Japan
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back number’s “to new lovers” (Japanese title: “Atarashii Koibitotachi ni”) debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated July 24, giving the veteran three-man band its fifth No. 1 on the tally and the first in almost five years and eight months.
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The “Suiheisen” (meaning “horizon”) trio’s latest hit is being featured as the theme song of the ongoing drama series called Umi no Hajimari (“beginning of the sea”) being aired on Fuji TV’s popular Monday nights at 9 p.m. time slot. The track tops downloads (24,432 units) and radio airplay, while coming in at No. 4 for streaming (7,532,578 weekly streams) and No. 32 for video views. The song collected 1.9 times more first-week downloads and 1.7 times more streams compared to the previous single by the J-pop band, “Fuyu to Haru” (“winter and spring”), released in January.
This is the fifth time back number has topped the Japan Hot 100, having previously scored No. 1s with “Omoidasenakunaru sonohimade” (“until the day I can’t remember”) in 2011, the band’s seasonal staple “Christmas Song” in 2015, “Boku no Namaeo” (“(you called) my name”) in 2016, and “Old Fashion” in 2018. Other songs in the band’s catalog are also on the rise, with “Suiheisen” rising a notch to No. 38, “Takaneno Hanakosan” moving 42-39, and “Hanataba” (“bouquet”) 84-82.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” slips a notch to No. 2 after reaching No. 1 last week, but streams for the track are down only by about 5% from the previous week (No. 1 for the fifth week in a row for the metric), and the single is at No. 7 for downloads, No. 3 for video, and No. 12 for karaoke.
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AKB48’s “Koi Tsunjatta” bows at No. 3. The J-pop girl group’s 64th single, released four months after the previous single “Karakon Wink,” launched with 411,100 CDs in its first week, about 50,000 fewer than the predecessor’s 463,564 first-week copies.
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ONE OK ROCK’s “Delusion:All” jumps 21-7, breaking into the top 10. Streams for the Kingdom: Return of the Great General theme song are up by about 1.9 times the week before, radio up 7 times, and video up 1.5 times. Kocchinokento’s “Hai Yorokonde” also enters the top 10 for the first time, topping the video metric. Streams are up by about 1.2 times the week before (No. 16), while downloads and karaoke for the track also increased, with the former coming in at No. 12.
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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 July 15 to 21, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
On Feb. 13, 2024, BMSG, Inc. made waves in the Japanese music industry with their statement, “BMSG’s Recommendations for Pulling the Music Industry Back from the Brink of Unsustainability.” The announcement discussed the problems of Japan‘s music industry, which still heavily relies on CD sales. One of the issues discussed was how this reliance on physical media has led to people purchasing multiple copies of the same CD, contributing to the generation of excessive waste. BMSG declared its commitment to taking action to change the music industry’s structure and minimize CD waste.
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The announcement highlighted that the bulk-purchasing of CDs has been a longstanding issue, sparking debate for over a decade. The fact that this announcement came from BMSG, a record label and management agency home to dance and vocal groups with passionate fandoms, created a huge stir, both inside and outside the industry.
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In a revealing interview in The Quiet Revolution of Billboard Japan, published on Feb. 20, SKY-HI, CEO of BMSG, Inc., elaborated on the issues highlighted in the company’s recent announcement. Seiji Isozaki, the book’s author and chart director for Billboard Japan, shared his insights from the conversation.
“It was my first time meeting SKY-HI in person, but I’d heard a lot about what he’d said and done before. Some of his activities involved the hit charts, and I found them really thought-provoking. They motivated me in creating the Japanese charts. I thought that discussing the charts with him would offer insights into the artists’ perspectives on chart changes and allow for a multifaceted exploration of issues surrounding hit charts.”
“Meeting him in person, what I felt was his flexible stance on living in the present. At Billboard Japan, we’ve also continued to think about the limits and possibilities of the current music industry through our efforts with the hit charts. Although our positions are different, I strongly felt that he had also been grappling with the same issues, and it was a very encouraging dialogue.”
At the April BMSG convention, members of the entertainment industry watched SKY-HI’s presentation, where he reinforced the company’s commitment to these sustainability recommendations. Through the presentation, which was later streamed on YouTube, SKI-HI spoke directly about the recommendations, sharing them with the rest of the world.
