Music Metrics Vault

J-pop

Most popular artists in J-pop

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre j-pop by Spotify. It may contain some errors or some data may not be up to date. You can check the artist profile to update data if necessary.

# Artist Monthly Listeners Followers
1
9,658,649
1,569,930
2
8,075,425
8,608,503
3
7,213,942
6,432,278
4
6,642,765
4,674,309
5
5,961,689
4,286,654
6
5,780,275
2,865,223
7
5,257,055
3,690,384
8
4,957,496
6,861,691
9
4,776,182
5,109,887
10
ヨルシカ
4,587,014
2,857,871
11
4,039,349
3,256,379
12
3,848,089
3,715,599
13
3,824,937
5,531,768
14
3,661,395
2,823,804
15
3,313,691
2,576,731
16
3,187,888
1,435,240
17
3,102,786
5,534,563
18
2,984,950
1,982,357
19
2,853,280
2,785,924
20
2,792,323
999,069
21
2,588,741
1,201,216
22
Da-iCE
2,558,924
618,341
23
2,479,773
2,470,028
24
2,348,735
873,180
25
2,152,896
2,025,979
26
2,138,939
1,462,770
27
2,004,945
1,839,927
28
1,985,319
1,351,003
29
1,980,691
1,300,320
30
1,976,789
2,105,331
31
1,910,876
710,959
32
1,869,941
1,140,275
33
1,868,501
1,205,614
34
1,867,766
652,052
35
GReeeeN
1,795,321
2,396,594
36
1,757,138
1,167,524
37
1,737,938
646,045
38
1,728,179
624,684
39
1,718,897
1,081,127
40
1,692,289
526,250
41
1,642,203
957,459
42
1,637,328
1,018,404
43
1,629,224
3,477,660
44
1,599,272
1,040,765
45
SPYAIR
1,583,135
624,073
46
1,547,456
1,619,088
47
サザンオールスターズ
1,492,477
2,012,826
48
1,485,075
291,740
49
1,480,733
1,671,096
50
1,437,581
1,160,900
51
Kana Nishino
1,435,467
1,823,710
52
aiko
1,430,091
886,867
53
sumika
1,401,600
1,021,779
54
1,396,882
543,881
55
ARASHI
1,381,337
2,551,770
56
Hitsujibungaku
1,368,537
326,676
57
1,346,644
842,997
58
Noriyuki Makihara
1,222,358
924,252
59
AI
1,212,782
829,394
60
Shota Shimizu
1,191,580
1,576,959
61
B'z
1,189,806
972,615
62
Superfly
1,179,337
1,487,809
63
Keisuke Kuwata
1,165,847
807,078
64
Creep Hyp
1,130,361
953,086
65
1,129,963
442,649
66
[Alexandros]
1,126,170
988,349
67
YUZU
1,104,374
1,909,977
68
WANIMA
1,090,478
1,391,488
69
MONGOL800
1,085,920
799,207
70
MISIA
1,083,429
1,874,470
71
Yumi Matsutoya
1,041,423
1,145,082
72
ayaka
1,032,964
1,086,050
73
wacci
1,008,036
382,588
74
sakanaction
958,042
1,407,615
75
EXILE
956,742
1,024,137
76
Remioromen
943,661
521,782
77
UNISON SQUARE GARDEN
943,489
444,886
78
Mika Nakashima
942,871
824,280
79
SHISHAMO
941,903
599,259
80
Ken Hirai
909,024
983,981
81
川崎鷹也
907,215
504,229
82
Every Little Thing
902,613
545,021
83
SUPER BEAVER
861,626
517,010
84
Masaharu Fukuyama
860,425
996,345
85
Ketsumeishi
860,199
1,272,581
86
Sambomaster
851,951
420,806
87
NiziU
851,665
1,151,620
88
Perfume
833,256
839,151
89
Ayumi Hamasaki
821,970
983,199
90
821,105
387,730
91
HY
811,243
1,248,827
92
miwa
809,436
880,318
93
KOBUKURO
784,256
1,435,207
94
Ai Otsuka
780,719
473,675
95
BLUE ENCOUNT
779,299
371,370
96
L'Arc-en-Ciel
777,147
915,181
97
Kumi Koda
749,902
650,936
98
Aqua Timez
731,553
408,932
99
Che'Nelle
724,965
406,661
100
Little Glee Monster
719,500
798,162
101
JUDY AND MARY
718,663
758,082
102
ZARD
712,830
444,651
103
GLAY
710,024
606,798
104
globe
706,421
380,500
105
AAA
697,378
1,330,072
106
Kazuyoshi Saito
690,881
531,173
107
Nogizaka46
678,860
1,269,113
108
CHEMISTRY
666,426
391,169
109
AKB48
648,764
487,462
110
Kohmi Hirose
643,819
228,975
111
Nissy
642,278
544,500
112
