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Travis Japan’s “Say I do” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated March 12.
This song is being featured as the theme song for Honnou Switch, the drama series starring member Kaito Miyachika and actress Wakana Aoi, and is the first CD single by the seven-member boy band. The track launched with 147,896 copies to rule sales, top downloads, and came in at No. 53 for streaming to give the group its first-ever No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” continues to hold at No. 2, extending its stay in the top 10 to 47 weeks. The Oblivion Battery opener rules streaming for the 27th week with 10,034,805 weekly streams, tops karaoke, and comes in at No. 7 for downloads and No. 2 for video views.
Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” also holds at No. 3. Streaming for the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener stays at No. 2 (83% week-over-week), and comes in at No. 4 for downloads (54%), No. 4 for radio, and No. 16 for video.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Darling” rises two notches to No. 4. The track is currently at No. 3 for streaming and has stayed in the top 3 for the metric since its debut on the list. The former No. 1 hit is at No. 19 for downloads, No. 6 for video, No. 16 for karaoke, and moves 74-36 for radio (160%).
SEVENTEEN’s “Shohikigen” returns to the Japan Hot 100 for the fifth time after the CD sold 94,151 copies this week. Kenshi Yonezu’s “BOW AND ARROW” rises 19-6 after the accompanying music video featuring superstar figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu powered the track to No. 1 for video. Aimyon’s “Sketch,” the theme song for the latest Doraemon feature film, Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Art World Tales, soars 69-7. The single rules radio, comes in at No. 5 for sales with 9,217 copies sold, No. 13 for video, and No. 90 for streaming.
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 March 3 to 9, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
With their third full album, awake&build, released in 2024, yama completed their Moratorium Trilogy. Now yama has put the finishing touches on their fourth full album, ; semicolon, in which they set off to a new start as an artist.
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In addition to the previously-released “BURN,” created under the name of yama x WurtS, and “Drop,” which was produced by indigo la End, the album contains new songs which saw yama being joined in the songwriting process by creators and artists they hold great respect for, like maeshima soshi and Shota Horie. These new songs make up the majority of the album. As yama’s career has advanced, their thirst for expressivity has grown even stronger. What is the philosophy that underlies his artistic efforts? Billboard Japan talked with yama about what lay behind the creation of ; semicolon and delved into who they are as an artist today.
I’ve heard that the album’s title, ; semicolon, is meant to represent taking a new step forward as an artist.
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This new album is packed with things I love, music I love, and messages I want to share. I tried to be as much a part of the songwriting and lyric-writing process as possible. I wanted to be involved in any way I could in the album’s creation. I feel like, with my past trilogy of albums, I’ve finally set the foundation in place to move forward (as an artist).
Your 2021 release, the meaning of life, your 2022 release, Versus the night, and your 2024 release, awake & build, make up the “Moratorium Trilogy,” right?
I was feeling things out as I went through my Moratorium period. I was hesitant to perform in front of people, and going up on stage was a struggle. But I couldn’t back down. That’s because for as long as I can remember, music has been the only thing that truly interests me. I just want to keep moving forward. I can’t stop myself. I feel like I’ve grown as a person through this process of trial-and-error. At first, I couldn’t convey what I was feeling to others, but now, having finished the trilogy, I’ve defined what it means to be “yama.” That’s why I was able to make ; semicolon.
Of all of your albums, ; semicolon has the most songs on which you’ve been personally involved in the songwriting and lyrics.
I love singing, of course, but with Versus the night I also started writing songs. Through the process, I found that I was surprisingly strong-willed. I realized that there were things I wanted to say and to communicate, though I didn’t put them in words, and I had a stubborn streak, unwilling to compromise on my message. I started thinking that I’d be better able to convey my aesthetics and my human nature if I wrote my own music.
So turning your own feelings into song and sharing them with others gave you a sense of fulfillment?
Not so much “fulfillment” as more like “purging.” I first fell in love with music because when I listened to music it took a weight off my shoulders and set my heart at ease. When I share my own music, and when I put my own emotions into musical form, it makes my heart feel a bit lighter. That said, I’m still exploring the process of making music. I have this need to make everything perfect, so I overthink things. I just can’t bring myself to feel optimistic, and my output is slow because of that. But when making ; semicolon, I just put that all aside. I took this stance that “I’m just a beginner,” and I started out simply focusing on getting things in song form.
So that creation process itself may have been a way of accepting yourself as you are, flaws and all.
I feel like I’ve been able to forgive and accept myself, a bit at a time. Initially, I didn’t want to show people my shortcomings. But when I revealed my imperfections, I was surprised at how much they resonated with others. People became interested in yama, the person. So, because of that, I’ve also become able to accept my own imperfections.
The album’s name, ; semicolon, came from Project Semicolon, an American movement to support people struggling with mental health issues. Specifically, the semicolon represents the idea of moving from a difficult chapter of your life to starting a new chapter. What was your impression of the project?
I found out about Project Semicolon the first time I performed live in front of an audience. A person who’d been a fan of mine since my indie days gave me a letter and, along with it, a ring with a semicolon on it. In the letter, they wrote about the meaning of the project, and it made a deep impression on me. At the time, I was recklessly rushing forward, doing all I could to move forward. I thought, “I can’t do it yet, but I hope one day I’ll be able to put this concept into song.”
