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Creepy Nuts recently dropped their highly anticipated new album called LEGION, their first in about two and a half years. The project consists of 15 tracks — the most the duo has ever included in a set — including two that made their name known on a global scale: their biggest hit to date, “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” and the follow-up single, “Otonoke.”
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While rapper R-Shitei and DJ Matsunaga appear to be enjoying breakout success since last year with global hits under their belts, the track “Tsujoukai” (“usual episode”) on the new album is the pair’s answer to those who see them in that light. This latest Billboard Japan interview by the two artists gives fans a look into their innate strengths as creators they’ve cultivated up to this point, which explains why they’re able to state that any situation is a “usual episode” for them.
I read the lyrics before playing the album, and thought they depicted a “true-to-life documentary” more than ever before. Was this intentional?
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R-Shitei: After trying to write from the perspective of different people in our previous album Ensemble Play, I went back to (focusing on) “living” more so than when we were busy. For me in particular, changes happened in my private life and lots of words came to me naturally. The first song that led to the creation of this album, “Biriken,” started from that kind of hyper-documentary aspect, so the project naturally became all about our own stories.
Then when I listened to the songs, I was surprised to find that the “fewer notes” aspect that Matsunaga-san mentioned in last year’s mid-year interview was even more evident that I’d expected. Was that something you intended to do for this entire album from “Biriken” the first single off the set?
DJ Matsunaga: I didn’t have the entire album in mind, but when I considered “making good songs” (that’s what happened). I want every detail to be high quality, even if you take all the riffs apart and look at just one instrument. Layering a lot of different instruments works out somehow, but with the (relatively sparse) number of sounds on this album, if I compromised even a bit, it probably wouldn’t have worked. I think the most high-quality tracks are ones with a spartan design on the verge of being cheap, that are simple but still sound great, and it feels like I was able to perfect that in my track production.
When did you start thinking that way?
DJ Matsunaga: I’ve always been like that, but the sentiment might have been getting stronger every year. It’s become an absolute must for me lately. I researched and selected everything from the microphones to the preamps and compressors used in the recording. Those kinds of expertise aren’t easily found in Japan, so I had to think and make it myself in the end.
The first track on the album, “Chugaku 22 nensei” (“22nd year of junior high school”), had by far the fewest number of sounds of any of the songs on the set. The title harks back to your song “Chugaku 12 nensei” (2018), which also has a sparse track. Was this also intentional?
DJ Matsunaga: It wasn’t my intent for this one to be entitled “Chugaku 22 nensei” off the bat. R sent the demo back with something I hadn’t imagined.
R-Shitei: At first, I think we both intended to make a song with a completely different mood. But we made the right choice. This time in particular, the process of making the album had that kind of joy to it. Like seeing how far we can use our ideas to go off the rails and make the leap to a place we didn’t imagine.
DJ Matsunaga: That’s true. “Causing an accident.”
I see. And you mentioned “A life of reaching No. 1 on Billboard” in your lyrics. [Laughs]
R-Shitei & DJ Matsunaga: [Laugh]
R-Shitei: Yeah… I took the liberty of using that. [Laughs]
By the way, the engineers who worked on this album have previously worked with some great U.S. rappers including Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator and more. Did you gain any new inspiration from them?
DJ Matsunaga: The finished sounds are so different. It’s pretty hard to talk about sounds using only terms that everyone can recognize, but they delivered what I wanted to make.
Why did you ask these top-tier engineers to participate?
DJ Matsunaga: There were certain sounds I wanted to make, so I tapped people outside of Japan to make them happen. I asked some great engineers who even raised the bar of the quality I was seeking.
From the eighth track “Get Higher” onwards, I thought that the perspective rapidly turns inward. “Tsujoukai” in particular really seems to express what you want to say most as Creepy Nuts at the moment.
R-Shitei: Rap is about taking your personal experiences from everyday life and interpreting them in a hyper-dramatic way. So that’s “usual” — that’s how I interpret everything, in every situation. It’s true that I write lyrics in a dramatic way, but that’s probably the limit of how dramatic I can be as someone in this line of work. So it’s already wrapped up from my point of view, but from people looking from the outside, it probably appears more dramatic in a way. So that’s why I’m saying it’s a “usual episode” again. This song’s mood is where we’re at right now.
DJ Matsunaga: Wherever we go, people treat us like we’ve entered the final phase (of success). But my life hasn’t changed at all since last year.
R-Shitei: I know, right? I mean, as a rapper, I’ve pulled off something that makes people go, “That’s amazing,” so I do say, “I did it!” but I’m not living a glam life in my lyrics, am I? [Laughs]
No, you’re not. [Laughs]
R-Shitei: I wrote the whole album with that kind of mood, and put my feelings into it, so that’s why I expressed it like that in “Tsujoukai.”
DJ Matsunaga: That’s so true. It doesn’t mean it’s constantly calm, but like a lull.
R-Shitei: I have really intense ups and downs, but that just continues as it always has. I probably interpret everything too extremely. That hasn’t changed. I think that’s why I’m probably cut out to be a rapper.
