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This year, SID celebrated their 20th anniversary.
The four-piece band, made up of Mao (vocals), Shinji (guitar), Aki (bass) and Yuuya (drums), released their first album, Renai, in 2004. In 2008, they made their major-label debut on Sony Music with the opening theme song to the TV anime Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). Since then, they have regularly released albums and performed solo dome and stadium shows, establishing a solid career. However, due to health issues affecting Mao, the band stopped performing live in January 2022. A year later, this January, the band returned to the stage with an exclusive live show for members of their official fan club, a momentous start to their milestone 20th year.
“It was a really moving show. I think I’ll remember it for the rest of my life, because it allowed me to see our fans again after the pandemic and after struggling with my own health problems,” said Mao. “It felt like I’d faced two tremendous challenges at the same time. That’s why I didn’t want to look back, but instead to make sure that 10 or 20 years from now, if I looked back, I’d feel that I’d made the best use of those experiences. I hope that our fans also understood that during that time when we were apart, we’d been working hard and looking to the future.” Shinji added, “Despite how much time had passed, the groove we got into as a band was really fun. The way the drums and bass intertwined was better than ever, and then the guitar, which played over the top, had tremendous freedom, so playing was a blast. In songs like ‘Toge To Neko,’ the rhythm section really gets into a groove, so the guitar can do whatever it wants. It felt like I really went into my own world.”
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Some of the members of the band have also been actively pursuing solo projects at the same time. Aki, SID’s songwriter and bassist, also performs vocals and writes the lyrics for his solo project. “During the time when SID wasn’t performing live, each of us was going in our own individual directions, but we were all continuing our music activities, and we all came back to where we belonged. I can’t pull the wool over our fans’ eyes, or their ears, so even during that gap, I polished my own skills because I knew that when I came back to SID, I’d need to perform better than ever. Otherwise I’d be putting the cart before the horse. I hope our fans were able to see the fruits of those efforts in SID’s January solo show.”
In April, SID will begin touring in support of their latest album, the long-awaited Umibe. Yuuya talked about his hopes for the tour. “We released Umibe a year ago. It’s unusual to go on tour for an album that fans have had so much time to really listen to. That’s why at our shows, we’ll need to go above and beyond simply playing the music. What’s more, it’s looking like the audience won’t be required to stay quiet during the show, so it’ll be a true return to form. Maybe starting the Umibe tour in April of this year was the best possible outcome all along. What we once took for granted has become a rarity, so that newfound freedom will make the show even more moving and powerful.”
In commemoration of SID’s 20th anniversary, the band has released the SID 20th Anniversary BOX, a 15 CD complete boxed compilation set that covers the band’s entire history. In addition to all of SID’s albums, from Renai to Umibe, it also includes the Side A complete collection CD of title track singles that don’t appear on any of their albums and the Side B complete collection CD of B-sides they have released since their major label debut. The boxed set also contains a Blu-ray disc with 40 music videos, a booklet with the lyrics to all of their songs, and more. The SID 20th Anniversary BOX lives up to its name, commemorating the band’s efforts through the years.
Mao talked about how the box set came to be. “What led to the decision is that we and the staff were talking about how it would be great if there were a box set that would let our fans look back and remember all of the different things we’ve released. CDs no longer sell well, so our team thought really hard about what kind of value we could add to CDs. I think we’ve come up with something pretty wonderful.”
So, looking back on SID’s 20 year history, what do the members see as having been the band’s turning points? “One of the things that immediately leaps to mind is our first album, Renai,” said Shinji. “We had so little time, we were rethinking melodies while on the train. Thinking back on it, I’m impressed by what we were able to achieve. It had a really homemade feel to it, but that’s what made it so priceless. You can really feel the blood, sweat, and tears we poured into it. Every time we make an album, we pack it with what we want to do as a band, but that comes across particularly strongly with our first album.”