What about Project Semicolon made such a strong impression on you?
That interaction with a fan was a formative experience in my musical career, truly feeling that there are real people out there listening to my music. I’d seen comments on my videos on streaming sites before, but my musical activities had been limited to the internet, so I almost never received messages directly sent to me. But then, this one day, this fan sent me a message. It said “I’d been feeling like I just couldn’t keep struggling with life, and I was thinking about killing myself when I heard the song you released today. I want to hear more of your music, so I’ll keep on trying.”
So your song saved that fan.
I’d been working so hard making music to save myself. It was the first time that I felt that my efforts could save and provide comfort to someone else. Later on, I went on to perform live in front of an audience, and that’s when that fan taught me about the concept of Project Semicolon. Just living each day had been hard for them, but they kept pushing forward, looking for something they could enjoy in their life. Little by little, I grew more confident in my own skills, too, and I got better at communicating with people. It was a gradual process. I never got a semicolon tattoo, but putting these feelings in song form was the same thing for me. I named the album ; semicolon and wrote a song named “semicolon,” and for the rest of the album I let my own curiosity and sense of excitement lead me as I wrote the kinds of songs I wanted to write.
You discovered a new world through your interactions with others. I feel like that’s why you went from having a hard time performing in front of people to coming to enjoy performing live, and it’s where the song “semicolon” came from.
I’ve always made music for myself. That was true long ago and it’s still true today. The issue’s been how much I could grow, how much I could comfort myself, and how much I could forgive and accept myself. I’m sure everyone feels the same, and that everyone’s hard on themselves. But if I extended a helping hand to people simply out of some kind of sense of obligation, that wouldn’t be truly from the heart. I don’t want to pretend to be something I’m not through my music. I make music to cleanse my own heart, and if that comforts other people, then that’s wonderful. I wish someone had told me about the semicolon movement earlier. But unless I can forgive and accept myself, I don’t think I’ll be able to overcome my trauma or the ties that bind me. That’s why I tell myself “Accepting yourself isn’t compromising yourself. It’s just one part of taking control of yourself.” Of course, listeners can take the music as they wish, but I’d love it if when people listened to the song, they didn’t take the lyrics as me or someone else talking to them, but instead felt like the lyrics were a message they were telling themselves.
—This interview by Sayako Oki first appeared on Billboard Japan
Awich dropped a collaborative single called “ASIAN STATE OF MIND” featuring South Korea’s Jay Park; India’s KR$NA; Masiwei, the leader of the Chinese group Higher Brothers; and Cambodia’s VannDa on Feb. 28.
The Okinawan MC and top rappers from each country came together to usher in a new Asian era on this cypher track, mixing their native languages with English to simultaneously compete with each other to flex their uniqueness while giving off a sense of Asian unity.
The accompanying music video, released along with the track, racked up a million views in just 24 hours after its release. Excited fans have left over 20,000 comments in various languages. As the title “ASIAN STATE OF MIND” suggests, the video was shot in each of the home countries of the rappers, who share the same pride as Asian artists.
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Awich, the queen of Japanese Hip-Hop, was recently appointed as global ambassador for JORDAN (Nike), and is set to further expand her reach outside of Japan in the future.
Jay Park, founder of AOMG, H1GHR MUSIC, and MORE VISION, has released a diverse range of music including collaborations with other artists. He’s the first Asian to sign with JAY-Z’s Roc Nation, and is enjoying international success as a highly acclaimed artist.
KR$NA, hailing from Delhi, India, garnered recognition with his Hindi song “Vyanjan.” The 37-year-old MC’s catalog has been highly acclaimed both in India and internationally, and he’s known as lyrical innovator in the Indian hip-hop scene.
Masiwei, from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, is the leader of the Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brothers and also active as a solo artist. In September 2023, he released a collaborative single with Japan’s Satomi Shigemori called “LION (feat. MASIWEI).” The 32-year-old is also the founder of the fashion brand AFGK.
VannDa, born in Sihanoukville in 1997, achieved the feat of being the first Cambodian artist to have a music video (“Time to Rise”) score over 100 million views on YouTube in October 2022. He was included on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia-Pacific music list the following year, and went on to perform along with Phoenix and other acts at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024, introducing Cambodian music on the global stage.
Naniwa Danshi’s “Doki it” blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated March 5.
The J-pop boy band’s eighth single is being featured as the theme song for AOKI’s “Freshers Fair” commercial starring the seven members. The single launched with 336,529 copies to rule sales, while coming in at No. 4 for downloads and No. 9 for radio airplay. This is the band’s third single after “UBU LOVE” and “The Answer” to hit No. 1 (and the fourth week, as “UBU LOVE” stayed atop the chart for two weeks). and “The Answer”).
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” follows at No. 2. Streaming and video for the track are down from the previous week, but downloads gained by 104%, radio by 117%, and karaoke by 107%. The Oblivion Battery opener has coasted along in the top 5 for the 46th consecutive week, with six of them at No. 1.
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Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” slips a notch to No. 3. While overall points for the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener have decreased, streaming rises 3-2 (up 119%) and radio jumps 4-1 (up 147%).
