or purchase from:

or purchase from:

or purchase from:

1. EXILE/EXILE ATSUSHI – Rising Sun/Itsuka Kitto…
2. MORNING MUSUME – Kono Chikyu no Heiwa wo Honki de Negatteirundayo!
3. RAINBOW – A
4. YELLOW FRIED CHICKENz – THE END OF THE DAY
5. ClariS – nexus
6. The Cro-Magnons – Number One
7. AKB48 – Flying Get
8. Masaharu Fukuyama – Kazoku ni Naroyo / fighting pose
9. Mika Nakashima – LOVE IS ECSTASY
10. Sukima Switch – Hare Tokidoki Kumo

As for the #1 Indies release on the Oricon Indies Daily Charts, the #1 indie song in Japan goes to Golden Bomber for “女々しくて／眠たくて”.

For Oricon Weekly Chart Rankings, please click here.

SOURCE: Data was translated from Oricon CD Single Daily Charts

ORICON TOP 10 ALBUM DAILY CHARTS

NOTE: AAA takes #1, Ayumi Hamasaki at #2 and Che Nelle at #3.

1. AAA – #AAABEST
2. Ayumi Hamasaki – FIVE
3. Che Nelle – Love Songs
4. NO DOUBT FLASH – GOLD MEMBER
5. Juliet – Shibuya
6. Kazuki Kato – Kazuki Kato 5th Anniversary K. J Best Sellers
7. KREVA – GO
8. Anzen Chitai – Anzen Chitai X II
9. SMAP – SMAP AID
10. Various Artists – V-Rock Disney

For rankings comparison, please compare to Oricon’s NINKI Poll predictions for Album Sales.

Oricon Music Charts (Top 10 CD Single and Album Daily Charts in Japan): KAT-TUN takes the #1 spot on the Singles Charts, Miliyah Kato takes the #1 spot on the Album Charts (08.04.11)

It’s new release Wednesday! Which artist or band took the #1 spot for Japan’s Oricon CD Single Daily Charts and Oricon Album Daily Charts?

Buy the #1 CD Single & Album from CDJAPAN or YesAsia.com:

The #1 CD Single in Japan The #1 Album in Japan M Best [w/ DVD, Limited Edition] Miliyah Kato

or purchase from:

ORICON TOP 10 SINGLE DAILY CHARTS

NOTE: KAT-TUN takes #1, Nana Mizuki takes #2 and Yusuke at #3

1. KAT-TUN – RUN FOR YOU
2. Nana Mizuki – Junketsu Paradox
3. Yusuke – Otakebi
4. Watarirouka Hashirai 7 – Hetappi Wink
5. sKE48 – Paleo wa Emerald
6. S/mileage – Uchoten Love
7. Kaoru to Yuki, Tamani Mukku – Maru, Maru, Mori, Mori!
8. Kiyoshi Hikawa – Anoko to Nogiku to Watashibune/Yoake no Jujiro
9. Namie Amuro – NAKED/Fight Together/Tempest
10. Madonna – Secret

As for the #1 Indies release on the Oricon Indies Daily Charts, the #1 indie song in Japan goes to 言え for “Champagne”.

For Oricon Weekly Chart Rankings, please click here.

SOURCE: Data was translated from Oricon CD Single Daily Charts

ORICON TOP 10 ALBUM DAILY CHARTS

NOTE: Miliyah Kato at #1, B’z at #2 and Toshinobu Kubota at #3.

1. Miliyah Kato – M BEST
2. B’z – C’mon
3. Toshinobu Kubota – Gold Skool
4. DIR EN GREY – DUM SPIRO SPIRO
5. JUJU – YOU
6. Chanel – Love Songs
7. Sekihan – EXIT TUNES PRESENTS SEKIHAN the GOLD
8. SNSD – GIRLS’ GENERATION
9. STRAIGHTENER – STRAIGHTENER
10. Lady GaGa – Born This Way

For rankings comparison, please compare to Oricon’s NINKI Poll predictions for Album Sales.

Oricon Music Charts (Top 10 CD Single and Album Daily Charts in Japan): SKE48 takes the #1 spot on the Singles Charts, B’z takes the #1 spot on the Album Charts (07.13.11)

It’s new release Wednesday! Which artist or band took the #1 spot for Japan’s Oricon CD Single Daily Charts and Oricon Album Daily Charts?