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BE:FIRST’s concept single, “Masterplan,” released on April 24, was the first project to embody BMSG’s sustainability proposal. The single comes in a paper sleeve to reduce the amount of plastic generated by CD production. BMSG also eliminated retailer-specific add-ons — collectibles that come with CDs sold by specific music retailers that are randomly packaged with CDs, both of which drive bulk CD purchasing. Due to these decisions, the number of CDs shipped during the period from April 24 to May 22 fell by roughly 70,000, but total sales of singles and single-related merchandise, including merchandise featuring the single’s art, roughly doubled. Using paper sleeves cut plastic usage during the CD production phase by 10 tons and reduced the amount of associated CO2 emissions by 59 tons.
The title track, “Masterplan,” made a splash by debuting at the top of Billboard Japan’s Hot 100 song chart. The album’s solid chart results demonstrated that it’s possible to take the number one position without relying on the bulk purchasing of CDs by fans or retailer-specific add-ons.
“When we think about what makes a hit,” said Isozaki, “it’s important to look at how the hit charts are structured and how valid those charts are—whether those charts resonate with people. Getting to know the evolving Billboard charts in the US and the individuals shaping their evolution, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the significant responsibility we bear.”
“In the U.S., in the early ’90s, Nielsen Music (now Luminate) succeeded in collecting point-of-sale data from record stores across the country. Until then, data had been generated based on the results of fax and telephone surveys. The shift to this new, objective data collection method revolutionized the Billboard Hot 100 lineup overnight. The changes came as quite a shock, both inside the industry and out, and profoundly transformed what it means to be a hit. One thing we find very impressive is how Billboard’s charts have been able to keep resonating with people in the same way by constantly making adjustments, adding new data such as downloads and streaming plays.”
“In the early 2010s, Japan saw a surge in fan-driven bulk purchases due to customer participation activities. The phenomenon brought renewed attention to the practices of the music charts. This raised a dilemma. On the one hand, we needed to recognize the support that fans provided artists by bulk-buying their music. On the other hand, we also needed to ensure that our charts resonated with the broader audience so as to accurately represent which songs were true hits. And, no matter what, our charts should never incentivize unsustainable fan behavior that leads to burnout. So, since the mid-2010s, we’ve been meticulously adjusting the charts weekly to strike just the right balance. These adjustments have gradually reshaped Japan’s definition of a hit song.”
“Today, purchasing multiple copies of the same track has minimal impact on the hit charts. Fans desire longevity in their favorite artists’ careers. SKY-HI’s proposal invites us all to consider how fan activities in Japan can sustainably support artists.”
BMSG says that BE:FIRST’s initiatives are just the beginning of an ongoing effort to improve the sustainability of Japan’s music industry. On July 1, the South Korean boy band ATEEZ and BE:FIRST released their collaborative single, “Hush-Hush.” As BMSG sets its sights on the international arena, it is extending its reach beyond Japan’s borders. The full impact of these moves on the music industries of Japan and the wider world remains to be seen, yet it is evident that BMSG is steadfast in meeting these challenges.
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This article by Seiji Isozaki and Maiko Murata first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” hits the top spot on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, moving 4-1 on the chart dated July 17 after spending 14 weeks on the tally.
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The opener for the anime series Oblivion Battery was released back in April and debuted at No. 11 on the Japan Hot 100, then climbed to the top 5 where it coasted along powered by streams. The last episode of the anime aired on July 3, and the track saw an increase in all metrics this week with downloads at 106%, streaming at 107%, radio airplay at 194%, video views at 123%, and karaoke at 120% week-over-week.
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Debuting at No. 2 is SixTONES’s “GONG,” the lead track off the boy band’s 13th single “GONG/Koko ni kaettekite.” The CD launched with 438,438 copies to hit No. 1 for sales, while the song also comes at No. 35 for radio and No. 33 for video.
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Creepy Nuts’ long-running hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” holds at No. 3, followed by BOYNEXTDOOR’s “One and Only” at No. 4. “One and Only” is the lead track from BOYNEXTDOOR’s first single called “And,” which sold 238,859 copies in its first week to come in at No. 2 for sales.
“Fatal” by GEMN, the duo consisting of Kento Nakajima and Tatsuya Kitani, rises 21-8 to break into the top 10. “Fatal” is being featured as the opener for the anime series Oshi no Ko Season 2, which began airing July 3. The track jumps 42-11 for streaming, 20-4 for video, and bows at No. 65 for radio.