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=LOVE’s “Tokubechu, shite” shoots to No. 4 from No. 56. The track marked the girl group’s highest first week sales with 302,589 copies, coming in at No. 2 for the metric.
timelesz’s “Rock this Party” debuts at No. 5. This is the first new song by the now eight-man group formerly known as Sexy Zone, after five new members joined through the audition called timelesz project. It’s also the first digital release by the boy band since their debut as Sexy Zone. The buzz around the new-member audition powered the track to No.1 for downloads, No. 8 for streaming, No. 53 for radio, and No. 86 for video. In addition, the release of the introductory digital compilation album Hello! We’re timelesz including songs from the group’s Sexy Zone years has sent “RUN” and “Jinsei Yugi” back into the Japan Hot 100. It’s been about four and a half years since the former entered the charts (No. 57 this week), and about a year and three months for the latter (No. 95).
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 Feb. 24 to Mar. 2, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
Though the RIAA has yet to release revenue numbers for recorded music in the U.S. in 2024, early returns from a handful of international markets are in — and they show that digital revenue maintained or gained momentum last year while physical sales slowed from 2023.
In Germany, the world’s fourth-largest recorded music market, total revenue grew 7.8% to 2.38 billion euros ($2.53 billion) in 2024, trade group Bundesverband Musikindustrie announced earlier this week. That was an improvement on the 6.3% gain seen in 2023 and the 6.1% gain in 2022. Notably, audio streaming, which accounted for 78% of total revenue, grew 12.6% to 1.86 billion euros ($1.98 billion), an improvement on the 7.9% gain in 2023 but below the 14.0% spike seen in 2022.
The full year ended with the same momentum Germany established in the first half of 2024. Through June, total revenue was up 7.6% and audio streaming was up 12.7%, while physical sales — which were down 11.9% through June — improved in the second half of the year, leading to a less-drastic 7.4% drop below 2023 revenue.
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On the physical front, Germany’s vinyl sales improved 9.4% to 153 million euros ($163 billion) in 2024, accounting for 6.4% of total revenue — though they cooled a bit from 2023, when sales increased 12.6%. However, CD sales fell 17.1% to 207 million euros ($220 million) last year, a markedly steeper decline than the 5.9% drop seen in 2023.
In Spain, recorded music revenue grew 9.4% to 569 million euros ($606 million), according to Promusicae, the country’s trade association for the record industry. That was down from growth rates of 12.4% and 12.3% in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Audio streaming totaled 376 million euros, up 14.1% year over year, and accounted for 66% of total revenue. But just as in Germany, physical sales plummeted. Total physical sales fell 13.3% to 54 million euros ($57 million), with vinyl sales sinking 4% after jumping 19.4% in 2023. Meanwhile, CD sales dropped 25.4%, a much sharper decline than in 2023 (when they were down 1.3%) and comparable to 2022 (down 29.2%).
The Spanish market slowed considerably in the second half of the year, leading to end-of-year gains that were six to seven percentage points lower than mid-year results. Through June, total revenue was up 16.6%, while the year finished with a smaller 9.4% gain. Digital revenue fell from an 18.8% gain at the mid-year mark to a 12.6% gain at the end of the year, and vinyl sales were up 11.9% in June but finished the year down 4% — a nearly 16-percentage point swing.
In Japan, the world’s second-largest recorded music market, physical audio sales rose 2% to 148.96 billion yen ($985 million), a worse showing than in 2023 (when they were up 8%) and 2022 (up 5%), according to the RIAJ. And physical music video sales fell 21% to 90.5 billion yen ($598 million), which brought the total physical market down 8% from 2023.
The RIAJ has not yet published year-end digital numbers, though total digital revenue was up 5% and streaming revenue was up 7% through the third quarter. Japan is unlike most music markets in that physical formats remain the dominant moneymakers. Through September, streaming revenue accounted for 35% of total revenue while physical sales — mostly audio formats — accounted for the remaining 65%.
In the U.S., another data point arrived Thursday (Feb. 27) when ASCAP announced that revenue increased 5.7% to $1.84 billion in 2024, with domestic royalties up 5.3% to $1.4 billion and foreign receipts growing 6.8% to $483 million.
As for U.S. recorded music numbers, RIAA figures are likely to be released in March, assuming the organization sticks to prior timings of its release. Mid-year RIAA data showed the U.S. market increased 3.9% to $8.69 billion, with paid streaming improving 5.1% to $5.22 billion. Physical revenue rose 12.7% and was driven by a 17% increase in vinyl sales. Year-end numbers should benefit from Spotify’s U.S. price increase in July.
The IFPI’s release of 2024 global figures, with a country-by-country breakdown, will offer a more complete picture of global trend lines and reveal how the U.S. fared against other nations. That report is typically released each March.
The third installment of the business conference NOW PLAYING JAPAN, organized by Billboard JAPAN and Luminate, was held on Feb. 6 at Billboard Live Tokyo.
