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King & Prince’s “Tsukiyomi” soared 92-1 on the latest Billboard Japan Hot 100, released Nov. 16, selling 614,173 CDs this week.
The five-member Johnny’s boy band’s 11th single ruled sales and look-ups, while also coming in at No. 2 for Twitter, No. 3 for video views, and No. 17 for radio airplay to topple Official HIGE DANdism’s “Subtitle” from the top spot where it reigned for three consecutive weeks. 614,173 weekly copies is about 100,000 more than the group’s previous single, “TraceTrace,” and follows its biggest hit so far, “Cinderella Girl,” which launched with 622,701 copies and currently clocks in at 838,244 copies total.
The popular group — with members Sho Hirano, Yuta Kishi, Yuta Jinguji, Ren Nagase, and Kaito Takahashi — shocked fans on Nov. 4 when it announced that the first three members listed above would be leaving the group and agency next year. This news led to a uptick in rankings for the group’s preexisting works and this trend is expected to continue for a while.
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Meanwhile, HIGE DAN’s “Subtitle” continues to break its own record in streaming and downloads. Streams have increased by 1.6 percent from 21,044,966 to 21,377,507 this week, maintaining over 20 million streams for the third week in a row (No. 1 for the metric). The drama theme is also at No. 1 for downloads this week, improving by 8.5 percent from 20,945 to 22,717 units. It also continues to perform fairly well overall, coming in at No. 2 for video, No. 5 for radio, and No. 21 for karaoke, but slips to No. 2 on the Japan Hot 100 by a slim margin against King & Prince’s new single.
YOASOBI’s “Shukufuku” rises 7-4 this week on the Japan Hot 100 after the CD sold 24,926 copies to come in at No. 4 for sales and look-ups. In other metrics, the single hits No. 2 for downloads (up 30.7 percent from 13,753 to 17,973 units), and No. 6 for streaming (up 10.8 percent from 6,796,758 to 7,530,364 streams).
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, Twitter mentions, YouTube and GYAO! video views, Gracenote look-ups and karaoke data.
Check out the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Nov. 7 to 13, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
The Official U.K. Singles Chart celebrates its 70th birthday, and Lewis Capaldi gets to blow out the candles.
For the occasion of its milestone anniversary, the Official Charts Company crunched the numbers to find the most-streamed song of them all.
Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” wins the prize. The Scottish singer and songwriter’s breakthrough hit from 2018 has accumulated 562 million U.K. streams (including 480 million audio and 81 million video streams), beating Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You” and “Perfect,” respectively.
“Someone You Loved” is a classic slow-burn. The track bowed at No. 100 on the weekly chart following its release in November 2018, then embarked on its remarkable journey. In March 2019, the song hit No. 1, and stayed there for a total of seven weeks.
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For the record, Capaldi received a special-edition matte black No. 1 Award gift from the OCC, which he can stow with his separate trophies for topping the weekly Official U.K. Singles Chart with “Somebody,” “Before You Go” and “Forget Me,” and with his debut album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent, which led the Official U.K. Albums Chart for 10 cycles.
“Someone” is one of 132 singles that have amassed more than 200 million streams in the U.K., a list that includes George Ezra’s “Shotgun” (No. 4 all-time) and Tones And I’s “Dance Monkey” (No. 5).
The biggest selling single of them all is Elton John’s “Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle In The Wind 1997,” which has topped 4.94 million sales, and is one of 179 singles have reached 1 million sales.
The very first U.K. singles chart was published on Friday, Nov. 14, 1952 in the New Musical Express (NME), capturing “a rudimentary survey of 20 record shops by the music paper’s advertising manager Percy Dickins,” the charts compiler reports. Al Martino’s “Here in My Heart” has the distinction of being the first No. 1.
Today, sales and streaming data is captured each day from the OCC’s panel of more than 6,500 retailers and DSPs, including physical product, digital downloads and streams, and aggregated in its central computer system. The top 40 is presented each Friday on BBC Radio 1 and MTV, and the full top 100 is published on OfficialCharts.com.
Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (EMI) hasn’t budged from the U.K. chart summit since its release, and it looks set to stay for a little while longer.
“Anti-Hero,” the lead track from Swift’s tenth and latest studio album, Midnights, leads the midweek chart and is on the path for a month-long stint at No. 1.
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At three weeks, it’s already TayTay’s longest-running leader in the U.K., eclipsing the two-week reign for 2017’s “Look What You Made Me Do.” And it appears to have fresh legs following the Nov. 7 release of a new version featuring producer Jack Antonoff’s solo project Bleachers.
Meanwhile, several top 10 tracks are eyeing new peaks, including Oliver Tree and Robin Schulz’s viral hit “Miss You” (Atlantic), rising 7-3 on the chart blast; Meghan Trainor’s “Made You Look” (Epic), up 9-4; and Venbee & Goddard’s club tune “messy in heaven” (Columbia), up 8-5.
Following the theatrical release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” (Def Jam) could enjoy a lift, improving 12-8 on the midweek survey.
Rising Afrobeats artist Rema is on target for his first U.K. top 10 single, as “Calm Down” (Mavin) looks to improve 16-10, thanks in part to a new remix featuring the vocals of Selena Gomez.
Based on midweek sales and streaming data collated by the Official Charts Company, Bugzy Malone and Teedee are in pole position for the week’s top debut, with “Out Of Nowhere” (Bsomebody) set to appear at No. 17, while Brit Award-winning rapper Stormzy could add to his growing collection of chart hits with “Firebabe” (0207/Merky), new at No. 18 on the chart blast. If it holds its momentum, “Firebabe” will give the grime star his 27th top 40 entry.
The festive season is coming, and the Queen of Christmas is on the way. Mariah Carey’s evergreen hit “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) is poised for another return to the top 40, blasting 66-36 on the midweek tally.
Carey’s signature song set an Official Chart record in December 2020 when it finally reached No. 1, after 26 years. No song had spent more weeks in the top 40 before completing the journey to the top.
Several weeks later, Wham’s “Last Christmas” (RCA) set a new mark by reaching the summit for the first time, 36 years after its initial release. “Last Christmas” is on the move once again, flying 94-45 on the midweek chart.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday (Nov. 18).
Louis Tomlinson strolls to a lead in the U.K. chart race with Faith In The Future (via BMG). But there’s a Boss to contend with.
Tomlinson, the former One Direction star, leads the Official Chart Update with Faith In The Future, his second solo effort. As a member of 1D, Tomlinson triumphed over the national albums survey on four occasions, and his debut solo set, 2020’s Walls, peaked at No. 4.
The home straight could have some obstacles for Tomlinson, as Bruce Springsteen’s Only The Strong Survive (Columbia) sits close behind in second place.
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Springsteen’s 21st studio album is a collection of soul covers. To date, the Rock And Roll Hall of Famer has 22 U.K. top 10 albums, including 12 No. 1s — equal third-best among solo acts, after Robbie Williams (14) and Elvis Presley (13), respectively.
According to the Official Charts Company, fewer than 1,200 chart sales split the two albums at the halfway point.
As it currently stands, the top five is closed out by a trio of former leaders, Taylor Swift’s Midnights (down 2-3 via EMI), Drake & 21 Savage’s Her Loss (down 1-4, via OVO/Republic Records), and Ed Sheeran’s = (up 10-5, via Asylum).
Christmas is just around the corner, and the festive releases are ready to make the annual march into the charts.
British classical crossover stars Aled Jones and Russell Watson could bag a third U.K. top 10 as a duo with Christmas With Aled & Russell (BMG). It’s new at No. 8 on the chart blast.
Andrea Bocelli’s family record A Family Christmas (via Decca), featuring son Matteo and daughter Virginia, could be this week’s big gainer, notes the OCC, lifting 58-13 on the midweek chart for a possible new peak position.
