The year 2023 in Japanese music.
Debuts
Debuting groups Ave Mujica Billlie Bite a Shock Candy Tune DXTeen IMP. Kiss Kiss The Jet Boy Bangerz from Exile Tribe Le Sserafim MiSaMo NCT Tokyo Purple Kiss Secret Number
Debuting soloists Yuto Adachi Himika Akaneya Ayaka Fukuhara
Rin Kurusu Kaori Maeda Mayu Mineda Nako Misaki Rei Nakashima Naomi Payton Mayu Sagara Shiori Tamai Tuki
Returning from hiatus
Returning groups Silent Siren
Returning soloists
Number-ones
Oricon number-one albums Oricon number-one singles Billboard Japan number-one albums Billboard Japan Hot 100 number-one singles
Awards 65th Japan Record Awards 2023 MTV Video Music Awards Japan
Albums released
January DateAlbumArtistLabelRef. 4KoeSixTonesSony Music17HumorBack NumberUniversal Sigma12Ryuichi SakamotoMilanHere IsThe BoyzIST18VHiroyuki SawanoSacraMountain BananaThe Cro-MagnonsAriola JapanWingsKoda KumiRhythm ZoneWe are BoysgroupBoysgroupWACK25Music WorldALIMastersix FoundationRemember YouAyumi HamasakiAvex Music CreativeSpecterSuisei HoshimachiCoverCurtain CallMonkey MajikA.S.A.BAowoikiruRie TakahashiAmuse Inc.
February DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.1TriangleDish//SonyContrastUruSony Music AssociatedParade ga TsuzukunaraYukiEpic JapanInnocentShikao SugaVictor4That's LifeAmida Studios8Compact DiscGolden BomberZany ZapNoixeNanoColumbiaCircleRei YasudaSMEI Have a Dream.Dream Team MusicValentine's Day Is Coming This YearMiwaSony Records14PrismverseMay'nDigital Double15FantasiaKAT-TUNJ StormNakedLeo IeiriVictorNot UnusualMao AbePony CanyonChrome ArtsOnlyOneOfTeichikuSAYUMINGLANDOLL ~Sayumi MiraiSayumi MichishigeZetimaOur Best PlaceShonen KnifeGood CharamelThis One's for YouMiku ItōNippon Columbia17After the ChaosYaffleDeutsche Grammophon 22Dialoque+2Dialogue+Pony CanyonRestartFour Mud ArrowsJudgement DayLovebitesVictor MamequestMameshiba no TaigunAvex TraxRound & RoundThe Rampage from Exile TribeRhythm ZoneThe SoundStray KidsEpic JapanVoy✩✩✩FlowSacra MusicTenki Seirou Naredomo Nami TakashiAli ProjectTokuma Japan Communications24Start Again EPCrystal KayVirginSeasons Selection 〜Spring〜KobukuroWarner Music Japan
March DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.1So Far So GoodSolid SkyMie to 未唯mie: 1981–2023 All Time BestMieVictorSagasValsheBeing1988Tokyo RecordsThe Day The World Looks DifferentMiyuki NakajimaYamaha Music CommunicationsTank-top Flower for FriendsUniversal SigmaBetween Dread and ValorGalneryusWarner Music Japan 8NMB13NMB48Universal Sigma Human Reona Sacra MusicCrazy For YouKAFKamitsubaki StudioCome The LightSalyu x Haruka NakamuraToy's FactoryXGenerations from Exile TribeRhythm Zone14BeyondW-indsPony Canyon15Full CourseToy's FactoryJunk or GemTokyo Ska Paradise OrchestraCutting EdgeSugar Salt Pepper GreenSumikaSony Music RecordsSecond SparkleLiella!Lantis19The World Doesn't Know You YetMariko KoudaWonder Factory 22Big LoveAngermeHachama Fanfare Little Glee Monster GR8!Dear VioletPurple KissVictorBokuranoEveToy's Factory23BirthdayWaka Japan 24The Other OneBabymetal27Seijakuasamaki9Castle Studio 29NiYuuriAriola JapanTani YuukiValleyIma no Futari o Otagai ga MiteruAikoPony Canyon
April DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.5I Love YouHiroya OzakiSMEMagic LanternYorushikaPolydor Records11RebelDKBDanmee 12IchijikikokuAtarashii Gakko!VictorLast AurorallyLing Tosite SigureSony Music AssociatedNinth PeelUnison Square GardenToy's FactoryThe Message 5Eldeen IndustryIzoraBuck-TickVictorIn the Name of Hiphop IITha BossTha Blue Herb RecordsThe Greatest DayAll at OnceB ZoneThe Runaway Train From HellSex MachinegunsAnchor RecordsSoul NavigationMasayuki SuzukiEpic Records19 XanaduExWhyZEMISoarMari HamadaVictorParadeFictionJunctionSacra Music21Crimson & Jet BlackAnthemWard Records26NakedChanminaNo LabelOur Teen: Yellow SideTFNAriola JapanJazz"n"KumikoJudgment! Records28Rich or Die 2Bad Hop
