sentimental journey genre

• Beatle people
• Ringo Starr
• Ringo Starr albums discography

Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey was the debut album by Ringo Starr . It was recorded with producer George Martin during the final months of The Beatles.

The album contains 12 pre-rock ‘n’ roll songs that Starr knew from his Liverpool childhood. Starr had originally considered making a country album, an ambition he realised with Beaucoups Of Blues later in 1970.

Sentimental Journey was after the break-up, really, and I was lost for a while. That’s well-documented. Suddenly the gig’s finished that I’d been really involved in for eight years. ‘H-oh, what’ll I do now?’ And I just thought of all those songs that I was brought up with, all the parties we’d had in Liverpool at our house and all the neighbours’ houses. Songs my uncles and aunties sang, songs my stepfather sang. So I called George Martin and said, ‘Why don’t we take a sentimental journey?’ You see, it got me on my feet again, that was the good thing about that album. It started me to move. We had Quincy Jones and all these great arrangers, but if it did nothing else it got me off my bum, back into recording. Then I started to write again, and I did ‘It Don’t Come Easy’, ‘Back Off Boogaloo’, tracks that George Harrison co-wrote with me. Because I’m great at two verses and a chorus, but ending songs is difficult for me.

Starr sang on each of the songs, with backing by The George Martin Orchestra. Billy Preston played piano on ‘I’m A Fool To Care’ and organ on ‘Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing’, and John Dankworth added saxophone to ‘You Always Hurt The One You Love’.

Each of the songs was arranged by a friend or associate of Starr:

The recording sessions took place between 27 October 1969 and 6 March 1970. Additional songs recorded for the album included ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘I’ll Be Looking At The Moon’, and ‘Stormy Weather’.

The long gestation period was due to Starr’s other projects, which included acting in The Magic Christian , the final Beatles activities, and performing at sessions for George Harrison , Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and Doris Troy.

Cover artwork

The front cover of Sentimental Journey showed the Empress pub, which stood on High Park Street, Liverpool, a stone’s throw from Starr’s birthplace at 9 Madryn Street.

The photography was by Richard Polak. The cover image features superimposed images of Starr’s relatives at the windows, and Starr himself in the doorway.

The release

The album was first announced in December 1969, when it was given the title Ringo Stardust .

The release date was a subject of internal wrangling within Apple Corps. Paul McCartney refused to push back the release of his debut album McCartney to make way for Sentimental Journey and The Beatles’ Let It Be .

Apple was planning to release Let It Be on 24 April, and push back McCartney from 10 April to 4 June. Let It Be had been brought forward by Allen Klein to coincide with the premiere of the film, and they knew that having two Beatles-related albums in quick succession would hurt sales.

Since Let It Be was a group project with various multimedia elements, and McCartney was a relatively straightforward album release, the Beatles album took precedent. John Lennon wrote to EMI, saying: “We have arrived at the conclusion that it would not be in the best interests of this company for the record to be released on that date.”

Lennon and George Harrison then wrote to McCartney informing him of their decision.

Dear Paul, We thought a lot about yours and the Beatles LPs – and decided it’s stupid for Apple to put out two big albums within 7 days of each other (also there’s Ringo’s and Hey Jude ) – so we sent a letter to EMI telling them to hold your release date til June 4th (there’s a big Apple-Capitol convention in Hawaii then). We thought you’d come round when you realized that the Beatles album was coming out on April 24th. We’re sorry it turned out like this – it’s nothing personal. Love John & George. Hare Krishna. A Mantra a Day Keeps MAYA! Away.

The letter was sealed in an envelope marked “From Us, To You”, and left at Apple’s reception for a messenger to deliver to McCartney’s home at 7 Cavendish Avenue. However, on 31 March 1970 Starr agreed to take it round in person. “I didn’t think it fair some office lad should take something like that round,” he reasoned.

The contents of the letter left McCartney furious, and Starr received the full brunt of his anger.

Ringo came to see me. He was sent, I believe – being mild mannered, the nice guy – by the others, because of the dispute. So Ringo arrived at the house, and I must say I gave him a bit of verbal. I said: ‘You guys are just messing me around.’ He said: ‘No, well, on behalf of the board and on behalf of The Beatles and so and so, we think you should do this,’ etc. And I was just fed up with that. It was the only time I ever told anyone to GET OUT! It was fairly hostile. But things had got like that by this time. It hadn’t actually come to blows, but it was near enough. Unfortunately it was Ringo. I mean, he was probably the least to blame of any of them, but he was the fall guy who got sent round to ask me to change the date – and he probably thought: ‘Well, Paul will do it,’ but he met a different character, because now I was definitely boycotting Apple.

Sentimental Journey was released on 27 March 1970 in the UK, as Apple PCS 7101. Its US release followed on 24 April 1970 , as Apple SW 3365.

A promotional film was made for the title track, which was directed by Neil Aspinall . Filmed at the Talk Of The Town nightclub on 15 March 1970 , it featured Starr singing live over the studio recording, with George Martin conducting the Talk Of The Town Orchestra. Doris Troy, Madeline Bell, and Marsha Hunt appeared as backing vocals.

The album reached number seven on the UK albums chart, and number 22 on the US Billboard Top LPs chart. In America it also reached numbers 20 and 21 on the Record World and Cash Box charts respectively, and sold 500,000 copies in its first two weeks.

A remastered version of Sentimental Journey was released on compact disc on 1 May 1995 in the UK, and 15 August in the US.

Leave a Reply

All-TIME 100 Songs

Our critics pick the most extraordinary English-language popular recordings since the beginning of TIME magazine in 1923. Here are 100 (unranked) songs of enduring beauty, power and inventiveness

• ‘Sentimental Journey’

All aboard for a nostalgia trip with Les Brown and his Band of Renown.

In the lilting fox-trot of the band’s “Sentimental Journey” — and in Arthur Green’s swinging sen -tuh- men -tul phrasing — you can almost see the locomotive wheels chugging, hear the steam spurting from the smokestack and feel the second-class coach swaying back and forth as the train makes its way down the tracks. And when it leaves at “seven,” the high note mimics the train whistle and you’re “waitin’ up for heaven.” As performed by a 20-year-old Doris Day, whose voice is honey with a dash of pepper, you want to pack your bag and join her on that journey home.

