2018 in Japanese music

The year 2018 in Japanese music.

List of years in Japanese music
… 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 …
Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Philosophy Science +...
	v t e

Number ones

• Oricon number-one albums
• Oricon number-one singles
• Hot 100 number-one singles

Awards

• 60th Japan Record Awards
• 2018 MTV Video Music Awards Japan

Albums released

January

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
1	Best Generation[1]	Generations from Exile Tribe	J-pop	Rhythm Zone
2	Westival[2]	Johnny's West	J-pop	Johnny's Entertainment
3	Jack in the Box[3]	Shuta Sueyoshi	Rap	Avex Trax
10	The Museum III[4]	Nana Mizuki	J-pop / Anison	King Records
	Boku Dake no Kimi (Under Super Best)[5]	Nogizaka46	J-pop	Sony Music Japan
17	Everybody!![6]	WANIMA	Punk rock / Pop punk	Unborde
	Violet[7][unreliable source?]	Pentagon	J-pop	Cube Entertainment Japan
24	Bokutachi wa, Ano Hi no Yoake wo Shitteiru[8]	AKB48	J-pop	King Records
31	Countdown[9]	Exo	J-pop	Avex Trax
	Killer Tune Shikane yo[10]	Golden Bomber	Rock / Pop punk / EDM	Zany Zap
	Shiori Goto: Best[11]	Shiori Niiyama	J-pop / Pop rock	Being

February

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
7	Hatachi no Morning Musume[12]	Morning Musume	J-pop	Zetima
	Digital Native[13]	Yasutaka Nakata	Future bass / EDM	Unborde
	Aio Piano[14]	Ai Otsuka	J-pop	Avex Trax
14	World Domination[15]	Band-Maid	Hard rock	Crown Stones
	Watashi Kono Mama de Ii no kana[16]	BoA	J-pop	Avex Trax
	#5[17]	Ling Tosite Sigure	Post-hardcore / Indie rock	Sony Music Japan
	Honey[18]	Scandal	Pop rock / Alternative rock	Epic Records Japan
	XYZ=repainting[19]	Sexy Zone	J-pop	Pony Canyon
	Riri	Riri	R&B / EDM	Sony Music Associated Records
21	Time[20]	Leo Ieiri	J-pop / Pop rock	Colourful Records
	I[21]	Juju	J-pop / New wave / Jazz	Sony Music Japan
	Evolve to Love[22]	Kokia	J-pop / Folk	Victor Entertainment
28	Deen The Best Forever Complete Singles+[23]	Deen	J-pop / Pop rock	Epic Records Japan
	And[24]	Koda Kumi	J-pop / Urban / R&B	Rhythm Zone
	BTOB Japan Best Album 2014-2017 ～1096 Days～[25]	BtoB	J-pop	Cube Entertainment Japan
	Yoru, Carmen no Shishuu[26]	Kiyoharu	Rock	Triad

March

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
7	You[27]	Mao Abe	J-pop / Pop rock	Pony Canyon
	Cocoon[28]	Androp	Alternative rock / Hard rock / Indie rock	Zen Music
	Best[29]	Daichi Miura	R&B / Dance / J-pop	Sonic Groove
14	Reason of Black Color[30]	Ame no Parade	Indie rock / Alternative rock	Speedstar Records
	Spotlight[31]	Flower Flower	Rock	Sony Music Japan
	Flyways[32]	Moumoon	J-pop	Avex Trax
	Koki Aisare Stance[33]	Sawa	Electropop / Trance / IDM	Spacy Records
	No.0[34]	Buck-Tick	Indie rock / Alternative rock	Victor Entertainment
	Some Dreams[35]	Earphones	J-pop	Evil Line Records
21	Sang[36]	Kamijo	Symphonic metal / Power metal	Sherow Artist Society
	Epcotia[37]	NEWS	J-pop	Johnny's Entertainment
	True Woman[38]	Nokko	J-pop / House / Bossa nova	Universal Sigma Label
	Play[39]	Masaki Suda	J-pop	Epic Records Japan
28	Best Hit AKG 2[40]	Asian Kung-Fu Generation	Indie rock / Alternative rock	Ki/oon Music
	Highway Star[41]	Exile The Second	J-pop / Dance / R&B / Hip hop	Rhythm Zone
	World Atlas[42]	Fhána	J-pop / Anison	Lantis
	G.R.N.D.[43]	Garnidelia	Power pop / Power rock / Synth-pop	Sacra Music
	Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 8[44]	Koda Kumi	Drum and bass / Dubstep / House	Rhythm Zone
	Beat & Roses[45]	Mitsuhiro Oikawa	J-pop / Kayōkyoku	Victor Entertainment
	Sakanazukan[46]	Sakanaction	Alternative rock / New wave / Indie rock	NF Records