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Other notable chart moves this week include ONE OK ROCK’s “Delusion:All,” the theme song for the movie Kingdom 4, debuting at No. 21, and Ado’s “RuLe,” the theme song for the drama series Billion x School, bowing at No. 40.
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 July 8 to 14, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
On Dec. 23, 2023, fans were fortunate to see “Thanks,” a final, additional performance by GARNiDELiA at Tokyo’s EX THEATER ROPPONGI as part of their GARNiDELiA stellacage 2023 -stella ship- Re:CoNNeCT world tour. Six months later, on June 30, 2024, GARNiDELiA premier stellacage ‘TOKYO’ World Tour 2024 -TEN- [MAKUAKE] was held. This was the opening show of their world tour and their first time performing in Tokyo’s Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. The mood of the show was dramatically different from the previous show, and you could immediately see and feel the support GARNiDELiA enjoyed from its passionate Chinese fanbase. The first thing one saw upon stepping into the outdoor theater was the huge number of Chinese-speaking fans.
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The popularity of GARNiDELiA’s songs exploded throughout China with member MARiA’s performance of “Gokuraku Jodo” on the Chinese audition show Cheng Feng 2023, launching the band into stardom. MARiA now enjoys overwhelming popularity in China, even serving as the advertising face of various brands.
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Unfortunately, it was rainy on the day of the outdoor show. In the midst of the drizzle, sound effects with a distinctly Asian feel began playing and toku and the band’s supporting members took to the stage. Then MARiA appeared, wearing a dress evocative of the Middle East and a long veil covering her face. The show began with “-TEN-,” a song from their latest album, TEN, which represents GARNiDELiA’s resolve to reach the pinnacle of all they survey. The sound production featured deep bass, the product of the band’s experience in China. This combined with MARiA’s singing voice, whose emotional strength had reached new heights, to produce a chemical reaction that resulted in a simply overwhelming performance. During the band’s performance of “Diamond,” she removed her veil and was joined by a team of dancers. For the rest of the show, they put on intricate dances as MARiA commanded the stage. The crowd shouted along and banged their heads to “COLOR,” bringing the audience even closer together, and then the band launched into “True High.”
After toku and MARiA’s self-introductions, MARiA loosened up the audience with her cheery personality, saying “What a wonderful, sunny day, huh! (laughs) We’re really fortunate to have such great weather! Okay, everybody, I want you just as soaked as me by the time you leave today!” She mentioned that they had added music with a “sky” theme to the set list because of the Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall location.
Her soft voice as she sang the line “a blue sky, free of clouds” in their performance of “ONE,” accompanied by the gorgeous, melodious synth line played by toku, was so powerful it felt like it could even part the rainclouds. MARiA’s piercing eyes glittered, showing the sincerity and honesty she always brings to her songs, as she performed “Soten.” This was followed by “Akatsuki Zakura” and “Oka Ramman,” whose Japanese tones took the splendor of the music to a new level.
MARiA, wearing a cat’s ear headband, and toku, donning a cat’s ear cap, then performed “CAT PLANET” (with a quick detour to perform a cover of Anri’s “CAT’S EYE”). The choreography, featuring cat paw gestures, was a stand-out, and the audience sang along to the “nya nya nya” (“meow meow meow”) part. Still wearing their cat’s ears, GARNiDELiA then played “PiNK CAT,” “Gen Ai Yugi,” and “QUEEN(S) GAME,” all accompanied by their dancers. The active back-and-forth with the audience is one of the hallmarks of the band’s live performances, marked by its global sensibilities.
The rain, however, showed no signs of stopping, instead growing fiercer and fiercer. MARiA, having changed into a black costume with gold decorations, sang a lush rendition of “Fiction,” a song of heartbreak with a piano refrain that lingers even after the song ends. Then the band performed “Hoshi No Uta” and “Suzuran.” The ‘80s flavor created a soundscape that felt both nostalgic and new, drawing out both the wistfulness and beauty of MARiA’s voice. The rain, now pouring down, was perfectly matched to MARiA’s emotional performance. The struggles and hard work beneath her artistry were highlighted even more sharply than in the band’s usual concerts, creating an overwhelming sense of authenticity.