Yuuya looked back on the band’s 15th anniversary, five years ago. “On our [My Favorite Place] tour, which we began right before our major label debut, we visited music clubs around the country, which is where we began as a band. We created a mini-album named My Favorite Place to share the message that these music clubs would always be special to us. We took a hiatus in 2016, too, but that just brought us even closer together when we released our fifth album, NOMAD, in 2017. The year after that was our 15th anniversary, and we really wanted to express our gratitude to our fans.”
Aki called SID’s newest album, Umibe, a turning point for the band. “We’ve been making music for 20 years, and I feel like we’ve gone beyond just brushing up our sound to also reflecting a certain humanity in our songs. We’re not so much striving to make the ‘perfect’ song, but instead to make songs that convey who we are. We don’t play along with a click track, but instead with each other, creating a live sound that could only come from us. It’s a more human, warmer sound.” It’s as if SID itself has become a living, breathing thing. “For example, in songwriting, sound arrangement is, to some extent, affected by modern trends. That’s not bad in and of itself. However, we’re now able to create sound arrangements that reflect who we are — that share the essence of SID. I’m looking forward to seeing what our future albums will be like.”
When SID first started, it was praised for its sound style, which infused rock with the essence of Japanese kayokyoku, the progenitor to modern J-pop. However, the band eventually stopped using this approach and began exploring a greater diversity of sounds. I asked them if they ever felt worried about sealing off their own individuality or strengths. “Not really. From the start, SID’s been a band in which each member brings their own musical tastes to the table, so we’ve created what came naturally based on how we felt at the time.” However, Mao also points out that they weren’t afraid of stagnating, either. “For example, up until about our second album, Hoshi No Miyako, we were really trying to become popular as a four-piece band, playing in clubs, but after we released our third album, play, we began a tour of larger performance halls. Our staff created sets and staging appropriate for large venues, and we realized just how much support our staff was providing. Them, and our audience. A good live performance isn’t something that you can create through your own efforts alone. It’s something that happens when you’ve also got great staff and great fans. I feel like this is something we were able to experience because of how we changed as a band, so I’m glad we’ve kept evolving.”
Having celebrated its 20th anniversary, SID is now beginning the next stage of its history. “I think we’ll continue to keep up with trends while at the same time pursuing our own originality,” said Yuuya. “It’s hard to put into simple words, but we’re in an age where we get direct feedback from our fans through social media, so I hope we can align the ‘SID-like’ elements our fans want with our own sense of what SID is all about to create a single, unified whole.” Mao continued, “The songs we wrote when we were young have a certain quality that can only come from youth, but on the flip side, I’ve been singing for twenty years, so there are songs that can only be performed by the me of today, songs that my younger self wouldn’t have been able to pull off. The same is true for lyrics. I want to be able to write deeper, more profound lyrics. Until now, I’ve drawn on my own stockpile of ideas to write lyrics that are packed with a sense of curiosity, but in the future I want to become a lyricist who can write more naturally, crafting lyrics that share my way of thinking and living. That’s why I’m always exposing myself to different types of music, film, and books, travelling, and enriching myself as a human being.” However, he continued, “I hope we’ll keep playing together for years to come, so I hope all four of us continue to enjoy good health and keep on having fun.”
This interview by Takuto Ueda first appeared on Billboard Japan.
By: Billboard Japan / Photo: Courtesy Photo
https://www.billboard-japan.com/special/detail/3900
Boygenius is the U.K.’s chart champion, as The Record (via Interscope) blasts to No. 1.
The U.S. indie rock “supergroup,” comprising Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, debuts at the summit of the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published April 7, leading an all-new top 3.
The Record, the best-seller on vinyl during the chart cycle, is Dacus and Baker’s first appearances in the top 40 entries, and it eclipse Bridgers’ solo best chart performance, a No. 6 peak for her sophomore solo LP Punisher from 2020.