And that’s exactly what many GIs were hoping to do when “Sentimental Journey” came out in 1944. The song’s aching nostalgia struck a chord in a nation welcoming its boys back from the front lines. If any song could make your heart “yearny” for the old hometown, this little train could.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUw125JMVFI]

Next ‘I Got Rhythm’

• ‘Tightrope’
• ‘Get Ur Freak On’
• ‘Bad Romance’
• ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)’
• ‘All My Friends’
• ‘Georgia… Bush’
• ‘Gold Digger’ (featuring Jamie Foxx)
• ‘Wake Up’
• ’99 Problems’
• ‘Hey Ya!’
• ‘C.R.E.A.M.’
• ‘Scenario’
• ‘Juicy’
• ‘California Love [Remix]’
• ‘Common People’
• ‘Paranoid Android’
• ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’
• ‘Being Boring’
• ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’
• ‘1952 Vincent Black Lightning’
• ‘Pineola’
• ‘Fight the Power’
• ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)’
• ‘Master of Puppets’
• ‘Kiss’
• ‘Blue Monday’
• ‘Billie Jean’
• ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’
• ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’
• ‘Borderline’
• ‘Get Up (I Feel like Being a) Sex Machine’
• ‘Thunder Road’
• ‘Zombie’
• ‘Angel from Montgomery’
• ‘September Gurls’
• ‘Jolene’
• ‘Superstition’
• ‘Baba O’Riley’
• ‘A Case of You’
• ‘Iron Man’
• ‘Immigrant Song’
• ‘Rivers of Babylon’
• ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’
• ‘I Feel Love’
• ‘Stayin’ Alive’
• ‘Heroes’
• ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’
• ‘Dreams’
• ‘Equal Rights’
• ‘One Nation Under a Groove’
• ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’
• ‘Rock & Roll’
• ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’
• ‘The Girl from Ipanema’
• ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’
• ‘Be My Baby’
• ‘Crying’
• ‘Crazy’
• ‘Where Did Our Love Go?’
• ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’
• ‘God Only Knows’
• ‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’
• ‘Gimme Shelter’
• ‘I Want You Back’
• ‘Ball ‘n’ Chain’
• ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’
• ‘I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)’
• ‘I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)’
• ‘Folsom Prison Blues’
• ‘How High the Moon’
• ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels’
• ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’
• ‘Jailhouse Rock’
• ‘Take This Hammer’
• ‘Tutti Frutti’
• ‘That’ll Be the Day’
• ‘Johnny B. Goode’
• ‘What’d I Say’
• ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’
• ‘Der Fuehrer’s Face’
• ‘This Land Is Your Land’
• ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’
• ‘White Christmas’
• ‘It Had to Be You’
• ‘Move On Up a Little Higher’
• ‘Cold, Cold Heart’
• ‘Stormy Weather’
• ‘I Got Rhythm’
• ‘Minnie the Moocher’
• ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)’
• ‘Star Dust’
• ‘Cheek to Cheek’
• ‘Where or When’
• ‘Over the Rainbow’
• ‘Strange Fruit’
• ‘My Mammy’
• ‘St. Louis Blues’
• ‘Ol’ Man River’
• ‘Wildwood Flower’
• StumbleUpon

Follow @TIMECulture

• Create account

Rise Up and Sing

Hope + change through song, rise & connect.

You are here

Sentimental journey, artist & tune, version by doris day.

Version by The Merry Macs

Version by The Andrews Sisters

Version by Ella Fitzgerald

Version by Dinah Shore

Version by The Platters

Version by Amy Winehouse

Version by Bob Dylan

About the Song

The song was first published in 1944. Les Brown & His Band of Renown had been playing the song but could not record it because of a lengthy musicians' strike. They were able to record it in November 1944 with Doris Day. It became Day's 1st #1 hit when it was released in 1945 around the time of the conclusion of the war in Europe.

The Winehouse acoustic recording was recovered by her father after her death & released in 2014.

• Rise Up Singing
• If I Had a Hammer
• Seeger songbooks
• Guide to Songleading
• Seeger autobiography
• Everything Possible
• Non-music books

Explore features & content or buy copies of our songbooks - designed to create hope & change through singing.

• The Music Box
• Song search
• Artist search
• More ways to learn songs
• Corrections
• Permissions
• For the Resistance

SONG RESOURCES

Learn how to use our songbooks & find additional links & information on individual songs

• Fun for families
• We Began to Sing film
• Songleading
• Using singing
• health benefits

Using singing to empower, build community & have fun - in lots of different settings

Please join us in our efforts to build a better world through singing.

• The Rise Again team

Buying our songbooks directly from us supports our work! We also sell 3 of Annie's CDs and over 20 Pete Seeger CDs.

• Buy by the box
• Annie Patterson CDs
• shipping - turnaround
• international orders
• quantity discount
• full product list
• "merch"
• Holiday Hints from Annie & Peter
• Seasonal items
• special offers
• Life & Work
• Seeger 100th
• Gifts for fans of Pete
• Articles about

Pete is still with us - we all are carrying on his work

Find out about Annie’s music, tours, and recordings

• Other events
• vocal coaching

Sentimental Journey 11th in 1944

Added by koan Managed by Isa

• Highlights 5
• Versions 408
• Adaptations 11
• Discussions 1

Sentimental Journey

First recording and first release by Les Brown and His Orchestra - Vocal Chorus by Doris Day (November 20, 1944 / January 22, 1945)

Adaptations

An adaptation is a musical work, which uses elements (music or lyrics) from another musical work.

• Cesta do nebe written by Jiří Štaidl Czech 1976
• Petit voyage sentimental written by Jacques Plante French 1946
• Terugkiek written by Jan Groenendal Frisian 1960
• Komm, wir machen eine kleine Reise written by Heinz Woezel German 1959
• Heute Nacht beginnen wir die Reise written by Kurt Feltz German 1964
• Viaggio sentimentale written by Devilli Italian 1946
• センチメンタル・ジャーニー [Sentimental Journey] written by Maki Asakawa Japanese December 1975
• Dosť s tým sentimentom written by Tomáš Janovic Slovak 1976
• Jornada sentimental written by Augusto Algueró [Sr.] [Mapel] , Artur Kaps Spanish 1961
• Jornada sentimental written by unknown author(s) Spanish 1964
• Jornada sentimental written by José Enrique Okamura Spanish 1967

Sentimental Journey written by Bud Green , Benjamin Homer , Les Brown English

Sentimental Journey written by Bud Green , Benjamin Homer , Les Brown instrumental

Cesta do nebe written by Jiří Štaidl Czech

Petit voyage sentimental written by Jacques Plante French

Terugkiek written by Jan Groenendal Frisian

Komm, wir machen eine kleine Reise written by Heinz Woezel German

Heute Nacht beginnen wir die Reise written by Kurt Feltz German

Viaggio sentimentale written by Devilli Italian

センチメンタル・ジャーニー [Sentimental Journey] written by Maki Asakawa Japanese

Dosť s tým sentimentom written by Tomáš Janovic Slovak

Jornada sentimental written by Augusto Algueró [Sr.] [Mapel] , Artur Kaps Spanish

Jornada sentimental written by unknown author(s) Spanish

Jornada sentimental written by José Enrique Okamura Spanish

Sentimentální cesta written by Michal Bukovič Czech (not verified yet)

Forum topics

Sentimental Journey: Pop Vocal Classics, Vol. 1-4

Various artists.

STREAM OR BUY:

Release Date

Recording date, allmusic review, user reviews, track listing, similar albums, moods and themes.

A Sentimental Journey

Laurence sterne, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

An English priest named Yorick , deciding to travel to France, packs and sails for Calais. In Calais, a Franciscan monk begs Yorick for alms. Yorick cruelly rebuffs him. After the monk leaves, Yorick regrets his cruelty and resolves to let his trip teach him to be a better person.