T.M.Revolution
630,381
392,409
113
Miliyah
615,628
562,423
114
Toshinobu Kubota
615,270
191,362
115
Shonan No Kaze
590,584
396,648
116
Kazumasa Oda
586,497
517,219
117
Kome Kome Club
567,009
388,018
118
Leo Ieiri
564,936
602,100
119
m-flo
564,405
359,693
120
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
556,597
940,065
121
Maki Ohguro
554,955
297,265
122
JUJU
554,259
1,065,871
123
Ulfuls
536,604
361,406
124
Nanase Aikawa
529,258
191,126
125
Kiroro
524,482
310,190
126
Yutaka Ozaki
523,504
602,748
127
Takako Matsu
512,976
107,978
128
TRF
511,024
255,052
129
PRINCESS PRINCESS
509,316
377,922
130
My Little Lover
501,704
362,807
131
J SOUL BROTHERS III
500,142
918,109
132
Tokyo Incidents
493,895
838,402
133
Awesome City Club
484,216
272,013
134
Anzen Chitai
470,805
317,450
135
Daichi Miura
462,522
514,770
136
BOØWY
458,827
564,733
137
Mihimaru GT
450,681
151,045
138
Road Of Major
445,731
186,506
139
Elephant Kashimashi
443,698
362,404
140
Akina Nakamori
441,174
518,162
141
Suchmos
431,416
512,946
142
Yo Hitoto
419,194
251,431
143
Hideaki Tokunaga
416,651
380,738
144
flumpool
409,348
450,728
145
iri
408,954
397,644
146
Ko Shibasaki
404,752
142,318
147
SPEED
397,583
187,372
148
Gesu No Kiwami Otome
395,478
412,556
149
BiSH
393,254
393,616
150
C&K
392,624
311,992
151
Tamio Okuda
387,047
247,434
152
Crystal Kay
385,478
315,583
153
Masayoshi Yamazaki
377,966
291,132
154
DA PUMP
377,559
368,373
155
RIP SLYME
377,220
321,766
156
kariyushi58
376,036
161,541
157
BEGIN
360,943
205,054
158
GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE
358,105
688,530
159
Thelma Aoyama
344,917
264,433
160
Miki Imai
327,566
292,574
161
Yu Takahashi
324,861
232,044
162
DEEN
320,736
168,658
163
ELLEGARDEN
311,495
582,264
164
Hilcrhyme
308,733
241,621
165
Mao Abe
308,224
163,519
166
Keyakizaka46
306,698
620,907
167
Chihiro Onitsuka
305,709
180,261
168
Hitomi Shimatani
295,157
115,370
169
Misato Watanabe
293,758
215,706
170
Do As Infinity
290,177
257,158
171
ZONE
289,156
87,220
172
Kaela Kimura
285,980
204,156
173
Naoto Inti Raymi
284,717
410,538
174
Chris Hart
284,082
395,179
175
hitomi
282,374
109,872
176
E-girls
272,186
481,759
177
Def Tech
265,932
303,722
178
TEE
265,081
195,037
179
Berry Goodman
263,160
408,638
180
Yusuke
262,603
105,264
181
Ayaka Hirahara
254,395
215,543
182
Angela Aki
252,638
146,347
183
Naotaro Moriyama
246,553
359,086
184
Hazzie
243,926
429,107
185
Kishidan
242,439
118,259
186
Ms.OOJA
240,960
206,638
187
chay
231,081
126,834
188
THE YELLOW MONKEY
220,052
337,447
189
Chara
214,698
312,521
190
Eito
211,251
272,403
191
Dragon Ash
208,417
300,869
192
Yabai T-Shirts Yasan
201,934
368,155
193
Yuna Ito
191,749
131,070
194
Fumiya Fujii
191,055
111,074
195
Flower
189,148
283,291
196
GLIM SPANKY
181,319
115,384
197
OKAMOTO'S
176,879
132,300
198
SHE'S
175,736
195,757
199
Mone Kamishiraishi
166,285
192,983
200
SEAMO
163,200
137,238
201
ET-KING
159,360
185,950
202
androp
156,018
158,674
203
Sonoko Inoue
155,690
211,573
204
BENI
153,434
274,295
205
Sakurako Ohara
153,229
269,349
206
YUKI
150,129
269,705
207
19
147,427
164,422
208
May J.
144,058
239,282
209
EXILE ATSUSHI
138,052
253,912
210
Sonar Pocket
126,951
95,546
211
LOVE PSYCHEDELICO
100,476
264,607
212
MACO
93,386
238,247
213
Namie Amuro
89,173
1,566,037
214
Tetsuya Komuro
45,546
41,154