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Coming at No. 2 on the latest all-genres albums survey is Melanie Martinez‘s Portals (Atlantic). That’s a career-best for the U.S. alternative-pop artist, following her 2015 debut Cry Baby (No. 32 peak) and 2019’s K-12 (No. 8).
Australian indie-rock trio DMA’S has been dreaming of a high chart bow with How Many Dreams? (via I Oh You/Mushroom), which had tracked for a No. 3 berth on the midweek chart. Dreams completes the chart race in third position, a career-best for the Sydney band — Tommy O’Dell, Matt Mason and Johnny Took — following the No. 4 peak for its predecessor, 2020’s The Glow.
Following the long-overdue release of De La Soul’s catalog on DSPs, the hip-hop pioneers’ 1989 debut 3 Feet High and Rising (Chrysalis) hits a new peak, some 34 years after its original release. 3 Feet High and Rising rises to No. 9, its first appearance in the top 10, thanks to a reissue campaign on vinyl, CD and cassette. Last month, as it hit streaming platforms, the set vaulted to a then-best of No. 12.
Closing out the top 10 is Davido, with his fourth studio set Timeless (Ceremony of Roses). It’s the Nigerian singer-songwriter’s first top 10 appearance on the U.K. chart.
Finally, Odd Future rapper, singer and songwriter Tyler, the Creator returns to the top 20 with his 2021 effort Call Me If You Get Lost (Columbia), which benefits from the deluxe reissue treatment. Call Me rings in at No. 18.
A dance music miracle has seized the U.K. singles chart.
Four weeks into its chart journey, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s throwback rave tune “Miracle (via Colombia) climbs 3-1, for its first stint at the summit.
With its unlikely climb, Harris now boasts an 11th U.K. No. 1 and Goulding a fourth. Also, it’s their first as a duo, and third top 10 after 2012’s “Need Your Love” (No. 4 peak) and 2014’s “Outside” (No. 6). “Miracle” led at the midweek stage and completes the chart race in top spot.
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The last time Harris checked in at the chart penthouse was 2018 with “Promises,” featuring Sam Smith, while Goulding last scaled the chart in December 2019 with the English singer’s cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River.”
According to the Official Charts Company, Harris, the Scottish EDM DJ and producer, now moves into eighth place in the all-time list of artists with No. 1s, pulling away from Eminem and Elton John (with 10 each).
Goulding, meanwhile, draws level with Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and Rita Ora among British female solo artist leaders. Just two artists are above her on the list, the OCC reports: Jess Glynne (seven No. 1s) and former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl (five).
The Official U.K. Singles Chart podium is completed by two former leaders, Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers” (Columbia), unchanged at No. 2; and Ed Sheeran’s “Eyes Closed” (Atlantic), down 3-1.
Further down the list, rising pop star Mimi Webb’s “Red Flags” (Epic) lifts 13-12, its equal peak position. “Red Flags” is the top trending song in the U.K. right now, the OCC reports.
The highest new entry on the latest chart, published April 7, belongs to BlackPink singer Jisoo, with her debut solo single “Flower” (Interscope). It’s new at No. 38. With that debut, Jisoo becomes the first member of the K-pop girl group — which also includes Rosé, Lisa and Jennie — to bag a solo U.K. top 40 hit.
Finally, former Odd Future rapper Tyler, The Creator bags his fourth top 40 appearance, as “Dogtooth” (Columbia) sneaks inside the top tier. It’s new at No. 39, making its appearance following the “Estate Sale” deluxe reissue of Call Me If You Get Lost.
TREASURE’s “Here I Stand” takes the No. 1 spot on the latest Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated April 5, tallying the week from March 27 to April 2.
The theme of the movie Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King came in at No. 2 for sales with 313,370 copies sold in its first week, while also hitting No. 17 for streaming with 4,484,777 weekly streams, No. 2 for radio, and No. 73 for downloads. Points from the first three metrics fueled the first single by the 10-member K-pop boy band to the top of the Japan Hot 100 this week, holding Nogizaka46’s new single at bay.