At this event, executives from Billboard JAPAN and Luminate gave presentations on the latest domestic and international trends in music consumption. Additionally, Tatsuya Nomura, Chairman of the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN Executive Committee, and Yutaka Inaba, Vice Chairman, appeared as guest speakers to discuss MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, which will be held in May 2025. They focused on Japan’s music market and explained the efforts being made to help domestic artists succeed on the global stage.
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Scott Ryan, Executive Vice President of Luminate, took the podium first to discuss global trends for 2024, including streaming growth, genre trends, and audience insights, using Luminate’s “2024 Year End Report.” In 2024, global on-demand audio streaming grew 14% over the previous year to reach 4.8 trillion streams, which represents an increase of approximately 75% from 2.7 trillion streams in 2022. While 30% of this streaming volume is from the U.S., the growth rate from 2023 to 2024 for countries outside of the U.S. was 17.3%, indicating that the streaming market is growing on a global scale. He also explained that when focusing on Japan, the total number of streaming users (including both premium and ad-supported) grew by about 13%, and the number of premium users grew by more than 10%.
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In addition, Ryan introduced a new metric developed by Luminate, the “Luminate Export Power Score.” This metric is designed to evaluate a country’s ability to export recorded music globally, and is comprised of four data points. The U.S. is ranked first in this metric, with its top importers being Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; Brazil ranks 10th, with Portugal, Bolivia, and Peru being the top importers. Japan ranks 14th in this metric. Ryan also noted the country of origin for artists as a point of interest, and revealed that English speaking markets losing share to imports is becoming a new trend. Meanwhile in non-English-speaking markets, domestically produced works are gaining market share over imports from English-speaking countries (Japan also falls into this category).
Ryan also mentioned that Luminate, now with data enrichment services, has begun to access songwriting works data, and can now share at a broader scale, more information about how songwriters are driving cultural exchange and activity. By taking the top 1,000 global on-demand audio songs and then analyze them using data enrichment services from the team formerly known as Quansic, Luminate can now identify the top songwriters. The top global songwriter was Taylor Swift followed by Max Martin and The Weeknd.
Looking at regional and market based trends, the amount of J-Pop streams outside of Japan was mentioned as a notable trend. The number of premium users is also growing globally, with Asia, Europe, and Latin America showing the largest growth in 2024 from the previous year. While Latin America has been the fastest growing region overall since 2021, when focusing on 2024, Asia and Europe are showing a more rapid growth compared to other regions.
Ryan concluded by listing four key points: “Streaming in Japan and globally continues to grow at double-digit percentages, faster than in Western mature developed markets,” “Share of local content is increasing in Japan and many non-English speaking countries, and declining in English speaking markets like the U.S., UK and Canada,” ”Quansic Music Enrichment and Matching Services now provide new visibility on Songwriter and Recording activity” and ”New Audience Insights information will be coming soon for Japan and other top global music markets, enabling strategic planning.”
Next, Tatsuya Nomura, Chairman of the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN Executive Committee, and Yutaka Inaba, Vice Chairman, took the stage for a discussion on the theme “The Meaning of Hosting an Awards Show in Japan Today.” Billboard JAPAN’s Naoko Takashima served as moderator.
The inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN will be held on May 21 and 22, 2025, in Kyoto, with an awards ceremony and performances. The May 22 event will be broadcast on NHK, including some BTS coverage, and will also be available worldwide on YouTube with a delayed stream. Unlike traditional Japanese music awards, MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN has been designed with a global perspective. One of the key reasons for establishing this award was the shift in Japan’s music industry from a CD-centric model to streaming, a transition accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the growing international reach of Japanese music.
Nomura and Inaba emphasized that Japan lacked a transparent, democratically structured awards show akin to the Grammy Awards. Nomura explained, “In the U.S., the Grammy Awards recognize the best music of the year, and I thought Japan needed something similar. While Japan has various awards, they often lack transparency and industry participation. We wanted to create an opportunity where people could participate democratically, engage thoughtfully, and vote with genuine interest.” Inaba added, “This award is managed jointly by five major music industry organizations, meaning it exists for the benefit of the industry rather than any single entity. If any revenue is generated, it will be reinvested into Japan’s music industry. Many companies have resonated with this vision and have chosen to support us as partners. The more people take an interest in music, the more it will enrich and revitalize various aspects of society.”
MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN will have six major categories in addition to more than 60 other award categories. The primary selection of nominated artists will be based on Billboard JAPAN’s charts, utilizing publicly available data to ensure an objective and quantitative perspective that fairly captures listener response. Following this, over 5,000 music industry professionals will vote to determine the winners. The voting criteria will shift from quantitative analysis to a qualitative approach, evaluating artists based on their creativity and artistic excellence. Inaba noted, “Even if we narrow down the top five artists based on chart performance, industry professionals might have different opinions regarding who is truly the most outstanding artist, regardless of general fan popularity. We want to encourage deeper discussions about music.”
Nomura also revealed some of the challenges involved, stating, “The more we ensure transparency in the selection process, the more difficult the artist bookings become.” Beyond the awards themselves, the committee announced plans to support the global and digital expansion of Japanese music throughout the year by organizing showcase live performances worldwide. Already scheduled for March is a showcase event within SXSW, which is expected to continue annually, as well as “matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES” at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, featuring Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and YOASOBI. Moving forward, the committee aims to create more opportunities for artists to engage with local J-Pop fans not only in the U.S. but also across Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Additionally, to support the industry beyond live performances and artist activities, a training program for music industry professionals is set to launch in the spring.