DJ Matsunaga: Lately I feel kind of at a loss because I don’t get worked up over anything. But I guess that means I can focus on sounds. Maybe my mind’s in a place where I can concentrate on sound production.
R-Shitei: So if you think about it like that, it’s a good thing, isn’t it? I’d probably want to immerse myself in that frame of mind as much as I can once I get into it. Then lots of words come out, but when we were really busy, we had to deal with other work before I could (write lyrics). This time, we were able to use plenty of time luxuriously…
DJ Matsunaga: …so we were able to dive in deep.
R-Shitei: Yeah, that was what was so great. Matsunaga was in his “lull” and was able to dive deep into his sounds. I was able to live everyday life immersing myself in the ups and downs and in the little things.
When I interviewed another act the other day, the composer said they wrote the melody as a “representation of their emotions,” and another member wrote the lyrics by “sharing the emotions” in that melody. You two seem to be the complete opposite of that.
DJ Matsunaga: But when we’re playing catch with the music, I channel R-Shitei’s lyrics a lot. First I send him the riff, and then when he sends back the lyrics and rap, a story is added to it. So the criteria for sifting through which sounds will highlight that is born. I think our process is similar R being the screenwriter and me being the cinematographer, adding pictures to the script.
I see!
DJ Matsunaga: I tailor everything to the lyrics. Like for “Emmanuelle,” I really focused on that. Like the part in the verse where he says, “Unadareta oreni…” (“Downcast, I’m…”), I imagined the way R is feeling then and made the background music to fit that. I spend a lot of time doing all that.
R-Shitei: To be more precise about “facing music luxuriously” that I’ve been talking about, I mean that I had ample time to face my emotions and get inside myself.
DJ Matsunaga: I totally get what you mean.
R-Shitei: Right? That’s how something like “doppelgänger” came to be. Having different versions of yourself — and it’s not a matter of which is good or bad — is what a doppelganger represents. And in line with that, (the album’s title) LEGION is an army of demons, which in my mind is the monster Legion from the movie Gamera 2: Attack of the Legion, and that huge swarm that gathers consists of me and and my own emotions, you know?
Lastly, there’s a line in “Tsujoukai” that goes, “Turntable and microphone, what we do doesn’t change.” What always impresses me about your shows is the stoic way you always hype up the audience with just the turntable and microphone, no matter what venue you perform in. Could you elaborate on your commitment to this style?
R-Shitei: Probably because that’s ultimately our “max.”
DJ Matsunaga: That’s exactly it! We do it because it’s the best for us. A lot of hip-hop artists have bands or dancers join in during the performance… but if a band joins in, you don’t need me anymore.
R-Shitei: [Laughs]
DJ Matsunaga: The bigger the stage, the more people want to embellish the shows. I have mixed feelings about that. We just want to be able to keep doing some raw, incredible rapping and awesome DJing.
But I think there aren’t many people who can say that with such certainty… It takes courage to say that.
DJ Matsunaga: You’re right… I might have been arrogant. [Laughs] I want our stages to be like that because I’m really proud of what we do.
R-Shitei: I guess it’s because our strongest desire is to hit hard with our rapping and DJing.
—This interview by Maiko Murata first appeared on Billboard Japan
Italian pop star Damiano David, musician-actor Rina Sawayama and Stranger Things stars Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo will be among the presenters at the ninth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards, which will be held Sunday, May 25, at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo. Voice actress Sally Amaki and entertainer Jon Kabira are set to host the show, which will be livestreamed for global audiences.
Other presenters booked for the event include Brazilian pop star Pabllo Vittar, American recording artist D4VD, American snowboarder Chloe Kim, drag star Plastique Tiara, Japanese actor-musician Dean Fujioka and American-Chilean singer Paloma Mami.
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The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is billed as the leading yearly awards program powering the global rise of anime, the art of Japanese animation. Fans around the world can visit the Crunchyroll Anime Awards website to vote each day through April 14 for their favorite series, creators and performances. Global fan voting helps to determine the winners.
Hiroki Totoki, president and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, will deliver opening remarks at the Anime Awards ceremony.
The nominees for anime of the year are DAN DA DAN, Delicious in Dungeon, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Kaiju No. 8, Solo Leveling and The Apothecary Diaries.
“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love,” Rahul Purini, president of Crunchyroll, said in a statement. “Anime continues to deeply resonate emotionally with fans, and anime’s biggest night of the year is sure to invoke a lot of joy and pride amongst the anime community—fans and creators alike. This year’s nominees represent more than 50 series and films developed by more than 35 talented studios.”
In celebration of the 2025 Anime Awards, Crunchyroll is helping anime fans catch up with the nominees. A selection of nominated titles streaming on Crunchyroll are now available to watch for free. Additionally, the Crunchyroll Store has discounts on manga, collectibles, and more tied to the honorees.
Fans are encouraged to vote each day with a 1-click resubmit feature through April 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT on the Anime Awards website and launch their favorite anime into the spot. Additionally, for the first time, voting is accessible within the Crunchyroll mobile app. The results will be announced at the awards ceremony and through a global fan livestream.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions will support Crunchyroll in the execution of the event.
