Similar to its effect in Korea, the Japanese version of Produce 101 spreads its tentacles far and wide throughout the industry. Not only do participants end up in a variety of unaffiliated groups, but the show itself spawns multiple acts. Months after the debut of winning group ME:I, the runners up have made their debut … Continue reading
JYP groups have always achieved great success in Japan and that has expanded to the agency’s very own J-pop acts NiziU and NEXZ. ITZY haven’t had quite as many promotional opportunities in this market as their agency peers, but new single Algorhythm continues their push. For me, the most notable aspect about Algorhythm is its … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
I considered relegating &TEAM’s Samidare to my J-pop round-up on Sunday, but the group is notable enough to K-pop fans to warrant at least a mini-review. After all, they’re the guys who gave us last year’s double whammy of Firework and Dropkick — both of which were 2023 highlights. As far as HYBE boy groups … Continue reading
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 … 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. April 2024 Overall Thoughts K-pop years aren’t always frontloaded, but January was so strong that its … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Kep1er’s future as a group remains unsteady, with activities set to end in early July unless their contract is extended. I’m not sure if we’ll get another Korean comeback before that point, but for now fans can enjoy a new Japanese album from the group. Some of their strongest material has been released in Japan … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
When compared to the length of Queen Bee’s history as a band, I’m quite a latecomer to their fandom. Super Memorial (超メモリアル) celebrates fifteen years of music, but it feels as if they’re just getting started. The band released my favorite song of last year and vocalist Avu-chan produces my favorite group of the moment … Continue reading
Looking back at the blog, I realize I haven’t written a full song review for a Bullet Train single since the group reconfigured with four new members. More than a decade after their debut, they’re now a nine-member act — including a new vocalist. I’ve been mixed on their more recent output, though last year’s … Continue reading
I don’t know if there’s actual correlation between the two, but ever since Johnny’s Entertainment rebranded into Starto Entertainment, I’ve had a hard time falling in love with their music. Maybe it’s an A&R thing, or maybe it’s simply a symptom of a changing industry environment. Whatever it is, recent songs by some of my … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
The music video for Kis-My-Ft2’s newest single has been out for a few days, but I’ve been holding off on writing about it because I honestly couldn’t decide how I felt about the song. For those who have never heard of this group, they boast my favorite J-pop discography, largely due to songs like this … 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. March 2024 Overall Thoughts Okay, this year’s already a little weird. We kicked off with an … Continue reading
I don’t know why the name “ME:I” makes me giggle, but it does. It sounds like something you’d come up with from a random K-pop name generator. In fact, ME:I are a J-pop act, formed through the latest season of Produce 101 Japan. But like their predecessors JO1 and INI, they’re essentially a Japanese act … Continue reading
I wrote a track-by-track review of Ryugujo’s new EP a few days after it was released, and I’ve only gone on to appreciate it more since then. It feels like Ryugujo’s music takes a quantum leap forward every time they release something new. This will be a hard feat to keep up, but it’s been … Continue reading
I wouldn’t consider myself the biggest Travis Japan fan overall, but their single Candy Kiss was one of my favorite songs of last year. They excel when given old-school funk beats and an uncomplicated, upbeat sentiment. Someone in the agency must agree, because new single T.G.I. Friday Night feels like a natural extension of that … Continue reading
A J-pop act’s single isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. I don’t usually post “buried treasures” for J-pop, most often because they’re not … Continue reading
The Bias List doesn’t have a recurring feature for new album reviews outside of K-pop, but my favorite acts always get extra coverage so I had to devote a special feature to J-pop group Ryugujo’s new EP. I often refer to Ryugujo as the most exciting act on the planet right now, and that excitement … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 