Seiji Isozaki from Billboard JAPAN delivered the final presentation under the theme “Reflections on Providing Global Data.”
Isozaki outlined the various services currently offered by Billboard JAPAN, including the “Global Japan Songs excl. Japan” chart, the “Chart Insight Global” data analysis service, and Luminate’s CONNECT service for corporate clients, highlighting their respective benefits. While acknowledging that some companies hesitate due to the high cost of these services, Isozaki pointed out that relying on inexpensive peripheral data often leads to mere “predictions,” which can ultimately put companies at a disadvantage. Isozaki then emphasized the advantages of utilizing accurate data to make informed decisions. He also reiterated the importance of enhancing music and artist identifiers, a topic that had been raised at the previous convention in September. Currently, tens of millions of songs by millions of artists, including their derivative versions, are being streamed across hundreds of platforms in dozens of languages. He expressed concerns that this explosive growth in content has led to lost opportunities and revenue overseas. Isozaki emphasized that improving metadata accuracy can help increase revenue, warning that using lower-cost alternative services with limited coverage rates would require working with multiple providers, ultimately leading to higher costs. He urged consideration of updating metadata through Luminate, which would allow for higher matching accuracy.
Isozaki also discussed the potential impact of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, presenting comparative data on streaming trends before and after the broadcast of multiple songs during the 2024 year-end NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen. The graphs showed a significant increase in streaming numbers for all featured songs following the broadcast. He explained that MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, like Kouhaku, has the potential to become an internationally recognized program that influences audiences both in Japan and globally. He also reaffirmed Billboard JAPAN’s commitment to fully supporting the initiative and closely monitoring its impact.
—This article by Haruki Saito and Maiko Murata first appeared on Billboard Japan
The Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA) and TOYOTA GROUP are joining forces to launch the Music Way Project, a collaborative endeavor that supports and promotes the globalization and sustainable growth of the Japanese music industry.
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With “Japanese music drives the world” as its concept, this project will focus on “human development” and “place development” for those taking on challenges on the global stage in music. For the former, to be a guiding light for young people with aspirations in music, the project will help refine the talents of those active globally through corporately supported seminars for student talents, training young people in the industry, and workshops with creators. For the latter, the Toyota Arena Tokyo — slated to open this autumn in Japan — will be utilized, and showcases will be held in the United States (Los Angeles), Europe (London) and Asia (Thailand). Toyota Group will offer its overseas bases to “providing spaces for young talent to shine.”
CEIPA Chair of the Board Shunsuke Muramatsu, TOYOTA GROUP Representative Akio Toyoda, and composer/Agency for Cultural Affairs Commissioner Shunichi Tokura took the stage at the joint press conference held in Tokyo Tuesday (Feb. 25). “With the expansion of the streaming business, the market for entertainment content is growing rapidly. Music is always closely linked to contents that Japan excels in, such as games, anime, live-action films, and events. Music has the power to spread without limit,” Muramatsu said, noting that the project is focusing on music first among the many forms of entertainment.
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As a move towards producing artists who reach global audiences, a major showcase event called matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES, will take place in March at the Peacock Theater, set to feature J-pop stars Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and YOASOBI. Also, the inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, the largest music awards in Japan, is slated for May at the ROHM Theater Kyoto.
When comparing export values by industry, automobiles are worth 22 trillion yen, semiconductors 5.5 trillion yen, and steel 4.5 trillion yen, while the content industry, including entertainment, is worth 5.8 trillion yen. Elaborating on TOYOTA GROUP’s intention to participate in this project, Toyoda said, “When I was president of Toyota Motor Corporation, I think my driving force was my love for Japan. That is why I want Japan to continue to be needed by the world.”
He went on to express his hopes for the development of the project, concluding, “There’s a lot of good music in Japan, as well as many talented people. We want them to rock the world with their music, and want to support them so that people everywhere can get to know their talent. If you see someone working hard, please support them. Your support will widen paths and build more of them. When more paths are built, you can climb even the steepest mountains. Please give them that chance.”
MUSIC WAY PROJECT Outline
Promoters: CEIPA x TOYOTA GROUP
Aim: Supporting and promoting the fundamental globalization and sustainable growth of the Japanese music industry.
Human development that refines the talents of those taking on the global stage:
Student Seminars: Courses for students in collaboration with domestic universities, etc.
Professional Seminars: Online courses for young industry professionals, etc.
Co-Write Global CAMP: Hosting cowriting camps where creators from around the world assemble.
Place development to provide spaces for young talent to shine:
Enhancing overseas bases: Utilizing three bases in the U.S. (Los Angeles), Europe (London), and Asia (Thailand), and supporting activities of artists domestically.
GLOBAL SHOWCASE LIVE: Strengthening artists’ footholds and networks by developing showcases in Asia and Europe. Utilizing TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO, slated to open this fall.
Billboard Japan’s Women in Music initiative launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work, in the same spirit as Billboard’s annual Women in Music honors since 2007. This interview series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry is one of the highlights of Japan’s WIM project.
