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Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN Nominees Showcase Wide Range of Japanese Music: How to Watch the Ceremonies
The inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN (MAJ) ceremony, the largest music awards in the country, is quickly approaching. Embodying the theme of 'Connecting the world, illuminating the future of music,' the brand-new international music awards will take place on May 21 and 22, 2025 at the ROHM Theatre Kyoto, with the winners of 50 categories to be announced on Day 1, and those of the six main categories and more to be announced and awarded in a ceremony on Day 2. Both days will be streamed globally via YouTube, the awards' global streaming partner. (Some regions excluded.) The Grand Ceremony on the 22nd will feature performances by AI, Hikaru Utada, Awich, Creepy Nuts, CHANMINA, Fujii Kaze, Mrs. GREEN APPLE and YOASOBI, with actor and singer Masaki Suda taking on the role of Master of Ceremony. MAJ is hosted by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), an association jointly established by five major organizations in the Japanese music industry: the Recording Industry Association of Japan, Japan Association of Music Enterprises, the Federation of Music Producers Japan, Music Publishers Association of Japan and All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoters Conference. In the wake of the spread of streaming services and the success of Japanese entertainment such as anime, CEIPA was launched for the future growth of the Japanese music industry and will begin full-fledged promotion of entertainment and content from the country on a global scale this year. More from Billboard Saweetie Locks in Debut Australian Tour Dates French Police Recover Bust From Jim Morrison's Grave, 37 Years After It Was Stolen Taylor Swift Premieres 'Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)' in 'The Handmaid's Tale': Watch The six nominees in the six main categories, chosen by more than 5,000 music professionals including artists and creatives, are as follows: Song of the Year – Recognition for the song with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry. Rosé & Bruno Mars 'APT.' Creepy Nuts 'Bling-Bang-Bang-Born' YOASOBI 'Idol' Fujii Kaze 'Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing)' Mrs. GREEN APPLE 'Lilac' Album of the Year – Recognition for the album with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry. Mrs. GREEN APPLE, ANTENNA Kenshi Yonezu, LOST CORNER Fujii Kaze, LOVE ALL SERVE ALL Vaundy, replica Hikaru Utada, SCIENCE FICTION Artist of the Year – Recognition for the artist with the most outstanding musical creativity and artistry. Creepy Nuts Mrs. GREEN APPLE Vaundy YOASOBI Fujii Kaze New Artist of the Year – Recognition for the new artist who demonstrated outstanding musical creativity and artistry. FRUITS ZIPPER Number_i Omoinotake tuki. Kocchi no Kento Top Global Hit From Japan – Recognition for the Japanese song that became a global hit. Lotus Juice/Azumi Takahashi 'It's Going Down Now' XG 'WOKE UP' YOASOBI 'Idol' Fujii Kaze 'Shinunoga E-wa' Miki Matsubara 'Mayonaka no Door – stay with me' Best Song Asia – Recognition for the Asian hit song that was popular across Asian countries. Bernadya 'Satu Bulan' (Indonesia) REGINA SONG 'the cutest pair' (Singapore) aespa 'Supernova' (South Korea) PLAVE 'WAY 4 LUV' (South Korea) JEFF SATUR 'GHOST' (Thailand) Songs and artists that have topped the Billboard Japan charts, as well as songs with the most streams, one of the indicators for a song to be considered a hit in Japan, have been nominated. In particular, the nominees in the Song of the Year category boast some of the highest weekly streams of all time in the country, and are the record-holders for the respective artists. For reference, Kendrick Lamar & SZA's 'Luther,' which has led the Billboard Hot 100 for 11 weeks, has the highest number of weekly streams in the U.S. at approximately 46 million, while Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars' collaborative single 'Die With A Smile' has approximately 31 million. These figures include video views, which are separated in Billboard Japan's total streaming count. Highest Weekly Audio Streams in Japan 'APT.' (12,127,799 streams) 'Bling-Bang-Bang-Born' (24,945,758 streams, No. 5 on Billboard Japan's all-time list) 'Idol' (25,860,696 streams, No. 2 on Billboard Japan's all-time list) 'Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing)' (8,843,750 streams) 'Lilac' (15,713,177 streams) As for the nominees in the Top Global Hit from Japan category, you may have come across the songs on TikTok or other video-shorting platforms even if you don't live in Japan. The nominees in this category were chosen by music industry professionals outside of Japan and include, in order from top to bottom, the battle song from the video game Persona 3 Reload (2024), a rap song released in 2024 by the seven-member group that headlined the Sahara Stage at this year's Coachella, the opener for the anime series, Oshi no Ko, that topped Billboard's Global Excl. US on June 10, 2023 and went on to become Billboard Japan's Song of the Year for that year, a song released in 2020 but became a viral hit in Asian countries after July 2022 and is still being listened to in many countries today, and a so-called 'city pop' tune released in November 1979 that spread worldwide through covers and TikTok. The songs were released in different eras and are from different genres, showing how diverse Japanese music is. Another interesting aspect of this award is that it not only honors Japanese artists and releases, but also includes music from all over the world. The fact that one of the main categories is the award for Best Song Asia indicates that this accolade also provides opportunities to establish global ties. In the section for International Songs, there are seven categories for different genres such as pop, rock, hip-hop/rap and more, which highlight the popular and highly acclaimed music from outside of Japan that is being listened to and loved in the country. The artists themselves can discover the high potential of their music in Japan, which is another way of looking at the nominations in these categories. Tatsuya Nomura, MAJ Executive Committee Chairman, shared his enthusiasm to Billboard Japan before the inaugural event, saying, 'The theme of MAJ is 'Connecting the world, illuminating the future of music,' and I believe the two days will embody that. It'll be the first step of an award that will last five, ten, even 100 years, so I hope you'll witness this historic moment.' Watch the Premiere Ceremony starting May 20 at 10 PM PT / May 21 at 1 AM ET. Meanwhile, the Grand Ceremony, featuring performances by AI, Hikaru Utada, Awich, Creepy Nuts, CHANMINA, Fujii Kaze, Mrs. GREEN APPLE and YOASOBI will stream on May 22 at 3:30 AM PT / 6:30 AM ET. MAJ May 21 Premiere Ceremony: MAJ May 22 Grand Ceremony: Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Singer Regina Song is only Singaporean nominee in inaugural Music Awards Japan
