Geordie Greep, Tropical F–k Storm, Moonchild Sanelly, Ela Minus, Throwing Muses, Emma-Jean Thackray and more. See the full lineup below.
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Tickets for the event are on sale now from the festival’s official website. More announcements are set to be made about the lineup and across the festival’s literature and arts offerings. Previous headliners at the event have included IDLES, Future Islands, Fleet Foxes, St Vincent, Vampire Weekend and more.
Father John Misty recently released his sixth studio, Mahashmashana, which landed on the Billboard 200 at No. 161. Sharon Van Etten, meanwhile, has written and recorded her upcoming album with her touring band The Attachment Theory, and will release the self-titled debut Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory on February 7 via Jagjaguwar.
Self Esteem’s performance is the first show announced in 2025 for the British pop artist, who saw considerable success with her second LP, Prioritise Pleasure, and its ensuing live tour. Electronic producer Caribou released his sixth album, Honey, earlier this year, which included collaborations with generative AI across the vocal performances.
The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir held a performance of the “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” in Tokyo on November 22 at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial.
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The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir was formed in 2019 and began its “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” world tour to share Saudi Arabian musical culture with the world. The Tokyo concert was its fifth, following performances in Paris, Mexico City, New York, and London.
The concert presented a fusion of the two countries, with performances of traditional Saudi Arabian and Japanese music by the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir, the Orchestra Academy of Tokyo College of Music, and special guest, guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei. The audience was enthralled by the sounds of the traditional Arabic instruments, which there are few opportunities to hear in Japan, and the unique melodies they played.
The concert began with words from Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Saudi Music Commission. 2025 will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Saudi Arabia, and Pacifico expressed his gratitude for being able to perform in Tokyo before this momentous occasion. He also spoke of the importance of music as a shared language that can bridge the world.
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In the first part of the show, a Japanese gagaku court music group performed “Ryo-o,” a court music and dance piece. A ryuteki flute began playing the melody and was joined by drums and a small metal gong. A dancer, bedecked in red and wearing a mask, appeared on stage and began to dance. Sho panpipes, hichriki flutes, and other instruments joined in, and the energy mounted. The audience was overwhelmed by the stately dance performance, a tradition carried on for over a thousand years.
Part two of the concert consisted of performances by the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir. Along with typical orchestral instruments like the violin and cello were traditional Arabic instruments, like the oud, the zither-like qanun, and the daf, a percussion instrument made of leather stretched over a circular frame, creating a grand spectacle.
The first piece, the rhythmical “Al-Hawa Al-Ghaib,” began with a short introduction on the strings, which were then joined by the other instruments of the orchestra. The tremolo and intricate performance techniques of the ouds and the solo performed on the qanun made the song a pleasant and soothing one.
This was followed by “Wardak Ya Zaar Al-Ward.” The violin solo with which the piece began danced nimbly between low and high notes, an example of superb playing with a complex rhythm that wound its way through tight tonal intervals. Then the orchestra and chorus came in, performing passionate, soaring music.
The next piece was the up-tempo “Shaqni Jaw Al-Janub,” followed by “Tarahib Bi Ghayri,” with a beautiful delicate qanun solo over a rich backing of string instruments playing in unison, and then “Al-Qaid,” a piece that stood out for its fun interplay of cheery flute melodies and men’s and women’s choirs.
Part two ended with an anime medley. The orchestra, choir, and a female solo vocalist performed Arabic versions of Japanese anime theme songs such as UFO Robot Grendizer, Captain Tsubasa, Case Closed, and Pokemon. When the performance ended, the audience showered the performers with cheers and whistles, a testament to the popularity of Japanese anime.
The musical language of classical music, which is now used in countries throughout the world, cannot be applied to Arabic music. There are musical intervals smaller than semitones, making them unplayable on a piano. There are unique scales. The Saudi National Orchestra is a relatively new orchestra, yet it is unique in the way it flexibly combines traditional Arabic music with the orchestra of classical music to share that music with the world. This show, as well, was notable for the way it deftly brought together classical music, popular music, and traditional Arabic music to entertain the audience.
In the third and final part of the show, the orchestra collaborated with Japanese musicians. The stage was packed with the members of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir and the Orchestra Academy of Tokyo College of Music. This was the first time the Saudi National Orchestra had played with a Japanese orchestra, and this momentous occasion began with a fanfare of brass instruments playing the march-like “Opening of Al-Ula.” After this, the audience enjoyed a rousing medley of famous Saudi Arabian songs, winding through tune after tune.
With passions still high, special guest Tomoyasu Hotei took to the stage, clapping for the two nations’ orchestras, and together they performed “Battle Without Honor or Humanity,” from the film Kill Bill. The sound of Hotei’s guitar melted seamlessly into the two orchestras, and he showed the full range of his virtuoso skills, including a blazing guitar solo.
The concert ended with the Saudi national song “Ammar Ya Darna.” The Saudi Arabian flag fluttered on the monitors and many members of the audience raised their phone flashlights and swung them back and forth in time with the music.
The concert was a demonstration of the way music transcends barriers of language and culture to be enjoyed by all. Through the medium of music, the “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” showed a new beginning of deeper relationships between the people of Saudi Arabia and Japan.
—This article by Misuzu Yamashita first appeared on Billboard Japan
Rosé & Bruno Mars’ “APT.” holds at No. 1 for the third consecutive week on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released Dec. 4.
Compared to last week, the global hit saw an increase of 115% in streaming, 132% in downloads, and 141% in video views, which is a greater increase overall than the week before. This song also topped Billboard’s Global 200 for the sixth week.
SEVENTEEN‘s “Shohikigen” debuts at No. 2. The title track off the group’s fourth Japan single is being featured as the theme song for the NHK drama series Mirai no Watashi ni Bukkamasareru!?. The track sold 514,234 copies in its first week, the most ever for the group, and came in at No. 1 for sales, No. 29 for downloads and No. 54 for video views.
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Creepy Nuts’ “Otonoke” follows at No. 3, with streaming down to 96%, downloads to 94%, radio airplay to 56%, and video to 94% compared to the week before.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Bitter Vacances” debuts at No. 6. The theme for the upcoming live-action movie Saint Young Men rules downloads and comes in at No. 8 for streaming, No. 10 for video, and No. 55 for radio. The latest release by the three-man band is the inaugural No. 1 song on Billboard Japan’s new Hot Shot Songs chart that launched this week, ranking currently trending songs.
In other news, BIGBANG’s “FANTASTIC BABY’ returns to the Japan Hot 100 for the first time in 6 years and 11 months, coming in at No. 55. BIGBANG made headlines at the 2024 MAMA Awards held at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Nov. 23rd, when members SOL and D-LITE appeared unannounced during G-DRAGON’s performance. G-DRAGON’s “HOME SWEET HOME (feat. TAEYANG & DAESUNG)” also bows at No. 21 this week.
As December rolls around, back number’s seasonal staple “Christmas Song” rises 26-19 with streams increasing by 18%. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” also returns to the Japan Hot 100 for the first time in 11 months, with video, streams, downloads, and radio showing increases.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