Here are 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards nominees in key categories:
Anime of the Year
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
Solo Leveling
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Anime Song
Abyss – Yungblud – Kaiju No. 8
Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts – MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
Fatal – GEMN -【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
LEveL – SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Solo Leveling
Otonoke – Creepy Nuts – DAN DA DAN
The Brave – YOASOBI – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Best Score
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict- Shiro Sagisu
DAN DA DAN – kensuke ushio
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Evan Call
Look Back – Haruka Nakamura
Solo Leveling – Hiroyuki Sawano
Film of the Year
HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle
Look Back
Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain
My Hero Academia: You’re Next
SPY x FAMILY CODE: White
The Colors Within
Best Original Anime
BUCCHIGIRI?!
GIRLS BAND CRY
Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night
Metallic Rouge
Ninja Kamui
Train to the End of the World
Best Continuing Series
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
My Hero Academia, My Hero Academia Season 7
ONE PIECE
【OSHI NO KO】【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
SPY × FAMILY, SPY × FAMILY Season 2
Best New Series
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
Solo Leveling
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Opening Sequence
Abyss – Yungblud – Kaiju No. 8
Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts – MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
Fatal – GEMN – 【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
LEveL – SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Solo Leveling
Otonoke – Creepy Nuts – DAN DA DAN
UUUUUS! – Hiroshi Kitadani – ONE PIECE
Best Ending Sequence
Antanante – riria. – Ranma1/2
Burning – Hitsujibungaku – 【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
KAMAKURA STYLE – BotchiBoromaru – The Elusive Samurai
Nobody – OneRepublic – Kaiju No. 8
request – krage – Solo Leveling
TAIDADA – ZUTOMAYO – DAN DA DAN
Best Action
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
DAN DA DAN
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Kaiju No. 8
Solo Leveling
WIND BREAKER
Best Comedy
Delicious in Dungeon
KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3
MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
My Deer Friend Nokotan
Ranma1/2
SPY × FAMILY Season 2
Best Drama
A Sign of Affection
DEAD DEAD DEMONS DEDEDEDE DESTRUCTION
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
Pluto
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Isekai Anime
KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (season 2, Cour 2)
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3
Shangri-La Frontier Season 2
Suicide Squad ISEKAI
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3
Best Romance
A Sign of Affection
Blue Box
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Ranma1/2
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
The Dangers in My Heart Season 2
Best Slice of Life
Laid-Back Camp Season 3
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Mr. Villain’s Day Off
My Deer Friend Nokotan
Sound! Euphonium 3
The Dangers in My Heart Season 2
Best Animation
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
Solo Leveling
Best Background Art
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Pluto
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Character Design
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Director
Fuga Yamashiro – DAN DA DAN
Haruo Sotozaki – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Keiichiro Saito – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Megumi Ishitani – ONE PIECE FAN LETTER
Norihiro Naganuma – The Apothecary Diaries
Yoshihiro Miyajima – Delicious in Dungeon
Best Main Character
Frieren – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kafka Hibino – Kaiju No. 8
Okarun – DAN DA DAN
Maomao – The Apothecary Diaries
Momo – DAN DA DAN
Sung Jinwoo – Solo Leveling
Best Supporting Character
Fern – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Himmel – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Jinshi – The Apothecary Diaries
Seiko – DAN DA DAN
Senshi – Delicious in Dungeon
Turbo Granny – DAN DA DAN
“Must Protect at All Cost” Character
Anya Forger – SPY × FAMILY Season 2
Frieren – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Okarun- DAN DA DAN
Senshi – Delicious in Dungeon
Tokiyuki Hojo – The Elusive Samurai
Yuki Itose – A Sign of Affection
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Nogizaka46‘s “Navel Orange” tops this week’s Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released April 2.
The 38th single by the popular girl group launched with 611,511 CDs after dropping March 26, more than its previous single. The song tops sales and comes in at No. 9 for downloads, No. 13 for radio airplay, and No. 21 for video views to give the group its 28th leader on the tally.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” drops a notch to No. 2, but continues its domination of multiple metrics. The Oblivion Battery opener rules streaming for the 30th week with 9,912,320 weekly streams, video for the 13th week, and karaoke for the 12th week.
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Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” holds at No. 3. Downloads for the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener are down to 74% compared to the week before, streaming 92%, radio 60%, and video 62%, while karaoke gains for the second week in a row to 113%.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Darling” rises 6-4. Karaoke for the three-man band’s latest hit increased for the ninth consecutive week to 105% and radio is also up to 103% week-over-week. The band’s long-running hit from 2023, “Que Sera Sera,” follows at No. 5, jumping 6 slots this week to re-enter the top 10. The song logs its 101st week on the Japan Hot 100 and boasts over 600 million total streams.
