It’s not often you hear a new single that stretches on for nearly six minutes. Such is the age of streaming, and the time restraints necessary to craft a hit on platforms like Spotify. But although Official HIGE DANdism (Official髭男dism) have become the kings of streams in Japan, the Japanese market itself is still dominated … Continue reading
EXID may have gone on indefinite hiatus, with the majority of its members leaving their agency, but the group has one more project to unveil. Their second Japanese album arrives next month, spearheaded by B.L.E.S.S.E.D. It’s an unconventional swan song for the girls, but when have EXID ever been conventional? Their entire career arc was … Continue reading
Longtime readers of The Bias List will know how stingy I am when it comes to rating songs nine and above. But, there’s plenty of music that qualifies. In fact, I’ve got a playlist of over 600 of them sitting in my iTunes. The vast majority of these are singles or title tracks, but there … Continue reading
There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year. There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. … Continue reading
Over the course of the past few months, Hey! Say! JUMP have become the most musically interesting Johnny’s group. Having been a fan for a while now, this a surprising – and gratifying – transformation. I mean, these are the guys who go around Japan in ridiculous white jumpsuits solving people’s problems. This is the … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. June 2020 Overall Thoughts This may not seem like much within the context of 2020’s continual … Continue reading
I’m currently watching Nizi Project at the delayed pace that JYP Entertainment is releasing official subtitles, so I’ve pretty much given up hope when it comes to avoiding spoilers. And with debuting group NiziU releasing their first music video today, whatever shred I may have been clinging onto has completely disintegrated. So, I have surrendered. … Continue reading
Surprising no one, BTS have conquered Japan alongside every other global music market. This has been achieved through a combination of Japanese re-recordings and original material. Oddly, their trio of original J-pop songs (For You, Lights and now Stay Gold) share a sound that’s downright toothless compared to their Korean work. Much of their global … Continue reading
I often write about musical trends on The Bias List, and it’s rarely in a positive light. But, today I want to zero in on one of my favorite trends to ever sweep pop music. We’re going back decades for this one, as I attempt to compose a love letter of sorts, written to one … Continue reading
As Twice’s 2019 material matured, that sense of sophistication bled over to their Japanese discography as well. Both Breakthrough and Fake & True represented quantum leaps in quality when stacked against past J-pop releases. I had hope that this streak would continue, but new single Fanfare pulls them back a little. This is despite the … Continue reading
I have no idea what a “mazy” night is supposed to be, but if that’s the kind of night it takes to get a song like this, I want my whole freaking life to me mazy. Seriously, though, Mazy Night has been a long time coming. Originally scheduled for release at the end of April, … Continue reading
After starting this feature in February, I hoped to post a new J-Pop round-up every month or so. But, the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt on Japan’s music industry, with very little material coming out since early April. There just hasn’t been much to write about. So, instead of featuring strong b-sides this time, I’m … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. May 2020 Overall Thoughts Well… I’m officially worried. We’re almost halfway through the year, and at … Continue reading
Stray Kids’ TOP has been rattling around for awhile now, but I wanted to wait until the music video was out before offering my thoughts. Though released in several different languages, TOP is essentially the group’s debut J-pop single – at least when it comes to original material. And as with most J-pop singles, it’s … Continue reading
You thought Stray Kids’ Side Effects was a wild ride? Well, you were right… and I dearly love that song. But, it’s got competition. I’ve wanted to write about Hey! Say! JUMP’s「I」ever since it was released last October, but couldn’t figure out a way to do it that would actually attract readers! So, I decided … Continue reading
Longtime readers of The Bias List will know how stingy I am when it comes to rating songs nine and above. But, there’s plenty of music that qualifies. In fact, I’ve got a playlist of over 600 of them sitting in my iTunes. The vast majority of these are singles or title tracks, but there … Continue reading
I watched J-drama Nobuta wo Produce for the first time last month and fell head over heels in love with it. Even since, I’ve been revisiting KAT-TUN’s (consistently fantastic) discography and remembering just how much I adore their music. At their best, they’ve delivered some of the most essential pop tracks of the last fourteen … Continue reading
If you’re anything like me, you’re very upset that legendary production team Sweetune has been sidelined from the K-pop industry for the past year or so. I’d kill for some new Sweetune music in 2020, but for now we’ll have to settle for past glories. I’ve combed my archive to bring you some Sweetune tracks … Continue reading
Gosh, I’ve been meaning to create this best-of list for years now. But now that AAA are on their way to a nebulous (permanent?) hiatus, it seems like a good time to look back at their best singles. For me, AAA are *the* co-ed J-pop group, impossible to fully replicate because their diverse set of … Continue reading
It’s been quite some time since I’ve written about a new Bullet Train track. To be honest, their music just hasn’t been the same since vocalist Koichi left. That’s no dig on the group’s remaining vocal Takashi, who has really kept their sound afloat. But, there’s just so much more you can do with two … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 