Just outside the top ten at the midweek point is Nigerian artist Wizkid with his fifth LP More Love, Less Ego (Columbia). It’s on track for a No. 12 debut, which would become the Afrobeat act’s career U.K. peak, improving on the No. 15 best for 2020’s Made in Lagos.
Also aiming for a top 20 debut is U.S. roots-rock act Larkin Poe, with seventh album Blood Harmony. It’s set for a No. 15 entry, for what would be the band’s first top 40 entry.
And finally, Christine & The Queens are poised for a top 20 return with Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) (via Because Music), new at No. 17 on the chart blast. The French act has impacted the U.K. chart on three occasions, including a No. 2 on debut for 2016’s Chaleur Humaine, and a No. 3 peak for its 2018 followup Chris.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published Friday (Nov. 18).
Editor’s Note: This story was first published and translated into English by Billboard China. It was condensed and edited for style by Billboard editors in the U.S.
BEIJING — Li Ronghao has recently taken up painting. So dedicated is he to this new artistic pursuit that he once sat in front of the canvas for 11 hours without realizing. This intense concentration brought on by the learning process gives him a sense of great joy.
“I never thought that I would find joy in the pursuit of knowledge, as I never excelled in school,” he tells Billboard China for their latest cover story.
Despite having six studio albums under his belt and a label deal with Warner Music Group — not to mention being one of the wealthiest 100 celebrities in China, according to Forbes China — Li nevertheless does not feel it’s necessary to set ambitious goals for every endeavor one takes on. “No one can predict the outcome, so just seize the creative impulse as it comes, let it express itself naturally, and leave the rest to time.”
Li, a singer/songwriter, actor and producer, has been a coach on Sing! China, the popular Chinese singing competition television series, since 2019. He does not find the idea of having the contestants’ “entire fate in your hands” to be appealing. Instead, he simply hopes to find another outlet, in addition to his own musical works, through which he can realize his self-worth. In the process, he has found a group of like-minded young people who are willing to take in what he has learned in his years with the program.
He could have simply played the role of a coach on the show. Instead, in light of contestants referring to him as a mentor, he felt he had to go the extra mile by checking and modifying the demos created by contestants in private. “When I was a child, I always wanted to have a big brother who could help me, like what I am doing now,” he says.
Looking back at the journey that he walked alone, Li says he never expected to live the life of a so-called celebrity. He first picked up a guitar when he was 9 years old, with his knowledge of music theory being virtually nonexistent. Entering adolescence, he became acquainted with a renowned instructor and began to study how to play double bass. He ended up falling in love with heavy metal music and felt he would become a rock musician. With this goal in mind, he learned any and all musical skills he could, oblivious to the fact that he would eventually end up becoming a one-man band.
After choosing to settle down in Beijing, his life was far from easy. It was not until he sold his first song that he chose to devote himself to the creation and production of pop music. For three or four years, Li hardly went out, devoting every waking moment to his work. Half of all the singers in the Mando-pop scene ended up asking him to write or orchestrate songs for them.
Some fans dug into his past and found that even when working behind the scenes, Li’s style jelled with theirs. This resulted in seemingly improbably collaborations such as making a record with Long Piao-piao, the “Singer Queen of Southeast Asia” in the 1980s.
Although many attribute his first studio album, Model, for turning him into an “overnight success” in 2013, this success was in fact rooted in “years upon years of preparation, and a long period of hardship.” Li “took the plunge” and released his first album after one of his friends in a production company offhandedly asked Li if he had a demo during a casual conversation.
At the 25th Golden Melody Awards, the project was nominated for best album while Li himself was nominated for best male singer, best lyricist, best newcomer and best producer. He eventually went home with the best new singer award.
Despite Li going on to release five more albums, he still believed that his musical potential remained largely unexplored. The more he dived into the creative process, the more aspects of himself he found that could be improved. In this respect, he says he is no different from his “students.”
The public might believe that it’s becoming more and more difficult for young musicians to become famous. Thousands of them enter this circle every year, but only a few gain a firm foothold. Li said that opportunities and risks have coexisted in each era.