Outside the top 10, JO1’s “BE CLASSIC” debuts at No. 11. The lead title track off the eleven-member boy band’s best-of album, released Apr. 2, tops downloads and comes in at No. 18 for streaming and No. 4 for videos. Also, cherry blossom season is in full gear in Japan and Ketsumeishi’s “Sakura” from 2005 has re-entered the Japan Hot 100. Downloads, streaming, videos, and karaoke for the classic seasonal staple have increased and the track hits No. 89 this 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. 24 to 30, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
Legendary regional Mexican group Banda El Recodo is gearing up for the release of their new album, En Vivo Desde Japón (Live from Japan). Recorded last year during their performance at the De Camino a Latinoamérica festival in Tokyo at Odaiba Pier, the album will be rolled out in five weekly installments starting this Thursday (April 3).
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“We decided to release it this way to offer something different,” says Alfonso “Poncho” Lizárraga, leader of the group that was founded in Mazatlán nearly 87 years ago, in an exclusive interview with Billboard Español. “Each installment will feature a collection of songs grouped under a specific theme.”
The first part, titled Orgullo por México (Pride for Mexico), will include tracks like “Puño de Tierra,” “El Sinaloense/El Corrido de Mazatlán,” and “El Rey/Cielito Lindo/Viva México.” This will be followed by Amor Como Lenguaje Universal (Love as a Universal Language) on April 10, featuring a medley of “Te Presumo/Me Gusta Todo de Ti/La Mejor de Todas,” “Y Llegaste Tú,” and the spotlight track “No Me Aprovechaste,” an unreleased song written by Luciano Luna.
On April 17, the third installment, Separación, Distancia, Desamor (Separation, Distance, Heartbreak), will be released, featuring songs such as “Que te Ruegue Quien te Quiera,” “Yo Sé que te Acordarás/Vas a Llorar por Mí/Acá Entre Nos,” and “Triste Recuerdo/Te Ofrezco un Corazón.” A week later, on April 24, Viva La Fiesta (Long Live the Party) will debut, showcasing the tracks “La Crazy Loca,” “La Culebra,” and “La Quebradora/Vámonos de Fiesta.” Finally, on May 8, En Vivo Desde Japón will be completed with a second unreleased track, “El Malo Soy Yo,” along with “Qué Bonita/El Farol.”
This marks the second time Banda El Recodo has recorded a live album outside of Mexico. Back in 1995, they released Desde París, Francia, La Gira Europa ’95 (En Vivo) (From Paris, France, The Europe Tour ’95 Live). It is also their second time performing in Japan, where they first visited in 2002 to support the Mexican National Soccer Team during the World Cup, playing in five different cities.
“This time, we were part of an event where we were invited to share a piece of our culture with an audience of 5,000 people. It was an incredible experience and a great source of pride,” says Lizárraga. “Nowadays, there’s a growing openness to discovering Mexican music — and we find it very important that mariachi and banda are represented worldwide.”
“It’s important to honor and dignify traditional Mexican music,” Lizárraga continues. “We want the history of Mexican music to be respected and preserved. This doesn’t mean we don’t support new talents or younger generations, but it’s crucial to keep our traditions alive.”
Banda El Recodo will kick off the U.S. leg of their ’90s Banda Tour on May 25 in Newburgh, N.Y., joined by Banda Machos, Banda Los Recoditos, and Banda Maguey. The tour will blend traditional banda hits with technobanda and la quebradita, a music and dance explosion that took the scene by storm during the 1990s.
In Mexico, the tour is called Las Más Perronas (Mexican slang roughly meaning the Baddest) and includes only Banda El Recodo and Banda Machos, with three dates announced: July 11 at the Auditorio Telmex in Guadalajara, August 9 at the Arena Ciudad de Mexico, and Sept. 5 at the Arena Monterrey.
Banda El Recodo
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The inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN ceremony, the largest music awards in the country, is set to take place in May in Kyoto. Embodying the theme of “Connecting the world, illuminating the future of music,” the brand-new international music awards is hosted by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), an association jointly established by five major organizations in the Japanese music industry.
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This year’s MAJ will recognize works and artists in more than 60 categories, including the six major awards for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year and more, which have gained significant attention and recognition from Jan. 29, 2024 to Jan. 26, 2025. The entries for each category were announced on March 13 and the selection by domestic voting members is currently underway to narrow down the list to five nominees for each category.
Let’s take a look at the 256 songs that are up for the high-profile Song of the Year category, as compared against Billboard Japan‘s all-genre Japan Hot 100 song chart (hereafter BBJ), and delve deeper into the trends and characteristics unique to MAJ based on data.
Comparison with BBJ Chart Metrics
Billboard Japan
First, we’ll compare some of the differences between the MAJ and BBJ metrics. The chart above shows the point share of each metric for the 256 songs entered in the Song of the Year category. The figures for BBJ show the point share of the top 256 songs in the Japan Hot 100 chart during the same tallying period as MAJ.
The entries for Song of the Year is based on an original chart that combines the six metrics of the Japan Hot 100 (rounded up in two-month segments) and UGC data (click here for details). The system is structured in a way that makes it easier for songs with short peak periods to be eligible.
One feature MAJ and BBJ both have in common is that streaming accounts for the largest proportion of both. This shows that both are strongly aware that streaming is the main way people listen to music today.
CD sales account for 10% of MAJ, but only 2% of BBJ. Japan’s CD sales market is still large when viewed globally, and MAJ places importance on this unique Japanese user trend. Downloads are 7% of MAJ while 4% for BBJ, indicating that the former places a relatively higher value on ownership-type metrics.