Yorick visits a carriage-yard to buy a carriage. There, he sees the monk speaking to a lady (later revealed to be Madame L— ). Retreating, Yorick crosses paths with Monsieur Dessein , a hotel-owner and proprietor of the carriage-yard, who offers to show him some carriages. Shortly after, Yorick bumps into Madame L—, offers her his hand, and follows Monsieur Dessein to the carriage-house with her. Believing he sees suffering on her face, Yorick develops a crush on Madame L— and wishes to do something good for her. When they reach the carriage-house, Monsieur Dessein realizes he has the wrong key and goes to fetch the right one, leaving Yorick and Madame L— alone. The monk approaches them. Yorick apologizes for his earlier behavior and offers the monk his snuff-box . The monk and Yorick exchange snuff-boxes as a gesture of friendship, and the monk departs.

Yorick wants to offer to travel with Madame L— in a two-person carriage, but he worries people may infer an inappropriate sexual relationship between them. Monsieur Dessein returns with the right key, but a servant calls him away. Alone again, Yorick and Madame L— chat awkwardly about French men and flirtation. Then Monsieur Dessein comes back and tells Madame L— her brother has arrived at the hotel. As Madame L— is leaving, Yorick mentions that her brother’s arrival has spoiled a proposal he wanted to make her; she replies that she guesses what the proposal is and that if her brother had not arrived, she would have accepted.

Yorick buys a carriage and rides to Montriul, where he hires a servant, a young man named La Fleur with no useful skills. Yorick and La Fleur travel on to Amiens, where Yorick sees Madame L— riding by in her brother’s coach. Later, Madame L— sends Yorick a letter asking him to deliver another letter to Madame de R— in Paris and inviting him to visit her sometime in Brussels. Recalling that he has sworn faithfulness to Eliza back in England, Yorick vows not to visit Brussels without her. By a series of coincidences, La Fleur ends up running into Madame L—, who asks him whether he has a letter from Yorick for her. La Fleur, embarrassed, runs back to Yorick and convinces him to copy a love letter La Fleur has on hand so that La Fleur can give something to Madame L—. Unable to think up a letter of his own on the spot, Yorick goes along with La Fleur’s plan and copies the letter. Then he and La Fleur leave for Paris.

In Paris, Yorick decides to visit the Opera comique and enters a shop to ask an attractive grisset (a term for a young French woman, generally of the working class) for directions. Though she repeats the directions several times, Yorick forgets them as soon as he leaves and returns to ask again. While there, Yorick mentions that the grisset must have an excellent pulse, since she has a good heart, and he lays his fingers on her wrist. The grisset’s husband walks in, bows to Yorick, and leaves. Yorick is shocked by his behavior. A little later, he buys some gloves from the grisset and departs.

Yorick finds the Opera comique, where he shares a box with an old French soldier . In the standing section, they see a tall German man blocking the view of a dwarf and refusing to move. The old French soldier summons an opera employee to deal with the German. Yorick applauds him. Later, they chat; the soldier tells Yorick that all nations have good and bad aspects and that travel is good because it helps people learn about and love one another. Yorick heartily approves of the sentiment.

Walking home from the Opera, Yorick pops into a bookstore to buy some Shakespeare. The bookseller refuses to sell him the Shakespeare in the store, which belongs to Count de B**** , who is having it bound. The bookseller mentions that Count de B**** is an Anglophile. A chambermaid comes into the store to buy a book; Yorick leaves the store with her, advises her against falling in love, and gives her a crown coin. When she mentions she works for Madame de R—, Yorick tells her he has a letter for her employer and says he'll visit the next day.

When Yorick returns to his hotel, La Fleur tells him the French police have come looking for him because he doesn’t have a passport. Initially, Yorick blows off his potential trouble with the law. Then he overhears a caged starling in a hotel hallway repeating the phrase “I can’t get out,” which reminds Yorick of the horrors of incarceration and slavery. The next morning, Yorick rides to Versailles to visit a French official who could get him a passport. As the official is busy, Yorick decides to visit and beg for help from Count de B**** instead.

Yorick finds Count de B**** reading Shakespeare. He tells Count de B**** that, although they don’t know each other, Yorick is relying on his fellow Englishman, Shakespeare, to introduce them. Count de B**** asks Yorick’s name, and Yorick points to the name Yorick (the former king’s dead jester) in Hamlet . Count de B**** pockets the play and leaves the room. A few hours later, Count de B**** returns with a passport. He tells Yorick that he could only have gotten a passport so quickly for a jester.

Yorick goes back to his hotel room, where the chambermaid is waiting for him to ask whether he has a letter for Madame de R—. He and the chambermaid end up sitting on the bed; helping her with a loose shoe strap, Yorick knocks her over and feels extreme sexual temptation, but he hustles her out of his room before anything happens.

Count de B**** introduces Yorick to various important people in Parisian society. After three weeks, Yorick gets sick of hobnobbing with them and decides to leave France for Italy. On the way, he decides to stop in Moulines to visit Maria , a young madwoman he heard about from a friend. He finds Maria in the countryside, cries with her, and walks her to Moulines; when they part, he thinks that if it weren’t for his beloved Eliza, he would marry her.

Yorick’s carriage is delayed on the way to Turin by a large stone in the road. Yorick stops at an inn for the night, where the innkeeper demands that Yorick share his room with a lady from Piedmont and her maid. Embarrassed at having to share a room for the night, Yorick and the lady talk through a series of rules they will follow to make the experience as painless as possible. Among the rules is that Yorick will not speak after they have gone to bed except to say his prayers. After they go to bed, however, Yorick tosses and turns so miserably that he ends up shouting, “O my God!” The lady scolds him. While making excuses for his outburst, the maid quietly enters the room, at which point Yorick ends up throwing out his arm and catching hold of her—(at this point, the story breaks off).

Join us on Social

Photos: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella, Dana Jacobs/Getty Images, Justin Shin/Getty Images, Gene Wang/Getty Images

10 Neo J-Pop Artists Breaking The Mold In 2024: Fujii Kaze, Kenshi Yonezu & Others

Japan’s domestic pop market has incredible depth and growing Western interest. From Vocaloid acts to anime-centric productions and a plethora of genre-bending releases, the country's musicians and solo artists are breaking ground and making noise.

At this year’s Coachella , Japan’s music industry made a statement: out with the old, in with the new. Where previous years hosted legacy acts like Utada Hikaru and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, up-and-coming hitmakers YOASOBI and cult favorites Atarashii Gakkou! played to sizable crowds in 2024. They represent just the tip of the iceberg for Japanese musicians touring stateside: J-R&B star Fujii Kaze will tour the country this month, and numerous acts have seen exposure abroad thanks to anime soundtrack work and streaming playlists such as Spotify’s Gatcha Pop .

Anime, by far the country’s biggest cultural export, is a major factor in Japan’s music industry, with songs composed for animated films, TV, and streaming projects — and to a lesser extent video games — making up a growing number of the country’s most dominant pop hits. "Anison," or anime songs, have become extremely prestigious commissions for the country’s pop musicians, especially for younger artists who have seen anime gain traction both in Japan and internationally. 

That younger generation is now taking control of the charts, and making inroads into international markets by leaning into what makes their music and culture unique. For musicians like Kenshi Yonezu, vocal synthesizer software Vocaloid allowed them to develop their own musical voice on their own terms. The most famous Vocaloid artist, Hatsune Miku, also played Coachella this year as a video-projected anime avatar. There’s also remarkable freedom to play with genre in J-pop. Acts freely swap between sounds —from alternative rock to funky city pop, or R&B to electro-pop — in the span of a few songs. 