“Sometimes your voices and your love feel like my wings. When I’m with you, nothing can stop me,” said MARiA before diving into the song “Future Wing.” This was followed by the hard-edged rock songs “SPEED STAR,” “ambiguous,” and “BLAZING.” The show’s finale was a special version of “FRONTiER,” which also felt like a beginning. In the encore, which began with “Gokuraku Jodo,” MARiA talked to the Chinese-speaking fans, who cheered in response. It was a truly international moment. “I want my fans in Japan to feel the Chinese vibe,” said MARiA, and the band covered Ikimonogakari’s “Blue Bird,” a song that enjoys a lot of popularity overseas. Many of the Chinese-speaking fans sang along with the chorus in Japanese. Seeing the success GARNiDELiA is achieving around the world, such as the growing range of reactions from the audience, with my own eyes, I was sure that GARNiDELiA’s music was poised on the edge of a dramatic transformation.
“No matter how hard things were, no matter how I struggled, no matter how dark the future looked, I kept pushing forward. I kept fighting. I knew that if I kept doing that, a miracle would happen. Our life, and the love you have all given us, is a testament to that,” said MARiA.
The Hibiya show was the opening of a five-month tour starting in summer that would see GARNiDELiA playing roughly 50 shows, mostly in China and nearby areas. The duo shows true strength, taking change head-on, unflinchingly, in the midst of our rapidly changing environment. This strength was demonstrated again by their performance in the middle of a merciless rainstorm.
The show came to a close with toku, a keytar over his shoulder, leaping to the front of the stage to perform “G.R.N.D.” MARiA and toku’s paths crisscrossed as they listened to each other’s music. Enveloped in generous applause and cheering voices, the duo left the stage.
This article by Mio Komachi first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Billboard Korea’s CEO Yuna Kim spoke with Billboard Japan for its Women in Music interview series featuring trailblazing female players in the country’s music industry. Billboard Japan launched its WIM initiative in 2022 in the same spirit as the established example of Billboard’s event that began in 2007, honoring artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to the music industry and empowered women through their work, the highest accolade being Woman of the Year.
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Kim is the CEO of Billboard Korea, which joined Billboard’s international editions in June 2024. Reflecting on her career and the Global Women Leader Forum she launched in 2022 to empower Korean businesswomen, Kim spoke candidly about the challenges and issues surrounding female artists in Korea and the need for independent female leaders.
We’d love to hear about how you started your career and became the CEO of Billboard Korea.
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I started my own business in Shanghai 15 years ago. I had an entertainment company called GMI Entertainment and brought many K-pop stars, Korean actors, and celebrities to China to make TV programs, dramas and movies. I then moved to South Korea in 2016 and joined a big company Shinsegae Group, where I was head of global marketing. I then signed a licensing agreement with Penske Media Corporation, which owns WWD in the U.S., to launch WWD Korea in 2019 and then Billboard Korea this year.
Not only have you worked in the music industry, you have worked in different areas in the entertainment space.
Yes, exactly. In Shanghai, I had my TV program at Anhui TV, a major broadcasting company. I also launched my social media channels on Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, called Meet The Idol when I was there. So, I have a good understanding of the media and the entertainment business.
You are now the CEO of Billboard Korea. Do many women hold executive roles in Korea?
It is gradually increasing, but still low. In the Korean music industry, the proportion of female executives is only 6%. As you know, South Korea is a very conservative country.
Yes, Japan is the same way.
So, like women in Japan, it is tough to become an entrepreneur in South Korea. This is why in 2022, I invited global women leaders from the U.S. and organized the Global Women Leader Forum in South Korea. I wanted to teach the women leaders in Korea, about what it means to be a female leader. And to do this, we thought we needed to learn from other countries. We invited Maye Musk to speak at the forum because we wanted to focus more on independent women. She is well known as a single mother, having raised three children, including Elon Musk. She is very independent and has many beautiful stories to tell, and we hope to have a second forum by the spring of 2025.
Did you see any changes since holding the Global Women Leaders Forum?
Before organizing the forum, many of my friends told me, “Korea is a very conservative country, so many women leaders wouldn’t want to participate. So there is no point in doing it.” As you know, it’s a very sensitive topic. Many women in Korea feel they are not capable of holding executive positions, such as a CEO. They feel that they should give up because many women think they need to fight against men for these positions. But my view is different. Women have their unique strengths and personalities. Instead of fighting against men, they should be able to utilize their unique styles and strengths.