While streaming is the main focus for MAJ, they are clearly also conscious of achieving a balance with a wider range of metrics. Its most distinctive feature is that its system is designed to take into account the characteristics of the Japanese market.
Analysis of the Songs’ Properties
Billboard Japan
The gender ratio of the MAJ entries is 61% male artists, 30% female artists, and 9% mixed acts. Compared to BBJ, the ratio of male artists is slightly lower, and the ratio of female artists is higher. BBJ has more mixed acts, mainly because many songs by male-female duo YOASOBI have charted.
84% of the entries were by Japanese artists. Compared to BBJ, MAJ has slightly more songs by South Korean artists (MAJ 14%, BBJ 10%). The only artists from outside Japan and South Korea were Mariah Carey, OneRepublic, and Taylor Swift, all of whom are from the U.S. There were also two entries for collaborations between artists from different countries: Rosé & Bruno Mars and BE:FIRST X ATEEZ.
Billboard Japan
The ratio of member composition of the acts entered in MAJ is highest for groups (37%), followed by bands (27%) and solo artists (26%). Dance and vocal groups, which have strong CD sales, are pushing up the ratio of groups. Meanwhile, BBJ has the highest proportion of bands (36%), influenced by the long-running hits of popular bands such as Mrs. GREEN APPLE and back number. Of the 256 songs, there are 124 acts in MAJ and 103 in BBJ, so the former has a greater variety of acts.
Billboard Japan
The genres with the largest number of songs for both MAJ and BBJ are pop and rock. Notably, K-pop accounts for 14% of MAJ, and idol performers account for 9%, indicating the major influence of dance and vocal groups. Hip-hop and Vocaloid account for less than 10%, but these genres have their own categories, such as the Best Japanese Hip-Hop/Rap Song and the Best Vocaloid Culture Song.
Billboard Japan
43% of the entries weren’t tie-ins, but songs connected to anime (19%), drama series (13%), and commercials (11%) were also prominent. BBJ shows a more continuous tie-in effect, while MAJ can be said to have a diverse collection of songs that are relatively independent of tie-ins.
These data show that MAJ incorporates a good balance of diverse metrics to reflect a wide range of mainstream music in Japan. The fact that the awards also places weight on metrics reflecting the unique characteristics of the Japanese music market, such as CDs and downloads, is a major difference from the BBJ charts.
It’ll be interesting to see how MAJ’s design will impact the future of the music market and the promotion of Japanese music worldwide. The nominated songs will be announced on Apr. 17, and the awards ceremony will take place on May 21 and 22.
Billboard Japan will continue to publish features on MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN. In the second installment, we’ll compare MAJ’s Song of the Year with BBJ’s Top Global Hits from Japan chart.
Hitomitoi dropped her new album Telepa Telepa via Billboard Japan Records on Mar. 26. The latest release by the Japanese singer-songwriter is her first album of original works since July 2017. The project’s theme is her connection to people and places overseas, which were some of the most memorable things that happened to her over […]
Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO! and YOASOBI graced the stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES on Sunday, March 16, the music event by Japan’s Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA).
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YOASOBI opened the show, and when the duo’s name on a banner flashed on the screen behind the stage, the 7,000 fans in the audience cheered loudly. As the banner was torn down by the hand of a monster, low-pitched sounds and mysterious music played over the speakers. ikura and Ayase appeared on stage to the announcement, “Welcome to the world of Surrealism,” and the crowd shouted and waved their glow sticks to express their excitement. The intro to “Seventeen” began to play after a brief silence, and ikura said in English, “Welcome to matsuri ’25. We are YOASOBI from Japan. Get ready to have a blast tonight. L.A., are you guys ready?” Fans responded with shouts of “Oi! Oi!” and the band kicked off the event with a bang.
ikura took a moment to explain the purpose of the event, saying, “Three acts from Japan — Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and YOASOBI — have come this time, hoping to enjoy great music, J-pop music, with everyone here.” She then asked the audience to light up their phones and sway to create a sense of unity, and the duo performed the poignant mid-tempo ballad “Tabun.”
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Following “The Brave,” the band performed “Monster,” a fast-paced track with thumping low beats that satisfy performed live. “As a J-Pop artist, we’ve been trying to spread our music from Japan to the world,” said ikura in English. “We are so so so happy to be able to share with all of you. Thank you very much. I love you guys. We dive into the second half. Let me see your passion, OK? You ready to go loud? Can you give us some more? Ok, let’s sing together.” The pair then went on to perform some of its biggest hits back-to-back, with the exhilaration of “Into the Night,” the unity of the chorus in “Blue,” and the energy and enthusiasm of the audience in “Idol” filling the venue. The overwhelming delivery of the last three songs proved that YOASOBI has indeed become one of Japan’s top acts whose concerts sell out instantly whenever they perform overseas today.
ATARASHII GAKKO!
