2019 has been an amazing year for the Japanese music industry as a whole, as it not only brought in the new era of Reiwa for Japan but also the wealth of talent used to kick off the era. With the year coming to an end, we at Ongaku to You have crowned our top five songs of 2019 (listed in no particular order).
Luna’s Picks
1. “LEMONADE” - I Don’t Like Mondays
This song randomly popped up on YouTube as a recommendation and it stuck with me and made me fall in love with a band I had never heard of until this year. LEMONADE resonated with me because its melody, composition, and the lead singer’s vocals make such a great mix. This is a great summery feel-good track for me.
2. “Never Grow Up” – CHANMINA
“Never Grow Up” speaks to me as I feel similarly like this about myself. I relate to the lyrics and the song had an impact on how I view things. CHANMINA's vocals are so good here because she exhibits her range’s full potential. The chorus catches listeners with its hook and it has a very memorable composition.
3. “EKTO” - m-flo
“EKTO” has the perfect combination of LISA's vocals and VERBAL's rap. The composition of this track is amazing and the piano work at the beginning always gets me—it’s simply beautiful. The chorus catches me every time; when LISA sings "you never really loved me, loved me. Love is so lonely", it sticks with you. The song as a whole flows perfectly and that’s what I love about m-flo. Their lyrics, composition, vocals, and rap… they truly make it all flow to perfection.
4. “BANANA” – CREAM
“BANANA” is a track I have been addicted to since I heard it. It's the perfect summer jam and has that catchy melody that is all too irresistible and just makes you want to move to it. MINAMI's vocals are so smooth and Staxx-T's rap blends with them perfectly. Every time “BANANA” comes on I always have to sing to it and crank it up. This is also the song that got me super into CREAM. It's a great summer song although I can definitely listen to it all year round.
5. “20” – eill
This track speaks to me because I vividly and fondly remember what it was like to be twenty. This still relates to me as eill talks about fighting to make your dreams come true. Even though I'm not twenty anymore I still carry that feeling. I feel like I will be forever young; maybe not forever twenty, but I'm still young, free, and fighting for my dreams. The melody and eill's vocals make this such a feel-good song for me.
Favorite New Artist: I Don’t Like Mondays
This is a group I came across through their song “LEMONADE” and I started checking out all their other songs after that one. They are super talented and have amazing compositions and vocals. Their song “TONIGHT” is a favorite of mine. They have made an impact on me as they are such a feel-good band.
Artist of the Year: M-flo
M-flo made my #1 artist of the year for several reasons. For one, I got the pleasure of meeting them and speaking with DJ Taku and VERBAL in person. They are amazing guys and have done so much throughout their career. I have so much respect for them and what they do. Two, they are amazing live! These guys can put on a show and get you dancing. Three, their album KYO was on fire! KYO is one of my top albums of the year. The tracks they compiled for the album are well executed and compiled, each track flows perfectly. M-flo had an amazing year and to me, they are my artist of the year. They have gotten me the most excited for a release.
Gray’s Picks
1. “Puzzle” - MADKID
This song is by far and away the song I have listened to the most over the course of the year. It's such a fun, catchy number that always leaves me wanting more. I love how the vocals sound on this track and the rapping is just simply amazing it never fails to get me up and dancing. This song has really made my year and it is the second song I ever heard by MADKID. It was “Puzzle” that really made me want to go back and listen to more of their music and it was at that point that I had become an official fan of the group.
2. “The Call” - Color Creation
Honestly this was a tough call—no pun intended—because putting this here would mean leaving out the ever amazing "Let it Snow", but at the end of the day there was no other song I could see not being on here. The vocals on this track are just impeccable, I fell in love with this song the very first listen, and it has been on repeat ever since. These guys just absolutely killed it for it just being their fourth single, and I just look forward to the future of this insanely talented group.
3. “Hot! Hot! Hot!” - Tohoshinki
Back in the summer this song fell on the perfect spot because I was looking for some fun summer songs and hadn't quite heard one yet. Then out of nowhere this song appeared and just lifted up my life. There were a few more summer songs that I eventually did find but this one was by far my favorite. It is just such a fun number and a great tune and never gets old. It is such a delight and was a must to add to my top five.
