Hit J-Pop songs of 2014: recommended classics and popular tracks
AKB48, EXILE, Golden Bomber, Tohoshinki, JUJU, Kana Nishino…
From among the many famous and popular songs that colored the 2014 J-POP hit charts, we’ve selected hit tracks recommended by our studio staff.
It’s a luxurious playlist packed with Heisei-era blockbuster numbers.
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2014 Japanese hit songs (21–30)
GUTS！arashi
The next best-selling artist after AKB is Arashi, this hugely popular idol group.
Their rivalry is becoming an annual tradition, and when it comes to albums, Arashi comes out on top in sales.
Arashi’s pop songs are easy for men to enjoy as well, so I recommend them.
Sweat／AnswerTōhōshinki
Recently, Korean groups haven’t been selling well in Japan, but the one exception is TVXQ.
Their dancing and vocals are strong, and their songs are excellent, so they’re likely supported by a loyal fan base.
I’m sure they’ll continue to do well in Japan going forward.
Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro
This song was also extremely popular on cable music channels throughout the year.
Its simple melody and vocals likely worked effectively as soothing music for tired modern listeners.
Regardless of sales, the fact that it’s popular as a requested track shows that the music has truly permeated listeners.
rainbow-coloredayaka
As a female artist, she has carved out a unique position for herself.
Her voice is distinctive, which allows her to make any song her own—that’s her strength.
She enjoys overwhelming support from women of her generation, so her popularity is unlikely to wane in the future.
a windfall; an unexpected piece of good luck (literally, “rice cakes falling from a shelf”)busai-ku
Even though they’re idols from Johnny’s Entertainment, I think naming the group “Busaiku” (“ugly”) shows a pretty funny sense of humor.
And the fact that they’re still working so hard in show business makes them likable.
I think they’ll earn affection from many people and become popular.
AinoArika / If You Love, Life Gets HappierHey! Say! JUMP
This group has also become a popular idol group under Johnny & Associates.
The members are active on variety shows and elsewhere, creating a positive cycle that feeds their popularity back into the group.
I’m sure they’ll become like Arashi or SMAP in the future.
In FactKAT-TUN
Within Johnny & Associates, I think this group is treated like troublemakers.
However, they have many great songs and I believe they outshine other groups.
It seems they’re going on hiatus, so all the more reason to listen to this track.