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Keropons, the duo consisting of Yuko Masuda (Kero) and Akiko Hirata (Pon), are the next featured guests. Probably known best for their kids’ tune “Ebikanics,” Keropons is hugely popular with children and parents in Japan. The duo’s catchy melodies and lyrics, impossible to forget once you’ve heard them, have provided fun times for many families over the years.
The unit was also tapped as the first act for the KIDS MUSIC PARK music project launched by Universal Music Japan in collaboration with major Japanese publisher Kodansha. The two women spoke with writer Rio Hirai on behalf of Billboard Japan for the latest installment of the WIM interview series and shared their views on creating an environment that makes it easier for women to work, based on their experience interacting with parents and children all over Japan throughout their careers.
You two were chosen as the first act for the music project KIDS MUSIC PARK, a collaboration between Universal Music and Kodansha’s online media “with class mama.” You wrote a new song called “Chu-zaburo” based on the honest voices of moms and dads all over the country for this project. How did you feel when you were asked to take part in it?
Akiko Hirata (Pon): We were so happy. It was exciting because there were parts that were similar to the family concerts we’d been doing up until now, and the person at Universal Music who started the project is also a mom raising kids, which I thought was great. The project was a new endeavor in that we spoke directly with mom influencers and wrote the song with them after hearing what they had to say.
There must be many moms out there who have been helped by your music. Have you ever discovered something new or had fresh insights from the feedback and comments from your listeners?
Yuko Masuda (Kero): Yes, a lot. This time, Pon wrote the lyrics first, and then we worked on the music. We asked the moms to listen to the lyrics and when we asked how their kids react to music, one of them said, “My child laughs when I shake my hips!” Other moms followed suit, like, “Mine does, too!” so we went, “Well then, let’s shake our hips in this song.” That’s what the production process was like. A mother who was facing difficulties raising her child mentioned that she felt too self-conscious to give hugs or kisses, so we incorporated hugs and blowing kisses into the choreography. Everyone can do these naturally when they’re part of a song. It’s interesting how people gradually get used to it as they do it while laughing.
You’ve also performed it live after it was released digitally in December. How was the reaction to it?
Pon: It’s been really fun. I was wondering if people would hug, but everyone seems to enjoy it more than I expected. The kids hug each other, of course, and parents hug their kids, and also adults at training sessions for nursery school teachers did it, too. Everyone gets all excited when the hugging part comes.
You’re also a mother of two kids, Pon. How have you managed to balance work and parenting?
Pon: I had twins and went back to work four months after they were born. At first, I was really keen to do everything myself without relying on anyone else, but in reality, all sorts of unexpected things kept happening.
What happened?
Pon: First of all, I got sick soon after becoming pregnant and was bedridden for almost a year. I’d actually planned on working right before my due date, but suddenly wasn’t able to work at all. Our work schedule is decided a year in advance. We had a packed schedule of concerts lined up but I couldn’t move, so I ended up having to rely on a lot of people for help.
I told everyone around me that I wouldn’t trouble anyone but ended up inconveniencing my company, and wasn’t sure if I’d be able to raise my kids properly. Becoming a mom was supposed to be a happy occasion, but my worries became bigger than the joy and I just kept crying in bed.
How did you manage to lift your spirits from there?
Pon: I thought, “I can’t take any more time off,” and resumed work four months after my kids were born. We moved to Nagano later on, but raising twins was hard. Even though I sought help from my mother, my ex-husband, my neighbors, and anyone else I could think of, it still wasn’t enough. In the end, I used the Family Support Center run by the local government. It’s a system where registered people in the community look after people’s kids.
But my job often required me to stay overnight and I had to go work almost every weekend, and this system didn’t cover overnight care. I was at a complete loss when one of the support staff said to me, “It’s not allowed under the current system, but I know you need assistance,” called a few people to help, and they started providing overnight care.
You started your activities in 2004, and I imagine you still have many opportunities to speak with moms and dads. Do you sense any changes in society or the times?
Pon: Yes, I do. There are more young female artists, singers like us, who are also working while raising children. I think it’s easier now for people like them to say, “I’m going to take a break to have a baby, but I’ll be back,” and everyone accepts that. That atmosphere is different from what it used to be like.
It might still be like the old days in some ways, but it has changed a lot.
Pon: That’s so true. Now, taking maternity leave has become the norm, and the pandemic led to a trend of people being encouraged to take it easy and rest, which is also a big change. In the past, as a duo, we worried that if one of us took time off, the work wouldn’t get done. But now we have more young people working in our field and the way of thinking in society as a whole is becoming more flexible, which is great.
Have you ever felt that being a woman has impacted your career, not just in terms of motherhood?
Kero: I’ve come this far without really having to be aware of being a woman, and never faced any major obstacles in that sense. There are lots of women in music colleges, and also a lot of women in the field of childcare.
Pon: Shortly after having kids, a man in the same industry said to me, “It must be hard for you to work in this kind of job when you have a baby.” I was surprised by his tone, which was like, “It’s not my problem because I’m a man.” It makes me feel uncomfortable when people talk about childcare like it’s something only women do. I was too taken aback to respond at the time, but I told Kero about it right away.
