Girl group PINK CRES. are back in the scene with a brand new MV for their song “Etcetera“.

It will be included on their second studio album, which is also named “Etcetera”. The album will have ten songs in total and be released nationwide in Japan on June 27th, 2018.

Their last release “crescendo” was released globally at the same time digitally and for streaming, so there’s a high chance “Etcetera” will share the same fate.

Last we heard from veteran singer/songwriter Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, he had just released his digital single “Don’t Think Twice“.  Now, just over a month later, Nagabuchi has decided to release his second digital single of the year – a track titled “Amen”.

To coincide with the release of this new song, its full PV has been uploaded to his Youtube channel.  The video features Nagabuchi singing his song to the sky while in front of striking locations like a church on the isle of Nozakijima and a carousel lit up at night.

You’ll find the music video for “Amen” right after the jump.

This week alternative duo Polaris released their latest album “Tentai”.  Their first new record since 2015’s “Music”, “Tentai” includes the pair’s previously released tracks “cyan” and “Todoku”, as well as a self-cover of their song “Nocturne”.

In support of the album’s release, the group have published the music video for its lead track “Gradation” to their Youtube channel.  Animated by DRAWING AND MANUAL’s Takaharu Shimizu, the PV features a variety of colorful imagery to match the track’s upbeat tempo.

You’ll find the video for this festive song, along with the audio for new track “Hoshikuzu” and the album’s cover and track list if you read on below.

We’re back with this week’s edition of Oricon Flashback. This is where we look back on what topped Oricon this week 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago. Think of it as a way to reminisce and learn about the past of Japanese music.

Rock trio the Buzz Mothers have announced that they will be releasing their latest studio album “Muscae Volitantes” next month on July 4th.  The group’s fifth album together, “Muscae Volitantes” will come with nine new songs from the band, including the tracks “Henshin” and “Goodbye my JAM”.

Ahead of the album’s release, the band have chosen to upload the music video for its opening track “Haiboku Dairinin” to their Youtube channel.  This video features lead singer Ryoichi Yamada wandering through the wilderness as the group performs the song.

Read on below to find this PV, as well as the cover and track list for “Muscae Volitantes”.

Today marks the release of Dean Fujioka‘s second single “Echo“.

The song is currently serving as the main theme song for the Fuji TV drama series “Monte Kurisuto Haku: Karei Naru Fukushu“, starring Fujioka himself along with Kanjani8 member Okuri Tadayoshi. Additional information about the drama can be seen here.

Do you ever long for a time and place that you’ve never experienced? This has become a familiar feeling as of late for many on YouTube due to a city pop song from 1984: Mariya Takeuchi‘s “Plastic Love.” An upload of the song from July 2017 has garnered over 13 million views so far, with various other uploads and remixes of the song garnering views as well. “Plastic Love” randomly pops up in YouTube users’ suggestions, even if they don’t listen to Japanese music. Ryan Bassil of Noisey is one of these people. His love of the song has led him to declare it the “best pop song in the world.”

Bassil points out that the song is able to convey emotion without the listener knowing Japanese, something a lot of us probably experienced when we first came across Japanese music.

The song has a magical quality to it that has helped it spread around the world via YouTube. A KPop singer even tried to capture some of that magic recently by plagiarizing the song.

On July 25, this year’s edition of Fuji TV’s mid-year music special, FNS Uta no Natsu Matsuri, will air. The show will start at 7PM JST and end at 11:28 PM JST. The show will be hosted by Chisato Moritaka, Watabe Ken, and Kato Ayako. The 2018 FNS Uta no Natsu Matsuri will have the theme of “natsu no meikyoku.”

The first set of performers on the show has now been announced, and it includes King & Prince, Momoiro Clover Z, and LiSA. These three, along with the other three music acts announced, will perform an anisong medley. Actresses Tsuchiya Tao and Yoshioka Riho will also appear on the 2018 FNS Uta no Natsu Matsuri to share their memories of summer songs. See who else is performing below!