Why did you surprise release MV of 'Haruhikage'?!

Edited April 28Apr 28 by AllStarBySmashMouth

7 hours ago, AllStarBySmashMouth said:

Why did you surprise release MV of 'Haruhikage'?!

Might be on my Top 5 Spotify Artists of 2025...

Ikimonogakari's Asobi gets highlighted by Billboard, love to see it;

Edited May 20May 20 by CowTzy

So Japanese music industry recently launches a new music award called Music Awards Japan (MAJ) and the award is held today and tomorrow.

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN Announces Show Details, Nomination Process & More

Source: https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/music-awards-japan-show-details-nomination-process-1235949093/

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN (MAJ), the largest music awards in the country, is set to take place at the ROHM Theatre Kyoto on May 21 and 22.

With this year’s theme “Connecting with the World, Illuminating the Future of Music,” the inaugural international music awards is hosted by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), jointly established by five major organizations in the Japanese music industry, including Recording Industry Association of Japan, Japan Association of Music Enterprises, the Federation of Music Producers Japan, Music Publishers Association of Japan, and All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoters Conference. 

Although the entities are in the same industry, the five organizations have rarely collaborated until now because of differences in business and objectives. But the crisis faced by the entertainment and live music industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the spread of streaming services and the success of Japanese entertainment spaces such as the world of anime, prompted the five organizations to unite to work for the future of the country’s music industry.

The content industry, which includes music, is worth 4.7 trillion yen and gaining momentum. That’s a sizable figure compared to the sectors in Japan’s export sales, as the automobile industry is worth 17.3 trillion yen, the semiconductor industry is worth 5.7 trillion and the steel industry is worth 5.1 trillion. The Japan Business Federation has positioned content as a key industry for the country and proposed that it be increased from 4.7 trillion to 20 trillion yen by 2033. The export of entertainment from Japan to the world is set to become a full-fledged industry. And with the aim of supporting and promoting the globalization and sustainable growth of the country’s music industry, CEIPA joined forces with TOYOTA GROUP to launch the MUSIC WAY PROJECT. In March, the project hosted a showcase event in the United States featuring Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO! and YOASOBI called matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES. It was presented by CEIPA x TOYOTA GROUP “MUSIC WAY PROJECT,” and the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN ceremony is part of this endeavor.

So, why was the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN created in the first place? The answer lies in the changes in Japan’s unique music market, which sits on the border between opportunity and challenge. According to the RIAJ, physical sales accounted for 62.5% of Japan’s content sales in 2024. According to the IFPI, Japan maintains the world’s second largest market and its market structure differs from that of other countries. The temporary increase in disposable time due to the stay-at-home orders during the pandemic led to the expansion of the streaming market worldwide and a change in market structure has also occurred in Japan. Today, the number of artists gaining recognition in the U.S. and East Asian countries is increasing, and the revenues of the streaming and live music industries continue to rise. The Japanese music industry and companies are seeing potential in the fact that the number of Japanese songs and artists being listened to outside the country are only gaining traction.

When it comes to nominations, MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN places importance on four factors: transparency, global collaboration, celebration and creativity. The awards place the highest importance on trust and fairness, both from the artists and creators involved, as well as from the listeners who support the music. The criteria for selection, including the chart data from Billboard Japan, of approximately 3,000 works entered in the 62 categories include the six major awards for Song of the Year, Artist of the Year and more. The considered works are ones that have gained significant attention and recognition between Jan. 29, 2024, to Jan. 26, 2025. The entries for each category were announced in March, and the nominees will be revealed on Thursday, April 17. The detailed rules and schedule for how these works are selected as final nominees are listed on the website. The overseas voting members include Hannah Karp (Editor-in-Chief, Billboard), Lucian Grainge (Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Group), Rob Stringer (Chairman, Sony Music Group) and Robert Kyncl (CEO, Warner Music Group).

Now, CEIPA is calling on music industry professionals eligible to vote to consider the future of Japan and music when choosing works they think deserve an award. This means there is nothing wrong with artists voting for their own work or for those of other artists. There are also categories where fans can vote for the artists they support, too.