Regina Song performing at Fangirl: The Tour in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 10. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRYAN ONG SINGAPORE - Local singer-songwriter Regina Song is waving the country's flag high as the only Singaporean to be nominated at the inaugural Music Awards Japan (MAJ), competing in the Best Song Asia category for her song The Cutest Pair. The 21-year-old is among the most-streamed local artistes on Spotify in 2024, with the English-language single - from her debut album Fangirl (2024) - garnering over 44 million streams since its release in June. She also has over one million monthly listeners on Spotify, and has previously charted on the top of Spotify's Viral 50 - Global playlist. She is up against K-pop groups Aespa (Supernova) and Plave (Way 4 Luve), Thai singer Jeff Satur (Ghost) and Indonesian singer Bernadya (Satu Bulan). The MAJ, organised by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association in collaboration with Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, aims to honour musical talents from Japan, Asia and the West. The awards show will take place on May 21 and 22 at Rohm Theatre Kyoto. Song, who made her music debut in 2021 with her single Lucas, said in a press release: 'It feels extremely surreal to be part of the top five nominees in the Best Song Asia category. It would be my absolute dream and honour to take this award home, but this nomination is already such a blessing, and I am so grateful for every person that has been cheering me on.' After she started to write her own songs at 13, her love of music blossomed. In 2017, she entered the School of the Arts (Sota) to pursue her interest in the piano, which she has been playing since she was six years old. While at Sota, Song joined the school's a cappella group and a pop band, where she underwent her first vocal training. While Song enrolled in the University of the Arts Singapore in 2024, she is now taking a break from school to focus on her career. Her latest single, Fairy, was released in February 2025, and she is preparing to release her next album. She has also played shows in Singapore, as well as a sold-out South-east Asia tour in January 2025, which took her to cities like Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Asahi Shimbun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
Reaching for the stars, first Music Awards Japan ceremonies near
Nominees for the inaugural Music Awards Japan are announced during a ceremony in Tokyo on April 17. (Chiho Yashiro) The inaugural Music Awards Japan (MAJ) ceremonies will be held on May 21 and 22, with hopes it will gain the prestige of the U.S. Grammys and propel Japanese artists toward international stardom. MAJ has brought together about 5,000 artists, producers and media experts to recognize prize-winning songs and performers in 62 categories. The event is hosted by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), a general incorporated organization founded by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) and four other groups. CEIPA announced the establishment of the awards in October last year. To ensure transparency in the awards selection process, nominees were chosen through an automated system based on music charts and other data. 'Japanese artists are beginning to exert a powerful presence outside the country and achieve results,' said Tatsuya Nomura, president of the Federation of Music Producers Japan who heads MAJ's executive committee. 'We hope to provide a boost for them.' Organizers intend to stream the awards ceremonies worldwide on YouTube, publish playlists of award-winning songs on music streaming services, and offer other forms of support. Shunsuke Muramatsu, the RIAJ chairman who serves as board chair at CEIPA, hopes MAJ will work as a promotional tool for prize-winning musicians when they make their foray into overseas markets. Japanese artists and their managers say they have nothing to write in their 'curriculum vitae' when they talk to media personnel, promoters and business partners outside Japan, he said. 'It's meaningless if winning an award doesn't serve as some kind of endorsement,' Muramatsu said. 'We want to take time to make the awards worthy of such a status.' The Japan Composer's Association has hosted the large-scale Japan Record Awards (JRA) since 1959. At the end of each year, the winners are announced, and they give performances. During the Showa Era (1926-1989), the general public persuaded the JRA to pick the song of the year, according to music critic Suzie Suzuki. But listeners' preferences have diversified in recent years thanks to music streaming services and other factors, and it has become difficult to pick one song that is acceptable to everyone. To remain influential, music awards must present forward-thinking and novel selections that can indicate what will happen next in the music market, Suzuki added. The MAJ awards cover artists and songs during a one-year period until January. The six main categories are: Song of the Year; Artist of the Year; New Artist of the Year; Album of the Year; Top Global Hit from Japan; and Best Song Asia. Creepy Nuts' 'Bling-Bang-Bang-Born' and Yoasobi's 'Idol' are among the nominees in the Song of the Year category. (This article was written by Chiho Yashiro and Shiki Iwasawa.)