Some info about j-pop

J-Pop, a shorthand term for Japanese Pop music, is a widely acclaimed genre that has not only captivated audiences in Japan but has also gained immense global popularity. The genre's roots can be traced back to the post-World War II era, particularly starting in the 1950s, when Western music influences began seeping into Japanese culture. However, the term "J-Pop" itself gained prominence in the 1990s as a way to distinguish the modern, eclectic variety of Japanese music from earlier styles, such as Kayokyoku (traditional Japanese music from the Showa period).

The evolution of J-Pop is notably marked by the integration of traditional Japanese music with contemporary Western influences, encapsulating a wide range of styles including pop, rock, electronica, hip-hop, and R&B. J-Pop became a significant cultural force thanks to its catchy melodies, sophisticated production, and accompanying high-production music videos. Moreover, the genre has been crucial in the propagation of Japanese culture globally, often seen as a key component of the broader 'Cool Japan' branding initiative, which seeks to enhance the soft power of Japan through its cultural exports.

Some iconic figures and groups have been pivotal in the rise and spread of J-Pop. Artists like Hikaru Utada and Ayumi Hamasaki became household names in late 1990s and early 2000s, known for their vocal abilities as well as their dramatic, narrative-driven music videos. Utada's album "First Love" remains one of the best-selling albums in Japan. Bands like Arashi and SMAP have also played significant roles, drawing massive audiences with their captivating performances and charismatic public personas. Furthermore, the influence of producer-songwriter Tetsuya Komuro in the 1990s, with his creation of major hits for bands like Globe and TRF, helped to shape the sound of modern J-Pop.

In more recent years, the proliferation of idol groups such as AKB48 and their "sister" groups, which feature a large number of members and subgroups tailored to different fan segments, has created a significant impact on the industry. These groups dominate charts through a unique model of fan interaction and merchandise sales, including "handshake" events and election-style contests for determining which members get featured on singles.

Internationally, J-Pop has seen significant success in East and Southeast Asia since the late 1990s, with continued interest in various regions driven by the global spread of anime and Japanese drama series, wherein J-Pop tracks often feature as theme songs. This connection has helped artists achieve recognition outside of Japan, as fans of anime and dramas explore more about the music behind their favorite shows.

The genre has also made inroads into Western markets, particularly in the United States, through anime conventions and Japanese pop culture expos, where fans have the opportunity to see J-Pop artists live. The internet and platforms like YouTube have also played a crucial role in the international distribution and accessibility of J-Pop, allowing global listeners to discover and consume the music easily.

In summary, J-Pop is a dynamic and influential music genre that has not only shaped the contemporary music landscape in Japan but has also had a profound impact on global pop culture. Through its integration of various musical influences, innovative engagement with fans, and pivotal artists and groups who have brought the genre to international prominence, J-Pop continues to be a vibrant and evolving musical phenomenon, beloved by millions around the world.