Nominees Announced for MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025

The Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA) has announced the nominees for the 2025 edition of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN (MAJ). Selected from approximately 3,000 submissions, the nominated works and artists will be honored at the awards ceremonies taking place at ROHM Theatre Kyoto on May 21st and 22nd.

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, the country’s largest international music awards program organized under the theme of “Connecting with the world, lighting the future of music,” has announced 251 nominated works by 65 artists to be recognized at the upcoming award ceremonies.

The awards ceremony on May 22nd will be broadcast live on NHK, while both days will be streamed worldwide via YouTube, the global streaming partner (except in select regions).

In the six major award categories, the nominations were selected from a broad pool of entries, including:
256 songs for Best Song
167 artists for Best Artist
171 albums for Best Album
61 artists for Best New Artist
100 tracks for Top Global Hit from Japan
24 songs for Best Asian Song

From each of these categories, five nominees have been selected. Final voting has now commenced, with winners to be chosen by a panel of music professionals including nominated artists and creators.

Nominated Works – Six Major Categories

Best Song
APT. – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts
Idol– YOASOBI
Michi Teyu Ku – Fujii Kaze
Lilac – Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Best Artist
Creepy Nuts
Mrs. GREEN APPLE
Vaundy
YOASOBI
Fujii Kaze

Best New Artist
FRUITS ZIPPER
Number_i
Omoinotake
tuki.
Kocchi no Kento

Best Album
ANTENNA – Mrs. GREEN APPLE
LOST CORNER – Kenshi Yonezu
LOVE ALL SERVE ALL – Fujii Kaze
replica – Vaundy
SCIENCE FICTION – Hikaru Utada

Top Global Hit from Japan
It’s Going Down Now – Lotus Juice / Azumi Takahashi
WOKE UP – XG
Idol – YOASOBI
Shinunoga E-Wa – Fujii Kaze
Mayonaka no Door – Stay With Me – Miki Matsubara

Best Asian Song
Satu Bulan – Bernadya (Indonesia)
the cutest pair – REGINA SONG (Singapore)
Supernova – aespa (Korea)
WAY 4 LUV – PLAVE (Korea)
Ghost (ซ่อน(ไม่)หา) – Jeff Satur (Thailand)

For the rest of the category nominees, music fans can visit the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN's official website. 

Messages from International Voting Members

The MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN will include participation from notable figures in the global music industry as "International Voting Members." These members include Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group; Rob Stringer, Chairman of Sony Music Group; Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group; and Lyor Cohen, Global Head of YouTube & Google’s Music Division. These industry leaders, who share the vision of MAJ, will support the recognition of Japanese music. They will contribute to voting in key categories, including Top Global Hit from Japan, as part of the six main award categories.

Lucian Grainge (Universal Music Group Chairman & Chief Executive Officer)

"Japan is one of the most dynamic, unique and significant music markets in the world. Music fans in Japan are among the most loyal and committed to the artists they love. All these attributes make this an exciting time to launch the first ever MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN. Today, with streaming and social discovery, music is more accessible globally than it has ever been. Now more than ever, Japan has the opportunity to showcase its brilliantly talented artists on the global stage. The MUSIC AWARDS JAPANwill serve as an important spotlight on Japanese talent and underscore why we’re so passionate about this market and its future. There has never been a better time for Japanese music and talent to breakthrough worldwide and Universal Music Group is deeply committed to artist development and the growth of the Japanese music market now and for decades to come."

Rob Stringer (Chairman, Sony Music Group)

"The Grammys in the US and the Brits in the UK are vital in the calendar for the global music industry, so it’s obvious that a huge market like Japan should have a similar event. So this new award can only highlight the artists and songs from the market. As Japanese music gains more and more attention around the world through streaming, this is the perfect time for an exciting new music awards show."