Yuri Hasegawa
Following a 15-minute changeover, the four members of ATARASHII GAKKO! appeared from the audience aisle to the sound of ringing school bells, holding big white flags over their heads. When the members — SUZUKA, RIN, MIZYU, and KANON — gathered on stage, SUZUKA greeted the crowd with the sound of a trumpet in the background: “Hello everyone. We are ATARASHII GAKKO! Everybody, are you ready?” The words “Seishun Nihon Daihyo” (Youth Team Japan) appeared on the screen and the women began their set with “Change,” the members swinging their arms around and performing immaculate choreography off the bat. During “Fly High,” RIN called out, “L.A., are you ready? Jump!” and fans were more than happy to comply. For “Arigato,” each member sang while holding a broomstick like a microphone stand, or fake-played it like a guitar, playfully reminding us of our school days. The audience reacted enthusiastically to the intro of the group’s breakout hit “Otona Blue,” and the members captivated the crowd with their signature head-shaking dance and distinctive choreography.
Following a group chant with SUZUKA, who hyped up the audience calling out, “Everybody, ganbatte (hang in there)! Woo!” the women performed “Toryanse.” Fans waved their glow sticks towards the stage during the intro and danced to the lively rhythm accompanied by electronic sounds of Japanese instruments. Each of the four members called out, “Everybody jump!” “Say yeah!” and “Say change!” in time with the lyrics during the set, confidently charging the crowd with their energy.
An image of the Tokyo metropolis appeared on the screen and ATARASHII GAKKO! launched into “Tokyo Calling.” SUZUKA came down from the stage and sang enthusiastically while making her way through the crowd, regally marching back to the lyrics of “We are marching.” The women closed their set with “One Heart,” the word “SAIKO” (“the best”) appearing behind them on the screen, and the audience joined in and sang along. The lyrics “AG want to take you higher” is like the Japanese modern version of Ike & Tina Turner’s “I Want To Take You Higher,” and the song uplifts and inspires like the best kind of music.
Watching ATARASHII GAKKO!’s performance, this writer couldn’t help but agree with what Creativeman Productions’ Rob Kelso said during the press conference before the event: “The best way to integrate these [artists] is to realize we lost the last excuse. Their last excuse was it must be in English…anything in the U.S. must be in English. And that doesn’t exist anymore. Now it is ok not to be in English…let’s take advantage of that. Doors are opening again to other languages.” The members of ATARASHII GAKKO! know how to entertain the crowds at their shows overseas, encouraging call-and-response with fans using short Japanese words like “ganbatte” and “saiko,” and getting them excited in English, saying, “Everybody jump!’ and ”Say yeah!” Plus, the group’s shows never look cheap or over-the-top, thanks to the four members’ well-coordinated dance moves, SUZUKA’s vocal prowess, and the individuality of each member. Whether you’re Japanese or American, anyone who sees ATARASHII GAKKO! will be able to enjoy its performances to the fullest, and the group’s set at matsuri ’25 was a testimony to that.
Ado
Viola Kam
Then the “Ado Box” was set up in the center of the stage for the event’s final artist, the enigmatic singer Ado, who never shows her face. The 22-year-old songstress immediately launched into her hit banger “Show,” then performed “New Genesis,” “Usseewa” (which sounded faster and more powerful than when this writer saw her on her North American tour a year ago), and “Lucky Bruto” in succession. The stage production was designed to be visually enjoyable as well, with Ado performing “RuLe” by dancing and singing while seated on a chair in her box.
After calls of “Let’s go, Ado” from the audience, the singer addressed the crowd for the first time, talking about how living in Los Angeles for a month last year was one of the best experiences of her life. She shared some episodes that showed her personality, like how she enjoyed In-N-Out burgers and going to Macy’s. “I’m proud to be able to share the stage with ATARASHII GAKKO! and YOASOBI,” she said, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to perform at the event. “I’m so happy that you’ve come to experience Japanese music and culture today. It will really make me happy if you’ll continue to love Japanese music and culture. This has been a really great evening. Thank you.” She then invited the audience to sing and dance with her before performing the last song of her set, “Odo.”
It was unthinkable in the past that an artist who maintains her anonymity by never revealing her face would perform on stage in a box. But it’s true that many people listen to Ado’s music and when she announces shows outside of her home country, many fans rush to buy tickets. This is in line with what Goldenvoice vice president Ellen Lu said at the conference that “festivals are booking with a global sense now. Because that is what people are listening to, so if we are to stay in touch with what people are wanting to see that is not just exclusive to the U.S. or Europe which historically has been the case. It just puts these [international] artists in front of audiences that want to see them or have never had a chance to see them.” This is why Ado was able to successfully tour the world last year, and is set to embark on her second global trek this summer at even bigger venues including arenas.
The three acts that performed at the matsuri ’25 event all had previous experience performing live in North America, and it was a luxurious and precious experience to be able to see them at once. It was an evening that surely made fans want to support other Japanese artists that will follow these groups and go on to perform on the world stage.
—This article by Tomoya Ogawa first appeared on Billboard Japan
“We’ve been trying to spread our music from Japan to the world,” Lilas Ikuta, singer for the Tokyo-based duo YOASOBI, told the audience at a sold-out Peacock Theater show in Los Angeles during a break in the group’s frenetic, synth-driven pop show. Already stars in their home country, Ikuta, who goes by the stage name Ikura, and her bandmate, Ayase, are beginning to get serious help finding fans beyond their home turf.
