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
2024 Index: Dec 24 – Jan 6 // Jan 7 – Jan 13 // Jan 14 – Jan 20 // Jan 21 – Jan 27 // Jan 28 – Feb 3 // Feb 4 – Feb 10 // Feb 11 – Feb 17 // Feb 18 – Feb 24
THIS WEEK: Feb 25 – Mar 2
ASCA – Vivid World
Nice, anthemic energy.
ATEEZ – Not Okay
I wrote about this here. I didn’t think it was that great.
BE:FIRST – Set Sail
Definitely on the poppier side of their material. I find it funny that a card game of all things gets a tie-up song!
Blue Encount & Takashi Sorimachi – Poison
This is a cover of a 90’s rock song, which is probably why it appeals to me so much.
Exile The Second – We Are The Best
With that title and the group’s history, I was hoping for some big EDM knockout. Instead, this is an oddly theatrical ballad. It’s good for what it is, but I’m kind of confused by their direction.
Fantastics – Updated Life
I adore the drama this song is taken from. The song itself, not so much.
Fantastics x EPEX – Peppermint Yum
This unexpected J-pop/K-pop collaboration finally has a music video. The song has grown on me, but I still wish it was more Fantastics and less EPEX.
Girls2 – Magic
A catchy, K-pop style girl group track.
The Jet Boy Bangerz – Ten
Ugh. Make it stop. I’m so sick of these shouty songs.
NCT Wish – Wish
I wrote about the Korean version of this song here. I thought it was okay.
One N’ Only – Talkin’
Standard boy group fare.
Ryubi Miyase – Ms. Playlist (song of the week!)
I really enjoy Miyase in dramas, so I’ve been curious about his musical career. This is probably his strongest single yet and a nice direction for his sound.
UVERworld – Eye’s Sentry
A solid rock track, if that’s your thing.
This week’s old favorite:
Chisato Moritaka – Stress (1989)
I haven’t yet featured any songs from the 80’s, so why don’t we start out with this addictive classic? It’s one of my favorites.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Interesting line-up! I missed a few tracks on here, so thanks for pointing them out!
Side note: BE:FIRST’s segment has a link to BBZ’s ‘In My Head’, instead of the song you were writing about.
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Thanks! Sometimes I copy the new youtube link but forget to paste it over the old one 😅
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No problem, I do it all the time! (to my embarrassment lmao)
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so now… here is my promised morning musume singles ranking
absolute best one: love machine (10)
amazing i love it so much omg (10-9): renai revolution 21 (10), ningen kankei no way way (9.5), utakata saturday night (9.25), daite hold on me (9), aino tane (9.25), morning coffee (9), the peace (9.25), shabondama (9), kanashimi twilight (9.5), ambitious (9.25), onna ni sachi are (9), shouganai yume oibito (9), nanchatte renai (9.25), kimagure princess (9), password is 0 (9), Tokyoという片隅 (9), lovepedia (9), teenage solution (9)
i think its good (8.75-8): suggoi fever (8.75), summer night town (8.5), memory seishun no hikari (8), manatsu no kousen (8.5), furusato (8), koi no dance site (8), i wish (8.75), mr moonlight (8.5), souda! we’re alive! (8.75), do it! now (8.5), koko ni iruzee (8.75), as for one day (8), go girl (koi no victory) (8.5), ai araba it’s all right (8.25), roman – my dear boy (8.75), josei kashimashi monogatari (8.25), the manpower!!! (8), osaka koi no uta (8.5), iroppoi jirettai (8), chokkan 2 (8), sexy boy (8.25), aruiteru (8.5), egao yes nude (8.5), mikan (8.75), resonant blue (8.5), pepper keibu (8.75), naichau kamo (8.25), onna de medatte naze ikenai (8.5), seishun collection (8.75), onna to otoko no lullaby game (8.5), only you (8.75), kono chikyuu no heiwa o honki de negatterun da yo (8.75), kare to issho ni omise ga shitai (8.25), pyocopyoco ultra (8), renai hunter (8.75), one two three (8.5), the materno show (8.5), wakuteka take a chance (8.25), help me!!! (8.5), brainstorming (8.5), Kimi Sae Ireba Nani mo Iranai (8.5), wagamama kinomama ai no joke (8.25), ai no gundan (8.25), egao no kimi wa taiyou sa (8.25), kimi no kawari wa iyashinai (8.5), what is love (8.5), toki o koe, sora o koe (8.75), tiki bun (8.5), 青春小僧が泣いている (8), 夕暮れは雨上がり (8.75), イマココカラ (8.5), oh my wish (8.75), sukatto my heart (8.5), 今すぐ飛び込む勇気 (8.75), 冷たい風と片思い (8), endless sky (8.75), one and only (8.75), the vision (8), セクシーキャットの演説 (8), ムキダシで向き合って (8.75), そうじゃない (8.5), brand new morning (8.75), jealousy jealousy (8.5), 邪魔しないで here we go (8.25), 弩級のゴーサイン (8.5), are you happy? (8.25), a gonna (8), フラリ銀座 (8.25), 自由な国だから (8.5), 人生blues (8.75), 青春Night (8.5), kokoro&karada (8.25), 純情エビデンス (8.75), ギューされたいだけなのに (8.25), よしよししてほしいの (8), ビートの惑星 (8.5), Chu Chu Chu 僕らの未来 (8.25), 大だい人生 Never Been Better! (8), wake-up call (8), neverending shine (8)
mid (7.75-7): happy summer wedding (7.75), hyokkori hyoutanjima (7.5), namida ga tomaranai houkago (7.75), シャバダバ ドゥ～ (7.5), 見返り美人 (7.25), 若いんだし (7.75), swing swing paradise (7.5), happy birthday to me (7.75)
no likey (6.75-6): n/a
go to hell (5.75-1): n/a
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