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN's Song of the Year Entries Compared to Billboard Japan Chart Data Shows Trends Unique to 2025 Awards
The inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN ceremony, the largest music awards in the country, is set to take place in May in Kyoto. Embodying the theme of 'Connecting the world, illuminating the future of music,' the brand-new international music awards is hosted by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), an association jointly established by five major organizations in the Japanese music industry. This year's MAJ will recognize works and artists in more than 60 categories, including the six major awards for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year and more, which have gained significant attention and recognition from Jan. 29, 2024 to Jan. 26, 2025. The entries for each category were announced on March 13 and the selection by domestic voting members is currently underway to narrow down the list to five nominees for each category. More from Billboard Kurt Cobain's Legendary 'MTV Unplugged' Acoustic Guitar to Go On Display For First Time in Europe Jordan Davis Slates Headlining Ain't Enough Road Tour: 'It's Going to Be Some Great Music' Guster Perform With Cast of 'Finn' After LGBTQ+ Musical Canceled Following Trump Kennedy Center Takeover Let's take a look at the 256 songs that are up for the high-profile Song of the Year category, as compared against Billboard Japan's all-genre Japan Hot 100 song chart (hereafter BBJ), and delve deeper into the trends and characteristics unique to MAJ based on data. Comparison with BBJ Chart Metrics First, we'll compare some of the differences between the MAJ and BBJ metrics. The chart above shows the point share of each metric for the 256 songs entered in the Song of the Year category. The figures for BBJ show the point share of the top 256 songs in the Japan Hot 100 chart during the same tallying period as MAJ. The entries for Song of the Year is based on an original chart that combines the six metrics of the Japan Hot 100 (rounded up in two-month segments) and UGC data (click here for details). The system is structured in a way that makes it easier for songs with short peak periods to be eligible. One feature MAJ and BBJ both have in common is that streaming accounts for the largest proportion of both. This shows that both are strongly aware that streaming is the main way people listen to music today. CD sales account for 10% of MAJ, but only 2% of BBJ. Japan's CD sales market is still large when viewed globally, and MAJ places importance on this unique Japanese user trend. Downloads are 7% of MAJ while 4% for BBJ, indicating that the former places a relatively higher value on ownership-type metrics. While streaming is the main focus for MAJ, they are clearly also conscious of achieving a balance with a wider range of metrics. Its most distinctive feature is that its system is designed to take into account the characteristics of the Japanese market. Analysis of the Songs' Properties The gender ratio of the MAJ entries is 61% male artists, 30% female artists, and 9% mixed acts. Compared to BBJ, the ratio of male artists is slightly lower, and the ratio of female artists is higher. BBJ has more mixed acts, mainly because many songs by male-female duo YOASOBI have charted. 84% of the entries were by Japanese artists. Compared to BBJ, MAJ has slightly more songs by South Korean artists (MAJ 14%, BBJ 10%). The only artists from outside Japan and South Korea were Mariah Carey, OneRepublic, and Taylor Swift, all of whom are from the U.S. There were also two entries for collaborations between artists from different countries: Rosé & Bruno Mars and BE:FIRST X ATEEZ. The ratio of member composition of the acts entered in MAJ is highest for groups (37%), followed by bands (27%) and solo artists (26%). Dance and vocal groups, which have strong CD sales, are pushing up the ratio of groups. Meanwhile, BBJ has the highest proportion of bands (36%), influenced by the long-running hits of popular bands such as Mrs. GREEN APPLE and back number. Of the 256 songs, there are 124 acts in MAJ and 103 in BBJ, so the former has a greater variety of acts. The genres with the largest number of songs for both MAJ and BBJ are pop and rock. Notably, K-pop accounts for 14% of MAJ, and idol performers account for 9%, indicating the major influence of dance and vocal groups. Hip-hop and Vocaloid account for less than 10%, but these genres have their own categories, such as the Best Japanese Hip-Hop/Rap Song and the Best Vocaloid Culture Song. 43% of the entries weren't tie-ins, but songs connected to anime (19%), drama series (13%), and commercials (11%) were also prominent. BBJ shows a more continuous tie-in effect, while MAJ can be said to have a diverse collection of songs that are relatively independent of tie-ins. These data show that MAJ incorporates a good balance of diverse metrics to reflect a wide range of mainstream music in Japan. The fact that the awards also places weight on metrics reflecting the unique characteristics of the Japanese music market, such as CDs and downloads, is a major difference from the BBJ charts. It'll be interesting to see how MAJ's design will impact the future of the music market and the promotion of Japanese music worldwide. The nominated songs will be announced on Apr. 17, and the awards ceremony will take place on May 21 and 22. Billboard Japan will continue to publish features on MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN. In the second installment, we'll compare MAJ's Song of the Year with BBJ's Top Global Hits from Japan chart. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
