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 // Jun 25 – Jul 1 // Jul 2 – Jul 8 // Jul 9 – Jul 15 // Jul 16 – Jul 22 // Jul 23 – Jul 29 // Jul 30 – Aug 5 // Aug 6 – Aug 12 // Aug 13 – Aug 19 // Aug 20 – Aug 26 // Aug 27 – Sep 2

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THIS WEEK: Sep 3 – Sep 9

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Ado – Show

This is my favorite Ado track since her work for the One Piece OST. I think the instrumental’s trying to do a bit too much, but its high points are very high.

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Daichi Miura – NODO

This is a really interesting return for Miura. I’m not sure it adds up to a total knockout, but its individual segments are all very exciting.

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Dios – Freedom Is Not…

You can hear influences from popular bands like Mrs. Green Apple in this, but that’s no bad thing. The added funk layer gives it its own flair.

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ExWHYZ – Not Sorry

This feels rockier for them, which is a cool direction for their otherwise electronic sound.

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Hiroki Nanami – Giovanni

I wish I loved Nanami’s music as much as I loved her in last year’s Goukon ni Ittara Onna ga Inakatta Hanashi, but at the very least it’s nice to see her again.

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Hitsujibungaku – More Than Words

There’s a nice sense of catharsis to this. Her voice reminds me of Aina The End’s.

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Hyde – 6or9 (song of the week!)

This has a fun, rugged intensity to it. I’m a big fan of industrial rock meets electronic music, so this scratches that itch.

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Monari Wakita – UNI

A nice funk/disco groove

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≠ME – Floor Killer

They pull off this edgier sound pretty well.

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Ryokuoushoku Shakai – Magic Hour

This is the band’s second OST offering from summer drama Manatsu no Cinderella. It’s not as excellent as the main theme, but I’m obsessed with this drama so I’m naturally biased toward it. I love the guitar solo after the first chorus.

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Perfume – Moon

I featured this song already, but now it has an official music video.

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Ryugujo – 2 MUCH (song of the week!)

I wrote about this here. I loved it, and it’s my song of the week (again)!

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This week’s old favorite:

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Nanase Aikawa – Koigokoro (1996)

In case you missed my original write-up three years ago, I’m happy to reintroduce one of my all-time favorite J-pop singles from the iconic Nanase Aikawa