“People may regard the past as this kind of golden age, but you don’t realize how difficult it was for us to record a song back then. I was so excited after entering the recording studio for the first time that I couldn’t sleep that night. When I finally did fall asleep, I dreamed about the recording studio. Now, facilities like that are ubiquitous. You can even record a song in your own home if you like. If you wanted to be seen then, you had to wait for the record companies. Now, there are tons of different channels that you can use to reach your audience directly. As long as your music is creative and has meaning, being discovered in this day and age is much easier than it used to be.”
After a pause, Li suddenly adds, “The most important thing is to start the journey as early as you can and never falter. Once you stop, you will find it is incredibly difficult to be ‘seen’ again.”
“Intentionally trying to create something in a certain style is a useless endeavour”
Professionals are able to perceive the inner musical workings present in his style, but even ordinary listeners can point out a composition by Li, even those where he is not the singer. However, such a prominent and distinctive style has led to some people criticizing his work as lacking variety.
“Having a highly distinctive style is precisely what I’m after,” he says. “Intentionally crafting a personal style is next to impossible. It can only be formed naturally as you gradually progress though the highs and lows of your creative journey as an artist. As a musician, I feel I’m very lucky, as the public happens to like what I enjoy creating.”
He has dabbled in R&B, soft rock, disco, chill-out, synth-pop, and other musical styles in his hits and less popular singles.
Li is very much a musician who rewards repeat listens. His talents take on new life on the second or third listen, more so than in the initial play-through.
Several songs in his new album are in the Hong Kong style. His cover of Beyond’s “Lover” along with “Free Soul, ” which pays tribute to classic Hong Kong cinema, ooze with nostalgia. The energetic synthesizer provides a fitting bed for Li’s warm vocals. “You just need to nail down the right feel,” he says.
Where does this “right feel” come from? It is the end product of years of contact with the culture. Li is a huge fan of Hong Kong pop culture. He watched endless Hong Kong movies in his childhood. To this day, he still loves listening to old Cantonese songs. He even watches clips from old TBV dramas when he is waiting in the makeup chair. Though the Guangdong music scene is no longer in its golden age, Li is still very familiar with Terence Lam and other emerging musicians whom he has a great fondness for.
Li never sets limits for himself when it comes to creation. Whether it’s the keyboard or the guitar, he will use whichever is nearer to him when inspiration strikes, and he will push everything aside until he is satisfied with what he has created. This mind-set has provided him with many standout moments. For example, the lyrics and music of “Li Bai” burst into his mind almost simultaneously. He finished “Growing Fond of You” and “If I Were Young,” two hit singles, while on a five-hour high-speed train journey.
Of course, some songs with which Li himself is extremely satisfied have not taken off immediately. “I composed ‘Mom and Dad’ in 2015, and it only became popular last year. ‘Quit Smoking’ is a song from my fourth album, yet it wasn’t until I released my sixth album that many people even heard it. I don’t mind if a song isn’t an immediate hit, as sometimes they simply need time to find their audience.”
When it comes to writing lyrics, Li does not deliberately try to elicit emotional reactions or write about situations outside of his own experience. He only embraces inspirations that come naturally. People often think that his lyrics are about himself, but Li says, “People are touched because the feelings expressed in these songs are universal.”
“Streamlined, optimistic, and passionate about learning”
In addition to the eight songs that have been released, Li has also prepared a faster-paced song and an R&B tune. The most invigorating experience this time around was his collaboration with Kulilay Amit (who goes by the stage name A-Mei) on “Equivalence Relation.”
He says he wrote the song, sent it to A-Mei, and asked if she was interested in lending her vocals to the track. Without hesitation, A-Mei replied, “Sure.”
The only unfortunate aspect for Li was that everything had to be recorded online due to the great distance between them.