The nominated works chosen through this process have just been announced and can be seen on the awards’ official website. After another round of voting, the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony, which will be broadcasted live on YouTube so viewers across the world can have the opportunity to hear the selected works. This will be a step toward helping artists in their activities overseas. Although the majority of awards are targeted at Japanese works, there are also awards that celebrate Asian artists in collaboration with other Asian countries, and awards that recognize foreign artists who are listened to in Japan.

As the inaugural awards aim to deepen the connection between Japanese music and the rest of the world, Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) has been honored with the Symbol of Music Awards Japan 2025. Founded in 1978 by Haruomi Hosono and the late musicians Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi, YMO is one of Japan’s most beloved acts who toured successfully overseas from the early days of their career and gained popularity around the world. The “Rydeen” group’s timeless, innovative music, activities and style make them a “symbolic presence that teaches us the future” that the MAJ strives to aim for. A YMO tribute concert will take place at the Kyoto International Conference Center on May 20.

“We want to use matsuri ’25 and MAJ as springboards to promote Japan’s wonderful music content,” Tatsuya Nomura, president of the Federation of Music Producers Japan and chairman of the Music Awards Japan Executive Committee, said at the matsuri ’25 JP Music Industry Mixer & Panel press conference hosted by JETRO. “And we want to create the future of the Japanese music industry through a cycle in which Japanese artists are inspired by these projects and create wonderful works.”

Global music exchange will influence fans around the world and will lead to the enrichment of the global music market as a whole. As the Japanese music industry prepares to make a strong move toward repositioning itself in the world market, it’s surely worth paying attention to the direction it’s taking.

Here are some nominations and winners that have been announced:

Best Japanese Song

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Fujii Kaze – "Michiteyuku"

Kenshi Yonezu – "Sayonara, Mata Itsuka!"

Mrs. Green Apple – "Lilac"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Top Japanese Song in Asia

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Imase – "Night Dancer"

Kenshi Yonezu – "Lemon"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Yuuri – "Betelgeuse"

Top Japanese Song in Europe

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Kenshi Yonezu – "Kick Back"

King Gnu – "Specialz"

Teriyaki Boyz – "Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious)"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Top Japanese Song in Latin America

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Imase – "Night Dancer"

King Gnu – "Specialz"

Miki Matsubara – "Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me)"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Top Japanese Song in North America

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Kenshi Yonezu – "Kick Back"

King Gnu – "Specialz"

Lotus Juice and Azumi Takahashi – "It's Going Down Now"

Miki Matsubara – "Mayonaka no Door (Stay with Me)"

Best J-Rock Song

10-Feet – "Dai Zero-kan"

King Gnu – "Specialz"

Mrs. Green Apple – "Lilac"

Omoinotake – "Ikuokukonen"

Vaundy – "Kaijū no Hanauta"

Best Japanese Hip Hop/Rap Song

Chanmina – "B-List"

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Kenji Ozawa featuring Scha Dara Parr – "Konya wa Boogie Back"

XG – "Woke Up"

Yuki Chiba – "Team Tomodachi"

Best Japanese R&B/Contemporary Song

Ai – "Story"

Ayumu Imazu – "Obsessed"

Chanmina – "Harenchi"

Hikaru Utada – "Automatic"

Hikaru Utada – "First Love"

Fujii Kaze – "Hana"

Fujii Kaze – "Kirari"

Fujii Kaze – "Michiteyuku"

Fujii Kaze – "Shinunoga E-Wa"

Tatsuro Yamashita – "Ride on Time"

Best Japanese Dance Pop Song

Ado – "Show"

Atarashii Gakko! – "Otonablue"

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Da-ice – "I Wonder"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Best Japanese Alternative Song

Hitsujibungaku – "Burning"

Hitsujibungaku – "More Than Words"

Jo0ji – "Worksong"

Mega Shinnosuke – "Ai to U"

Rikon Densetsu – "Honjitsu no Osusume"

Rikon Densetsu – "Love Is More Mellow"

Tomoo – "Present"

Best Japanese Singer-Songwriter Song

Aimyon – "Marigold"

Fujii Kaze – "Michiteyuku"

Kenshi Yonezu – "Sayonara, Mata Itsuka!"