Approximately 300 women leaders attended the forum, which changed their thinking dramatically. Even older women leaders said that women leaders are necessary, not just for women, but for the company. Since then, other media outlets have started similar campaigns for female leadership. At Billboard Korea, we would also like to launch initiatives to empower female leaders and entrepreneurs in the music industry.
It’s a great initiative. Japan is gradually changing from an era in which women were expected to work in the same way as men, or even more than men, to an era in which men and women support each other both at work and at home. Since it takes time to change people’s values, it’s a gradual change, yet I believe entertainment can play a major role in this process.
Let’s talk about the challenges surrounding female artists. When you look at the year-end charts in the U.S. and Japan, men continue to outnumber women. When we spoke to Billboard‘s editorial director Hannah Karp for this interview series, she said there are still issues that need to be resolved, such as safety for women in recording studios and sexual harassment. What problems do you see in South Korea?
There is harassment in South Korea as well. Many men don’t want to get involved in such issues, so it doesn’t get covered in the news, especially in the older media. I feel it’s a major problem when voices of female artists and creators are not heard. There are also issues surrounding the way women look. We are all under huge pressure to be slim and pretty or expected to look like dolls, not human beings. So young K-pop celebrities invest heavily in their faces and bodies, trying to be younger and more beautiful. This is an issue in the Korean entertainment industry.
Everyone’s appearance changes as they grow older. Do K-pop fans continue to support their favorite artists as they age gracefully or do they move on and support younger artists?
I think it is 50-50 among K-pop fans. BTS fans continue to support them even after they have gone to military service, and they seem to enjoy the fact that they are growing with age. However, the same cannot be said for girl groups. I feel there is a lot more demand for female artists to be younger.
What can we do as a media outlet to support female artists and ensure that they can continue to perform and make music for a long time?
For this reason, I would like to focus more on independent women and female leaders. If we understand and empathize with our idols, not only with their appearance but also with their thoughts and philosophy, we will want to continue supporting them no matter how old they are. As a media outlet, we can listen to the voices of the fans and the artists, right? By helping artists and fans to build a relationship, artists can continue to grow.
The most popular Korean acts in Japan are male and female groups. Are there any female solo artists outside of the mainstream who have enjoyed long careers in Korea?
That is a good question. As you say, there are artists from various genres in South Korea, but only girl and boy groups have had global hits. The reason being, it is more difficult for solo artists to gain a dedicated fandom compared to groups. Therefore, many agencies produce groups. There are many talented female solo artists in Korea, and Billboard Korea wants to introduce all genres to the world, such as K-R&B, jazz, classical, hip-hop and trot.
We also want to introduce artists of different genders and genres to the world. I believe this can change the world view of the Japanese and Korean music scene.
Billboard is launching its media all around the world. We have different cultures and ways of thinking, but women should be independent in every country. We want to think about what needs to be done in each country to support women and implement it.
This interview by Naoko Takashima first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Fans around the world will be able to livestream this year’s Fuji Rock Festival free of charge on Prime Video and the three official Amazon Music channels on Twitch.
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One of Japan’s pioneering music festivals, Fuji Rock ’24 is slated to hit Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture from July 26-28. The livestream will feature performances and interview footage of the acts billed on this year’s lineup set to appear on the Green, White, Red Marquee and Field of Heaven stages.
The Killers, Kraftwerk and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will headline this year’s Fuji Rock, while acts including Awich, Beth Gibbons, girl in red, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Kenya Grace, Kim Gordon, Tatsuya Kitani, MAN WITH A MISSION, Omar Apollo, Taeko Onuki, Noname, Peggy Gou, RAYE, Remi Wolf, Rufus Wainwright, Sampha, Teddy Swims, 10-FEET, The Allman Betts Band, The Last Dinner Party, TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA, Turnstile and more have been announced to perform. The schedule and lineup for the online livestream will be announced later.
Prime Video, which is free for those with an Amazon Prime account, can be streamed on the website and on a variety of compatible devices by using the Prime Video app including smartphones, tablets, cable TV devices, gaming devices, smart TVs, Fire TV, Fire TV stick and Fire tablets. The livestream will also be available for free on the three official Amazon Music channels on Twitch.