The thing that Li has struggled most with over the past few years has been the inability to hold live concerts. Nowadays, artists all over the globe are holding online concerts, including many of Li’s friends in the musical world. Li has watched many of these concerts and found them to be a great deal of fun but has not held any online shows of his own.
“I attach a great deal of importance to the idea of interaction,” he says. “Watching a performance at home on your TV or phone cannot reproduce the power of attending a concert in-person. With a concert, you’re getting top-level equipment, lighting effects, and tens of thousands of people enjoying the same song all at once. Having said that, there’s no denying that online concerts are far more convenient. For example, the traffic jam after a live concert can be rather headache-inducing.”
Short videos are now a global trend, and platform algorithms automatically recommend snippets of songs directly to users. This has changed the music industry both at home and abroad dramatically and put pressure on conventional record musicians such as Li.
Li, however, isn’t feeling the pressure. “It’s not as if there are fewer quality songs than before,” he says. “The songs that we enjoyed in the past haven’t gone anywhere. We just have more choices now. Whether or not you feel this so-called pressure all boils down to your mind-set.”
He considers it “mandatory” for musicians in the industry to read up on popular music on the Billboard charts, as it allows them to get a better sense of what’s going on in the music world, and continually provides new sources of inspiration.
“It’s the quality, not the language or anything else, that will decide if we can truly break into the international market,” he says.
Does Li want to remain famous for decades to come, or would he be satisfied with making a short, but lasting, impression? He smiles slyly. “I wouldn’t mind having both,” he says. “But for now, I prefer to just live my life.”
Li Ronghao on the cover of Billboard China.
XiaoGang@curvart
Japanese boy band Travis Japan recently made J-pop history when its debut single “JUST DANCE!” bowed at No. 5 on Billboard’s Global Excl. U.S. chart.
Billboard launched two global charts in September 2020, based on worldwide audio and video streams and download sales from over 200 territories. The Excl. U.S. chart focuses on territories outside the U.S. Travis Japan’s “JUST DANCE!” dropped Oct. 28 and launched on the chart dated Nov. 12., making the seven-member Johnny’s group the first Japanese act to break into the top five with a debut single since the chart’s inception.
Here’s a list of other J-pop hits that have charted in the top 10 of the Global Excl. U.S. tally:
Artist / Title / Date of Chart / Peak PositionLiSA, “Homura,” Oct. 31, 2020, No. 2 YOASOBI, “Yoru ni kakeru,” Jan. 30, 2021, No. 6Ado, “New Genesis,” Aug. 27, 2022, No. 8Kenshi Yonezu, “KICK BACK,” Oct. 29, 2022, No. 4
Travis Japan’s debut number becomes the fifth title on this list. The breakout boy band recently performed at the YouTube FanFest 2022 event in Singapore that took place Nov. 11.
Move over Taylor Swift, Drake and 21 Savage are the new rulers of the U.K. albums chart.
On the latest survey, published last Friday (Nov. 11), Her Loss (via OVO/Republic Records) roars to No. 1, for Savage’s first-ever U.K. leader, and Drake’s fifth, following Views (2016), Scorpion (2018), Dark Lane Demo Tapes (2020), and Certified Lover Boy (2021).
The collaborative hip-hop sets ends the reign of Swift’s Midnights (EMI) at two weeks. Midnights dips 1-2 on the current Official U.K. Albums Chart.
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Starting at No. 3 is First Aid Kit’s Palomino (Columbia), the second top 5 from the Swedish folk duo (sister act comprising sisters Johanna and Sara Söderberg) following 2018’s Ruins (No. 3).
Also enjoying a top flight entry is Luke Evans’ sophomore studio LP A Song For You (BMG), new at No. 4 for the actor and singer’s first appearance in the top 5. That’s an improvement on the No. 11 peak for Evans’ 2019 debut, At Last.
Meanwhile, Japanese-Australian singer and songwriter Joji bows at No. 13 with Smithereens (12tone Music/Warner), his third album and the followup to 2020’s Nectar (No. 6 peak).