These factors have made Japan’s domestic pop market one of the most interesting to watch in the world. It’s gotten to the point where top English-language artists aren’t seeing the success they used to in the country, largely because the Japanese public has shifted its attention toward Korean and domestic artists. For Westerners, Japan can seem like another world, and this is especially true for its music scene. 

To bridge the gap, GRAMMY.com has created a primer to 10 of Japan’s most interesting new acts. Who knows, you might just see them stateside soon. 

Japan isn’t exactly a happy country. Social pressure is high , the economy has been stagnant for years even before its current monetary crisis and its brutal work culture is not exactly the envy of the world. Young people often feel as though they have nothing to look forward to but misery, so when someone comes along and says it’s okay to tell the adults in your life to f— off, it resonates.

This is essentially how 22-year-old singer Ado (born 2002) became the voice of Gen Z. Late in 2020 amid the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, she burst onto the J-pop scene with "Useewa," a rock-centric track composed by Vocaloid producer Syudou whose title translates, roughly, to "Shut the f— up." Detailing the angst of having to grin and bear the conformity of adulthood and the satisfaction of rejecting it, the song clearly struck a chord with young people in Japan. The song’s brash lyrics also sparked a moral panic from parents and the media over its anti-conformist message.

Ado’s charismatic, fiery vocal delivery, coupled with a nasty anime visual , really sells the whole package, making it a rage-filled counterpart to YOASOBI’s similarly disaffected "Yoru ni Kakeru." 

"Usseewa" topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100, the Oricon Digital Singles and Streaming charts, and the Spotify Viral 50 Japan. The video reached 100 million views on YouTube within 150 days of release. Ado has since earned more hits, furthering her wild persona with the even louder and wilder "Show." She also earned a starring role as a singer in One Piece Film: Red , the most recent theatrical installment of the biggest manga franchise in the world. 

Atarashii Gakko! 

There’s a saying in Japan about the risks of refusing to conform to society’s expectations: "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down." When it comes to finding success on the international music market, however, the opposite seems to be true. The world loves Japan when it’s at its zaniest and most distinctive, and artists that lean into this are often able to build a following abroad.

Case in point: A rapping girl group wearing vintage-inspired sailor-suit school uniforms called Atarashii Gakko! (translation: New School). The group just played Coachella and, prior, performed on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." To be sure, a lot of the foursome’s appeal is in the visual department. The group’s wild, Beastie Boys -esque video for "Tokyo Calling" pairs their sukeban girl gang-style outfits with a plethora of retro visual references: kaiju films like Godzilla , Super Sentai , even Bollywood-style dance. Musically, they’re just as mixed up, having taken on ‘80s city pop in " Otonablue " as well as adding to Japan’s legacy of unique hip-hop on " NAI NAI NAI ." 

The group’s ethos since forming in 2015 has been to shine a new path for Japan’s youth by embracing individuality and nonconformity, and it’s paid dividends so far. Their new album, AG! Calling , is set for release June 7.

Creepy Nuts

There’s a lot of bizarre, potentially conflicting elements in Creepy Nuts’ hit song "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born." There’s the sound-effect-bubble title, the anarchic rapping of vocalist R-Shitei, and producer DJ Matsunaga’s use of a Jersey Club beat (a trend with forward-thinking East Asian pop acts). There’s also the fact that it was composed for an anime about… wizards with muscles ? 

In any case, the theme song for the TV anime "Mashle: Magic and Muscles" has pulled some chart magic of its own, topping the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for eight weeks straight earlier this year, largely thanks to the viral "BBBB dance" challenge. The duo have also taken the song worldwide, reaching No. 8 on Billboard U.S.’s Global 200 and performing the song on Global Spin . If you want to find the biggest J-Pop hit of this exact moment, look no further. 

Raised in small-town Okayama prefecture in the western reaches of Japan, Fujii Kaze is being positioned as the next big artist to emerge from the country. He toured Asia in 2023 and will come to America this May; he also launched the Japanese version of Tiny Desk Concerts earlier this year. He’s also been working with international talent, such as Kendrick Lamar and 21 Savage producer DJ Dahi on the piano-driven hip-hop track " Workin’ Hard ."

The video for "Matsuri," in which Fujii (the artist lists his surname first) traipses around a Japanese garden and parties with foreigners at a traditional mansion, feels almost like a tourist advertisement for the country, projecting an image of refined, effortless Japanese cool. Recent song " Hana ," produced by Charli XCX and Utada Hikaru collaborator A. G. Cook, feels even more like a play for the international market with a ‘70s California soft rock backing track and a visual that puts Fujii on a journey through the desert.

Herein lies the secret to Fujii Kaze’s appeal: he’s hot and cool at the same time. His success is predicated not just on good looks and buttery croon, but on a smooth, easygoing persona that feels native and international at the same time. "Matsuri," with its chill yet glamorous R&B production and can’t-be-bothered lyrics ("there’s no reason to suffer / no need to be disappointed / I really couldn’t care less") exemplifies his laid-back mentality. He’s also, notably, shunned the anime market, preferring to put his songs in basketball promos and telecoms commercials – anime is cool enough for Megan Thee Stallion but not for Fujii, it seems. 

Hitsujibungaku

Just as grunge reignited America’s love of rock music in the ‘90s, Japan also embraced guitar-oriented, pop-rock in the same decade thanks to bands like B’z, Number Girl, Southern All-Stars, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, and Visual Kei groups like L’Arc-en-Ciel and X Japan. As the U.S. began to embrace hip-hop and dance-pop in the 2000s, rock and metal persisted in the Japanese mainstream. New bands continue to perform at "live house" venues in hip areas like Tokyo’s Shimokitazawa neighborhood, while groups playing niche styles like math rock, shoegaze, and metalcore have found support. CHAI, tricot, Alexandros, Otoboke Beaver, and Official Hige Dandism are just a few bands that have emerged from this milieu in recent years to success at home and abroad.

Tokyo-based trio Hitsujibungaku offers a good starting point of where Japan’s rock scene is going. The majority-female group found success on the anime song circuit last year, delivering the end credits track for mega-popular TV anime "Jujutsu Kaisen." "More than words" which became the lead single for their recent album 12 hugs like butterflies , immediately stuck out for its shuffling, nostalgic melody, and evocative, fuzzy layering of guitar tone influenced by shoegaze. 

Kenshi Yonezu

More than most mega-successful J-pop artists, Kenshi Yonezu owes his success to the Vocaloid and internet music communities in which he forged his artistry. Raised in rural Tokushima, he began his career as a teenager in the late 2000s, uploading music to the video site Nico Nico Douga under the name Hachi, and soon found his most successful tracks were the ones that used Vocaloids like Hatsune Miku. Like many artists in the digital age, Yonezu’s early work was entirely DIY, as thanks to Vocaloid he was able to produce, write, and even design artwork for his music all on his own.

Eventually, Yonezu signed to a major label and began to split time between his Vocaloid tracks as Hachi and music made under his own name. His album Bootleg won Album Of THe Year at the Japan Record Awards in 2018, and he became known for tender, uptempo ballads like " Uchiage Hanabi " and " Lemon " (the latter of which still reigns as the most-viewed video by a Japanese musician on YouTube with over 800 million views). 