April

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
4	Big Yell[47]	Yuzu	J-pop	Senha & Co.
	No Time	Jun. K	J-pop	Epic Records Japan
11	UreD[48]	Greeeen	Pop rock	Zen Music
	Haru to Shura	Haru Nemuri
	Yuming kara no, Koi no Uta.[49]	Yumi Matsutoya	J-pop	EMI Records
	The Empire Strikes Start!![50]	Empire	J-pop	Avex Trax
18	Revenant[51]	Mary's Blood	Heavy metal	Tokuma Japan Communications
	Shinee The Best From Now On[52]	Shinee	J-pop	EMI Records
25	Bunriha no Natsu[53]	Nariaki Obukuro	R&B / J-pop / PBR&B	Epic Records Japan
	Piece[54]	Monsta X	J-pop	Universal Music Japan
	Otonoe[55]	Wagakki Band	J-pop / Folk / Heavy metal	Avex Trax
	Magic Hour[56]	Maaya Uchida	J-pop	Pony Canyon

May

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
2	Hybrid Funk[57]	Tsuyoshi Domoto	Neo-soul	Johnny's Entertainment
9	Magic[58]	Exo-CBX	J-pop	Avex Trax
23	Chain[59]	NCT 127	J-pop	Avex Trax
	Kyō Kara Watashitachi wa: GFriend 1st Best[60]	Gfriend	J-pop	King Records

June

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
6	Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Original Soundtrack[61]	Joe Hisaishi	Soundtrack	Avex Entertainment
	Battle Against Damnation[62]	Lovebites	Power metal / Thrash metal	Victor Entertainment
	Chasing the Horizon[63]	Man with a Mission	Rap rock / Electro-rock	Sony Music Records
13	Ninth[64]	The Gazette	Gothic metal / Metalcore / Alternative metal	Sony Music Records
	Kisses and Kills[65]	The Oral Cigarettes	Alternative rock / Indie rock	A-Sketch
17	Galapagos[66]	Wednesday Campanella	Art pop / Hip house / Tropical house	Warner Music Japan
19	Tomorrow[67]	TVXQ	J-pop / Dance-pop	Avex Trax
20	Hashiridasu Shunkan[68]	Hiragana Keyakizaka46	J-pop / Dance-pop	Sony Music Records
27	Tetsuya Komuro Archives "T"[69]	Various Artists	J-pop	Avex Trax
	Tetsuya Komuro Archives "K"[70]		J-pop	Avex Trax
	Hatsukoi[71]	Hikaru Utada	J-pop / Soul / R&B	Epic Records Japan

July

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
4	#Cookie Jar[72]	Red Velvet	J-pop	Avex Trax

August

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
1	Legend S: Baptism XX[73]	Babymetal	Kawaii metal / J-pop / Heavy metal	Toy's Factory
	Gracia[74]	Mari Hamada	J-pop / Heavy metal	Victor Entertainment
15	Future Pop[75]	Perfume	J-pop / Electropop / EDM / Future bass	Universal J
22	Sense or Love[76]	Hey! Say! JUMP	J-pop	J Storm
	DNA[77]	Koda Kumi	J-pop / Urban / R&B / Electropop	Rhythm Zone
29	Shine[78]	Pentagon	J-pop	Cube Entertainment Japan

September

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
5	Empire Originals[79]	Empire	J-pop	Avex Trax
12	BDZ[80]	Twice	J-pop / Electropop	Warner Music Japan
22	Last Waltz in Tokyo[81]	World's End Girlfriend	Contemporary classical / Post-rock	Virgin Babylon Records
26	The Insulated World[82]	Dir En Grey	Avant-garde metal / Progressive metal	Fire Wall Div. / SMEJ
	Japamyu[83]	Kyary Pamyu Pamyu	J-pop / Electropop / EDM / Eurodance / Bubblegum	Unborde

October

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
3	RUN[84]	Tofubeats	J-pop	Unborde
10	qp[85]	Ichiko Aoba	Contemporary folk	Victor Entertainment
	Kimi Omou: Shunkashūtō[86]	Mai Kuraki	J-pop / R&B / Dance-pop	Northern Music
17	Jijitsujo[87]	Reol	Electropop / Hip-Hop	Victor Entertainment
	Unlock[88]	Day6	Pop rock / Ballad	Warner Music Japan

