Top 10 J-Pop Bands You Should Be Listening To

MsMojo

From kawaii metal to electronic dance pop, Japan's music scene has something for everyone! Join us as we explore the most exciting acts in J-Pop that deserve a spot on your playlist. From legendary groups that shaped the industry to fresh faces taking the world by storm, these artists are redefining Japanese popular music.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the most

00:10legendary J-pop bands you need to add to your playlist, STAT.

00:21Number 10, J01

00:30Groups formed through competition shows have a well-deserved leg up in the industry.

00:35They're not only talented but also popular and on the business side of things, wonderfully marketable.

00:41However, J01, created on the inaugural season of Produce 101 Japan,

00:47has consistently proved that they have what it takes to make a lasting impact.

00:51J01's success has exceeded the buzz of reality TV,

01:02as the group has made waves across charts, sweeping awards, and selling out concerts.

01:08Their brand of pop is modern and versatile, and the members boast incredible chemistry,

01:13making stage performances even more attractive.

01:16Plus, you get solo projects aplenty.

01:19If you're looking to explore the wondrous world of J-pop,

01:22there's no better gateway than J01.

01:31Number 9, Morning Musume

01:34One of the OG pillars of J-pop,

01:43Momosu has been reigning supreme in fans' hearts since 1997.

01:47Producer Tsung-ku decided to take a chance on them all those years back,

01:52and today, they're one of the highest-selling Japanese girl groups ever.

02:04Despite the ever-changing lineup of members,

02:07Morning Musume has maintained the bubbly musical aesthetic

02:10and cheery dance style that they're loved for to this day.

02:13They've also paved the way for numerous spin-off acts under the Hello Project banner,

02:18who went on to make their own names in the industry.

02:21Morning Musume's presence, influence, and relevance in the J-pop scene will always be indelible.

02:32Number 8, Snowman

02:35It hasn't been long since this group put their hat in the ring for global stardom,

02:39and they're already killing it.

02:46Before making their foray into the international digital market,

02:52Snowman focused primarily on physical releases

02:54and was selective about YouTube content.

02:58Call it exclusivity or gatekeeping.

03:00Nothing could stop the rise of Snowman.

03:03Their groovy tunes reached listeners worldwide

03:05through their hit anime soundtracks for Blue Lock and Black Clover.

03:17As their popularity skyrocketed,

03:19fans fell in love with their energetic tracks and intricate choreography.

03:23Member Ren Maguro's acting career soared,

03:27Daisuke Sakuma shone as a voice actor.

03:30And Raul broke into modeling.

03:32Other members are also earning praise for their solo endeavors.

03:36Needless to say, Snowman is destined for greatness.

03:39Now we're gonna break it

03:41Just go ahead,

03:42Butchikamase

03:43Inuchizake

03:44Now we're gonna break it

03:45Sengyoufude

03:46Kono Tomuke

03:47That's my way

03:48Number 7, Radwimps

03:50Who knew a group of middle school friends from Japan

03:59would make the world cry like babies one day?

04:02Radwimps,

04:03the band behind the iconic Your Name OST

04:05and several other Makoto Shinkai movie soundtracks

04:09has a discography chock full of more where that came from.

04:12Drawing from his lived experiences,

04:22lead vocalist,

04:24Yojiro Noda

04:24pens almost all of the band's music himself.

04:27The sincerity of Radwimps' lyrics,

04:30the swelling melodies,

04:31and Noda's magical voice

04:33have united the world in love and appreciation for the band.

04:36If you're yet to immerse yourself in their music,

04:39now's a better time than ever to jump on the bandwagon.

04:42Number 6, Yo Asobi

04:51This pop duo is easily one of the most interesting acts in J-pop right now.

05:01Members Ayase and Ikura

05:03started off making music inspired by content

05:06posted on the creative writing platform Monogatari.com.

05:10Now, they score some of the biggest anime out there.

05:13We're talking Oshinoko,

05:15B-Stars,

05:16Frerin,

05:17Beyond Journey's End,

05:18and more.

05:19Besides,

05:20you'll always find their music trending on social media.

05:29Remember that viral Japanese bop

05:32that sounds eerily upbeat for its dark lyrics

05:34and took TikTok by storm?

05:36That's Racing Into the Night by Yo Asobi.

05:47Clearly, they have a knack for captivating their listeners

05:49with intrigue,

05:51chill beats,

05:51and angelic vocals.

