J-pop music encompasses a range of imaginative elements. Many of these elements are way beyond a person’s imagination. Have you heard of such a baffling music genre? Nope, I haven’t and that’s because J-Pop is just too peculiar. Today we’ll mainly focus on J-Pop music and the various songs within it.
Over the years, J-Pop has gained notoriety in the international market. During the ’90s, J-Pop skyrocketed to global popularity. Frequently being shown on TV, in movies, or in video games, J-Pop is widely present on multiple entertainment platforms and is frequently used in memes. J-Pop songs contain witty and idiosyncratic lyrics that would make an infant chuckle. Today I’ve compiled a list of the 5 J-Pop songs that are the most fun to listen to.
Aside from that, I know many viewers do not speak or understand Japanese. That’s fine, but I recommend looking for an English translation of each song on this list.
Popular J-Pop artists include BABYMETAL, AKB48, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and a plethora of talented artists. Many of them were popular in the 1990s and 2000s, so this goes to show how long J-Pop has been popular. The songs on this list evoke joy, imagination, and creativity to the highest magnitude. Anyway, without further ado, let’s begin.
1. KANA-BOON- Baton Road 【BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS OP Theme】
Baton Road was released on July 12, 2017 by Japanese rock band Kana Boon. It’s the twelfth major-label song from the band. The song’s lyrics and vocals are witty and catchy— which is enough to entice viewers who love anime. KANA-BOON poured their heart and soul into this 4:41 track which served as the first opening song for Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
KANA-BOON previously recorded three songs for the Naruto series. That includes “Silhouette” for Naruto Shippuden, “Diver” for Boruto: Naruto the Movie, and “Spiral” for Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm
The song’s meaning is Naruto passing the torch (or baton) to his offspring– Boruto. KANA BOON stated that the song’s title was to honor Boruto.
2. BABYMETAL- ギミチョコ- GIMME CHOCOLATE/
BABYMETAL’S “Gimme Chocolate” was released around the globe on February 26, 2014. Their 3:50 song includes an array of heavy metal & hard rock elements, eventually culminating into an epic banger of a track.
According to Genius.com, “Gimme Chocolate” depicts a girl who likes chocolate but is afraid of becoming overweight. This is understandable, but chocolate is addictive. So good luck to her. It’s worth noting that being overweight is frowned upon in Japan. Fat-shaming and chastising women are common in Japanese culture for those reasons.
Gimme Chocolate is a delightfully good J-Pop song because of the metal elements combined with satisfying vocals.
3. AKB48- Everyday カチューシャ
“Everyday” was released by AKB48 on May 25, 2011. “Everyday” is the 21st single by the girl group. The song reached #1 on Billboard Japan Hot 100 and sold 1.334 million singles at launch time. Everyday is also AKB48’s third million-selling single, together with other singles like “Sakura no Ki ni Narō” with sales of 1.15 million and “Beginner” with sales of 1.07 million.
Moreover, a portion of the proceeds from “Everyday” was used to aid victims devastated by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. This indicates a positive outcome from the single.
While watching the song’s music video, you may feel both perplexed and satisfied. This is primarily due to the upbeat instrumental that the song consists of—having AKB48’s lyrics flow smoothly within the song. None of the verses feel bland or off-sync, suggesting the energy put into this single.
I’m not trying to be biased, but “Everyday” is the catchiest song I’ve ever heard. If you have time to spare, I’d strongly advise you to listen to AKB48’s “Everyday” pronto.
4. Stereopony – Hitohira No Hanabira
Stereopony released “Hitohira No Hanabira” on November 5, 2008, which served as their first single under gr8! Records. Furthermore, their single eventually topped #25 on the Oricon Weekly Charts. The single is 3:43 minutes long and it features a music video.
Personally, I believe it serves as a delightfully good indie rock song. Even if you don’t understand Japanese, it’s suggested that you pay attention to the band’s expressions and their body language.
Fun Fact: Hitohira No Hanabira was the 17th conclusion theme song for the anime show Bleach.
5. Perfume- Time Warp
Perfume released “Time Wrap” on Sep 16, 2020, and Perfume is the 26th single by them. Time Warp reached #2 on the Oricon single chart and there’s a logical reason for that. The song’s music video contains exquisiteness, and the environment shown in the music video is quite mysterious. It depicts characters in black costumes and Perfume dancing on colorful staircases.
Perfume is an older J-pop girl group founded in the year 2000. Everyone do me a favor and go ahead and listen to “Time Wrap” now.
Conclusions
The songs showcased on this list are all personal favorites of mine. It’s fine if you prefer to listen to other J-pop songs; after all, our tastes differ greatly. Many J-pop songs aren’t here due to time constraints, but I hope you enjoyed reading this article.
Check out our playlist on YouTube!