November

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
14	Tadashii Itsuwari Kara no Kishō[89]	Zutomayo	J-pop	EMI Records
16	Heir to Despair[90]	Sigh	Avant-garde metal / Progressive metal	Candlelight Records
28	Taemin[91]	Taemin	J-pop	EMI Records / Universal Music

December

Date	Album	Artist	Genre	Labels
5	Hometown[92]	Asian Kung-Fu Generation	Indie rock / Alternative rock	Ki/oon Records
	Clockwork Immortality[93]	Lovebites	Power metal / Thrash metal	Victor Entertainment
	Cheers[94]	Lee Hong-gi	J-pop	Warner Music Japan
	Music Muscle[95]	Maki Ohguro	J-pop	Being Inc.
21	Hologram[96]	Key	J-pop	EMI Records
26	BDZ - Repackage	Twice	J-pop / Electropop	Warner Music Japan

Debuting and returning artists

Debuting groups

Main article: List of Japanese musical groups (2010s) § 2018

• April
• Day6
• dps
• Dreamcatcher
• Empire
• EXID
• Fantastics from Exile Tribe
• First Place
• GFriend
• Gugudan
• Hachimitsu Rocket
• King & Prince
• Mamamoo
• Myteen
• Neo Japonism
• Raise A Suilen
• Red Velvet
• Seventeen
• Spira Spica
• STU48
• Uijin
• Yoshimotozaka46
• Zutomayo

Debuting soloists

• Aina the End
• Shuta Sueyoshi^[97]
• Ryuji Imaichi^[98]
• Taiki Yamazaki^[99]
• Minori Suzuki^[100]
• Mai Fuchigami^[101]
• Misako Uno^[102]
• Ryucheru^[103]
• Rika Tachibana^[104]
• Kiyoe Yoshioka^[105]
• Kaori Ishihara^[106]
• Shigeru Joshima^[107]
• Haruka Yamazaki^[108]
• Yuma Uchida^[109]
• Makoto Furukawa^[110]
• Ryusei Yokohama^[111]
• Yuka Ozaki^[112]
• Reona^[113]
• Chiaki Satō^[114]
• Yuka Ozaki^[115]
• Akari Nanawo^[116]
• Chiaki Ito^[117]
• Meimi Tamura^[118]
• Halca
• Taemin
• Key

Returning from hiatus

• Ayami Mutō
• Eir Aoi^[119]
• KAT-TUN^[120][121]
• Ami Wajima^[122]
• Ellegarden^[123]
• Hilcrhyme^[124]
• Ikimonogakari^[125]
• Charisma.com^[126]

Disbanding and retiring artists

Disbanding

• Idol Renaissance^[127]
• La PomPon^[110]
• Mix Speaker's,Inc.^[128]
• GEM^[129]
• Chelsy^[130]
• Cheeky Parade^[131]
• Chatmonchy^{[132][unreliable source?]}
• Ciao Bella Cinquetti^[133]
• Tackey & Tsubasa^[134]
• Passpo^[135]
• Babyraids Japan^[136]
• Vanilla Beans^[137]
• X21^[138]
• Aqua Timez^[139]
• Secret
• Tahiti

Retiring

• Tetsuya Komuro^[140]
• Namie Amuro^[141]
• Chiyo Okumura^[142]
• Hideaki Takizawa (Tackey & Tsubasa)^[134]
• Hitomi Yoshizawa^[143]

Going on hiatus

• Charisma.com^[144]
• Folks^[145]
• Tsubasa Imai (Tackey & Tsubasa)^[146]
• Chris Hart^[147]
• Mao Denda^[148]
• Jero^[149]
• Yumi Hara^[150]
• Keito Okamoto (Hey! Say! JUMP)^[151]
• Nobuo Uematsu^[152]
• Shiori Niiyama^[153]
• Rice^[154]
• Sads^[155]

Deaths

• January 26 – Junji Yayoshi, guitarist and record producer (b. 1968)
• January 31 – Itokin, MC and track maker (b. 1979)
• April 24 – Doji Morita, singer-songwriter (b. 1953)
• April 27 – Yukiji Asaoka, singer and actress (b. 1935)
• May 16 – Hideki Saijo, singer and actor (b. 1955)
• October 12 – Takehisa Kosugi, composer and violinist (b. 1938)
• November 14 – Masahiro Sayama, jazz pianist (b. 1953)
• November 25 – Norio Maeda, jazz pianist, composer, and conductor (b. 1934)

See also

• 2018 in Japan
• 2018 in Japanese television
• List of Japanese films of 2018