The way people think about gender roles is gradually changing, though, isn’t it?
Kero: I think so. At our concerts in the past, there’d be guys who were like, “Daddy just brought the kids” and dozing off, but now the fathers are enjoying the shows together with their children. We see more men come with babies in their arms, bringing their kids along. Times have really changed.
In the entertainment industry, working hours are irregular and often involve working on Saturdays and Sundays. What kind of changes do you think are needed to make it easier for women to work?
Pon: What I noticed through experiencing motherhood is that the systems in place in Japan aren’t keeping up with reality. Government workers think that women who raise children work from 9 to 5, but there are also irregular jobs like in the entertainment industry, and jobs that require working at night or staying overnight. I felt that there still aren’t many systems in place that are in line with that reality.
When you’re young, you tend to think that you have to work hard to not cause trouble for other people. But as you get older and gain more experience, you start to think that it’s OK to ask for help. Can you give some advice to people who might be trying too hard, on how they can make things a little easier?
Pon: If you have someone you can talk to about how you feel, that alone can make a difference. It can be your friend, your partner, or someone you’re connected to through social media. The important thing is not to keep everything bottled up inside.
When I was living in Nagano, I was at a loss about how to balance work and childcare after my divorce, and really struggled with the question of whether I should move back to Tokyo or stay in Nagano. I didn’t know if I could continue my career and felt like I was up against a wall. I was at my wit’s end, so I called a professor from when I was studying childcare who’d been very helpful to me in the past. I was crying, saying, “I don’t know what to do anymore.” Then that professor said to me, “Have you discussed that with your kids?”
What? Your kids?
Pon: Yes, my kids were in third grade at the time. So I said, “They’re still so young, I can’t ask them for advice,” but she was like, “What are you talking about? You’re family, right? They might say something insightful, even if they’re kids.” So I went home and spoke to them during dinner. “Mommy’s really worried. Should we go back to Tokyo, or stay here in Nagano? Should I quit my job and do something else? What do you think?” Then, after thinking about it for a while, my kids said, “We’ve gotten used to living here, so we think you should stay and keep doing what you do.” They both agreed.
So your kids’ words led to a big decision in your life.
Pon: Right. That’s why it’s really important to talk things over. If you just ask without assuming that no one will understand or some specific person won’t understand, you might get an unexpected answer that opens up a new path.
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan
Sakurazaka46‘s “UDAGAWA GENERATION” soars to No. 1 from No. 33 on this week’s Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released Feb. 26.
The popular girl group’s 11th single, featuring Hikaru Morita in center position, debuted on the chart dated Feb. 5 at No. 28 and stayed in the top 40 for three weeks powered by the digital metrics of the chart’s measurement. This week, the CD version that went on sale Feb. 19 launched with 533,149 copies to hit No. 1 for the metric, while re-entering at No. 9 for downloads with 3,039 units, and hitting No. 18 for streaming with 4,481,440 streams.
Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” debuts at No. 2. This single, released digitally Feb. 20, is the first by the five-member band to be featured as an anime theme song, and accompanies the anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth that began airing on NHK in October last year. It’s off to a good start, coming in at No. 1 for downloads, No. 3 for streaming, No. 4 for radio, and No. 9 for video views.
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After logging its sixth week at No. 1 last week, Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” falls to No. 3, but the Oblivion Battery opener still dominates streaming, video and karaoke, while also coming in at No. 6 for downloads. The three-man band’s “Darling” follows at No. 4 on the Japan Hot 100, coming in at No. 2 for streaming and videos, No. 11 for downloads, No. 19 for karaoke and No. 20 for radio. Mrs. GREEN APPLE continue to take up half the top 10 this week, with “Que Sera Sera” at No. 7, “Bitter Vacances” at No. 8, and “Soranji” at No. 9.
Outside the top 10, HANA reaches a career high with its pre-debut song “Drop,” which dropped Jan. 31 and climbed 36-32-16, then to No. 13 this week. Also, MAZZEL’s new single “J.O.K.E.R.” debuts at No. 18. The official theme song for the Tokyu Land Corporation Breaking World Match 2025 tournament was digitally released Feb. 17 and hits No. 1 for radio, No. 3 for downloads, and No. 14 for video.
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 Feb. 17 to 23, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
Balloon, one of the 2010s most iconic Vocaloid producers, has created hit song after hit song, like “Charles.” In 2017, he also began creating music under the name Keina Suda. On April 16, 2025, he will be releasing a new concept album, Fall Apart.
Billboard Japan took the occasion of the new release and the “VOCALOID Collection (VocaColle) – 2025 Winter” (a submission-based Vocaloid event held on Niconico) to talk with Reol, and Sheeno Mirin, who joined Balloon on “Redire,” one of the songs on the new album. The three artists talked about the process of reinterpreting “Redire” and reflected on their shared roots: Niconico and Vocaloid culture.
Reol, Sheeno. How long have you two known Balloon?
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Reol: I first discovered Balloon when I heard “I touched a vase.” Afterwards, I saw the live-action music video for “MOIL,” which he created as Keina Suda. I started paying close attention to him in part because of his artistic style, going from the Vocaloid scene to singing using his own voice, and in part because the timing of his major label debut was very close to my own. Going back through his past music, I discovered that this was the person behind Balloon.