Irish crooner Daniel O’Donnell enjoys a 42nd top 40 entry with I Wish You Well (DMG TV), new at No. 16.
British electronic punks the Prodigy return to the top 20 with The Fat Of The Land (XL Recordings), their third studio effort. The album, which features the hits “Firestarter,” “Breathe” and “Smack My B**** Up,” reenters at No. 19 following the release of a 25th anniversary edition, spanning two LPs. Fat Of The Land peaked at No. 1 after its original release in 1997, and it’s the leader on the latest Official Vinyl Albums Chart.
Finally, Liverpool rock band Crawlers make their first impression on the Official Chart with their debut mixtape Loud Without Noise (Polydor), at No. 22, while U.K. jazz quintet Ezra Collective enjoys a first top 40 slot with Where I’m Meant To Be (Partisan), new at No. 24. Ezra Collective previously charted with You Can’t Steal My Joy, which peaked at No. 70 following its release in 2019.
Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” (via EMI) enters a third week at No. 1 on the U.K. chart, a new career-best streak for the U.S. pop superstar.
With its third-consecutive cycle atop the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published last Friday (Nov. 11), “Anti-Hero” supersedes Swift’s 2017 hit “Look What You Made Me Do” (two weeks at No. 1) as her longest leader.
“Anti-Hero,” the first track on Swift’s 10th and latest studio album, enjoys a push thanks to a fresh cut featuring Bleachers, the project of Midnights producer Jack Antonoff.
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As their collaborative collection Her Loss (OVO/Republic Records) blasts to No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart, Drake and 21 Savage make a serious dent on the singles survey.
Three tracks from the album — the maximum allowed under Official Chart rules — debut in this week’s top ten: “Rich Flex” (No. 3), “Major Distribution” (No. 5) and “Circo Loco” (No. 7).
Drake’s career tally of U.K. top 40 hits now lifts to 79, while 21 Savage’s total is eight.
Further down the list, Meghan Trainor’s viral number “Made You Look” (Epic) continues its steady climb, up 14-8. It’s the U.S. pop artist’s first appearance in the top 10 for six years, since her “Marvin Gaye” collaboration with Charlie Puth went to the top in 2015.
Venbee and Goddard enjoy a first top 10 appearance with “messy in heaven” (Columbia), up 11-9, while London rapper K-Trap (real name Devonte Kasi Martin Perkins) sees “Warm” (Thousands) heat-up following the release of a remix with Skepta. It’s up 47-18.
Also, Fredo bounces with “I’m Back” (PG), new at No. 33 for the London rapper’s 16th top 40 appearance.
Finally, Japanese-Australian singer and songwriter Joji lands two tracks in the top 40, both lifted from this third studio album Smithereens (88rising/Warner Records). “Glimpse Of Us” reenters at No. 34, and “Die For You” bows at No. 39.
J-pop singer-songwriter Yuka recently livestreamed a compact set for fans as the featured artist of November on Billboard Japan and TikTok’s hybrid program NEXT FIRE.
NEXT FIRE is a show on TikTok Live that highlights the rising J-pop artists of the moment, based on Billboard Japan’s TikTok Weekly Top 20 chart. The collaborative project streams live performances and pre-recorded interviews by the featured act of the month to give fans an in-depth look at their artistry. Yuka’s showcase set included her breakout TikTok hit “Partner,” which has over 650 million views on the short movie platform.
Accompanied by guitarist Toshio Uchida and keyboardist Ken Edo for her compact studio concert, the 28-year-old singer-songwriter kicked off the set with “Marry me,” her mature yet cute vocals echoing over the soundscape created by an acoustic guitar and piano. “It’s only for a short time today, but we intend to enjoy this show together with you so feel free to clap your hands and sing along with us,” she said to viewers after the song, while Uchida played an airy melody behind her.
From there, the trio smoothly launched into “Hey girl!!!!,” a song with lyrics that speak to the listener, delivered through Yuka’s skillful blend of pop vocals and falsetto. She then sang the heartrending ballad “Ichirenboshi,” first accompanied only by piano and later joined by guitar, which added another layer to the arrangement. Her voice gradually grew stronger during the number and drew the audience into the gentle longing depicted in the lyrics.
