[2013 Japanese Hit Songs] Masterpieces that Colored the Ama-chan Boom, Group Popularity, and the Band Scene
Japan’s music scene in 2013 was truly a year of “diversity” and “phenomena.” The smash hit NHK morning drama Amachan sparked a social phenomenon, with its insert song Shiosai no Memory and its theme song, ushering in a revival boom of 1980s idol pop.
Meanwhile, the idol warring era—led by the AKB48 groups—reached its peak, and Koi Suru Fortune Cookie became a nationally beloved dance song.
In the rock band scene, acts like SEKAI NO OWARI and CreepHyp rose to prominence, with new talent blossoming one after another.
The expansion of the digital distribution market also accelerated, marking a turning point in how people listened to music.
In this article, we look back at the hit songs that colored 2013—from award-winning works to timeless karaoke favorites.
- Hit J-Pop songs of 2014: recommended classics and popular tracks
- 2012 Hit Song Rankings! A roundup of nostalgic classics all at once
- Hit J-Pop songs of 2015. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.
- Cool songs of the Heisei era. Hit tracks that energized the times.
- Japanese Music of the 2000s: Revival Included! A J-POP Hit Song Special
- Heisei-era masterpieces revisited through the hit songs of 2001
- [Hit Songs of 2010] A Roundup of Nostalgic Japanese Tracks!
- AKB48’s classic and hit songs: Relive your youth! A comprehensive introduction to their popular tracks
- 2003 J-Pop hit songs special: the golden age of music when diversity blossomed
- [Also for year-end parties and karaoke song choices] Anime songs that were popular in 2023
- Hit songs that colored 2011! Timeless tracks that bring back those days
- [2010–2019] A roundup of theme songs from popular dramas
- Songs that were popular in 2020. A roundup of hit songs from Reiwa 2.
[2013 Japanese Music Hits] Masterpieces That Colored the Band Scene Amid the Amachan Boom and the Popularity of Groups (21–30)
Real Sexy！／BAD BOYSSexy Zone
This idol group is also, yet again, under Johnny & Associates.
I think the key question for fans is how long the dominance of Johnny’s and AKB will continue.
Neither side is backing down, but personally I feel Johnny’s has a slight advantage.
OCEANTōhōshinki
This Korean duo continues to score solid hits even as the Korean Wave has faded and other groups have disappeared.
They may no longer have the massive hits they once did, but steadily producing results, even without fanfare, is no small feat.
If it weren’t for Arashi and AKB, they would likely have been even more popular.
[2013 J-Pop Hits] Masterpieces That Colored the Ama-chan Boom, Group Popularity, and the Band Scene (31–40)
Come On A My HouseHey! Say! JUMP
This group is also from Johnny & Associates, and they’re definitely gaining momentum.
These days, besides variety shows, they’re actively appearing in commercials and dramas, so I feel like there’s not a day when you don’t see them.
Going forward, it’s a question of which group will rise above the rest in this crowded idol scene.
EXPOSEKAT-TUN
The Johnny’s Entertainment idol group KAT-TUN tends to settle around this range in the single rankings every year.
To put it positively, they have steady popularity; less positively, you could say they’ve never quite caught fire.
There’s room for optimism going forward, but I’d like to see them break out of their current situation.
My Resistance -A Certain Thing- / Fate GirlKis-my-ft2
This idol group steadily increased their number of fans, and with this song they finally reached 16th place on the annual singles chart.
With sales of around 380,000 copies, they effectively joined the ranks of top idols.
The members themselves, as well as their fans, must be delighted.
Attack on FreedomLinked Horizon
After years of single-chart battles among Arashi, AKB, and EXILE, a new force has finally emerged: the genre of anime theme songs.
This track became hugely popular as the theme song for the anime Attack on Titan, recording sales of 230,000 copies.
The Stinging FlowerNot yet
The 50th spot in the 2013 single sales ranking goes to an idol group called Not yet.
It sold about 130,000 copies, and I think everyone suspects that if AKB didn’t include handshake tickets, they might only sell about this much as well.