YOASOBI’s appearance that night was part of a concerted effort to push Japanese pop music — J-pop — far beyond the island nation. The March 16 showcase — matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES, which also featured Ado and ATARASHII GAKKO! — is the creation of The Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), an organization created by the five Japanese music industry organizations, along with Los Angeles-based promoter Goldenvoice. CEIPA was founded in 2023 by the Recording Industry of Japan (RIAJ), the Music Publishers Association of Japan (MPAJ), the Federation of Music Producers Japan (FMPJ), Japan Association of Music Enterprises (JAME) and All Japan Concert and Live Entertainment Promoters Conference (A.C.P.C.) An industry mixer and panel discussion before the concert was hosted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Consulate-General of Japan in L.A.
The quest to take J-pop global also has the financial heft of Japan’s largest corporation. In February, CEIPA announced a partnership with Toyota and the launch The Music Way Project, an effort to bring Japanese music to a global audience. The Music Way Project will have overseas bases in L.A., London and Thailand to organize showcases in those regions. It will also help develop artists through a three-pronged approach that includes student seminars, in collaboration with Japanese universities; seminars for young music professionals; and a songwriting camp. Toyota’s “innovation and adventurous spirit,” said CEIPA executive director Taro Kumabe at the press conference, “aligns perfectly with our mission to take Japanese music further into the world.”
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The global success of South Korean music — K-pop — and the resulting growth of companies such as HYBE and SM Entertainment have people in Japan wondering why J-pop can’t be the next great music export. “There is a chance for Japan as well,” Tatsuya Nomura, board member of CEIPA and president of FMPJ, told Billboard through an interpreter. “You have to understand, K-pop music is based on ‘80s Japanese pop. So, as long as we strive forward, we can do it.”
Japan already has a presence in the U.S. mainstream through video games (Final Fantasy, Pokémon), anime (Spirited Away), fashion (Uniqlo), food (sushi) and martial arts (karate). But while K-pop songs and albums regularly appear at the top of Billboard’s U.S. charts, J-pop remains a niche. A few Japanese artists have made some headway. In 2019, pop trio Perfume became the first J-pop act to perform at Coachella. Babymetal, a heavy metal band fronted by three females, tours the U.S. regularly and has appeared at festivals such as Sick New World and Rock on the Range. YAOSOBI performed at Lollapalooza and Coachella in 2024 but didn’t build a U.S. tour around those appearances.
Successfully breaking J-pop in the U.S. and other foreign markets would provide a financial windfall for the Japanese music industry. While Japan was the second-largest recorded music market in 2024, according to the IFPI, it was just 23% the size of the U.S. And because streaming dominates in the U.S. — it accounted for 84% of 2024 revenue, according to the RIAA — there is a huge, internet-connected audience ready to push play on emerging trends. Last year, the global music market reached $29.6 billion, with $20.4 billion coming just from streaming.
South Korea’s early embrace of streaming helped K-pop find fans in the U.S. and elsewhere. With streaming starting to take off in Japan, Nomura believes the time is right for J-pop to look beyond its borders. “Up until now, the Japanese market was mainly focused on CD sales,” he says. “But after COVID happened, people started listening to music on a streaming service. That opened a new page for Japanese music outside of Japan.”
Japan’s government wants to give J-pop a push, too. Faced with decades of deflation and stagnant wages, it’s looking to its content industries to help lift wages and commodity prices. These grand ambitions were laid out in a 2024 report by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) titled, “Grand Design and Action Plan for a New Form of Capitalism 2024,” which described the government’s dedication to increase exports of the country’s content — including music — to a world audience that’s easily reachable by digital distribution. The plan includes, among other things, education, assisting business development and using global platforms “to encourage the formation of local, dedicated fan communities.” Nomura said CEIPA does not receive any government funding.
Michael Africk, a former recording artist with songwriting and production credits on numerous hits in Japan, also believes that J-pop is ready for a bigger stage. Africk’s Handcraft Entertainment recently raised $1 million to help build a multi-faceted company that Africk says will encompass music, fashion, merchandise and cosmetics. The relatively small sum is just “a start,” he says, and the next funding round is already underway.
Africk sees South Korea’s success as a blueprint for how Japan can work in foreign markets and tailor its music to Westerners. K-pop “Westernized really well,” he says. “They understand the economics and the way business works over here. The Japanese struggle with that a bit.” After decades spent working on both sides of the Pacific, Africk believes his experience will help Handcraft bridge the business culture divide between the world’s two largest music markets.
For J-pop to cross over in the West, the artists and music will need to fit the tastes of listeners. Africk explains that J-pop that’s popular in Japan tends to have vocal sounds and chord changes that Western audiences aren’t used to hearing. He seeks out artists who cross cultures seamlessly, speak both Japanese and English perfectly, and have appeal in both Japan and English-speaking countries. While K-pop leans heavily toward ensembles, Handcraft, which is distributed by Virgin Music Group outside of Japan and B ZONE within Japan, has signed two individual artists, Anna Aya and Hana Kuro.