Two high profile anime commissions have driven Yonezu’s star beyond Japan. In 2022, he produced the opening theme for the highly-anticipated adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed manga Chainsaw Man . "Kick Back" departed from Yonezu’s biggest hits by leaning into the show’s action premise with drum and bass beats and an aggressive guitar melody. Buoyed by the anime’s success, "Kick Back" topped the Oricon and Billboard Japan singles charts and even charted in the U.K., Canada, and the U.S., where it became the first Japanese-language song to be certified gold by the RIAA. 

Then in 2023, he produced and sang " Spinning Globe ," the end credits theme for Hayao Miyazaki’s first film in a decade, The Boy and the Heron . It was the first time the anime auteur, who usually uses older pop music or score from usual composer Joe Hisaishi, had chosen a contemporary pop artist to write for him. 

King Gnu aren’t afraid to mix it up. They gained acclaim in Japan by pursuing a pop rock sound that’s one part city pop, one part hip-hop. Tracks like " Hakujutsu " and " Kasa " pair sick riffs and boogie basslines with turntable scratching and delicate, yet powerful vocals from Daiki Tsuneta and Satoru Iguchi.

Last year they scored a major hit with "Specialz," which was used as an opening theme for popular anime "Jujutsu Kaisen." Setting the mood for the show’s bleak second season with metallic techno drums and brawny guitar riffs, the menacing song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and currently has over 166 million Spotify streams. Tsuneta also leads the collective millennium parade, who lean toward electronic music and scored a hit with "U," from the Mamoru Hosoda musical anime BELLE . 

Conceptual projects are much more common in the Japanese pop landscape than one might expect. Case in point: MAISONdes. While not a band or a collective, MAISONdes is an imaginary apartment building where lonely hearts find solace in song. The virtual building is accessible through a website , and each song produced for the project is assigned a room number and created by a randomly-paired team of producers and vocalists that changes with each track. Participants have included chart star Aimer and VTubers such as KAF and Hoshimachi Suisei. 

Too complicated? Too weird? At least the music is good, focused on high-energy electro pop reminiscent of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, idol pop, and the Vocaloid, anisong, and netlabel acts of recent decades. As such, the most high-profile MAISONdes tracks have been those produced for anime and promotional campaigns. They’ve done all the opening and ending themes for the recent TV anime reboot of classic comedy manga "Urusei Yatsura," and their most recent track, "Popcorn" was a collab with Sanrio celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty, one of the original kawaii culture icons. The hyperactive song gained a million views on YouTube within three days of being posted. 

City pop — the ‘70s and ‘80s musical movement that blended American funk and AOR with disco and synthpop — looms large in the J-pop landscape. Although its revival has somewhat peaked following the pandemic, that hasn’t stopped guys like Vaundy from channeling the sound into their own music.

His breakout hit " Tokyo Flash " paired the grooves of the city pop era with a more down-to-earth arrangement with simpler production. Further attempts to modernize the sound have also found success: " Todome no Ichigeki ," written for the popular anime "Spy x Family," featured a grand, orchestral instrumental and a guest verse from rapper Cory Wong . With romantic lyrics reminiscent of City Pop king Tatsuro Yamashita, it’s a true return to the retro style. 

Of course, like most J-pop musicians, Vaundy isn’t a stylistic purist. He’s also applied his confident vocal style to several brisk rock tracks, resulting in chart success. His heavy metal jam for the Chainsaw Man TV anime soundtrack, " CHAINSAW BLOOD ," peaked at 13 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, while the poppier " Kaijuu no Hana Uta " went to No. 2 after he performed the song on the "2022 Kohaku Uta Gassen" New Year’s Eve show. 

Inarguably the focal point of contemporary J-pop, no other act has defined the current era in Japan more than YOASOBI. The duo of Ayase and Ikura burst onto the scene in 2019 with the song "Yoru ni Kakeru," based on a short story posted on the site Monogatary. Pairing an upbeat instrumental with bleak, literary lyrics about death and suicide, it’s the most unlikely of pop hits. Released in late 2019, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to grip Japan a few months before the rest of the world. "Yoru ni Kakeru" became a massive, award-winning smash. B illboard Japan named it the first song in its chart history to pass 1 billion streams , and Oricon named it the most-streamed song of the Reiwa era just last month. 

Read more: From Tokyo To Coachella: YOASOBI's Journey To Validate J-Pop And Vocaloid As Art Forms

Since then the band have become major hitmakers and fixtures of the anison production line, writing theme tracks for hit anime like "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury" and "Frieren: Journey’s End." They scored another era-defining hit with " Idol ," their opening song for the controversial 2023 showbiz satire "Oshi no Ko." Responding to the anime’s twisted tale of a mysterious J-pop idol with dark secrets, the duo paired a bombastic instrumental with lyrics that perfectly capture the cardinal rule of stardom: tell all and reveal nothing. 

The song became such a cultural phenomenon in Japan that YOASOBI performed it at last year’s "Kohaku Uta Gassen" New Year’s TV special flanked by dozens of J-Pop and K-Pop idols, including members of NewJeans, LE SSERAFIM , and Nogizaka46. 

A Guide To Cantopop: From Beyond And Sam Hui To Anita Mui

Photo: Netflix

"Bridgerton" Composer Kris Bowers & Vitamin String Quartet Continue To Make Classical Music Pop For Season 3

The Netflix show returns for its third season on May 16. Composer Kris Bowers, alongside the Vitamin String Quartet and other artists, masterfully reimagines modern pop with a classical twist, including a Taylor Swift hit.

No one is arguing that “Bridgerton” is realistic or even particularly historically accurate — in fact, leaning into anachronisms is the point. Entering its third season, which premieres on May 16, the pulpy Netflix show based on a series of romance novels by Julia Quinn — often classified as “bodice rippers” — mixes modern life ideas with Regency-era social rules.

From Lady Whistledown's tantalizing gossip columns to the complex romances of the Bridgerton siblings, the series grips viewers with its blend of historical drama and contemporary flair. One key note in that chord is classical music. Instead of using current tracks like some historical-contemporary-hybrids (most famously “A Knight’s Tale" in 2001), “Bridgerton” has mastered the art of the classical cover. 

Paired with original compositions by Kris Bowers , an Oscar winner and GRAMMY nominee — including one for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media for "Bridgerton" — the tone of the show is that of a heightened, classic world. Bowers, along with music supervisor Justin Kamps collaborates with the Vitamin String Quartet and other artists to create a full circle sonic landscape. They make the classical music in “Bridgerton” pop by re-recording, rearranging, and reimagining contemporary pop songs as classic pieces. 

Over three seasons, as well as with the spin off, “Queen Charlotte,” the team has included a mix of the newest songs as well as nostalgic favorites. This season features GAYLE ’s “abcdefu,” which was released in 2022 as well as a cover of Pitbull , Ne-Yo , and Afrojack ’s “Give Me Everything,” which was released in 2011, which can appease the full gamut of millennial and Gen Z viewers.  

Regency traditions 

The Regency period in which the show is based, spanned from 1811 to 1820, and was known as an era of elegance and refinement in British history.  In the first chunk of the 1800s, pop music included pieces by Beethoven, Liszt, Haydn, and Mendlesson (famous for the “Wedding March”). Waltzes were all the rage, and this “new” music was considered much more emotional and passionate than previous offerings. The romance of being swept away in a dance increased the thrill, and string quartets were highly popular. 

