With eighties synth sounds currently in vogue, Bullet Train feel like the perfect J-pop match for the sound. Given their exuberant – often goofy – dance style, they’re uniquely positioned to capitalize on the cheesier side of the era. And all it takes is one look at the delightful outfits in the music video for … Continue reading
Some melodies are so instant and insistent that you come away from the very first listen with the hook rattling around in your head. This is often referred to as an “earworm,” and Japanese group BuZZ’s Sun and Love is the mother of all earworms. These guys have been around for a few years, but … Continue reading
It’s not always appropriate or fair to compare different artists to one another, but you’ll have to indulge me on this. For the past few months, you’ve suffered through me ranting about how I wish SM Entertainment would lean further into the ambition of the NCT project, giving them a big, bombastic showstopper rather than … Continue reading
Shortly after their formative survival series concluded, JYP’s NiziU soared to the top of Japanese charts. They’ve been a fixture there for months, which only goes to show how powerful certain agencies are. I mean, the girls hadn’t even made their official debut until now! As with most survival series-spawned groups, it didn’t matter if … Continue reading
LDH Japan has suddenly begun to blitz the internet with new music videos from its Exile Tribe acts, which is pretty exciting. Unfortunately, many of these have been in support of ballads that were digitally released months ago. But then we have Rising Soul – a new single by the agency’s popular Sandaime J Soul … Continue reading
SixTONES have taken the J-pop world by storm this year, and much of that is due to their ability to subvert expectations. Yes, they still brandish the elaborate costuming that’s become a hallmark of Johnny’s Entertainment acts, but their music has pushed toward a more international direction. I’m of two minds about this. I love … Continue reading
Arashi are putting a bow on their twenty-one year recording career, with what is assumed to be their final studio album This Is Arashi. It’s an odd hodgepodge of songs, including some of the group’s recent English work and even a Christmas track. So rather than feel like a cohesive project, the album plays more … Continue reading
Just two-and-a-half weeks since their comeback in Korea, Twice have delivered their next Japanese single. This is truly the K-pop group who doesn’t sleep. Rather than draw from the retro style of October’s I Can’t Stop Me, Better feels more like a sequel to last year’s Fake & True and Feel Special. It continues Twice’s … Continue reading
Less than a year after debut, Japan’s Produce 101-spawned JO1 is releasing their first full album. Of course, the Japanese market works differently than K-pop, usually cobbling together a run of already-released singles and b-sides into an album. But, this still seems like a quick accomplishment for the rookie group. After the generic Infinity, August’s … Continue reading
It’s no secret how much I adored Sexy Zone’s Run. That song felt like the climax to years of musical growth for the group. And immediately after its release, fans were treated to the announcement of member So Matsushima rejoining the group after a nearly two year hiatus. New single Not Found finds Sexy Zone … 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. October 2020 Overall Thoughts After a fantastic September, October was another strong month. And, it was … Continue reading
This year’s retro synth revival continues to spread around the globe, and that includes Japan. Exile Tribe has always had a retro flair, rooted most deeply in the early-90’s, so it’s no surprise that one or more of their groups would pick up this baton and run with it. However, Fantastics have never attempted a … Continue reading
True to JYP form, Stray Kids have proven to be real workhorses this year. Just over a month after their last Korean comeback (which they’re still promoting), they’ve dropped the music video for their new Japanese single. All In follows this spring’s standout TOP, and heralds the release of their first Japanese mini album. Like … Continue reading
Alongside Kissin’ My Lips, Snow Man’s new double a-side single includes Stories, which acts as the opening theme for anime Black Clover. Johnny’s Entertainment has a long history with anime, as does pretty much all of J-pop. Before even listening to Stories, you probably have a sense for how it might sound. And, you’d be … Continue reading
Snow Man debuted alongside SixTONES this January, ushering in a new era of Johnny’s talent. Both groups have gone on to enjoy incredible commercial success, proving that it’s time for the agency to open the floodgates and debut a few more of their promising junior acts (I’m personally waiting for HiHi Jets…). After a relatively … Continue reading
For a group whose music should be conquering Japan, IZ*ONE’s J-pop discography has been very inconsistent. Debut single Suki to Iwasetai was an undisputed triumph, but follow-ups Buenos Aires and Vampire were both marred by awful production and halfhearted performances. Unfortunately, new single Beware succumbs to the same issues. It’s aptly named, as listeners should … Continue reading
Back when Nu’est were really struggling commercially, they turned to Japan for the release of their Bridge the World album. Its overall sound is miles away from what the group is producing now, though I always thought that 2015’s Na Na Na Namida was an extremely underrated single. But, what a difference five years make! … Continue reading
It’s been awhile! As I’ve started covering more J-pop singles on the blog, there haven’t been as many tracks to feature in a J-pop round-up. But, one of the purposes of this feature is to unearth buried treasures. The seven songs below are a mix of singles and b-sides that have caught my attention over … Continue reading
You better believe the opening of Taeyeon’s new Japanese single got me all sorts of nostalgic. With a simple “C’mon girls, this is our generation,” I realized once again how much I miss Girls’ Generation being a force in K-pop. They’re often held up as the definition of a “Nation’s Girl Group,” and for good … 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. September 2020 Overall Thoughts Back in late winter, my reviews were often besieged with comments stating … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 