Jin Akanishi and Ryo Nishikido Form New Unit!

Former Johnny’s members Jin Akanishi and Ryo Nishikido announced on December 9th that they have formed a new unit titled N/A. They dropped their first teaser trailer on December 6th called “MEN IN THE ARENA” to promote their collaboration and global record contract under Warner Music Japan. They kick off their activities in May, including a concert in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 24!

Jin Akanishi is a former member of the popular Johnny’s boy group KAT-TUN who debuted as a solo artist in 2010 with much success from there on. Ryo Nishikido is a former member of two other popular Johnny’s boy groups, NEWS and Kanjani8. Ryo-san left NEWS in 2011 and left Kanjani8 in September 2019 to pursue a solo career. He recently debuted as a solo artist and released his first album, Nomad, last December 11.

Check out the teaser trailer for N/A below and look forward to more news.

THE BOYS&GIRLS Creates Collage of Important Moments in Latest Music Video!

Rock band THE BOYS&GIRLS released the music video for their track “風花が吹いたら (“Kazehana ga Fuitara”)” on their official YouTube channel. The track is set to be the lead song for their upcoming album 大切にしたいこと (Daijini Shitaikoto), set for release April 29. This will be the latest release from the band since 拝啓、エンドレス様 (Haikei, Endless-Sama) back in 2017 and will be their third album overall. The music video has vocalist Shingo Watanabe gathering photos of moments he holds dear to him into one big collage, one which is being used as the cover graphic for Daijini Shitaikoto.

The album will feature eleven tracks and drop with a CD-only standard edition. Unfortunately there are no pre-order links at the time of reporting but we shall update you guys when the time comes. In the meantime check out the music video in question below!

Track listing:

THE BOYS&GIRLS「Daijini Shitaikoto」

01. 風花が吹いたら
02. 少年と少女
03. 卒業証書
04. 東京
05. 国道恍惚線
06. ロックンロール
07. ミスターラッキーオールド
08. 陽炎
09. ビーアライブ
10. カーテンコール
11. 朝が来る前に

Tuneback Tuesday For The Second Week of March

Let’s turn back the hands of time as we look back on the songs that made the Japanese music industry what it was on the Oricon Weekly Chart. This week we look at the third week of January for both 2010 and 2015, where two Johnny’s boy groups Hey! Say! JUMP and Arashi reigned supreme with “Hitomi no Screen” and “Sakura” respectively. But just what exactly made these songs so great?

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“Hitomi no Screen ( 瞳のスクリーン)” was Hey! Say! JUMP!’s fifth single and continued their streak of consecutive number one’s on the Oricon charts. It initially sold 201,000 copies and became the 21st best selling single of that year totaling 250,206 copies. The single was originally available in two editions, a CD-only regular edition and a CD + DVD limited edition with each version containing different material. “Hitomi no Screen” was composed by famous composer and arranger Makaino Kouji. Kouji had worked with many popular artists such as Arashi, SMAP, and Kinki Kids, just to name a few. The song was used as the theme to the popular j-drama “Hidarime no Tantei EYE” which also stars Hey! Say! JUMP! member Yamada Ryousuke. “Hitomi no Screen” encompasses their vocal unity, catchy chorus, and infectious melody that Hey! Say! JUMP had on the industry with their high energy and harmonious vocals. Hey! Say! JUMP! continues to dominate the Japanese music industry to this day with their latest release, I Am / Muah Muah, reaching number 1 on the Oricon chart.

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“Sakura” was ARASHI’s forthy-fifth single and topped the Oricon charts for three consecutive weeks in the top ten. It originally sold 465,381 copies it first week and became the 11th best selling single of 2015 with 521,067 copies sold. The single was availabe in two editions, a CD-only regular edition and a CD + DVD limited edition with each edition containing a different track listing. “Sakura” is written and composed by eltvo, who is known for writting and composing many of ARASHI’s other famous tracks such as “Kimi Iru Kara” and “Fly on Friiday”. The track was chosen to be the theme song for the j-drama “Ouroborous” and this became a first for ARASHI as they had never had one of their songs in a j-drama despite being an established group. “Sakura” encompasses an arrangement of various instruments mixed together with each member’s vocals in a unison that is uncomparable. This track shows how ARASHI has captured and still captures the industry strongly with their enchanting melodies, vocals, and charisma. ARASHI’s domination of the industry shows in “Sakura” as the track was a part of their forty consecutive number 1 singles.

The Rampage Release First Ever Ballad With Next Single

The Rampage from Exile Tribe have announced that they will be releasing a new single on April 22nd and will be titled “Invisible Love”. The Rampage came on the scene in April of 2014 and in their time as being together as a group they have yet to release a ballad song as a single. Well “Invisible Love” will be the group’s first single ballad. The singe is being released in two editions total, a standard CD-only edition and a limited edition that will come with a bonus DVD. Pre-orders are up and are posted below.

Standard Edition

Limited Edition

The FANTASTICS Have A Darling New Single

Boy group The FANTASTICS from Exile TRIBE have announced a brand-new single titled “Hey, darlin'” and is set to drop on April 1. “Hey, darlin'” will be The FANTASTICS’ fifth single overall. “Hey, darlin'” is looking to be a more adult song focusing on the “beginnings of love” and will incorporate some R&B into the mix. The release will have a total of three brand-new tracks with the other two being “The Only One” and “OVERFLOW”. “Hey, darlin” is being released in two editions total, a CD-only standard edition and a limited edition that will come with a bonus DVD.  Pre-orders are available and are posted below along with the complete track-listing.

Standard Edition

Limited Edition

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Limited Edition

Standard Edition

FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE「Hey,darlin'」

CD

01. Hey,darlin'

02. The Only One

03. OVERFLOW

04. Hey,darlin'（Instrumental）

05. The Only One（Instrumental）

06. OVERFLOW（Instrumental）

・Time Camera（English Version） ※Bonus Track

DVD

・「Hey,darlin'」Music Video