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.

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2023 Index: Feb 1 – Feb 18 // Feb 19 – 25 // Feb 26 – Mar 3 // Mar 4 – Mar 10 // Mar 11 – Mar 18 // Mar 19 – Mar 25 // Mar 26 – Apr 1 // Apr 2 – Apr 8 // Apr 9 – Apr 15 // Apr 16 – Apr 22 // Apr 23 – Apr 29 // Apr 30 – May 6 // May 7 – May 13 // May 14 – May 20 // May 21 – May 27 // May 29 – Jun 3 // Jun 4 – Jun 10 // Jun 11 – Jun 17 // Jun 18 – Jun 24

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THIS WEEK: June 25 – July 1

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BMK – Koihanabi

This is so my style. Unfortunately, it’s let down a bit by its execution. But if you’re looking for propulsive, high-octane pop you’re in the right place.

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Genki Iwahashi – I’m A Popstar

Yeah… I’m not buying this.

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Hinata Kashiwagi – From Bow To Toe

This is a lovely surprise! The song is relatively straightforward, but those call-and-response backing vocals turn it into a real standout.

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NiziU – Coconut

I wrote about this here. I didn’t really care for it.

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OCTPATH – Sweet

I’m totally here for the bright, summertime pop instrumental. If only the melodies were less generic and more striking…

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Sakurazaka46 – Konbinahto

None of the new tracks on Sakurazaka46’s new single knocked me out, but Konbinahto catches the group in their comfort zone with barreling energy and a sing-along chorus.

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SKE48 Team KII – 100nen-tattara Kiss Me

I like the sound of this one. It has a fun, retro dance beat that reminds me of late-90’s J-pop.

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Stereo Dive Foundation – RAYTRACER (b-side of the week!)

Man, R・O・N (aka Stereo Dive Foundation) is so flipping talented. Every time he comes out with a new song I’m knocked out by its ambition and sheer sense of bigness. I love his production style, and this is another stellar notch on his belt. It may get a music video eventually, but for now it’s my b-side of the week.

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SUPER★DRAGON – Reach The Sky

Fresh off the release of their latest album, SUPER★DRAGON have returned with another new track. This one takes them back to their rock roots. I like it!

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TVXQ – Sentimental Mood

This is the b-side to their new single Lime & Lemon, which I wrote about last week. It’s not one of their more memorable tracks, but it fits the summer theme.

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TXT – Hydrangea Love

This is the only new track from TXT’s upcoming second Japanese album. It’s a little boring, to be honest. Kudos to them for getting Yuuri as a songwriter, though.

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XG – GRL GVNG

I wrote about this here. I thought it was okay.

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XY – Crazy Love (single of the week!)

Ooh, I love this one. I’ll probably write about it more when the music video is out (which seems imminent judging from the teaser). For now, I wanted to give it my “single of the week” honor. The lead vocal is just stellar, and I love the old-school rock sound. I’d expect nothing less from Yoshiki.

And if you’re curious, an edited version of the series that formed XY is subtitled in English on YouTube. It’s well worth a watch. I’m very excited about this group.

(EDIT: Updated with music video and full review!)

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Zillion – Endless Summer

I haven’t yet covered Zillion on the blog, and I need to change that. I liked both their recently-released tracks (EMO and Hide n Seek). This one’s pleasant enough, but a bit subdued for me.

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This week’s old favorite:

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Travis Japan – Namida No Kessho (2019)

Travis Japan’s new single is out today (more on that later, I’m sure!), so I thought I’d share a pre-debut song of theirs that I really enjoy.

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