05:53Number 5,

05:54Atarashigako

05:55If there's any group that represents

05:57the beating heart of new-gen J-pop

05:59and its burgeoning global potential,

06:02it is this one.

06:03The Atarashigako members,

06:05donning their sailor uniforms,

06:07reject the very essence of Japanese beauty standards

06:09and toxic societal norms.

06:11They're not bothered about having an idol-like appearance

06:20or sporting the latest fashion.

06:22All they care about is having fun.

06:30With the credo of shunning anything boring,

06:34A.G. makes music worth headbanging to,

06:36but also tackle issues like the objectification of women

06:39and pressures on youngsters.

06:41Similarly,

06:42the group's choreography,

06:44expressive and instinctual,

06:46is a style of their own.

06:48Dig deep into their work

06:49and you'll find it as intellectually stimulating

06:51as it is catchy.

07:01Number 4,

07:03Sendaime J-Soul Brothers

07:04All hail the legendary heavyweights of J-pop.

07:08Sendaime J-Soul Brothers

07:09represents the best of Japanese boy bands.

07:19From their inception in 2010,

07:21this group has devoted tireless time and effort

07:24to reinventing themselves for every comeback.

07:27As a result,

07:27you get smooth R&B and soul in one album

07:31and bratty electropop in another.

07:34There are passionate love songs for the boot up

07:36and trap beats for singles to party the night away.

07:39No matter the mood,

07:493JSB has something for you.

07:51It's almost like having your favorite playlist on Shuffle.

07:54You might not know what you'll get next,

07:55but best believe it's going to be a banger.

07:57Number 3,

08:06Perfume

08:07Ever wished your favorite vocaloids were real people?

08:10Meet Perfume,

08:11the J-pop girl band

08:12who put the electronic in electronic dance music.

08:15Despite their songs being auto-tune heavy,

08:24the Perfume members boast a global fandom.

08:27In fact,

08:28their stylized vocals,

08:29which often use vocoders,

08:31are exactly what propelled them

08:33to major commercial success.

08:35In combination with their crisp,

08:44often angular choreography,

08:46Perfume's music matches their futuristic visuals

08:49and gives the band a clear identity.

08:52Any Perfume song can instantly kickstart a rave,

08:55so it is no surprise that their concerts are always lit.

09:05Number 2,

09:07AKB48

09:08Calling them just a J-pop band would be a disservice.

09:11AKB48 is a phenomenon,

09:14albeit a double-edged one.

09:16They put J-pop girl groups on the map

09:18thanks to the novelty of their rotating member system

09:21and the sheer magnitude of their stellar performances.

09:29This concept became so popular

09:31that it birthed sister groups across Asia.

09:34However,

09:35they also raised concerns

09:36about the manufactured image of idols,

09:38the toxic rules they must abide by

09:40to keep up the perfect facade,

09:42and parasocial relationships with fans.

09:45Zooming in on the music alone,

09:47AKB48 is the group you can go to for a pick-me-up.

09:57The members are sunshine personified

09:59and their music and choreography are equally bright

10:02without lacking emotional depth.

10:04They'll never not cheer you up.

10:14Before we unveil our top pick,

10:17here are a few honorable mentions.

10:19NiziU,

10:20these fan-favorite darlings are dominating charts.

10:23This all-Japanese pop group is truly global.

10:42Psychic Fever from Exile Tribe.

10:44They're building on their virality

10:46to create something bigger.

10:55Be first.

10:57They're the future of J-pop.

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11:20Whoever thought it would be a good idea

11:26to make pre-teens scream their heads off

11:28in a metal band

11:28couldn't possibly have known

11:30it would be such a genius one.

11:32It was an unprecedented

11:33and possibly risky creative move at the time,

11:37but you know what they say,

11:38high risk, high reward.

11:39Babymetal ended up inventing a genre

11:46aptly called kawaii metal,

11:49and their artistic innovation

11:50made them a household name

11:51even outside the J-pop fandom.

11:54However, their uniqueness

11:55wasn't the only key to their success.

12:04Members Sue Metal, Moa Metal,

12:06and Momo Metal,

12:07as well as former member Yui Metal,

12:09are prodigiously talented

12:11and have honed their craft

12:12beyond perfection.

12:14They make music that matters

12:15and have an adorably edgy aesthetic

12:17setting them apart.

12:19What's not to love?

12:26Which J-pop band

12:28has the best discography

12:29according to you?

12:31Sound off in the comments down below.

12:39Do you agree with our picks?

12:42Check out this other recent clip

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