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Nogizaka46’s “Hito wa yume wo nido miru” (“People Dream Twice”) sold 663,277 copies to rule sales this week, but couldn’t support this lead with other metrics: No. 12 for downloads, No. 26 for radio, and No. 78 for video views. The girl group’s 32rd single rises 56-2 on the Japan Hot 100.
Figure-wise, Nogizaka46’s previous single “Koko niwa nai mono” launched with 830,384 copies and the one before that sold 720,302 copies in its first week, showing a slight downward trend.
Yuuri’s new album Ni (“Two”) tops the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart this week after coming in at No. 2 for sales and No. 1 for downloads. This has boosted some of his songs up the chart, namely “Billimillion,” which rises 15-8 to break into the top 10. The track broke out in streaming in particular, rising 12-4 for the metric with 5,958,767 streams, increasing by 22.8 percent from the previous week.
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 Mar. 27 to Apr. 2, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
Miracles do happen.
After several weeks staring at the U.K. chart summit, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding’s “Miracle” (Columbia) lifts into top spot on the chart blast.
“Miracle” leaps over Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” (Columbia), which holds at No. 2, and Ed Sheeran’s “Eyes Closed” (Atlantic), down 1-3, to take top spot on the Official Chart Update.
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It’s tight at the top. According to the Official Charts Company, just 2,000 chart units separate the top three at the midweek stage.
In its three weeks on the chart, “Miracle” has never gone higher than No. 2, thanks to the 10-week unbroken reign by “Flowers,” which came to an end last Friday (March 31).
If it does capture the crown when the Official Chart is published late Friday (April 7), “Miracle” would give Harris his 11th No. 1, and first since “Promises” with Sam Smith in 2018; and Goulding her fourth U.K. chart leader. As a pair, Harris and Goulding previously landed hits with 2012’s “I Need Your Love” (peaking at No. 4) and 2014’s “Outside” (No. 6).
“Miracle,” a throwback rave tune, enjoys a lift following the release of an official music video, and a new “Church Version” featuring Goulding’s vocals recorded in St. Bartholomew The Great, London’s oldest surviving church.
Further down the midweek list, Jisoo is on track to become the first member of BlackPink to land a solo U.K. top 40 hit with “Flower” (Interscope). It’s new at No. 29 on the chart blast. With “Flower” and its ME two-pack, Jisoo became the last of her bandmates, after Rosé, Jennie and Lisa, to release a solo project.
Finally, Tyler, The Creator could nab a fourth top 40 with “Dogtooth” (Columbia). It’s new at No. 37 on the Chart Update.
Boygenius is bouncing to No. 1 on the U.K. chart with The Record (via Interscope), the indie supergroup’s debut LP.
Formed by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, Boygenius leads an all-new top three on the Official Chart Update, the U.K.’s midweek tally.
If it holds its spot, The Record would give Bridgers her highest-charting U.K. LP, beating the No. 6 best for her 2020 record Punisher. Boygenius’ eponymously titled EP from 2018 didn’t trouble the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
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Meanwhile, Melanie Martinez is on track for a career-best No. 2 with Portals (Atlantic), her third studio release. The U.S. alternative-pop act already has one U.K. top 10 to her name: 2019’s K-12, which peaked at No. 8.
Completing the podium on the Official Chart Update is Australian indie-rock trio DMA’S, with How Many Dreams? (I Oh You/Mushroom Group). Showcasing a reimagined Britpop sound and swagger, DMA’S — comprising Tommy O’Dell, Matt Mason and Johnny Took — last cracked the top 10 with 2020’s The Glow, which peaked at No. 4.
Following a reissue across vinyl, CD and cassette formats, De La Soul’s 1989 debut 3 Feet High and Rising (Chrysalis) could return to the top 10, for a brand new peak. The set, which reenters at No. 4 on the chart update, recently rebounded to a current best No. 12 following the long-overdue rollout of the hip-hop pioneers’ catalog on streaming platforms.