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To commemorate this exclusive live broadcast, five official Amazon limited color T-shirts are now available on Amazon Merch on Demand.
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Source: Hasyim Hasyim / Getty / Floppy Disks
Do you remember floppy disks? It’s okay if you don’t because they are an ancient technological relic. Folks in Japan are still very familiar with computer accessories, but thankfully, they no longer have to be hamstrung by them.
Spotted on BBC, Japan is finally saying goodbye to floppy disks.
Until last month, people in the country were still required to submit documents to the government using severely outdated storage devices because there were over 1,000 regulations requiring they have been used.
Digital Minister Taro Kono said that would no longer be the case after those regulations were tossed into the recycle bin and permanently erased.
Hilariously, we also know that the fax machine is still in use, which Kono also wants to eliminate.
Per BBC:
Mr Kono has made it his goal to eliminate old technology since he was appointed to the job. He had earlier also said he would “get rid of the fax machine”.
Once seen as a tech powerhouse, Japan has in recent years lagged in the global wave of digital transformation because of a deep resistance to change.
For instance, workplaces have continued to favour fax machines over emails – earlier plans to remove these machines from government offices were scrapped because of pushback.
“Just realized that floppy disks still exist,” one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in response to the New York Times’ reporting.
Another person added, “Welcome to the 21st century, Japan!”
Floppy disks were first introduced in the 1960s but fell out of favor with computer users in the 1990s when more efficient data storage methods arrived.
Sony was the last company to manufacture floppy disks until 2011 they ended production.
NewJeans took the stage at Tokyo Dome for its Bunnies Camp 2024 fan meeting on Wednesday (June 26), the first of two days the breakout K-pop group performed at the venue for its first-ever headlining show in Japan.
The five-member girl group set a record as a non-Japanese act for shortest period of time since debuting to perform at Tokyo Dome. Tickets for the two-day event quickly sold out to draw a total of 91,200 fans, proving the “Supernatural” group’s overwhelming popularity in Japan where various talented K-pop acts seek to expand their influence.
K-pop fan meetings often feature segments other than live performances, such as games and chatting among members, to focus on interacting with fans. But NewJeans’ event opted to forgo such frivolities for a more music-oriented showcase based solely on the idea of entertaining fans (Bunnies) through song. In addition to all the tracks from their past EPs and singles — “New Jeans,” “OMG,” “Get Up,” “How Sweet” — the girls performed two off their brand-new Japanese debut single, “Supernatural.” This stance was reflected in the mysterious DJ set by the opening act, South Korean music producer 250 (Lee Ho-hyeong), which focused on remixes of NewJeans songs, but with an emphasis on ambient moods.
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The venue brimmed with intense anticipation before the show began, and when NewJeans actually appeared on stage, the crowd erupted into a fierce frenzy that felt like it would blow off the roof of the stadium. But the five members — including Hyein, who had been on hiatus to recover from a foot injury — showed no signs of nervousness in the face of such a spectacle and went on to hype up the audience with live renditions of their signature songs such as “Attention” and “Cookie,” amplifying the energy of the original songs many times over with assistance from a band consisting of guitarist Kazuki Isogai (SANABAGUN.), bassist Kazuki Arai (King Gnu), keyboardist Yudai Ohi (SANABAGUN.), and drummer Soy. Although there were concerns about Hyein’s condition, she looked well and made a strong comeback, impressing fans with her vibrant, cool performance.
In addition to popular songs like “Hype Boy” and “Super Shy,” the highlights of the day were the solo performances that showcased the charms of each member through a fresh approach — Danielle and Hanni’s sweet duo performance of the unreleased song “Hold It Down,” a strong solo dance by Haerin, and Danielle debuting her beautiful R&B-inspired original track “Butterflies (With U).”
The girls also covered J-pop songs ranging from classic to contemporary to the delight of the audience, including performances of Vaundy’s “Odoriko” (Dancing Girl) by Minji, Mariya Takeuchi’s “Plastic Love” by Hyein, and Seiko Matsuda’s “Aoi Sangosho” (Blue Coral Reef) by Hanni. Moreover, the girls not only sang these songs, but also created a unique space where the content of each song and the members’ personalities were fused together, as in the performance of “Odoriko,” where Minji threw down her bag with a determined look on her face and started running, a complete change from the cool demeanor she maintained in the first half of the set. NewJeans is known for its beautiful and fragile image, spearheaded by label head Min Hee Jin, and this aesthetic was brilliantly carried through here as well.