“So many of you have used my songs in various videos on TikTok,” Yuka said before her next track. “I’d like to sing you the song that you all seemed to have enjoyed while using it to make memories with friends or delivering a loving message to the important people in your lives.” The three musicians then performed “Bestie,” the uplifting rhythm bouncing along as Yuka gestured for the viewers beyond the screen to clap their hands. Packed with phrases that make fans want to sing along delivered through a variety of vocal styles, the live rendition of the popular tune showcased Yuka’s appeal as a vocalist.
“The next song is one that I’m sure you all know,” she teased before her next-to-last track. “I’d be happy if you’d sing along with me.” The song was “Partner,” another viral hit on TikTok. The livestream’s comment section brimmed with excitement as fans hadn’t expected her to perform this number with a catchy melody and relatable lyrics.
After introducing her backing band, she closed her set with “Birthday Song.” This affirming, celebratory song set the tone for the grand finale. Yuka thanked the audience again during the outro of the tune and the set ended leaving a happy vibe.
A pre-recorded interview by Yuka will stream on Billboard Japan’s TikTok channel starting Nov. 11, and excerpts from the livestream can be seen on the singer-songwriter’s TikTok account.
In January, HIP LAND MUSIC launched FRIENDSHIP. DAO, an artist-driven Web3 community project that is a pioneering initiative for the Japanese music industry. The profit structure of the music industry is changing, and FRIENDSHIP. DAO aims to bring together all those who support artists and music, creating a community that can lead to multiple collaborations through ongoing musical activities. We talked with Yuto Uchino from The fin., who is active not only in Japan but overseas as well, and Shacho from SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS, about FRIENDSHIP. DAO’s potential and ideals.
Jay Kogami: What led you to create FRIENDSHIP. DAO?
Yuto Uchino: I’ve been part of the digital distributor FRIENDSHIP., serving as a curator, since it was first launched. When I was working with my team to develop a broad range of ideas for a DAO, I realized that the FRIENDSHIP.’s activity philosophy had a lot in common with DAOs. FRIENDSHIP. DAO began when our team decided to use a DAO to address problems which couldn’t be solved with Web2.0, and to solve as yet unresolved problems faced by the music market, which has developed along the lines of music streaming. This all happened at the same time that overseas independent artists were starting to generate buzz by releasing their music using NFTs. A growing number of people around me were investing in cryptocurrency, so I was kept constantly abreast of information about Web3. However, even then, I realized that there wasn’t much affinity between NFTs and music.
Kogami: What do you mean?
Yuto Uchino: Most of what people were talking about in relation to NFTs were high value transactions. However, when music was released using NFTs, you didn’t hear about whether it actually reached people; whether they shared it; whether they heard it. These kinds of questions went unanswered.
Conceptually, a DAO is created and operated as a new organization. Unlike existing structures, in which everything is focused on platforms operated by large companies, like streaming services and YouTube, in the DAO, we created a new organization focused on the music itself, connecting different people and pointing to a new future for the music industry. In particular, with FRIENDSHIP.DAO we want to use Web3 technologies to visualize and restructure the human networks that are so hard to see in the industry.
Kogami: What specific music-related problems do you think Web2.0 has been unable to address?
Yuto Uchino: For a lot of indie artists, streaming on streaming services does not translate into actual sales. CDs also sell less, and it’s making it harder to raise money for activities. In the music streaming business, the flow of money has become concentrated and centralized, making it harder for indie artists and DIY artists to raise funds. This centralized distribution of money has weakened the underground and indie scene, and there are fears that the whole framework of new music creation may break down.
Kogami: Shacho, what do you think?