May Date Album Artist Label Ref. 3 Dancehall Magic BRADIO Crown10Fine LinePasocom Music ClubHatihati Pro Hajimete no – EP Yoasobi Sony Japan Our ParadeGang ParadeFueled By MentaikoGyakkou BibourokuSacra Music17Himitsu StudioSpitzPolydor Ryokuoushoku ShakaiEpic Japan Airport Sakura Fujiwara Speedstar Psychic File IPsychic Fever from Exile TribeLDH Records24Heat WaveSuperflyUniversal SigmaKimi to Iu Sakura no Hanabira ga Boku no Kokoro ni MaioritaYesungAvex TraxAnison CoversHiroko MoriguchiSonic BladeGhost PopKeina SudaunBORDEShiroto HanatabaSaori HayamiWarner Bros. Japan26Seasons Selection 〜Summer〜KobukuroWarner Music Japan27WaniAural VampireYottabyte31WaveIveAriola JapanILDH RecordsVento de Felicidade〜Shiawasenokaze〜T-SquareOrange LadyBee and The WhalesGalileo GalileiOuchi Daisuki Club
June DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.5Moving Pieces – EPTravis JapanCapitol6Canary Final Movement: CODACutting Edge7SurviveTo the Top GangJinkougakuZutomayoEMI Records 13DeliciousThe BoyzUniversal IST14Ren'ai Shijō ShugiKana-BoonKioonTales of a WorldB ZoneLove: AmplifiedTatsuya KitaniMastersix FoundationSurf Bungaku Kamakura (Half Carton)Asian Kung-Fu GenerationKioon MusicJewelColorful RecordsDevotionTM NetworkSony Music Direct20th Century For The PeopleMent Recording15Hey Hey R&RAIK Stream21ArigatoRoman LabelFirst AlbumKiss KissWACKUnder MentalityTUYUPony CanyonOpen the WindowRhymesterStarplayers Records23MilestoneDoberman InfinityLDH Records28Dream in DreamCorneliusWarner Music JapanRokotsuSyudou ShopBish the BestBishWACK30VisitorsFriday Night PlansFriday Night Plans
July DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.4AntennaMrs. Green AppleEMI 5Surf Bungaku Kamakura CompleteAsian Kung-Fu GenerationKioon MusicSweetTomorrow X TogetherNansha ~Junen Jyoshi~Shiori NiiyamaB Zone12Pop MallNaniwa DanshiJ Storm 19Level 9.9Ran ItōGTCoconutNiziUEnigmasisUverworldGr8!Where Our Blue IsTatsuya KitaniMastersix FoundationSupply/DemandMono RecordsSuperBloomTrySailSacra Music 26Open a DoorAimerSacra MusicReborn Superstar!Hanabie.Epic JapanMasterpieceMiSaMoWarner JapanI vs IWagakki BandUniversal Sigma31Rainbow-Colored HistoryStrawberry PrinceSTPR Records
August DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.210caratAvex Trax9Not LegendAll My Homies16PeaceKing & PrinceJohnny's UniverseAlpaca 5Subaru ShibutaniWorld Art17PolarisChenAvex Music Creative 23Respect AllAiEMIAlways YoursSeventeenHybe Japan28So Bad, It's RealRockguild 305amMiletSMEPadoPentagonWarner JapanAoi Sora Dake Ja NaiChageUSM JapanAnd So Henceforth,OrangestarPony CanyonVersion 5.0WandsD-GoDancejillionKeytalkVirgin
September DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.640Universal SigmaSocial Path / Super Bowl (Japanese Ver.)Stray KidsEpic JapanInfinityBonnie PinkWarner JapanExploreExile TakahiroRhythm ZoneShikisokuzekuuNingen IsuTokuma40EarthshakerKing Records8Seasons Selection 〜Autumn〜KobukuroWarner Japan20EquinoxJO1LaponeCropWarner Japan22ChaiChaiSub Pop27New DNAXGXgalx
October DateAlbumArtistLabelRef. 4 The Book 3 Yoasobi Sony Japan Miss YouMr. ChildrenToy Factory10BubblingAimersHyper Rhythm11The XSeo In-gukThe Star E & M 18 Ringo Itzy Warner Japan Supermoon Ai Furihata Purple One Star 25PleasuresCNBLUEWarner Music JapanTokyo Emotional GakuenFuze RecordsBible -Milky Blue-Seiko MatsudaSony Music Direct
November DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.8The Magical ListenerVictorMyakuutsukanjyoHinatazaka46Sony Records15Best of the Tank-topUniversal Sigma22Nice'n Slow Jam -beyond-SME 29 Carousel Circle Carnation Panam The Greatest Unknown King Gnu Ariola Japan
December DateAlbumArtistLabelRef.5Fantastic RocketFantastics from Exile TribeLDH Records 13 Ado's Utattemita Album Ado Virgin Dat GirlYuto AdachiRinkNyang Nyang OeeeeAnoToy's Factory○IkimonogakariEpic Records20DeeperTatsuya IshiiSony Music26ProximaTANNippon Columbia
Disbanding and retiring artists
Disbanding
Bish Boysgroup B.O.L.T For Tracy Hyde
Retiring
Going on hiatus Haruka Yamazaki
References