J-Pop Top 100 Songs Of 2011

It’s that time of year again when I compile a list of the best 100 J-Pop songs I’ve listened to during the year. IMO 2011 was slightly better than 2010 in terms of great music coming out in Japan. It was tough as it always is in doing this countdown but overall I’m satisfied with what I picked.

Anyway, give me a shout about what you think of the chart.

100 EXILE – Each Other’s Way
99 AAA – Daiji na Koto
98 9Nine – Shining Star
97 Negoto – Charon
96 Aqua Timez – Mayonaka no Orchestra
95 Mai Kuraki – Your Best Friend
94 Idoling!!! – Yarakai Heart
93 Ayahi Takagaki – Takaramono
92 SDN48 – Ai, Juseyo
91 Nana Mizuki – Scarlet Knight
90 Maximum The Hormone – Greatest The Hits 2011~2011
89 Mika Nakashima – Dear
88 Yui Horie – Presenter
87 You Kikkawa – Kikkake wa You!
86 Kana Nishino – Distance
85 Buono! – Zassou no Uta
84 SDN48 – MIN MIN MIN
83 Kie Kitano – Kizuna
82 Happiness – Wish
81 Nana Mizuki – Junketsu Paradox
80 FLOWER – Still
79 YUI – Green a.live
78 SCANDAL – Haruka
77 Angela Aki – Hajimari no Ballad
76 JASMINE – ONLY YOU
75 YGA – Jounetsu Heroine
74 KAT-TUN – Ultimate Wheels
73 JUJU – Kono yoru wo Tomete yo
72 Sphere – Hazy
71 Morning Musume – Only You
70 KARA – Jet Coaster Love
69 miwa – 441
68 Tokyo Girls Style – Limited Addiction
67 Eri Kitamura – Be Starters!
66 ClariS – nexus
65 KARA – Winter Magic
64 PASSPO – Vivi Natsu
63 SCANDAL – Pride
62 Afterschool – Diva
61 Koda Kumi – Pop Diva
60 YUI – Hello~Paradise Kiss
59 Super Girls – MAX! Otomegokoro
58 May’n – Scarlet Ballet
57 Perfume – Spice
56 Superfly – Ai wo Kurae
55 Tohoshinki – Why? (Keep Your Head Down)
54 4Minute – Heart To Heart
53 Aoi Teshima – Sayonara no Natsu
52 SCANDAL – Love Survive
51 L’arc En Ciel – Good Luck My Way
50 Infinite – BTD
49 NMB48 – Zetsumetsu Kurokami Shoujo
48 Perfume – Laser Beam
47 Supercell – My Dearest
46 EXILE – Rising Sun
45 Kis-My-Ft2 – Everybody Go
44 4Minute – WHY
43 Girl Next Door – Silent Scream
42 no3b – Answer
41 French Kiss – If
40 DiVA – Cry
39 Idoling!!! – Don’t think. Feel!!!
38 Kaoru to Tomoki, Toma ni Mook – Maru Maru Mori Mori
37 Not yet – Shuumatsu Not yet
36 Bump Of Chicken – Tomodachi no Uta
35 Namie Amuro – Love Story
34 Meisa Kuroki – Wired Life
33 French Kiss – Kakkowarui I Love You!
32 Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 – Hettapi Wink
31 FictionJunction – Stone Cold
30 Atsuko Maeda – Flower
29 2NE1 – Go Away
28 French Kiss – Saisho no Mail
27 Arashi – Lotus
26 no3b – Kuchibiru Furezu
25 Namie Amuro – Fight Together
24 JASMINE – ONE
23 Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 – Valentine Kiss
22 SKE48 – Pareo wa Emerald
21 DiVA – Tsugi no Uragawa
20 B’z – Don’t Wanna Lie
19 Tomomi Itano – Fui ni
18 AKB48 – Ue kara Mariko
17 AKB48 – Sakura no Ki ni Narou
16 Not yet – Pera Pera Perao
15 Atsuko Maeda – La Brae Ave
14 NMB48 – OH MY GOD!
13 SKE48 – Banzai Venus
12 Not yet – Naminori Kakigoori
11 AKB48 – Everyday Kachuusha
10 AKB48 – Kaze wa Fuiteiru
09 AKB48 – Flying Get
08 SKE48 – Okey Dokey
07 Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 – Kibou Sanmyaku
06 Koda Kumi – Ko-so ko-so
05 Shoudo Jidai – Mr Taxi
04 Namie Amuro ft Afterschool – Make It Happen
03 Tomomi Itano – Dear J
02 AKB48 – Seishun to Kizukunai Mama
01 AKB48 – Gondola Lift

Scandal – Namida no Regret PV

The awesome 4-piece female band Scandal released their 7th major single this week with Namida no Regret. It’s their first ever original ballad and it’s a belter of a track with a pretty good PV to accompany the song. It might not be the best song they’ve put out as a single and I do prefer their upbeat tunes but it’s still a solid release. I don’t know how long the PV will stay up on Youtube so watch it now before it’s taken down.