Buy the #1 CD Single & Album from CDJAPAN or YesAsia.com:

The #1 CD Single in Japan The #1 Album in Japan Paleo wa Emerald [CD+DVD / Type A / Jacket A] SKE48 C’mon [w/ DVD, Limited Edition] B’z

or purchase from:

ORICON TOP 10 SINGLE DAILY CHARTS

NOTE: SKE48 takes #1, Namie Amuro at #2 and flumpool at #3

1. sKE48 – Paleo wa Emerald
2. Namie Amuro – NAKED/Fight Together/Tempest
3. flumpool – Donna
4. FTISLAND – Let it Go!
5. Kaoru to Yuki, Tamani Mukku – Maru, Maru, Mori, Mori!
6. AK-69 – 69 (P.O.R.S.C.H.E. MUSIC)
7. YUKI – Hello!
8. Kiyoshi Hikawa – Anoko to Nogiku to Watashibune/Yoake no Jujiro
9. Sphere – LET-ME-DO!!
10. SCANDAL – LOVE SURVIVE

As for the #1 Indies release on the Oricon Indies Daily Charts, the #1 indie song in Japan goes to Guild “Summer EP 2011 ～L’Estate～(Don’t Let Me Down／Please Please Please Money／Good Bye Days，Say Hi Friends)”.

For Oricon Weekly Chart Rankings, please click here.

SOURCE: Data was translated from Oricon CD Single Daily Charts

ORICON TOP 10 ALBUM DAILY CHARTS

NOTE: B’z takes the #1 spot, JUJU at #2 and Momoiro Clover Z at #3.

1. B’z – C’mon
2. JUJU – YOU
3. Momoiro Clover Z – Battle And Romance
4. Kariyushi 58 – Kariyushi 58 Best
5. Noriyuki Makihara – Heart to Heart
6. Kamen Rider OOO  Full Combo Collection
7. Rurouni Kenshin Complete Collection
8. MISIA – SOUL QUEST
9. Kiyoshi  Hikawa -Enka Meikyoku Collection 14 – Anoko to Nogiku to Watashibune
10. SNSD – GIRLS’ GENERATION

For rankings comparison, please compare to Oricon’s NINKI Poll predictions for Album Sales.

J!-ENT’s Dennis A. Amith interviews SCANDAL (J!-ENT Interviews and Articles)

Popular Japanese rock quartet SCANDAL (Epic Records) returned to America for a performance in Anaheim, California on July 3rd.

With a new album and single coming out, J!-ENT’s Dennis A. Amith recently interviewed SCANDAL leader (vocalist/guitarist) HARUNA. The two discuss the band’s music, their upcoming releases, how the band members feel about their fan-made videos of playing their music on YouTube and much more!

To download the interview, please click here

Hottest band, Galileo Galilei’s film “Control Tower (Kanseitou)” to be premiered at JAPAN CUTS, theme song to be released in the US!

Galileo Galilei – Most remarkable upcoming band in Japan

Hailing from Wakkanai, Hokkaido, their first original song “Control Tower (Kanseitou)” has been adapted to a feature film under the same name, which is now confirmed to have its New York special screening at JAPAN CUTS – Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema.

Concurrently, their first full album “Parade” which includes the theme song “Kanseitou (acoustic)” will be digitally released in the US, Canada, and in the UK on July 19 through iTunes and Amazon.

Galileo Galilei / Parade
Release Date： July 18, 2011
Available at iTunes, Amazon

※Official Website: http://www.galileogalilei.jp/

●Galileo Galilei Profile
4-piece band consisting Yuuki Ozaki （Vo & Gtr）、Fumito Iwai （Gtr）、Hitoshi Sakou（Ba）、Kazuki Ozaki （Dr）.

This young band (current average age at 19) was formed in Wakkanai, Hokkaido, the northernmost city in Japan.
In 2008, the band made its sensational major debut after winning the teenage audition festival called “Senkou Riot”.

Their debut song “Hanamasu no Hana” released in 2010 marked over 1 million downloads, and their first full album “Parade” released in February 2011 marked top 5 on the Oricon weekly chart. Selling out their recent SHIBUYA-AX show in literally seconds, Galileo Galilei has rapidly gained popularity and is one of the bands attracting the most attention in the Japanese music scene.

And now, their first original song “Kanseitou (acoustic)” has been readapted into a film, set in their home town Wakkanai, Hokkaido. The film will make its US premier at New York’s JAPAN CUTS on July 19.