Balloon: Before I knew it, Reol and I were friends. I don’t remember how I found out about Reol, but one thing that made a big impression on me was the music video for “Give me a break Stop now.” At the time, people who had come up through Niconico were very cautious when it came to revealing themselves. Reol, on the other hand, just burst out of the gates. I hadn’t met her yet, but she made a really big impression on me as someone with an incredibly strong spirit, which also came across in the way she presented herself.
Sheeno: I think I found out about Balloon through “Charles” when I was in elementary school. When I was in elementary school, all I listened to was Vocaloid, and I especially loved Vocaloid rock.
Reol: When I first found Niconico, Vocaloid made a huge impression on me, too. Vocaloid’s not the name of a musical genre but the name of the software, so Vocaloid culture includes all kinds of different music. Every day, people were uploading new songs, so it was really exciting and I was just glued to it.
Balloon, what led you to reach out to these two to work on “Redire” for your new album Fall Apart, which comes out on April 16?
Balloon: I’d like to answer that by first talking about when I wrote “Redire.” At the time, I’d been thinking about starting to release music under the name Keina Suda. Back then, when people emerged from the Vocaloid culture, there was always this risk that they’d never be able to return to the Vocaloid scene. So when I was writing “Redire,” I was thinking “this just might be my last Vocaloid song.” On top of that, I was juggling way too much at the time. For some of the songs I wrote, I was in such a conflicted state of mind that after I finished the songs, I couldn’t bring myself to listen to them myself for a while.
Unlike me, Reol is really strong—in her lyrics, in her singing voice, and as a person—and that strength is apparent to anyone who sees her. I wanted to hear Reol take these songs that I’d written with such mixed emotions in the past and sing them in a bright, radiant style.
Reol: Keina always felt like a colleague or a classmate. There’s what I’d almost call a kind of pressure felt by people who started out on Niconico and went on to debut on a major label. A feeling that they have to create output that can make them proud to have roots in the Niconico scene. So hearing Keina say that when he wrote “Redire,” he was ready to bid a temporary farewell to the culture, I thought, “Ah, so that’s why you let me work on it.”
Balloon: I think I found out about Sheeno through “Heterodoxy.” Of course, I love it as a tune in its own right, but I also thought “his musical sensibilities are the exact opposite of my own.” I felt envious—he was doing something I couldn’t do even if I tried. That got me thinking about how a person like that would reinterpret one of my own songs. I couldn’t even imagine what it would sound like if Sheeno’s music and Reol’s music intersected.
The album is titled Fall Apart, which carries this nuance of “destruction.” Balloon, did you make any requests of these two when you asked them to work on the album?
Balloon: For me, personally, the album’s title has a hidden theme, a hope that that’s what would happen, but I didn’t make any specific requests. I just trusted in everyone’s own interpretations.
Sheeno: I really agonized over it (laughs). The original song is just too perfect. But when I heard Reol would be doing the vocals, I started thinking that an electro sound would be a good fit. It’s a sound I use in my own music, and it matches Reol’s musical sensibilities, too. I designed the sound of the song to emphasize the restlessness of the original by speeding up the BPM and adding some sharp-edged synth.
Reol: I think it came out feeling even more heartfelt. I discovered Mirin through “Then Your Thought Should Just Die,” and my impression was that he had a really powerful personal philosophy which came out in the songs he wrote. When the new arrangement of “Redire” arrived, the lyrics were Balloon’s, but in the sound you got a strong feeling of Sheeno Mirin’s philosophy.
Balloon: I know. I listened to Sheeno’s new arrangement, before Reol recorded her vocals, and it was a huge surprise. It was like something completely new and unknown. I knew I’d made the right choice in reaching out to him.
For all three of you, your roots lie in Niconico. What kind of place was it for you?
Balloon: In one word, “home.” It’s a place that will always welcome you back, and if you go out into the world, you can feel proud that your roots are in Niconico.
Reol: Initially, for me, it was an escape. There was a time when I just didn’t feel like I had a place in the world. When I discovered Niconico, it was like it accepted all of my gloom.
Sheeno: Earlier, Reol talked about how all kinds of things came together in Vocaloid. That’s how I felt about Niconico. That foundation is the reason that there are so many genres of Vocaloid songs, and why you can find truly niche songs.
You’re all taking part in the VocaColle 2025 Winter playlist project. What criteria did you use when choosing songs?
Balloon: I picked songs that shaped who I was a decade ago. There’s a lot of music on Niconico that made a huge impression on me, but I picked the true giants, artists that are like “you can’t talk about Niconico without talking about them.”
Reol: My theme was “another style of schoolhouse.” I put the songs in chronological order, and I included songs from recent years. It goes without saying that the songs I cover are all songs I would recommend, so for my playlist I limited myself to songs I haven’t covered.
Sheeno: I have my own playlist of about 2,000 songs that have less than 10,000 plays, so I selected at random from that list. A long time ago, I tried to listen to every single Vocaloid song on Niconico, and there are lots of great songs with few plays. I want people to know that.
—This interview by Yuuka Higaki first appeared on Billboard Japan