4. “Time On You” - Rude-Alpha
Rude-Alpha dropped one of the most beautiful songs I've heard all year on his last single "Life". While I was devastated that his single didn't chart this is a perfect opportunity to highlight to a lot of people that they were missing out on this great song. It clocks in at only 2 minutes and 20 seconds but within this time he manages to convey emotion most songs can't achieve in full four-minute tracks. The rap in this song is exciting as well and the composition is simple but powerful.
5. “Special Love” - lol
Up until recently lol had been pretty quiet for 2019 and yes, while they have had a few songs that I liked, there weren't many that I loved. However, even in a slow year this song has really stuck with me and found a very special place in my heart. It's the kind of song I feel lol does best and yes, it's a sappy love song but it's got a great sound to it and its melody is actually at a very nice, fast pace. Honaka proves song after song she is the backbone of this group with her outstanding rap breaks. In my opinion, if lol ever breaks up, Honaka could launch a career as a solo rapper with ease.
Favorite New Artist: Rude-Alpha
Rude-Alpha has been such a fun discovery to make. I became a fan the very first time I heard "Good Bye Baby". I just fell in love with that song and went back and listened to more of his music and I really feel he is an underappreciated talent. I know he is young and hope he hits his break soon. The guy really has the talent and I can't wait for that to happen.
Artist of the Year: Color Creation
What a year it's been for these guys. Back in February they dropped the insanely great song "Let it snow" and in May they dropped their very first album First Palette which was not only amazing but performed really well on the charts. Then in November they dropped "The Call". These guys have had a fantastic 2019 and for me as a fan it was amazing to be a part of it and support them. I look forward to 2020 and to the future of Color Creation.
Ken’s Picks
“EXPOSE ‘Burn out!!!!’” - RAISE A SUILEN
While this might be a change from what I usually listen to, RAISE A SUILEN has been a phenomenal surprise in the past year. With a masterful fusion of rock and trap, “EXPOSE ‘Burn out!!!!’” shows off just what RAISE A SUILEN can do. While this is a B-side for their second single, RAISE A SUILEN's best songs are their B-side tracks and "EXPOSE 'Burn out!!' is one of the best representations of that.
“Yes we are” - Sandaime J-Soul Brothers
“Yes we are” proved a phenomenal start to the year for SDMJSB and LDH on as a whole with superb vocals, composition, and choreography with everything just clicking. Watching the music video is an additional treat for this track to show just how brilliantly SDMJSB is the future of this brand. While I had some hesitancy switching to any other track they released this past year, “Yes we are” as a whole has been just unforgettable.
“花が咲く道” - THE CHARM PARK
With just impeccable vocals THE CHARM PARK creeped into my heart with just one track. With its emotional lyrics and alluring composition this made me a fan of someone I hadn’t even heard of before my Music Corner. While it was difficult to just choose one of the amazing tracks he produced this year I had to fall back on the track that made me fall in love with him in the first place.
“ANYWAY” - TENDRE feat. YeYe
2019 was a big year for TENDRE in my opinion, coming off the heels of his success from his album Not in Almighty and the release of two amazing digital tracks at the beginning of the year. While not the track that turned me back to TENDRE, “ANYWAY” encompasses everything I liked about him without him going overboard, so to speak. With a more smooth and relaxing composition, “ANYWAY” gives off that sense of wonderment and exploration.
“Killer tune Kills Me” - Kirinji feat. YonYon
With Kirinji they are one of the many things I absolutely love about the Japanese music industry, and that started several years back. With this recent revival that they have gone through they bring that hint of 80s and 90s style with a more modern feel. With a simple yet playful melody the band brings out, “Killer Tune Kills Me” brings the strength of Erino Yumiki’s vocals—which is already impeccable—to the forefront, combined with the support of YonYon’s Korean and Japanese tracks, making this a more standout hit.
Favorite New Artist: THE CHARM PARK
For me, THE CHARM PARK has just been a standout artist and ever since I discovered him I find myself going back to his tracks. Whether it be “花が咲く道”, “Ordinary”, or “Stars Colliding”, Charm has just enticed me and soothed my ears many times over. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for him.
Artist of the Year: TENDRE
Talk about a comeback from last year where, during my original write-up from Indie Corner, he was dead last. With his album Not the Almighty dropping, my opinion of him started to change at the beginning of the year—needless to say, the one-two punch of "Variety" and "Choice" were released. Then, his In Sight EP solidified my love for him more than ever before.
We thank all the artist that had produced works this past year and look forward to the next year!