On the same day, their first full album “Parade” including song “Kanseitou (acoustic)” will be digitally released through iTunes and Amazon.
This album will be available in the US, Canada, and in the UK.

●About JAPAN CUTS – Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

JAPAN CUTS is the one and only contemporary Japanese film festival curated by Japan Society.
Entering its 5th year, 32 titles including “Battle Royale”, “Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha: The Great Departure”, and “Gantz” are scheduled to be screened.
The film festival runs from July 7, 2011 until July 22, 2011
Official website: http://www.japansociety.org/japancuts

■“Control Tower (Kanseitou)” will be screened on July 19 (Tue) 9:30pm（＊NY Time）
URL: http://www.japansociety.org/japancuts

●About film “Control Tower (Kanseitou)”

2011. 68 min., HD Cam SR, in Japanese with English subtitles.
Directed by Takahiro Miki. With Kento Yamazaki and Ai Hashimoto.

Featuring the hottest-looking teenagers of this year’s line-up, and inspired by a song of the same name by the rock band Galileo Galilei, director Miki’s (Solanin) latest is the distilled, purest essence of Japanese teenage romance: Kento Yamazaki plays a bored (but handsome) 15-year-old boy named Kakeru who’s trying to figure out where he belongs against the backdrop of the spectacular winter frost in Wakkanai, Hokkaido. One day, he meets a transfer student named Mizuho (Ai Hashimoto, Confessions) and through their common love of music, they communicate and find something that makes their young hearts beat faster.
(From Japan Cuts website)

w-inds. “10th Anniversary Best Album” Available on iTunes Worldwide Exclusively on June 22, 2011

- A dime of years and still no change – One of the most popular dance-vocal groups in Asia, “w-inds.”, released the 10th anniversary best albums. In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the group, all w-inds. singles & albums are also available for purchase and download on iTunes® worldwide as either albums or individual songs on the same day, starting June 22, 2011!!

w-inds. is a vocal and dance group that consists of Keita Tachibana (vocal), Ryohei Chiba and Ryuichi Ogata (chorus, rap and dance).

w-inds. started performing on the streets of Yoyogi and Shibuya, Tokyo, Sundays beginning in November of 2000. Just before their debut in March 2001, over 8,000 people gathered just to see w-inds. performance on the street in Shibuya. The first album “w-inds. -1st message-“ released in the same year made it into the top of the Oricon chart.

Subsequently, the group held all of the top ranking positions on the single hit chart with “Another Days” and “Because of You” in 2002, and “SUPER LOVER -I Need You Tonight-“ and “Long Road” in 2003. With their soaring popularity and recognition, w-inds. has appeared on a variety of Japan‟s most famous annual end-of-year events such as the “Japan Record Awards” and the “Red and White Singing Contest (Kohaku Uta Gassen)” sponsored by NHK. w-inds. has conducted nationwide tours every summer that regularly attracts more than 100,000 people. Their scene of activities spans all of South-Eastern Asia including Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Thailand, Malaysia and so on.

In Taiwan, four consecutive albums hit the top of the general music charts – a historical first achievement for a Japanese artist. In Korea, w-inds. has appeared on the major music festivals three years in a row from 2006 to 2008. Most notable among their appearances, w-inds. appeared in a commemorative event for the 35th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan-China, held in Beijing, China, as well as a participation in a private concert for former prime ministers and the guests held in the Prime Minister‟s office in Japan on the occasion of Chinese President, Hu Jintao‟s visited to Japan.

In 2008, the group appeared Japan-Vietnam Friendship Music Festival in Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City for the Celebration of the 35th Anniversary of Japan-Vietnam Diplomatic Relations, while also joining a fund-raising concert “heart Aid Shisen” held in Japan. In May, 2009, G-DRAGON, the leader of Korea‟s No.1 HIP-HOP dance group, „BIGBANG‟, contributed rap vocals for w-inds. 26th single “Rain Is Fallin‟”.

The collaboration of the two dance-vocal groups represented two countries drew a lot of attention. In November of the same year, w-inds. successfully performed at their first solo arena-concerts in Taiwan and Hong Kong. With such energetic activities all over Asia as well as their popularity and strong abilities, the group has gotten in an impregnable position in current dance music scene in Japan.