Robert Kyncl (CEO, Warner Music Group)

"As one of the largest, most dynamic music markets, Japan is rich with talent that deserves a wider audience. We’re excited to work with MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN to create a powerful worldwide showcase for Japanese artists, and provide new opportunities for global stars to win fans in Japan."

Lyor Cohen (Global Head of Music, YouTube & Google)

"Everyone in the music industry knows how important the Asia-Pacific region is. We applaud MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN for giving the creative music community a platform and the opportunity to celebrate and promote the rich and cultural diversity of the region. YouTube is the music industry magic carpet that builds local stars into global superstars. We are honored and proud to play a role in lifting these voices and supporting the journey."

Annette Barrett (President, IMPF)

"As the President of IMPF, the global trade body for independent music publishers, I am very pleased to support MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN (MAJ), whose mission is to foster greater cross-border connections, which is directly aligned to that of our own. The Japanese and wider Asian music markets are incredibly influential around the world, with the Japanese market specifically being one of the largest in the world. The size of the independent music publishing market in Japan, standing at some 46%*, reflects the strong influence of local publishers and we work closely with our members, partners and friends here in Japan, and across the region, to support that growth. Awards such as MAJ are a wonderful opportunity to increase exposure, and further the recognition and achievement for independent music publishers and the songwriters they represent. We look forward to our continuing cooperation and wish you every success."

*Figures from “IMPF Global Market View Independent Music Publishing 2023"

Hannah Karp (Editorial Director, Billboard USA)

"Japan has always been at the cutting edge of global culture, and as the world's second-biggest music market, Japan and its creators, music companies and fans will continue to shape music's future. So my expectations for the first-ever MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN are very high. I have no doubt that this year's event will offer the rest of the world a special chance to discover new favorite songs and artists, preview important trends, and gain insight into where music is headed next."

Ellen Lu (Vice President, Regional Festivals, Goldenvoice)

"I’m thrilled to be part of the inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN. It’s an honor to join fellow industry peers as a voting member, helping to recognize and celebrate the exceptional talent emerging from Japan."

Alex Norström(Co-President and Chief Business Officer, Spotify）

"Japanese music, rich in culture and creativity, has a unique way of connecting with people across borders and languages. Its global influence keeps growing, and I’m excited to see it reach new heights. In our ever-connected world, Japanese artists have the power to shape the future of music, proving that great music knows no boundaries."

International Special Award

The International Special Award is a category established through collaboration between CEIPA, the organizer of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, and music awards organizations from six countries: China, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. This award recognizes songs that have won the Best Song Award or an equivalent honor at the respective music awards in these six countries. In addition, the top organizers or designated executives from these international award organizations will participate as overseas voting members for MAJ. This partnership aims to foster cross-Pacific connections through music, encouraging collaborations between artists from the participating countries.

The participating awards are:

South Korea: MAMA AWARDS
China: Tencent Music Entertainment Awards (TMEA)
Thailand: TOTY Music Awards
Indonesia: Anugerah Musik Indonesia (AMI AWARDS)
Philippines: AWIT AWARDS
Vietnam: The Dedication Music Awards

SYMBOL OF MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN also announced that Japanese electronic trio YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA (YMO) have been named the SYMBOL OF MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN for the inaugural edition of the event.

The honor goes to a trio — Haruomi Hosono along with the late Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi — that was one of the first to bring a celebrated made-in-Japan sound to the world in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The SYMBOL OF MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN is said to "reflect the ethos guiding the event forward as it aims to establish the Japanese music industry as one of the top players on the global stage."

Hosono Haruomi of YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA commented:

“YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA, or YMO as most call us, continues to reach younger audiences even today. I still receive fan letters from kids in middle school who mention they’re listening to Rydeen. It’s amazing to see that YMO is still alive in some way—though I’m the only one left from the original group. It’s a reminder that music endures and its spirit is alive. While we never really thought of ourselves as mainstream, I can’t help but feel the weight of YMO's legacy. It’s an honor to be recognized as part of this new wave, especially by MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN. Thank you so much.”