Popular R&B. Japanese Artist Rankings [2026]
R&B is popular around the world and has now become one of the most important genres in the music scene.
Originally a genre that developed from Black music, it’s of course also popular in Japan, and there are many artists influenced by R&B.
This time, we’ll introduce Japanese R&B artists in a popularity ranking.
- Japanese R&B Popularity Rankings [2026]
- [Japanese R&B] Notable Classics & New Tracks, Representative Songs of Japanese R&B
- [2026] Latest and Noteworthy J-Pop R&B Tracks
- A band group that colors Japan’s R&B scene
- Popular Japanese Music / J-POP Artist Rankings [2026]
- Popular Hip-Hop: Japanese Artist Rankings [2026]
- Ranking of Male J-Pop Singers’ Best-Lyric and Most Popular Songs [2026]
- Popular Reggae: Japanese Artist Rankings [2026]
- Popular R&B: Western Music Artist Rankings [2026]
- Classic R&B songs recommended for women
- Male-Popularity Artist Rankings [2026]
- [2026] Must-Listen R&B Masterpieces: From Timeless Classics to Recent Favorites
- RSP Popular Song Rankings [2026]
Popular R&B: Japanese Artist Rankings [2026] (21–30)
Midnight CruiseWONK22rank/position
This is a song by the four-piece band WONK.
You can clearly see the influence of soul music—it’s a very mature track.
It’s included on their 2017 album Castor.
It evokes beautiful natural scenery in your mind.
SOULSbird23rank/position
Recently, the opportunities to see her on TV have decreased dramatically, but she is still active, mainly performing live.
By the way, she is actually the wife of the well-known Jun Miura.
I was surprised because I couldn’t find any connection between them.
I hear they now have a child and go to live shows together.
Boogie RideKubota Toshinobu24rank/position
It’s a refreshing funk number that feels like you’re sprinting under an endlessly wide blue sky.
Toshinobu Kubota created it with a positive message: “Let’s live gently in a new era.” It has a powerful energy that blows away the stifling mood of everyday life and frees your heart.
The song was released in October 2020.
It was also featured in a Suzuki Escudo commercial, with Kubota himself appearing—a memorable touch.
It’s the perfect track for switching gears or for a weekend drive.
Let the comfortable beat carry you, and you’ll find yourself feeling optimistic, as if your worries never existed.
PremaFuji Kaze25rank/position
Singer-songwriter Fujii Kaze captivates listeners with a rich musical palette spanning from J-POP to R&B.
Among the masterpieces on Prema—an album crafted entirely in English after deep inner struggle—the title track shines with a particularly special glow.
While tackling the profound theme of “supreme love” (the meaning of the Sanskrit word prema), the song is framed in a comfortably groovy R&B sound.
Its spiritually tinged lyrics, as if introducing both the higher self and the self, seem to gently speak to the listener’s inner world.
Featured on the album released in September 2025, this track is sure to become a cherished song that deeply nourishes the heart on quiet nights when you want to face yourself.
No, that’s not it.Suzuki Masayuki26rank/position
This is the 17th single by singer Masayuki Suzuki, who made his major debut as a member of the chorus group Rats & Star and has been hailed as the King of Love Songs since the 2000s.
The track was used in a commercial for Mitsutaka’s “Boutique JOY” and was released as a double A-side single together with “Shibuya de 5-ji,” making it one of his signature songs.
Despite its straightforward Japanese lyrics, his soulful vocals elevate it brilliantly into Black music.
When you think of Black music within J-POP, this is likely the first emotional number that comes to mind.
StoryAI27rank/position
This is a heartwarming ballad that captures life’s precious moments.
AI’s powerful yet delicate vocals deliver a message to those of us caught up in the busyness of daily life: cherish the here and now.
Released in May 2005, the song reached No.
8 on the Oricon chart, resonated with many, and became a major hit with over two million downloads.
It was also selected as the Japanese ending theme for the film Big Hero 6, making it a beloved track both in Japan and abroad.
It’s perfect for times when you want to savor moments with someone special or take a closer look at yourself.
AI’s warm voice will surely be by your side and touch your heart.
Without youAYANE28rank/position
Singer-songwriter AYANE, whose down-to-earth songs rooted in hip-hop and R&B have won strong support from many listeners.
Her digital single “Kimi ga Inai to,” released in November 2025, portrays a dependent kind of love where overwhelming feelings for the other person make you lose sight of yourself.
Lyrics that trace the anxiety of time spent apart and the conflict of being unable to end the relationship, paired with a mid-tempo mellow sound, hit you right in the heart.
It’s a bittersweet yet beautiful R&B number you’ll want to play on nights spent struggling with unrequited love.