Keita‟s lyrics and smooth vocals are amplified by the perfectly balanced chorus and dance of Ryohei and Ryuichi, together forming a sensational trio that appeals to a broad range of fans. w-inds is sure to become the face of the Japanese music scene in Asia and around the world.

Various Artists – Holiday Tunes: UkiUki Mode (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

A wonderful compilation feature exciting Japanese music hits from the ’90s – early 2000′s. Featuring 34 tracks, “Holiday Tunes: UkiUki Mode” is definitely for those who are looking for cool music hits from the ’90s and 2000′s.

ARTIST: Various Artists

ALBUM: Holiday Tunes: UkiUki Mode (HOLIDAY tunes ～ うきうきモード)

LABEL: Sony Music Direct (Japan) Inc.

CATALOG #: MHCL 1902~3

DURATION: DISC 1 (1:18:27) / DISC 2 (1:10:18)

RELEASE DATE: April 27, 2011

BUY THIS ALBUM from CDJapan.com:

HOLIDAY tunes – Ukiuki Mode

V.A.

or YesAsia.com

DISC 1:

1. Aya Matsuura – Yeah! めっちゃホリデイ
2. DREAMS COME TRUE – go for it!
3. Every Little Thing – Dear My Friend
4. PUFFY – サーキットの娘
5. Shimatani Hitomi – 亜麻色の髪の乙女
6. Ryouta Mitsunaga – Always
7. access – 夢を見たいから
8. ZOO – YA-YA-YA
9. Tomoyasu Hotei – CIRCUS
10. SHAZNA – SWEET HEART MEMORY
11. Nami Tamaki – Reason
12. Makoto Kawamoto – ピカピカ
13. Kimmokusei – 二人のアカボシ
14. Rina Chinen – Wing
15. Hitomi Yaida – Buzzstyle
16. Original Love – 朝日のあたる道 AS TIME GOES BY
17. Mayo Okamoto – そのままの君でいて

DISC 2:

1. ORANGE RANGE – ラヴ・パレード
2. JUDY AND MARY – Over Drive
3. THE HIGH-LOWS – 青春
4. ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION – ループ & ループ
5. hide with Spread Beaver – ever free
6. ULFULS – Asobou
7. Kaera Kimura – happiness!!!
8. CRAZY KEN BAND – あ、やるときゃやらなきゃダメなのよ。
9. Yosui Inoue – コーヒー・ルンバ
10. Hideki Kaji – ラ･ブーム ～だってMY BOOM IS ME～
11. PRINCESS PRICESS – OH YEAH!
12. Bakufu Slump – 旅人よ ～ The Longest Journey
13. LINDBERG – だってそうじゃない!?
14. UNICORN – すばらしい日々
15. Motoharu Sano – 約束の橋
16. JUN SKY WALKER(S) – つめこんだHAPPY
17. THE YELLOW MONKEY – バラ色の日々

From the label behind the “Holiday Tunes: Nonbiri Mode” comes “Holiday Tunes: UkiUki Mode”!

“UkiUki” is an expression of being excited and the songs featured in this 2-disc compilation features 34 full-length songs to make one feel excited!  Well, not sure if it would really but I can tell you that there are classic hits included in this compilation that did make me happy!

“Holiday Tunes: UkiUki Mode” features hits from the last 25-years which include classic hits such as DREAMS COME TRUE “go for it!”, PUFFY’s “Circuit no Musume”, JUDY AND MARY’s “Over Drive”, LINDBERG’s “Datte Sou Janai”, UNICORN’s “Atarashi no Hibi” and more!

But really, there are many songs on this compilation that will attract various audiences because it’s so diverse with many popular music hits and various music styles.

Personally, It’s hard to review compilations because the artists featured are subjective to those listening and whether or not they like the music as you get rock and pop music.

But for those who are familiar with ’90s and early 2000 J-Pop, you will no doubt find this compilation fun and enjoyable! And the fact that it’s not just artists from Sony but artists from various labels is pretty cool and for the most part, these songs are truly UkiUki mode tracks and perfect for spring and summer.

The CD comes with a lyrics booklet for each song and a slipcover case.

Overall, this compilation album has something for everyone but will probably appeal mostly to those who appreciate Japanese music hits from the last 20-years.

BUY THIS ALBUM from CDJapan.com:

HOLIDAY tunes – Ukiuki Mode

V.A.

or YesAsia.com

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