One year after they made their major debut with “New generation”, atmospheric rock band Ame no Parade have announced that they will be releasing their second studio album on March 8th.  Titled “Change your pops”, this new record is set to include their previously released tracks “You”, “morning”, “stage”, “1969”, and “free” as well as six new songs, plus three interludes, for a total of 14.

Breaking with past tradition, “Change your pops” will be the band’s first release to feature a Limited Edition pressing.  This version of the release will come packaged with an additional DVD which contains the music videos for a number of their previously released songs, as well as the album’s lead track “Change your mind”, and a documentary chronicling the touring and recording which took place during the past year.

You’ll find both the cover and the complete track list for Ame no Parade’s upcoming full-length just beneath the cut.

A few weeks ago, it was reported that 18 year old rapper CHANMINA will be making her major label debut on Victor Entertainment with the album “Miseinen”, out March 8. On February 1, she is releasing one of the album’s songs, “FXXKER”, as a digital single. She’s now released the music video for the song and it’s… something. It starts off with her being taken from jail by two male agents. Once the trio is in a van, the men femme it up, turning out to be her fishnet-clad background dancers. And then the chorus starts… The chorus which consists one of one word, repeated over and over again. I’m sure y’all know what word that is. This is probably the hottest mess in Japanese music since HYNA’s “TARATIKA” in 2011. Check it out for yourself below!

There’s something familiar about the music of Tetsuya Komuro. It’s tinged with nostalgia, with just a hint of guilty pleasure. His music sounded cheesy even back when it was cool. But it has to be admitted that it’s kinda missed it now, this sound from a more optimistic time.

Komuro will be releasing a new album in March, titled “Tetsuya Komuro JOBS#1.” The album features collaborations with artists on the fringes of the mainstream, like tofubeats, Seiko Oomori and Hyadain. This new album looks like a low-key episode in Komuro’s gradual musical rehabilitation after his 2008 arrest and subsequent fraud conviction. It’s a far cry from the situation 20 years ago.

The year 1997 was when superstar producers reached the pinnacle of their power. The top-selling albums of the year — GLAY’s “REVIEW,” Mr.Children’s “Bolero” and globe’s “FACES PLACES” — were notable not only for the artists themselves, but also for the studio gurus whose influence lay behind them: Sakuma Masahide, Kobayashi Takeshi, and Komuro himself.

2016 saw the debut album of singer-songwriter iri, “Groove it”, which placed first in my personal Top 10 Staff Picks of the year. Now, 2017 will see the release of her first single, “Watashi”, on March 22nd. This song was composed by Kenmochi Hidefumi, composer of Suiyoubi no Campanella, and it is said to be a pop song with “danceable house taste”. Kenmochi Hidefumi already composed one song for iri, Groove it’s Track 5 “Favourite Joshi”. The song serves as the theme song for the NikkeWomen campaign “Watashi ni Odoroke”. Check the cover image and more information about the coming MV just after the jump!

This month’s guests were The Super Ball, GOOD ON THE REEL, Brian the Sun, Mahou Shoujo ni Naritai, Zombie, SUPER★DRAGON, and ROOT FIVE.

The Super Ball – Kimi no Koe ga….

GOOD ON THE REEL – Chiisa na Heya

Brian the Sun – Pathos to Ethos

Mahou Shoujo ni Naritai – Kakumei no Mask

Zombie – Kusari Hime

SUPER★DRAGON – BROTHERHOOD

ROOT FIVE – Dai Gyakuten Emotion

This week’s guests were A.B.C-Z and DANCE EARTH PARTY.

A.B.C-Z – Reboot!!!

DANCE EARTH PARTY – Do it!

This week’s guests were Iwasa Misaki, Otsuki Miyako, Kozai Kaori, Koda Kumi, Sakamoto Fuyumi, Shimatani Hitomi, Niizuma Seiko, Harada Yuri, Henmi Mari, May J., Mizutani Chieko, and Mai Kuraki.

From Mariah Carey and Avril Lavigne to Lady Gaga and Carly Rae Jepsen, everyone that follows the Japanese music industry knows that Western artists do have a place in it. But that place is shrinking due to a number of reasons.

In the past, when music was only sold via physical formats, international artists and labels would license their music to be sold abroad, so that it could be marketed in such a way that appealed to local tastes. This is one of the reasons Japanese editions of Western albums became a thing. Dedicated Western fans of Western acts still clamor for these editions due to their exclusive bonus tracks and special packaging.

But this practice of licensing music by international acts overseas is coming to an end as a result of the globalization of the music industry. Labels are now holding onto the right to their music and marketing it overseas how they see fit, even if they are unfamiliar with how to do so.