A roundup of Japanese artists active overseas
These days, thanks in part to subscriptions, Japanese music is becoming much easier to enjoy abroad, and its popularity has grown even more!
In this article, we’ll introduce artists who could be called Japan’s stars, attracting fans around the world.
There are artists from a wide range of genres, and you can also feel the impact of hits sparked by anime and social media.
You’ll also notice that singers who are supported overseas sometimes have characteristics that differ from Japan’s mainstream trending artists.
Be sure to listen while enjoying new songs and discoveries!
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Japanese Artists Active Overseas (21–30)
First LoveUtada Hikaru
Hikaru Utada is a bilingual artist from New York with a diverse musical palette spanning R&B, electronica, and J-pop.
She debuted in 1998, and her first album, “First Love,” recorded an astonishing 7.65 million sales in Japan.
She then broke into the U.S.
market with “Exodus” in 2004, and her 2007 digital single achieved the world’s top sales.
After resuming musical activities in 2016, she won the Japan Record Award for Best Album with “Fantôme.” With expressive command of both English and Japanese and an innovative sound ahead of its time, she has established herself as a globally active artist.
She’s a perfect match for those interested in the international music scene or in musical expression that transcends language barriers.
My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoRADWIMPS
RADWIMPS is becoming one of Japan’s most iconic rock bands.
Their name is a coined word combining “rad,” American slang for “awesome,” and “wimps,” meaning “weaklings,” and they formed in 2001.
Their songs range from those with delicate Japanese lyrics to ones with fluent English lyrics, making their music accessible both in Japan and abroad.
Following the overseas release of the blockbuster film Your Name, they also put out an English version of the theme song, Zenzenzense.
We can look forward to seeing them continue to expand their activities worldwide!
Best Part of UsAmPm feat. Michael Kaneko
AmPm has been attracting attention with music rooted in dance.
They made their debut in March 2017 with “Best Part of Us,” featuring Michael Kaneko as vocalist, which became a hit on Spotify, and they went on to become the most-streamed Japanese artist of the year.
The duo performs in a masked style and has also written songs for artists like Ken Hirai and V6.
They’ve proven their skills with remixes commissioned by renowned DJs such as Afrojack and Nicky Romero.
Their sound—urban, pop, gentle, and brimming with transparency—is highly appealing.
Since 2021, they’ve been releasing their “Dance Tracks Traveling the World” series, making them even more worth watching on the global stage.
Highly recommended for fans of Western pop and dance music!
Metaphor feat. FeryquitousIchika Nito
Ichika Nito is a guitarist with a large social media following who is attracting worldwide attention.
He started piano in childhood and picked up the guitar at 15.
With wide-ranging tastes from metalcore to R&B, he has honed his skills self-taught.
His YouTube channel boasts over two million subscribers, and he ranked eighth as one of the “best guitarists right now” in the UK music magazine Total Guitar.
With his unique sensibility, exceptional technique, and one-of-a-kind tone, he has earned high praise from world-renowned guitarists such as John Petrucci and Pete Townshend.
He also performs live actively overseas.
Well-versed in anime and video game music, his captivating performances that draw on that knowledge point to new possibilities for guitar music.
Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA
The singer of the opening theme for the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is LiSA, often called the rock heroine of the anison world.
As Japanese anime has gained tremendous popularity overseas, her popularity has risen as well.
Her clear, powerful vocals have been highly praised abroad.
Some overseas fans even say, “If you want to make the perfect anime, use her for the opening theme!” That’s wonderful to hear, isn’t it?
The RumblingSiM
A four-piece rock band whose unique musical style blends reggae into intense sounds like alternative metal, hardcore, screamo, punk, metalcore, and thrash metal, energizing Japan’s loud rock scene.
Their songs combine both speed and heaviness, delivering arrangements that are complex yet catchy, creating a one-of-a-kind sound worthy of the name “reggae punk band.” Their popularity extends beyond Japan: The Rumbling, used as the opening theme for the TV anime Attack on Titan, reached No.
1 on Billboard’s U.S.
Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, fueling expectations for further success overseas.
Future In The SkySAHAJi
SAHAJi is a brother rock band from Toyama Prefecture, known for a sound strongly influenced by ’90s UK rock.
Their EP “Future In The Sky,” released in January 2024, was produced in collaboration with Nick Brine, renowned for his work with Oasis and The Stone Roses.
Achieving the remarkable feat of reaching No.
8 on the UK Singles Chart, they quickly drew widespread attention.
While incorporating their own sensibilities, their music carries the spirit of Oasis and The Stone Roses—irresistible for fans of UK rock.
Their tracks have also racked up many views on YouTube, and their future success is highly anticipated.