Scandal – Secret Base PV

On Wednesday, Scandal released their latest single – a cover of the classic 2001 ZONE song Secret Base. Now before you rush out to buy it, let me tell you that you can’t do that as this is a digital only single. Why they haven’t officially released this as a proper single I’ll never know as they really do the song justice. They perform the song almost as good as ZONE themselves.  Check the PV below:

Scandal – Shunkan Sentimental PV

Tomorrow (3/2/10) sees the release of Scandal’s brand new single (their 8th major) and it’s called Shunkan Sentimental.  Another top notch solid effort from Osaka’s finest. The song reminds me a little of Shoujo S which is one of the best songs they’ve released. This song is a tie-in with the popular anime Full Metal Alchemist which should help sales. I’m guessing a top 5 chart position will be on the cards come next week. Enjoy the PV.

What Was The Best J-Pop Album Of 2009?

It’s time to look back at what was the best J-pop album released in 2009. For me, these are the pick of the bunch:

SWEET BLACK feat Maki Goto. It was a fantastic return for Gocchin and this album really rocks.

Stereopony – A Hydrangea Blooms. Debutants Stereopony burst onto the J-pop scene with a couple of great singles and the album delivered too.

Nana Mizuki – Ultimate Diamond

Miliyah Kato – Ring

Ayumi Hamasaki – Next Level. Ayu’s new album continued her fine tradition of producing  a solid album full of top tunes.

Koda Kumi – Trick. Kumi came out with a brilliant new album. Actually this nearly came to be the best album of the year but as you’ll see somebody else pipped her to the title.

Aira Mitsuki – Plastic

Ayaka Ikio – Gossip. I was browsing through HMV in Center Gai, Shibuya during my holiday there in the Summer when I discovered this young woman.

Scandal – Best Scandal. Scandal just keeps getting better in my opinion. 2009 saw them releasing some great songs.

Hitomi – Love Life 2

Michi – Up To You. British born Michi debuted in 2008 with Promise and in 2009 came out with the superb Change The World single. Her 2nd album came out in September which contained the singles Kiss Kiss xxx and You.

Namie Amuro – Past < Future. As 2009 came to an end, Namie came out with her new album mid December which had some excellent tracks on it such as her single Wild.

So if none of them came out on top, which album was my favorite of the year?

Perfume – Triangle. The 3rd and much anticipated album from Perfume has to be the best one for me as it contains my favorite song Dream Fighter plus Love The World, Edge and One Room Disco.

This is a live version of the song Night Flight which is also on the Triangle album.

Scandal – Yume Miru Tsubasa PV

Scandal’s latest single (their 7th) is Yume Miru Tsubasa and is released on the 14th October 2009. This is slightly different music from them and sometimes change can be bad but for this single it’s definitely for the good. It’s a little bit more poppish but I’ve gotta say I really like it. The PV is pretty cool too, set on the runway of a small airport and the clothes the girls wear is great too.

EDIT: Youtube have taken their PV off so here’s just the song instead.

Scandal – Shoujo S PV

Here comes the PV to Scandal’s new single Shoujo S which is released on the 17th June. It’s also the latest OP song to the anime Bleach. I love the song. As well as the PV, I’ve also put the 3 limited edition covers that will be available when the CD comes out.

Scandal – Sakura Goodbye PV

Next week (March 4th) sees the awesome Scandal release their 2nd major single Sakura Goodbye. I’ve yet to hear a bad tune by Scandal and Sakura Goodbye continues the fine run of brilliant songs by them. Even though a mini-album came out last year, I’m anxiously awaiting a full album to be released.

Scandal – Doll

The brilliant female pop rock group Scandal released their first major single on the 22nd October called Doll. I’m somewhat surprised that it hasn’t done that well, so far it’s sold just under 10k – really thought it would have sold a hell of a lot more than that. The video below is a live performance on Music Fair on the 25th October. It features a little bit of an interview with them before launching into the performance. Enjoy!

Scandal – The Next Big Thing?

I thought I’d write a blog about another group which I really like called Scandal. They’re a pop punk group consisting of 4 schoolgirls from Osaka and they’re awesome. I first noticed this group in 2007 due to the buzz that was on the internet from some Western fans who’d heard about them.

Haruna, Tomomi, Mami and Rina make up Scandal who first performed on Osaka’s streets in 2006. Due to the positive reaction by the crowds who grew steadily in size they moved on to perform in various halls in Osaka and Kyoto.  It was during a performance at Shibuya’s Club Asia that they finally hit the jackpot with record label Tower Records snapping them up. In March this year they released their first indie single “Space Ranger” and then another 2 singles in April and May. A mini-album was also released in August.

Scandal took an opportunity to perform abroad for the first time during March which might be seen as a bit risky for such an unknown group outside their native Japan. It was those lucky people in the US that got a taste of Scandal on the Japan Nite US Tour 2008 and during the Sakura-Con anime convention. Naturally they bought the house down in each location they performed and won over a legion of new fans.

I believe it is only a matter of time before Scandal hit the big time. They deserve it as they’ve put the time and effort from the very beginning when they were also studying at school (not easy having to juggle everything in their hectic lifestyle). What I like most about them is they write their own music and play their own instruments – their songs are catchy and infectious and they bring a youthful enthusiasm when they play live. I’d really like to see them live in the future.

Below you’ll find a PV to the first single they released and my favorite song of theirs – Space Ranger