Shacho: We’re targeting both fans in Japan and overseas, and the way people access music overseas is totally different from Japan. Overseas, artists are constantly announcing fresh new songs on Bandcamp, and this has become an established approach. Artists around the world on the frontlines of the jazz scene are releasing new works and achieving strong sales and physical distribution, simultaneously, across national borders. The distribution system is very different in Japan. Looking from the outside at the speed with which things move overseas, it’s very frustrating not to be able to take part in it.
Kogami: Bandcamp’s service was created based on the music framework that was in place before the rise of streaming, so it’s interesting to see that it still draws so many artists and fans.
Shacho: Bandcamp has social media functions, too, so you can see songs that were purchased by famous DJs or by other people whose musical tastes are similar to your own. It fuses the best parts of Web2.0 and traditional media.
Kogami: One of the things you’re trying to do with FRIENDSHIP.DAO is to create sustainable revenue streams for all kinds of artists. What kind of approaches do you think you can use to achieve that?
Yuto Uchino: When talking about generating revenue and compensation, one major problem is that, under Japanese law, you cannot use cryptocurrency for transactions. If this issue was addressed, it would make it easier for Japanese artists popular with overseas audiences and active in overseas music scenes to connect with people outside Japan.
To enable artists to make money on FRIENDSHIP.DAO, we’re envisioning introducing a point system. We’re thinking about setting things up so that when work or collaborations are performed, points are assigned based on people’s actions. We’d like to use cryptocurrency for payments in the future.
Kogami: Who can take part in the DAO?
Yuto Uchino: In its first stage, it’ll be artists that are releasing music through FRIENDSHIP. In the future, we also plan to open this up to foreign artists. Then we’ll expand the scope to all kinds of people working in the music industry. The way we see the DAO as being used is for contributing to communication between people working in the industry, stimulating business. Ultimately, we’d like to make it possible for listeners to participate as well, directly connecting the people who listen to music with the artists that create it.
Kogami: What, specifically, is your first goal?
Yuto Uchino: We’re not looking at trying to achieve profitability in the DAO’s first stage. Instead, we want to reinforce the elements that serve as communication tools, helping participants broaden their networks. Our goal is to connect talented people, skilled engineers, and people with specialized knowledge, who are buried in the industry’s current structure, by relaying job offers and giving them the right to take part in projects. The decentralized organizational structure of a DAO will change the methods by which people take part in musical activities and projects, and will change how they contribute at a personal level. I think this organizational structure is a great fit for the music market.
Kogami: If you were able to find promoters outside Japan, you’d want to collaborate on projects with them, right?
Yuto Uchino: FRIENDSHIP.DAO would create synergy by visualizing networks of people overseas who can support Japanese artists. We also plan to make it possible to credit them in artists’ works. With FRIENDSHIP.DAO, we’re employing a mechanism to visualize credits by recording them in a blockchain.
Kogami: What hopes do you have for the Web3-native artists and creators that we’re likely to see in the future?
Shacho: As a creator, I want to see them create music with even better sound quality. However, in the music streaming era, the mainstream approach is now to create music with low audio fidelity, optimized for the speakers of mobile devices. I’m very curious to see if Web3 creative activities restore the value placed on audio quality. I’m also interested in how musical experiences and entertainment will be created for the metaverse. Of course, real-life, live music will live on. We can’t allow it to disappear. I’m just worried that, as musical experiences become more divided, such as through VR performances in the metaverse, audio quality might degrade even further.
Yuto Uchino: Future generations of artists won’t just be able to access music around the world, it’ll also become commonplace for them to collaborate with artists throughout the globe. Creators will connect with each other regardless of their countries and where they’re active, so we’ll see new, unprecedented music being made. I’m looking forward to hearing the music created through these collaborations. I also want to get started on these kinds of creative activities myself.
Shacho: I think that Web3 will be a great fit for Japanese artists and bands with a strong overseas focus. Translation technology has also evolved quite a bit, so the language barrier is shrinking. Using DAOs and NFTs and communicating in English from the very start will, I think, turn into a way to connect with the world at large.
–This article by Jay Kogami first appeared on Billboard Japan.