As seen throughout the series (and much like today), society placed a significant emphasis on social gatherings and music played a central role in these events. Balls, soirées, and intimate musical evenings were common, the perfect backdrop for orchestrating romance. 

In “Bridgerton," the show's modern portrayal of the Regency period occasionally features or references music from the time period, such as Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” which was written a century before the events in the show but was and is still a popular piece of classical music. The show frequently uses arrangements of classical songs in a slightly modern way, but most often, it underscores scenes with either classically arranged covers of pop songs or original music by Bowers. 

Contemporary music covers

Choosing between a cover or original music is a nuanced decision for the music team. The music team considers “whether or not, there's something that can, lyrically, even though we don't hear lyrics, speak to a moment really well,” said Bowers. Absent a cover by an outside band, Bowers arranges pop hits to suit the tone of the scene. He said, “when you're saying something with a song, you're making commentary on what's happening.” 

When they do outsource tracks, more often than not, these covers come from Los Angeles-based Vitamin String Quartet. VSQ is the new Mendlesson in that they have been the predominant wedding-march artist for nearly a decade, known for producing string renditions of highly eclectic mix of artists including Cardi B , Lana Del Rey , Björk , and Sigur Rós . 

They contributed four covers in season one, including Billie Elish 's “bad guy” and Ariana Grande 's “Thank U, Next,” about which Leo Flynn, VSQ Brand Manager at CMH Label Group said, “Talk about a great track changing the temperature of a room.” In season two, VSQ’s cover of Robyn 's “Dancing on My Own” played under a dance scene. 

When we spoke to James Curtiss, Director of A&R at CMH, the song placements for season three were still a mystery. Curtiss shared, “When we finished that Taylor [Swift] record, we sent it right over to the people at ‘Bridgerton.’” 

[ Spoiler alert: ] Since then, we have learned Swift's “Snow on the Beach” will be featured in season three. This isn't the first time Swift's music has been featured in the show: Duomo’s cover of “Wildest Dreams” played under the honeymoon scenes in season one. 

Composer Bowers added his favorite cover of the season is in episode eight, the finale, but what title that is will be a surprise. The surprise of an “unexpected cover” as Bowers calls it is that when you “hear a song that you know, and have this strong indelible connection with it that is represented in this style that you typically don't feel like is for you. People get excited by having this music that they really love be elevated to this other level.” He said the familiarity makes “you feel connected to this time period, these characters, and these people in a different way.” 

Flynn said, “There’s something about the past that’s inherently romantic,” and the use of VSQ songs “unites something from the past with what’s going on now.” Because classical music “feels very idealized and formal,” he said, “there’s all this history and mystique built into it.” 

Flynn also mentioned that “Bridgerton” fuses past and present on a “major storytelling scale” between the historically-inspired stories themselves, the “visual feast” of the show, and the music. Curtiss added that the “romantic nature of the string quartet” juxtaposed with pop songs helps viewers tie the feeling of going to a bar or club to the experience of hearing “the popular bangers of the day,” as he called Beethoven et al., at a ball in the Regency era. 

Original compositions

When the music needs to set a specific tone without taking the audience out of the action to try and name that tune, “Bridgerton” often uses original compositions by Bowers. Bowers said, “Looking at pop music for those things like rhythm and tempo and all that stuff also helps in moments where we want to have the score feel a little bit more modern and not as traditional.” He continued, “I’ll put something in the violas and the celli that have this kind of guitar and bass feeling to them even though we’re looking at it orchestrationally from a classical perspective.” He explained that “borrowing the rhythms or the way that parts interlock from pop music” makes it feel like a modern classical sound. 

Each character and couple has their own theme. Bowers explained that it was enjoyable to create themes that could fit both heartbreaking and celebratory moments. “The melodies are still the same even if the harmonic tone is changed,” he said.

Instrumental Pop In Visual Media

The “Bridgerton” style of using instrumentalized versions of pop songs is not unique. Famously, “Promising Young Woman” used a haunting version of Britney Spears ’ “Toxic,” adapted by Anthony Willis, and “Westworld’s” Ramin Djawadi used adaptations of Radiohead among others. “Wednesday” featured a stirring string version of the Rolling Stones ’ “Paint it Black.” The popularity of Vitamin String Quartet and other classical cover bands has not waned and, if anything, is becoming more of a mainstream staple.

As season three approaches, the unveiling of the time-spanning, romantic soundtrack is highly anticipated. Four episodes air May 16 and the second half of the season airs June 13, with original compositions by Kris Bowers and additional music by various artists, including Vitamin String Quartet, who will be taking over Pandora’s Classical Goes Pop in anticipation of their fall, “Bridgerton”-music-filled tour. 

Overall, to find the tone of the whole series, Bowers said, “Season three actually has a lot more lightness to it. (Showrunners) Shonda (Rhimes) and Jess (Brownell) really want to have a lot of fun this season so there's a little bit more of a playful, youthful quality to the music.” Whatever tunes make it into the season, they are sure to be a feast for the ears. 

Meet Usher Collaborator Pheelz, The Nigerian Producer & Singer Who Wants You To 'Pheelz Good ’

Photo: Courtesy Camila Cabello & Lil Nas X

New Music Friday: Listen to Songs From Megan Thee Stallion, Camila Cabello & Lil Nas X, BTS' RM & More

May 10 is quite the stacked day of new music across all genres — from Post Malone & Morgan Wallen's country collab, to Stray Kids' team-up with Charlie Puth, to The Chainsmokers and Kings of Leon. Check out some fresh releases to enjoy this weekend here.

As the summer quickly approaches, artists from every genre continue to unveil new music for warmer weather. Friday May 10 is particularly packed with anticipated and surprise releases from both emerging talents and established names.

The new albums alone prove just that: pop songsmith Alec Benjamin 's 12 Notes , folk-rock band Judah & the Lion 's The Process , regional Mexican stars Grupo Frontera's Jugando a Que No Pasa Nada , and GRAMMY-winning R&B singer Andra Day 's Cassandra , to name a few.

Meanwhile, a big, cool glass of major rap releases is here to help wash down the piping hot Kendrick and Drake beef served up over the last week. Full album releases debuted from Gunna , Chief Keef , and Ghostface Killah — the latter featuring guest spots from Nas , Kanye West , Raekwon , Method Man and more. Hottie Megan Thee Stallion 's powerful new single, "BOA", sets the stage for her Hot Girl Summer tour which officially starts on May 14. New songs from Ice Spice , Kodak Black , NLE Choppa , Coi Leray , G-Eazy , Yung Gravy , Ski Mask the Slump God set the playlist for a weekend full of slappers.

There's tons of collaborations, too, including the much-teased pairing of Post Malone and Morgan Wallen with "I Had Some Help," a track that showcases Malone's furtherance into country in a catchy, reflective anthem. But country music lovers also have more to enjoy this weekend: Orville Peck 's duets project, Stampede Vol.1 , features the likes of Willie Nelson and Elton John ," while Scotty McCreery's Rise & Fall and Avery Anna's single "Blonde" fill the fuel tank for a rodeo-ready summer. 