Tuki – "Bansanka"

Vaundy – "Kaijū no Hanauta"

Best Enka/Kayōkyoku

Junretsu – "Yume Mita Kajitsu"

Keisuke Yamauchi – "Kurenai no Chō"'

Leon Shinhama – "Subete Ageyō"

Matsuri – "Aventure Naka Meguro"

Show-Wa – "Kimi no Ōji-sama"

Best Anime Song

10-Feet – "Dai Zero-kan"

Ado – "Show" (withdrew because the committee mistook the song as an anime song)

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Mrs. Green Apple – "Lilac"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Best Idol Culture Song

Arashi – "Love So Sweet"

Chō Tokimeki Sendenbu – "Saijōkyū ni Kawaii no!"

Cutie Street – "Kawaii Dake ja Dame Desu ka?"

Fruits Zipper – "Watashi no Ichiban Kawaii Tokoro"

Snow Man – "Love Trigger"

Best Revival Hit Song

Asian Kung-Fu Generation – "Rewrite"

Eiichi Ohtaki – "Peppermint Blue"

Hikaru Utada – "Hikari"

Kiroro – "Best Friend"

Toshiyuki Nishida – "Moshi mo Piano ga Hiketa nara"

Best Cross-Border Collaboration Song

Babymetal featuring Electric Callboy – "Ratatata"

Fujii Kaze (produced by A. G. Cook) – "Feelin' Good"

Hikaru Utada (produced by A. G. Cook) – "Naniiro de mo Nai Hana"

Megan Thee Stallion featuring Yuki Chiba – "Mamushi"

One Ok Rock featuring Dan Lancaster (produced by Rob Cavallo) – "Delusion:All"

Best Instrumental Song

Cho Co Pa Co Cho Co Quin Quin – "Chichibu"

Jazztronik – "Evoke"

Nujabes – "Aruarian Dance"

Ovall – "Stargazer"

Special Others – "Good Song"

Best Vocaloid Culture Song

Hiiragi Magnetite – "Tetris"

Kurousa-P – "Senbonzakura"

Sasuke Haraguchi – "Igaku"

Satsuki – "Mesmerizer"

Yoshida Yasei – "Override"

Best Music Video

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Fujii Kaze – "Michiteyuku"

Kocchi no Kento – "Hai Yorokonde"

Mrs. Green Apple – "Lilac"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Best Dance Performance

Atarashii Gakko! – "Otonablue"

Be:First – "Masterplan"

Da-ice – "I Wonder"

Number_i – "GOAT"

Sekai no Owari – "Habit"

Best Viral Song

Chō Tokimeki Sendenbu – "Saijōkyū ni Kawaii no!"

Creepy Nuts – "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born"

Cutie Street – "Kawaii Dake ja Dame Desu ka?"

Kocchi no Kento – "Hai Yorokonde"

Yoasobi – "Idol"

Best Dance/Electronic Song

Chari Chari – "Of Mystic Rhythms (Psychic Thermometry mix)"

Denki Groove – "Denki Groove 34 Shūnen no Uta"

Testset – "Moneyman"

Towa Tei featuring Takkyu Ishino – "Typical!"

Wednesday Campanella – "Edison"

Best Jazz Album

Akiko Yano and Hiromi Uehara – Step Into Paradise — Live in Tokyo

Makoto Ozone – Day 1

Ovall – Still Water

Sadao Watanabe – Peace

Seiko Matsuda – Seiko Jazz 3

Best Classical Album

Fujiko Hemming – Kiseki no Campanella

Hayato Kadono – Human Paradise

Joe Hisaishi – A Symphonic Celebration – Music from the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki

Nobuyuki Tsujii – The Best

Ryūichi Sakamoto – Opus

Best International Rock Song in Japan

Bon Jovi – "Legendary"

Coldplay – "Feelslikeimfallinginlove"

Green Day – "The American Dream Is Killing Me"

Linkin Park – "The Emptiness Machine"

Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen – "I Had Some Help"

Best International Alternative Song in Japan

Billie Eilish – "Birds of a Feather"

Billie Eilish – "Chihiro"

Billie Eilish – "Lunch"

Ginger Root – "No Problems"

Keshi – "Say"

Mina Okabe – "Strong"

Vampire Weekend – "Classical"

Best International Hip Hop/Rap Song in Japan

Eminem, Big Sean and Babytron – "Tobey"

Kendrick Lamar – "Not Like Us"

Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA – "Luther"

Megan Thee Stallion featuring Yuki Chiba – "Mamushi"

Snoop Dogg featuring Sting – "Another Part of Me"

Best International R&B/Contemporary Song in Japan

Ariana Grande – "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)"

Beyoncé – "Texas Hold 'Em"

Norah Jones – "Running"

SZA – "Saturn"

The Weeknd – "Dancing in the Flames"

Best International Pop Song in Japan

Beyoncé – "Texas Hold 'Em

Lady Gaga featuring Bruno Mars – "Die with a Smile"

Rosé featuring Bruno Mars – "Apt."

