New & Noteworthy J-pop of the Week (June 22, 2025)

In reference to my want to completely sustain with the J-pop business, I’m planning on doing a weekly round-up of any new releases which have caught my ear. A few of these might have been lined on the weblog already, however my hope is that it will turn out to be a one-stop store for anybody all for what’s new in J-pop.

With that in thoughts, right here’s the place you are available in: I’m one particular person with one set of musical preferences, so please embed every other new J-pop tracks you’ve loved within the feedback so we will get a fuller spectrum every week.

*And similar to I do with my evaluations, I’ll wait till full variations of songs can be found earlier than posting them on this round-up. It will principally apply to Starto teams, who nonetheless restrict nearly all of their YouTube uploads to shorter, edited variations.

2023-2024 Index

2025 Index: Dec 29 – Jan 11 // Jan 12 – Jan 18 // Jan 19 – Jan 25 // Jan 26 – Feb 1 // Feb 2 – Feb 8 // Feb 9 – Feb 15 // Feb 16 – Feb 22 // Feb 23 – Mar 1 // Mar 2 – Mar 8 // Mar 9 – Mar 15 // Mar 16 – Mar 22 // Mar 23 – Mar 29 // Mar 30 – Apr 5 // Apr 6 – Apr 12 // Apr 13 – Apr 19 // Apr 20 – Apr 26 // Apr 27 – Might 3 // Might 4 – Might 10 // Might 11 – Might 16 // Might 17 – Might 24 // Might 25 – Might 31 // Jun 1 – Jun 7 // Jun 8 – Jun 14

Bi-ray – Butterfly (music of the week!)

Yoshiki must be one of many worst music managers within the enterprise. I imply, look what occurred to his boy group XY! Nonetheless, he can nonetheless write a killer music – though all of them sort of sound the identical. That is his new lady group, and if historical past is any precedent this may increasingly turn out to be their one and solely music.

BOKUAO – Cowardly Crow (music of the week!)

Oh! They shortened their extremely lengthy identify into an acronym. Truthfully, I don’t care what they name themselves in the event that they’re going to launch a banger like this. Simply their finest music but in my view!

Def Class – Do Or Die

I admire the raucous rock power however the music doesn’t really feel notably notable.

Fantastics – Shake It Off

That is first rate however nothing they’ve launched since 2023 has hit the identical with me for some purpose. Previous to that, I used to like just about all the pieces. What occurred??

Fudanjuku – To Future Me

A basic J-pop sound. Fairly forgettable, although.

Gang Parade – Gang Rise

I just like the power, however the music doesn’t do a lot for me.

Genic – Don’t Give Up (music of the week!)

I like all the pieces about this besides these plodding, momentum-killing pre-choruses. It’s nonetheless higher than most releases this week, although.

Hiromitsu Kitayama – HAMON (music of the week!)

I wrote about this already however now it has a music video. The music’s undoubtedly rising on me.

Kis-My-Ft2 – Cheat

I actually want this music had an precise refrain that wasn’t simply them speaking.

M!LK – wan

Insert cringe emoji right here.

m-flo – EKO EKO (ft. Zico & eill)

We’ve received some Okay-pop illustration on this one. The music is simply okay.

Maki Goto – Chekera (ft. Da-iCE’s Sota Hanamura)

I just like the punchy refrain higher than the verses, however general this can be a bit too glad clappy for me.

One N’ Solely – Blast

Extra pots and pans manufacturing and boring sing-talk. Will this model of music ever fall out of favor? We now have so lots of them.

One Or Eight – 365

Nicely, that is undoubtedly higher than the boring Rihanna interpolation of their final single, nevertheless it nonetheless doesn’t fairly obtain liftoff. It must go sooner and tougher.

PG – IMA

A giant ol’ ballad.

PLAVE – Disguise And Search

It was solely a matter of time earlier than they launched a Japanese single, I suppose. Japan is approach forward of Korea relating to this kind of act, making this tougher to face out. The music is nice however uneventful.

Sakurazaka46 – Shindafuri

This one isn’t doing a lot for me. It’s a disgrace, as a result of that they had a really robust 2024.

Tora Undertaking – AtoZ

Fairly boring music.