BTS 's RM delivers another solo track "Come Back to Me" and Stray Kids dropped a new collaboration with Charlie Puth , coming fresh off the K-pop group's appearance at the Met Gala earlier this week. And the electronic and rock scenes are not left behind, with A.G. Cook exploring a new twist on Britpop and Sebastian Bach's release of Child Within The Man .

Dive into today's releases from Megan Thee Stallion, The Chainsmokers , RM, Stray Kids with Charlie Puth , Camila Cabello with Lil Nas X , Post Malone and Morgan Wallen below. 

Megan Thee Stallion, "BOA"

Megan Thee Stallion's new single "BOA" continues to play up the themes of empowerment and self-realization that define her current musical phase and comes just days ahead of her Hot Girl Summer Tour starting on May 14. The song's cover art features Megan with a striking snake, a recurring symbol of rebirth that has been significant in her recent work, appearing in tracks like the Billboard Hot 100 hit "Hiss" and the 2023 song "Cobra." 

"BOA" is a continuation of Megan's snake-themed narrative, but serves as a saccharine homage to her favorite late-'90s and early 2000s anime and video game classics. The music video features references to Scott Pilgrim, One Piece, Dance Dance Revolution, and iconic 3D fighting games like Mortal Kombat, complete with visuals and Gantz-inspired outfits.

Speaking to Women's Health about her upcoming summer album, Megan discussed the personal growth and renewal she has experienced, inspiring this new era of music. "I was inspired to create this album about rebirth because I feel I am becoming a new person physically and mentally," she shared.

Camila Cabello & Lil Nas X, "HE KNOWS"

Camila Cabello teams up with Lil Nas X for the tantalizing new song "He Knows," delivering a radio-friendly track that's as catchy as it is lustful. The new music mirrors the infectious energy of their recent appearance at FKA Twigs' Met Gala afterparty, where they both were seen dancing the night away behind the DJ booth. 

"He Knows" serves as a precursor to Cabello's highly anticipated fourth solo album, C,XOXO , — set to drop on June 28 — and teases a glimpse of Cabello's evolving artistic direction. The single follows on the heels of her recent hit "I LUV IT" featuring Playboi Carti, part of the  reimagining of her sound and artistic brand.

RM, "Come Back To Me"

BTS member RM has released a new single, "Come Back To Me," accompanied by a music video. The relaxed track gives fans a taste of his upcoming second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person , set to release on May 24. 

In the song, RM explores themes of right and wrong, capturing the complex emotions of wanting to explore new avenues while wishing to stay comfortable in the present. "Come Back To Me" features contributions from OHHYUK of the South Korean band HYUKOH, and Kuo of the Taiwanese band Sunset Rollercoaster. Additional credits include JNKYRD and San Yawn from Balming Tiger. RM first performed "Come Back To Me" during a surprise appearance at BTS bandmate Suga 's concert in Seoul last summer, noting it as a favorite from his forthcoming album. 

The music video for "Come Back To Me" was written, directed, and produced by Lee Sung Jin, known for his work on the Netflix show "Beef." The video features actress Kim Minha from the Apple TV+ series "Pachinko" and faces themes of identity and self-reflection, showing RM confronting different versions of himself. Its cast includes notable Korean and American actors such as Joseph Lee, Lee Sukhyeong, and Kim A Hyun.

Post Malone & Morgan Wallen, "I Had Some Help"

Post Malone and Morgan Wallen blend their distinct musical styles in the much-anticipated release of their collaborative single "I Had Some Help." Merging Malone's versatile pop sensibilities while leaning into his country roots with Wallen's, well, help, the duet is a unique crossover that has had fans clamoring to hear more since the two first teased the song earlier this year. 

Finally premiering during Wallen's headlining performance at Stagecoach Festival on April 28, the uptempo song explores themes of mutual support and shared experiences, encapsulated by the lyric, "It ain't like I can make this kind of mess all by myself."

The collaboration has sparked significant buzz and showcases the duo's chemistry and shared knack for storytelling. This single highlights their individual talents as well as their ability to bridge genre divides, already promising to be a hit on the charts and a favorite among fans.

The Chainsmokers, No Hard Feelings

Maestros of mainstream emotion, The Chainsmokers continue to master the art of turning personal reflections into global anthems with their latest EP, No Hard Feelings . The six-song project see Alex Pall and Drew Taggart exploring the emotional highs and lows of modern relationships, weaving their signature dance beats with pop sensibilities as they have since 2015's "Roses." 

The duo's latest release serves as a soundtrack to both sun-kissed days and introspective nights. The collection includes the single "Friday," a collaboration with Haitian-American singer Fridayy, described by the duo as a direct descendant of "Roses." Other tracks, such as "Addicted," also underscore the Chainsmokers' knack for capturing the zeitgeist of contemporary love and loss.

Kings of Leon, Can We Please Have Fun

Kings of Leon return with their signature blend of rock and introspection on their ninth studio album, Can We Please Have Fun . The LP finds the band infusing their established sound with fresh, unbridled energy, reminiscent of their early days yet matured by years of experience. The album features standout tracks like "Mustang" and "Nothing To Do," which mix playful lyrics with serious musical chops, showcasing Kings of Leon's unique ability to combine rock's raw power with catchy, thoughtful songwriting.

The band is set to bring Can We Please Have Fun to life on their 2024 world tour, starting in Leeds, United Kingdom on June 20 and wrapping in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Oct. 5. Fans can expect a high-energy series of performances that blend new tracks with beloved classics, all delivered with the Kings of Leon's legendary fervor.

Stray Kids & Charlie Puth, "Lose My Breath"

Stray Kids have teamed up with Charlie Puth for their latest release, "Lose My Breath," a track that blends K-pop dynamism with Western pop flair, written by Stray Kids' own producer team 3racha (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han) along with Puth. The TK song details a whirlwind of emotions, describing symptoms of breathlessness and heart-palpitating moments encapsulated in the lyrics: "I lose my breath when you're walking in/ 'Cause when our eyes lock, it's like my heart stops." 

"Lose My Breath" is described as a "warm-up" for Stray Kids' forthcoming album, set for release this summer. The track further highlights the global appeal of Stray Kids ahead of their highly anticipated headlining set at Lollapalooza in August. It also continues Puth's engagement with K-pop, following his previous work with other K-pop acts including his collab with BTS' Jungkook , "Left and Right," and "Like That," a song he co-wrote for K-pop girl group BABYMONSTER . 

15 Must-Hear Albums In May 2024: Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Sia, Zayn & More

Photo: Kato Shumpei

From Tokyo To Coachella: YOASOBI's Journey To Validate J-Pop And Vocaloid As Art Forms

YOASOBI, blending J-pop and Vocaloid with narrative-driven songs, is capturing a global audience through their performances at major festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza, marking a significant moment for Japanese music on the international stage.

For decades, Japanese music has been one of the hardest to access as a foreigner. Even with the popularization of cultural exports like anime and the emergence of streaming platforms, it is still considered a niche, and fans often have to dig deep in order to find albums , translations, or any kind of content at all.

"There weren’t many opportunities for Japanese music to go out into the world until now," says YOASOBI ’s producer and songwriter, Ayase, over a Sunday morning Zoom from Tokyo. "If we were to break into the mainstream, I think there’s a lot more work to do. Being a part of Coachella is one of them."

