In connection with my desire to fully keep up with the J-pop industry, I’m planning to do a weekly round-up of any new releases that have caught my ear. Some of these may have been covered on the blog already, but my hope is that this will become a one-stop shop for anyone interested in what’s new in J-pop.
With that in mind, here’s where you come in: I’m one person with one set of musical preferences, so please embed any other new J-pop tracks you’ve enjoyed in the comments so we can get a fuller spectrum each week.
*And just like I do with my reviews, I’ll wait until full versions of songs are available before posting them in this round-up. This will mostly apply to Johnny’s groups, who still limit the majority of their YouTube uploads to shorter, edited versions.
2023 Index
THIS WEEK: Dec 24 – Jan 6
[Alexandros] – todayyyyy
I know this is a popular band but I don’t have much familiarity with their music. This is a good, sturdy rock track.
Aina The End – Sail
Red:birthmark is a near impossible high to surpass, but I like this new single a lot. It’s got a nice groove.
EBiDAN – Stage Of The Universe (song of the week!)
The EBiDAN groups have done collaboration singles before, but this is my favorite of them all. A great thumping dance beat and catchy hooks combine to create a nice start to the year! It sounds very much like a Snow Man track, actually.
Exile B Happy – Morning Sun
I love everyone involved in this and the energy is so bright and happy. The mixing feels a bit muddled, though.
Gen Hoshino – Why
I’m just not the target audience for his music. I find this snoozy.
IVVY – The Way I Am
A bounding pop beat and smooth vocal performance. This is enjoyable.
Madkid – Fly
A nice, driving beat with anthemic melodies and the occasional rap breakdown. It feels like a standard anime theme.
NAQT VANE – Nowverse
NAQT Vane’s debut album comes out this week and it sounds like it’ll be great. This has that satisfying Hiroyuki Sawano sound in the chorus (more on him later…).
NCT New Team – We Go!
I like this more than the last song they released, but the market for “J-pop acts modeled after the K-pop sound/image” is getting more crowded by the day.
Number_i – GOAT
I really, really, actively dislike this. I find it a very unpleasant, irritating listen.
Riri from FEMM – Living In The Spotlight
This is in keeping with their mannequin concept, but the song itself is a fun blast of straightforward dance pop.
SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] x TXT – LEveL (song of the week!)
I wrote about this here. I loved it!
Snow Man – Love Trigger
I wrote about this here. I was very underwhelmed.
The Super Fruit – Juicy Smile
This song does nothing for me, but they have a track on their new album called “I My Me Meow” and I find that very funny/charming.
Vaundy – Zero
90’s alt-rock nostalgia in full bloom.
Yoasobi – Heartbeat
I love the gospel influence but the song itself is kind of dull. The production/arrangement really compensates.
This week’s old favorite:
Kanjani8 – Musekinin Hero (2008)
In honor of Kanjani8 putting their music up on streaming, I figure I have to spotlight their (possibly?) best single.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
On first listening, I quite liked Aina The End – Sail. It’s a good follow up single, because it doesn’t attempt to match Red Birthmark’s epic drama, instead taking a different tact and nailing it. In the end it’s possible I’ll prefer this one over the other.
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NAQT VANE – Nowverse might be my favorite of these. ’24’s off to a good start!
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This counts as january 6 in my country so I’m putting it here (I don’t even know what is happening in One Piece but cool animation + the energy of the vocalist won me over) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFbno_aPm0w
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Very off topic but I’ve just come across two songs this weekend and I would love to hear your thoughts on them:
I know you mentioned how Rina Sawayama’s songs are really good in many of your global pop roundups so I’m curious to know where to start with her discography. I think this is one of her more experimental songs? Also what are your thoughts on the Amaarae remix of the song?
This song has this 80’s disco sheen so I think it might be up your alley.
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Hold The Girl is an amazing album. I think most of her fans prefer her first album SAWAYAMA more but not me lol. the title track, This Hell, Catch Me In The Air, Holy (Til You Let Me Go) and Imagining are my favs.
my favs on SAWAYAMA are XS, Comme Des Garcons (Like The Boys), Love Me 4 Me and Tokyo Love Hotel. for non-album singles, I like Cherry, LUCID and Beg For You with Charli XCX which samples the amazing Cry for You by September. and her remix of Eve, Psyche and the Bluebeard’s Wife with LE SSERAFIM is better than the original.
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Ooh, I love Imagining, especially the Amaarae remix! It feels kind of epic, probably one of my favorite Sawayama songs, after XS, This Hell, Hold The Girl, and the likes.
Also, @Jeno, that Eve, Psyche, and Bluebird’s Wife remix is fantastic, how come I missed it? It actually might be better than the original, or at the very least, equal it in a very different way.
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Yeah, both Rina albums are really good and so is her EP. I’d just dive into either of them if I were you. Hold The Girl is more mainstream and Sawayama is more experimental, so pick your poison!
Imagining is a great track — definitely a highlight! It’s more in line with her first album, if that helps. I hadn’t heard the remix yet, but I’m loving the extra intensity of the chorus! I’d also check out her remix/collab with Lady Gaga on Free Woman, which far surpasses the original.
I hadn’t heard the Renee Rapp/Megan Thee Stallion song yet either so thank you! I like it.
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Thank you to everyone who responded! I’m looking forward to listening to all of your great recommendations. Rina’s discography seems very promising, so I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll discover some really good gems from her! ❤️
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goat just might be the first jpop song not by a kpop group that i add to the 5.75- songs playlist 😞
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The Alexandros song is quite good, and love the TXT and Naqt Vane song.
OT: I saw recently you wonder where Sasuke of “J-Pop Never Ends” has went. Thankfully, as a Make Believe Mailer reader, I know! The end result, he is now making more low-key, indie releases. That said, he hasn’t abandoned his unique spark. This weird funk track might be to your liking, if not exactly J-Pop never ends.
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I should hate GOAT, but NCT got me jaded
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Musekinin Hero was also the first K8 song I found myself listening to after their songs went up. Looking back on it it was one of their best for sure.
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