Also new to the top 10 at the midweek stage is The Who With Orchestra – Live at Wembley (Universal Music Recordings), a live recording from the British rock legends’ only U.K. date of their 2019 Moving On Tour. If it stays put, Live at Wembley, recorded with the 57-piece Isobel Griffiths Orchestra, will give Roger Daltrey and Co. their 16th U.K. top 10 album.
Finally, Nigerian singer and songwriter Davido is eyeing a career-best peak with his fourth studio album, Timeless (via Ceremony of Roses). It’s new at No. 8 on the chart blast.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday (April 7).
Lana Del Rey hits the U.K. albums chart for six with Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (via Polydor), the new leader.
Ocean Blvd blasts to No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, the fastest-selling LP of 2023 so-far, passing the opening week of Pink’s recent leader Trustfall, the Official Charts Company reports.
The U.S. alternative pop artist’s ninth studio album becomes her sixth leader, after Born to Die (from 2012), Ultraviolence (2014), Lust for Life (2017), Norman F*cking Rockwell! (2019) and Chemtrails Over the Country Club (2021).
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According to the OCC, Ocean Blvd delivers Del Rey’s strongest first week in the U.K. since 2014’s Ultraviolence.
With her latest crown, Del Rey ranks fifth all-time among female solo artists with the most U.K. No. 1s. Only Madonna (with 12), Taylor Swift (9), Kylie Minogue (8) and Barbra Streisand (7) have more.
“The achievement of Lana Del Rey in scoring six Number 1 albums in just 11 years is quite something, especially given she has done so with the biggest first week numbers of any album this year,” comments Martin Talbot, CEO of Official Charts Company. “She is a genuine superstar of our era.”
Coming in hot at No. 2 on the latest chart, published March 31, is Depeche Mode’s Memento Mori (Columbia), the legendary British synth-pop band’s first album since the 2022 death of bandmate Andy Fletcher. Memento Mori is the most downloaded album of the week, and becomes DM’s 18th U.K. top 10, and best chart position in a decade.
Reunited U.S. alternative rock outfit Fall Out Boy bags a fifth top 5 record with So Much (for) Stardust. It’s new at No. 3.
Pink Floyd’s epic 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon rockets back into the chart, thanks to a 50th anniversary reissue campaign. A vinyl pressing powers The Dark Side of the Moon – Live at Wembley 1974 (Parlophone) into fourth spot on the all-genres albums chart, while The Dark Side of the Moon – 50 Years (Rhino) reissue returns at No. 17, for its 558th week on the survey.
The album last appeared in the top 20 almost 12 years ago, back in October 2011, the OCC reports, but has never led the chart. Its peak spot is No. 2.
Finally, U.S. country star Luke Combs completes the U.K. top 5 with Gettin’ Old (Sony Music CG), his fourth studio album. Gettin’ Old bows at No. 5 for Combs’ U.K. career-best position.
Ed Sheeran dethrones Miley Cyrus on the U.K. singles chart as “Eyes Closed” (Atlantic) sprints to No. 1.
With “Eyes Closed,” the first single lifted from Sheeran’s forthcoming album Subtract, the Englishman lands his 14th best-seller on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published March 31, and climbs the all-time leaderboard.
In doing so, “Eyes Closed” ends the 10-week reign of “Flowers”. Cyrus’ hit is stopped one week short of equaling Tones And I’s 11-week run with “Dance Monkey,” which remains the longest-running leader by a female solo artist.
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Sheeran now equals the 14 career No. 1s accumulated by Cliff Richard and Westlife, slotting into equal third on the all-time list. Only Elvis Presley (with 21) and the Beatles (17) have more U.K. No. 1s, the Official Charts Company reports.
Also, “Eyes Closed” becomes Sheeran’s 41st Official top 10 single, good enough for fifth on the list of all-time top 10 appearances.
