First Playlist to Perform at TOKYO IDOL FESTIVAL 2026 Six Months After Debut
A debut-year appearance at the world's largest idol festival marks an early milestone for First Playlist, which launched in January 2026 under YUSVOX.
ASCII.jp
Music
Singer Peabo Bryson Dies at 75
Bryson's two Disney ballads won Grammys and defined a generation of animated musicals, and his work extended into anime and J-pop collaboration.
Anime News Network
VRChat Scene Talents Kinu, 0b4k3, and Yoxtellar Release 'Breath' MV on June 10
The release marks another cross-platform collaboration from THE LUV BUGS, bringing together key figures from the VRChat music scene for a label milestone.
PANORA
Chanmina Withdraws From Music Awards Japan Due to Hypothyroidism
Chanmina was a scheduled performer alongside Kenshi Yonezu and Fujii Kaze at one of Japan's largest international music awards, and her withdrawal removes a major act from the live broadcast lineup.
KAI-YOU
Aoi Motomura Supervises Fukuoka Idol Audition 'Color Your Story'
Aoi Motomura, a 12-year HKT48 veteran and choreographer for =LOVE, is using her experience to shape a new Fukuoka-based idol group from the ground up.
ASCII.jp
7ORDER Releases New Song 'Miracle'
The song is the group's most aggressive uptune and their first new material since the March album 'ROMAN', marking a harder musical direction as they play their first live house tour.
ASCII.jp
Undertale Gets First Official Wind Symphony Concert in Japan
The concert marks the first time Toby Fox's acclaimed RPG soundtrack gets a full wind ensemble arrangement in Japan, performed by the country's oldest professional wind orchestra.
Denfaminicogamer
SUPER EIGHT Grace Cover of anan 2500th Issue
The cover appearance marks the magazine's 2500th issue and continues SUPER EIGHT's long-running relationship with anan since their first feature in 2006.
Eiga Natalie
Idolish7 Rainbow City Arc Group Singles Get 4-Week Consecutive Release
The four-week rollout of group singles tied to the new Rainbow City Arc story marks the first concentrated music release cycle for IDOLiSH7 since 2022, giving each unit a dedicated spotlight with new material.
Nijimen
Ensemble Stars!! Music Producer Kuwabara Kiyoshi Resigns After Misconduct Allegations
The resignation removes a key creative figure from one of the biggest mobile rhythm game franchises, and the company's acknowledgment of misconduct using company facilities raises questions about internal oversight at Memento mori Inc.
KAI-YOU
Steins;Gate Symphony of Causal Melodies Official Report Released
The official report documents the first full orchestra concert for the Steins;Gate series, marking a new format for live performances of the franchise.
4Gamer.net
Elvis Presley Rehearsal Video of The Beatles' 'Something' Released for 'EPiC'
The release offers a rare glimpse into Presley's interpretive process on a Beatles classic, using restored archival material to extend the legacy of the 'Elvis' film project.
Eiga Natalie
Riko Sasaki Sings 'Hito no Game Cassette' Theme Song 'Silen to'
The release of 'Silen to' marks the first music from Daiyonkyokai's latest ARG, which blends a real-world second-hand game shop sighting with a fictional console to create a mystery that players solve across the internet and the game itself.
Denfaminicogamer
MoN Takanawa Launches New Two-Man Live Project SWAN
SWAN is a recurring series that treats each two-artist bill as a single composed flow rather than separate sets, making the format itself the artistic subject.
ASCII.jp
IShowSpeed's Unofficial World Cup Anthem Makes FIFA's Official Album
A fan-made song by a streamer, released just days earlier as an unofficial anthem, was officially adopted by FIFA for its World Cup album, signaling a new kind of crossover between internet personalities and major sports institutions.
KAI-YOU
Google Releases Magenta RealTime 2 Music AI With Free Apps and Plugins
Magenta RealTime 2 is Google's first open-weights live music model that runs locally, with free apps and plugins that let musicians use it in real time on Apple Silicon Macs.
GIGAZINE
Masaki Suda Returns to Host Music Awards Japan 2026 Grand Ceremony
Suda's return as host for a second year signals the award show's intent to maintain continuity and star power as it builds its identity as Japan's largest international music awards.
ASCII.jp
Ado to Perform Theme Song for Live-Action Blue Lock Film
The reunion of Ado with the Giga and TeddyLoid production team, following their previous hit collaborations, positions the theme song as a potential summer anthem that could broaden the film's appeal beyond existing manga and anime fans.
Eiga Natalie, Comic Natalie, Cinema Today, and 2 more
&TEAM to Hold First VR Concert in 15 Cities Worldwide From June 26
The scale of the VR concert rollout and the narrative-driven production represent a significant expansion of how HYBE is using VR to reach global audiences for &TEAM, which just achieved its third consecutive million-seller album.
PANORA
Siena Wind Orchestra to Perform Space Battleship Yamato Concert in October
The concert program centers on the antagonistic forces of the series, a thematic focus that has been well-received in prior performances of the same event title.
ASCII.jp
Valknee and Paaom Kyu Kyu Kyu Kyu Kyu Drop Collaborative Song "Sukasuka"
The collaboration brings together two acts from overlapping but distinct corners of Tokyo's alternative music scene-valknee's alt-rap and ผ้าอ้อม99999's internet-inflected junk pop-under a single label event.
KAI-YOU
Yasuyuki Okamura and Kento Nakajima Perform Ganbare! Nakamura-Kun!! Op on THE FIRST TAKE
The appearance gives the BL comedy's opening theme a high-profile showcase on a channel known for spotlighting vocal performances.
Comic Natalie
Mall Boyz Release New Song 'MUTANT NINJA TURTLES' Featuring Ralph and JUMADIBA
The single arrives as Tohji prepares to retire from music in 2026, with his final live show scheduled for August 9 at LaLa arena TOKYO-BAY.
KAI-YOU
Sunshine City Prince Hotel Hosts Third Kanda Yuki Masquerade Live in 2026
The event continues the hotel's effort to position itself as an entertainment venue for adult fans in Ikebukuro, a district known for anime and culture.
ASCII.jp