The fan meeting also featured guest acts on both days, and J-pop duo YOASOBI appeared on Day 1 (Rina Sawayama took the stage on Day 2) — not as an opening act, but incorporated into the main set. YOASOBI singer ikura joined the group for “Right Now” as if she were the sixth member, surprising the audience with their coordinated formation. The two acts then segued into YOASOBI’s song “Biri-Biri,” smoothly performing the Pokemon-inspired number featuring a cute melody and solid drum and bass beat that perfectly matches NewJeans’ style.
After YOASOBI led the audience to a spectacular climax with its performance of “Idol,” Billboard Japan’s 2023 Song of the Year — unfortunately sans members of NewJeans — the five girls returned to the stage and upped the excitement with an energetic performance of their upbeat hit “ETA,” the audience erupting into a thunderous chorus of “What’s your ETA?” By this time, the band’s groove and the members’ cute but powerful voices and vibrant dance moves were perfectly integrated, and a unique exuberance typical of NewJeans filled the entire venue. Even during the laid-back “OMG,” which the members performed on a moving float, the venue was charged with a strange excitement that had nothing to do with relaxation. To be honest, I was personally concerned that the group’s musicality and a venue with tens of thousands of people might not necessarily be a good match, but on this day, NewJeans completely took over the stadium, a promising result in light of the group’s future performances at large-scale music festivals overseas.
The members closed the main set with “Ditto,” bringing the show to a happy ending with its pleasant groove and familiar dance moves. Answering calls for an encore, the group returned to perform the last song of the evening, “ASAP,” ending the fan meeting in style covered in a huge amount of confetti. The overwhelming satisfaction from the live performance itself — hard to believe it’s only been two years since the group was formed — as well as the tremendous response on social media after the show (with focus on the unexpected covers), will no doubt lead to even greater enthusiasm for the group.
–This concert review by neu_mura first appeared on Billboard Japan
Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” continues to rule the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for the 19th week on the chart released June 26.
The viral hip-hop hit comes in at No. 2 for downloads, streaming, video views, and karaoke this week. Downloads for the MASHLE Season 2 opener increased slightly compared to last week and overall points decreased only slightly, perhaps due to the duo wrapping up its headlining tour over the weekend (June 23) after having been on the road since March.
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Now in its 19th week atop the Japan Hot 100, “BBBB” is closing in on the all-time record for most weeks at No. 1 held by YOASOBI’s “Idol,” which ruled the tally for 22 weeks.
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IS:SUE’s “CONNECT” debuts at No. 2. The four-member girl group made its major-label debut on June 19, and “CONNECT” is the lead track off its first single. Launching with 133,769 CDs, the track rules sales and also radio, while coming in at No. 28 for downloads.
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Bowing at No. 3 is JEONGHAN X WONWOO’s “Last night (Guitar by Park Juwon)” by two members of the K-pop group SEVENTEEN. The single sold 99,154 CDs in its first week and hits No. 2 for sales, while hitting No. 29 for downloads, No. 36 for video and No. 58 for streaming.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” slips 3-4 this week, but the track has reached No. 1 for streaming after steadily climbing the ranks for weeks. The song has been hovering in the top five on the Japan Hot 100 for ten consecutive weeks.
Outside the top 10, MY FIRST STORY x HYDE’s “Mugen” climbs 21-13. The opener for the Hashira Training arc of the popular anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba saw increases in downloads (158% week-over-week), streaming (114%), and radio (132%) ahead of the final episode of the season airing this Sunday (June 30).
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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 June 17 to 23, here (https://www.billboard.com/charts/japan-hot-100/). For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account (https://twitter.com/BillboardJP_ENG).
By: Billboard Japan / Photo: Courtesy Photo
Kenshi Yonezu is set to drop his highly anticipated sixth studio album, entitled LOST CORNER, due Aug. 21. The project will be the J-pop hitmaker’s first album in four years since his previous set, STRAY SHEEP. All versions of the new album will include many of the singer-songwriter’s recent hits, such as “Sayonara Mata Itsuka!” […]