Sabrina Carpenter – "Espresso"

Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone – "Fortnight"

Best K-Pop Song in Japan

Aespa – "Supernova"

Aespa – "Whiplash"

BTS – "Dynamite"

Illit – "Magnetic"

Le Sserafim – "Perfect Night"

NewJeans – "Ditto"

NewJeans – "Supernatural"

Grand Prix Engineer

Hidekazu Sakai and Hideyuki Matsuhashi – "Sweetest Tune" by Travis Japan

Katsutoshi Kitamura and Eiji Uchinuma – Mixer's Lab Sound Series Vol.4's "Chiisana Hana" by Kenichi Tsunoda Big Band

Kōji Suzuki – Music of the Sphere - Immersive Classics's "Metamorphosis I - For Two Pianos" by Yoshitake Hasegawa and Yukari Gotō

Toshirō Kai – Anniversary EP's "Boku Note (For 20th Anniversary with Orchestra)" by Sukima Switch

Toshiyasu Shiozawa and Hiroshi Satō – The Second Movement of Symphony No. 5 by Andrea Pattistoni and Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

Individual awards:

Best DJ

Dazzle Drums

DJ Koco

DJ Nobu

Okadada

Yōsuke Yukimatsu

Best Japanese Song Artist

Fujii Kaze

Kenshi Yonezu

Mrs. Green Apple

Vaundy

Yoasobi

Best J-Rock Artist

King Gnu

Mrs. Green Apple

Official Hige Dandism

One Ok Rock

Vaundy

Best Japanese R&B/Contemporary Artist

Chanmina

Fujii Kaze

Gen Hoshino

Hikaru Utada

Tatsuro Yamashita

Best Japanese Dance Pop Artist

Atarashii Gakko!

Be:First

Creepy Nuts

Mrs. Green Apple

Yoasobi

Best Japanese Alternative Artist

Hitsujibungaku

Kroi

Rikon Densetsu

Toki Asako

Tomoo

Best Japanese Singer-Songwriter

Aimyon

Fujii Kaze

Hikaru Utada

Kenshi Yonezu

Vaundy

Honorary Award in Music-Technology: Association of Musical Electronics Industry

Largest Live Audience: West

MAJ Timeless Echo: Eikichi Yazawa

Edited May 21May 21 by CowTzy

The unexpectedly viral Love Live! track, AiScReam's self-titled(ish) song has an MV now. It's got a 1980s computer graphics aesthetic (I... don't know why).

Oh, and cookie and cream is the best!

Edited May 29May 29 by AllStarBySmashMouth

Don't think i've seen any members planning to watch YOASOBI's Wembley concert, but if you are: Have a nice day!

Edited June 6Jun 6 by CowTzy

To celebrate the upcoming release of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Infinity Castle Movie, Sony Music Japan has made all OSTs of the first three Demon Slayer seasons available, including these two bangers!

Will be patiently waiting for the Infinity Castle theme.

Ave Mujica vocalist Rico Sasaki is cooking again!

Holy sh** Umamusume finally made Umapyoi Densetsu available globally!

Edited July 11Jul 11 by CowTzy

Considered mentioning Umamusume in here but I don't actually know much of the music (instead I made a game thread at the Internet forum 😆). I do know the song by [Alexandros] for Cinderella Gray is kinda good.

I learnt about the existence of the Umapyoi song right after Alexandros' vocalist said in the interview that they were "disappointed" that they had to make music like they usually do instead of writing something like Umapyoi.

Koeru is indeed a banger, and it has been on my weekly charts for a while, but I'm yet to listen to their new album except for the Hard Life collab, which is quite decent.

The two new Demon Slayer songs by Aimer and LiSA are out now;