After two-and-a-half months, Cyrus’ “Flowers” (Columbia) loses its crown, dipping 1-2. It continues to rack-up a marketing-leading volume of streams, the OCC reports.
Further down the list, rising Afrobeats star Libianca hits a new peak position with “People” (5K), up 5-4, while BTS member Jimin scores a new mark with “Like Crazy” (BigHit Entertainment). It’s new at No. 8, for the first top 10 appearance by a solo member of BTS. “Like Crazy” debuts just a week after Jimin bagged a solo career best by a BTS member with “Set Me Free Pt. 2,’ which arrived at No. 30.
Finally, 22-year U.K. based artist Paris Paloma bags her first appearance on the Official Chart with “Labour” (Nettwerk). The folk ballad, a viral rallying call against misogyny, starts at No. 29.
Lana Del Rey drives straight to No. 1 on the Australian chart with Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (via Interscope/Universal), her ninth studio album.
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With its fast start, Ocean Blvd becomes the U.S. alternative pop singer’s eighth top 10 LP in these parts, and fifth leader following Born To Die (from 2012), Ultraviolence (2014), Honeymoon (2015) and Lust For Life (2017).
It’s one of four new releases impacting the top 10 on the latest ARIA Albums Chart, published Friday, March 31.
Coming in at No. 2 is Luke Combs’ Gettin’ Old (Columbia/Sony). It’s the U.S. country star’s fourth album and fourth top 10 in Australia, following This One’s For You (No. 7 peak in 2017), What You See Is What You Get (No. 1 in 2019) and Growin’ Up (No. 2 in 2022).
Further down the list, Fall Out Boy’s So Much (For) Stardust (Atlantic/Warner) starts at No. 4, for the reunited U.S. alt-rock veterans’ sixth top 10 effort in Australia. The band’s peak performance to date came a decade ago, when 2013’s Save Rock and Roll hit No. 2.
Also, Australian singer-songwriter Matt Corby blasts into the top 10 with Everything’s Fine (Island/Universal), his third album. It’s new at No. 8. Everything’s Fine is the followup to Corby’s 2018’s LP Rainbow Valley (which peaked at No. 4), and his chart-leading debut from 2016, Telluric.
As it celebrates its 50th anniversary with a reissue project, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon (Columbia/Sony) roars back into the chart. The 14-times platinum album vaults 220-12, to notch its 103rd week on the chart.
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” (Columbia/Sony) flourishes for an 11th consecutive week at No. 1, while Ed Sheeran returns to the top tier with “Eyes Closed” (Atlantic/Warner), new at No. 6. Produced with Max Martin and Shellback, and lifted from his forthcoming album Subtract, “Eyes Closed” is Sheeran’s 28th top 10 appearance in Australia, a feat that includes two tracks as a featured artist, ARIA reports.
BiSH’s “Bye-Bye Show” blasts in at No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated March 29, tallying the week from March 20 to 26.
“Bye-Bye Show” sold 281,148 copies in its first week to hit No. 1 for sales, and also came in at No. 2 for radio. The six-member girl group will be disbanding this year and its last single was written and produced by THE YELLOW MONKEY frontman Kazuya Yoshii, with the other members of the veteran rock band — Hideaki Kikuchi on guitar, Yoichi Hirose on bass, and Eiji Kikuchi on drums — taking part in the recording.
“Bye-Bye Show” Music Video
BiSH’s high-profile track came out on top over Kenshi Yonezu’s new single, “LADY,” currently being featured as the commercial song for Coca-Cola Japan’s Georgia bottled coffee. The hitmaker’s new single is an R&B-style number completely different from his long-running hit song “KICK BACK” at No. 7 this week, and was co-arranged by music producer/drummer mabanua. “LADY” racked up 20,907 downloads to rule the metric, while also launching at No. 1 for radio and No. 27 for streaming to debut at No. 2 on the Japan Hot 100 this week.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
Check out the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Mar. 20 to 26, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.