Recommended Japanese soul bands. Popular bands in Japan.
Soul music, a genre born in the United States around 1950.
Developed on a foundation of gospel and blues, soul has grown into one of the major waves that can now be called a global standard.
Naturally, many soul music bands are active in Japan as well.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of Japanese soul bands.
It should give you a glimpse into a slice of the Japanese soul music scene.
Be sure to check it out to the end.
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- A masterpiece of Japanese black music. A noteworthy work embodying the soul of black music.
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- Japanese R&B Popularity Rankings [2026]
- Legends of soul music: its history and allure revisited through classic songs
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- Popular R&B. Japanese Artist Rankings [2026]
- Youth songs by Japanese bands. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.
- [For Beginners] A Roundup of Classic Popular Soul/Funk Bands
- A compilation of cool Japanese rock band songs. Recommended tracks for cover bands.
Recommended Japanese soul bands: Popular bands in Japan (31–40)
riskKroi
Kroi is gaining attention for their musical style rooted in Black music, blending a wide range of genres including R&B, funk, soul, rock, and hip-hop.
Formed in February 2018, they rose to prominence by winning an audition out of roughly 3,000 groups and performing at Summer Sonic, among other remarkable achievements.
They made their major debut with the album “LENS” in June 2021, and in January 2024 held a one-man show at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.
Each member brings a different musical background, drawing influence from a wide array of artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lauryn Hill, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
They’re a five-piece band perfect for music fans seeking a unique, genre-crossing mixture sound that transcends scene boundaries.
circusshowmore
A unit that crafts an urbane, sophisticated sound rooted in jazz and R&B.
Formed in Tokyo in 2015, showmore is a duo consisting of Manami Nezu and Atsushi Inoue.
Their 2017 release “circus” gained popularity on YouTube, and they have steadily deepened their musicality through their own albums “overnight,” “too close to know,” “seek,” and “liquid city.” Inoue is active across the music scene, including live support for artists like SIRUP and Mizuki Ohira.
In 2018, Nezu’s solo track was selected as the ending theme for the film “Butterfly Sleep,” further revealing her talent as a songwriter.
Highly recommended for music fans seeking melodious vocals and an emotional sonic world.
About Apples, Forrest Gump — What It Means to Keep RunningLee & Small Mountains
Originally formed as a band, it is now the solo project of vocalist Lee Hande.
The first album, “Curtain Nights,” was released in January 2017 on ROSE RECORDS, run by Keiichi Sokabe.
Its soulful, pop sound is sure to be loved by people of all ages.
In conclusion
Even though I’ve introduced a lot of them, there are still many soul bands I haven’t mentioned yet.
In fact, an amazing band might be coming into the world right at this very moment.
This article will be updated from time to time, so please check back again to discover more soul bands.