The duo, composed of Ayase, 30, and vocalist Ikura, 23, is gearing up for their first performance at the mighty Californian festival next weekend, plus two sold out headline shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In August, they are set to play at Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL. 

"Performing at festivals like Coachella was one of our goals when we put our live team together, so I believe that it will be a place for us to grow further,” says Ikura, who lived in Chicago as a kid and considers these opportunities a "full circle" moment.

Read more: 10 Must-See Artists At Coachella 2024: Skepta, The Last Dinner Party, Mdou Moctar, Cimafunk & More

Formed in 2019, YOASOBI found overnight success with their debut single "Yoru ni Kakeru," a bright-sounding but harrowing tale that topped Billboard ’s Japan Hot 100 chart for six non-consecutive weeks. They continued to rise further, recording five EPs (three in Japanese, two in English), the opening theme to Netflix’s anime series " Beastars, " 2021’s "Kaibutsu," and their magnum opus so far: "Idol."

Released in 2023, "Idol" became a massive hit, placing No.1 at Billboard's Japan Hot 100 chart for 22 weeks and counting — an all-time record break. It was also the nineteenth best-selling song of 2023 worldwide, according to the IFPI . With these accolades, it’s easy to understand why the duo is fully booked, but what makes their music so enticing to global audiences? 

Listening to YOASOBI is like entering a rabbit hole. First, you get hypnotized by the glistening synths, bursting like fireworks, and the rock riffs taking melodies to full-speed. Then, you discover their adage is "novel into music," and all songs are based on fictional stories written by various authors. There’s also the animated music videos, each with a different style, giving their sounds another layer for interpretation. And finally, there are Ayase’s and Ikura’s (under the name Lilas Ikuta) own solo careers — treasure troves ready to be unearthed.

"I don't know, to be honest," says Ayase when asked about their growing popularity. "I guess the fact that a lot of Japanese [exports] have been prevalent around the world had to do with it. But also, maybe it's because people are experiencing this combination of music with storytelling that is interesting to them." Ikura agrees, adding that YOASOBI allows fans to "enjoy this bigger world that we are part of in a more three-dimensional way."

The experience is similar to how they create their music: mining, collecting, mixing, and transforming different threads into a new fabric. From fictional stories, Ayase transmutes his feelings into beats on his laptop with Logic Pro, then inputs melodies and lyrics through Vocaloid softwares like Hatsune Miku. Ikura listens to the Vocaloid demos, and then adds her own feelings and flair into the interpretations. For English-language tracks, they work with translator Konnie Aoki, who is "very mindful of phonetic sounds," and Ikura listens to the Japanese versions up until it’s time to record, so that she can have "the right emotions set."

It’s such a natural process for them that Ayase is surprised to know that there are still people who don’t consider Vocaloid as "real" music. “Those people probably don’t know what music is,” he says with a laugh. “Do they think that instrumental music, where there's no human singing, isn’t real music? There’s really great Vocaloid music out there, and it’s basically [voices] created through synthesizing softwares. It's very different from AI, which is auto-generated music. Vocaloid is humans creating music using these softwares. That's the only difference from a human singing a song.”

To Ikura, who maintains her burgeoning solo career in tandem with YOASOBI’s busy schedule, Vocaloid allowed her to broaden her talents. "It is my first time singing songs that somebody else wrote, so it was an opportunity to challenge myself with things that I wouldn't necessarily write, or sing in a tone or voice that I wouldn't come up with myself." She says that these experiences influence her solo works all the time, in a "synergy" that allows her to "have more colors to work with in my palette."

"I started producing music through Vocaloids,” adds Ayase. “And it truly broadened my ideas and imagination when it comes to creating music. It allows creators to come up with melodies that a human singer may not come up with. It's a fascinating culture. The possibility I feel is infinite, and it really makes the impossible possible, in a way.”

Read more: It Goes To 11: How One Piece Of Technology Makes YOASOBI's Musical Vision Come To Life

Endless possibilities are also a big allure in AI technologies, but Ayase doesn’t see this as a threat. With the right boundaries, it’s just a tool — like Vocaloid, Logic Pro, and the internet — that can be used positively. "However, as a creator myself, I really hope that creative works come out of the imagination and ideas of the human mind. In that sense, [AI] may not be 100% a positive thing for us," he shares.

But that’s something for the future. Now, YOASOBI is focusing on their very real, very tangible events ahead. "Finally, we have this opportunity where people around the world are discovering our music. So, performing at festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, or doing our solo shows, I think it's important that we communicate with the audiences and maximize this opportunity as much as possible," says Ikura.

And it’s not just YOASOBI getting all the attention: according to data and research company Luminate , J-pop in general is on the rise. "I’m very proud, as a Japanese person, for that situation. For us, it’s really about taking it one step at a time," says Ayase. “Our ultimate wish is to have our music or reach as many people around the world as possible, and so we will continue to work hard every day."

9 Essential K-Pop/Western Collabs: From BTS And Megan Thee Stallion, To IVE And Saweetie

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

GRAMMY Rewind: Megan Thee Stallion Went From "Savage" To Speechless After Winning Best New Artist In 2021

Relive the moment Megan Thee Stallion won the coveted Best New Artist honor at the 2021 GRAMMYs, where she took home three golden gramophones thanks in part to her chart-topping smash "Savage."

In 2020, Megan Thee Stallion solidified herself as one of rap's most promising new stars, thanks to her hit single "Savage." Not only was it her first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, but the " sassy, moody, nasty " single also helped Megan win three GRAMMYs in 2021.

In this episode of GRAMMY Rewind , revisit the sentimental moment the Houston "Hottie" accepted one of those golden gramophones, for Best New Artist.

"I don't want to cry," Megan Thee Stallion said after a speechless moment at the microphone. Before starting her praises, she gave a round of applause to her fellow nominees in the category, who she called "amazing."

Along with thanking God, she also acknowledged her manager, T. Farris, for "always being with me, being by my side"; her record label, 300 Entertainment, for "always believing in me, sticking by through my craziness"; and her mother, who "always believed I could do it."

Megan Thee Stallion's "Savage" remix with Beyoncé also helped her win Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance that night — marking the first wins in the category by a female lead rapper.

Press play on the video above to watch Megan Thee Stallion's complete acceptance speech for Best New Artist at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards, and remember to check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of GRAMMY Rewind.

Black Sounds Beautiful: How Megan Thee Stallion Turned Viral Fame Into A GRAMMY-Winning Rap Career

• 1 10 Neo J-Pop Artists Breaking The Mold In 2024: Fujii Kaze, Kenshi Yonezu & Others
• 2 "Bridgerton" Composer Kris Bowers & Vitamin String Quartet Continue To Make Classical Music Pop For Season 3
• 3 New Music Friday: Listen to Songs From Megan Thee Stallion, Camila Cabello & Lil Nas X, BTS' RM & More
• 4 From Tokyo To Coachella: YOASOBI's Journey To Validate J-Pop And Vocaloid As Art Forms
• 5 GRAMMY Rewind: Megan Thee Stallion Went From "Savage" To Speechless After Winning Best New Artist In 2021