There were two other signs of Japan’s expansion this month. First, blackx, an Asian-focused music investment firm, and ASOBISYSTEM, a management and production company that represents more than 100 artists, formed a strategic partnership to build J-pop outside of Japan. The pairing is meant to provide artists with resources, help them connect with fans globally and create cross-industry collaborations. Then on Tuesday (March 25), Japanese music company Avex made a major move into the U.S. market by naming Brandon Silverstein, founder of S10 Entertainment, the CEO of its newly formed U.S. arm, Avex Music Group. As part of the deal, Avex acquired 100% of S10’s publishing division and added to its existing stake in the management business. The hiring and investment will help Avex break Japanese artists in global markets and position Avex “as a potent force in the international music landscape,” Avex CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa said in a statement.
The Japanese industry will make another push in May with the inaugural Music Awards Japan, an ambitious, two-day event that will name winners of 62 categories based on votes from more than 5,000 members of the Japanese music industry. Set for May 21 and 22 in Kyoto, the awards show will be broadcast in Japan by NHK and will be streamed globally by YouTube. Toyota is a top sponsor of the event.
“Beginning with matsuri ‘25 and the Music Awards Japan, we hope that these events will become the sort of conception or beginning to a lot of different Japanese music artists being able to create more, expand their expression and creativity, to share their love for music with different fans around the world,” CEIPA’s Nomura said during the press conference. “This is going to define the future of the Japanese music industry.”
Mrs. GREEN APPLE‘s “Lilac” Returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released March 26.
The Oblivion Battery opener is back atop the tally after five weeks to log its seventh week at No. 1. On its 50th week on the chart, streaming for the long-running hit is up 103%, downloads 104%, and karaoke 103% compared to the week before.
Eighteen songs by the popular three-man band continue to chart this week, with “Ao to Natsu” from 2018 leading the pack at 282 weeks.
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Debuting at No. 2 is SixTONES’ “Barrier.” The six-member boy band’s 14th single bows at No. 1 for sales again, selling 374,475 copies after dropping March 19, making it the group’s 14th consecutive single to debut atop the metric.
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Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” rises a notch to No. 3. The newly released music video accompanying the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener helped boost downloads, streaming, video views and karaoke. Downloads are up slightly, streaming up 106%, video 185%, and karaoke 198% week-over-week.
Rosy Chronicle’s “Heirasshai! ~ Nippon de aimasho” bows at No. 4. The Hello! Project girl group’s major-label debut single launches with 74,912 CDs to come in at No. 2 for sales and No. 28 for downloads.
Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora’s “Koi wa baisoku” follows at No. 5, debuting on the chart at a higher position than the group’s previous single, “Sukisugite Up and down.”
Southern All Stars’ “Yume no Uchuryoko” rises to No. 8. The track off the evergreen veteran band’s 16th studio album and the first in ten years entitled THANK YOU SO MUCH ruled radio and came in at No. 11 for downloads after dropping March 19.
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 17 to 23, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
Japanese entertainment company Avex announced a major move to increase its investment and presence in the U.S. on Tuesday (March 25), naming S10 founder Brandon Silverstein CEO of its newly formed Avex Music Group. AMG will focus on promoting Avex artists globally, building its music publishing portfolio, expanding into music catalog deals and much more.
“Avex has always been driven by a bold vision: to shape the future of music,” Avex CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa said in a statement. “Since forming our strategic partnership with Brandon, we have strengthened our presence in the U.S. market, and now, we are taking that vision to the next level.”
Previously known as Avex USA, all assets and staff will be consolidated under AMG, which will continue to be headquartered in Los Angeles. Silverstein will oversee all company operations in addition to being a partner in AMG with an equity stake and joining its board of directors.
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“It is an honor to work alongside Katsumi and contribute to Avex’s legacy of innovation and excellence,” Silverstein added. “My mandate is to build Avex Music Group into a dynamic, full-service music company that creates global opportunities for our creative community.”
In conjunction with Silverstein’s new role, Avex – which had an estimated global revenue of $1 billion USD in 2024 – has acquired 100% of the S10 Music Publishing song catalog and an additional stake in S10 Management. Avex now has the largest share in S10 Management alongside Silverstein and Roc Nation. S10’s existing team and operations will remain unchanged.
Silverstein founded S10 Publishing in 2020 as a joint venture with Avex. Its catalog includes Hot 100 No. 1s such as “Peaches” by Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; “Greedy” by Tate McRae; “First Class” by Jack Harlow and more, alongside hits by Rihanna, Bad Bunny, Post Malone and others.
S10’s Management roster includes Myke Towers, Big Sean and Madison Bailey.
“By deepening our commitment and entrusting Brandon to lead our U.S. operations, we are not only expanding our footprint but also positioning Avex as a potent force in the international music landscape,” Kuroiwa said. “Together, we will create new opportunities for creatives, introduce Japanese talent to a wider global audience, and push boundaries to redefine what it means to be a global powerhouse in music and entertainment.”
