2020 Music Edit: The Final Digest

In the final digest for the year of 2020 that comes in the form of a very long list of tracks, it's time to listen to the songs that created a world of colour and escape when we needed it the most.

It's time to leave 2020 behind us and look towards the future, but take the songs into the future. Are you ready to endure the beautiful music of yester-year?

After listening to a whopping 600+ songs last year alone, with about 500 of them being in my playlist of songs I enjoyed, it's no wonder I had a hard time figuring out this list. It will also come as no surprise that it took so long because I - the Queen of No Taste and Idiocy - decided it would be a great idea to, oh I don't know, rank 100 songs for the year of 2020.

The last time I did something like this was back in 2016, and there is a damn good reason why I didn't do it again after that; it takes too much time, I get stressed out, and I eventually figure out what a dumb idea it was. Yeah, it's satisfying to know I ranked 100 songs at the end of it all, but during the time of making the list? Er, I'm dead. I am also fairly sure that I don't want to listen to some of these songs for a few weeks now, but that's by the by.

Griping out of the way, I've done it guys. This is the end of the road for my Year End lists, and whilst it was definitely a time consuming struggle, I have to say that I am happy with the end result and that yes, it was worth it. In fact, despite spitting feathers about it and the mental toll that this Master List has put me through, I am sad to see it come to an end and deliver the final product to you, bad writing and all. I am also nervous because, like anything I put all of my worth into, I care about it and feel scared to share it with the world.

But sharing is caring, right?

So, before heading into this list I have my final list of criteria for you to read through, and then we can dive into the list itself and bore you all with my words and placements. Let's take a look, shall we:

⮞ The songs that I remember enjoying the most
⮞ My fondness towards the song, and the emotions it makes me feel
⮞ How incredibly catchy it is, to the point of singing and dancing along like a div
⮞ The happiness factor of course
⮞ That strong desire to never, ever skip it
⮞ The Loop-the-fuck-outta-it factor
⮞ It can be as recent as December 2020
⮞ All releases from 2020 are subject to this list; Singles, Albums and Digital releases, it doesn't matter. Anything can be included, at this point.

As always, the ranking of these songs are not determined by the ranks of the previous lists. A song that appeared elsewhere may not even get a look in the Master List, and songs that probably didn't appear in the other lists can make their way into this one. It's all about my preference at the end of the day, and how attached I am to a certain song.

Also: some songs that had certain placements in the previous lists might lose to or beat out other songs from that list, so... yeah. Consistency who? We don't know her here.

I hope that you enjoy this list my dearest readers, and I hope that you find something new to enjoy as you read through it. Thank you for sticking with me throughout 2020, and thank you for coming to this list to find something new. Now, go forth my friends, and I will see you on the other side.

Let's experience the sound of the 2020 Music Edit together in the this final digest, everyone. What will you find today?

2020 Music Edit: The Top 10 Albums

During a time where falling into the sound of music was one of our greatest escapes, I make a bid to continue yet another stupidly long Year End list in order to throw you into a world of music courtesy of some wonderful albums in all of their glory.

It is time to embrace the albums and truly immerse ourselves in the sound of 2020.

Though I question why I create these lists at times thanks to the stress they cause me, I am happy to finally deliver my third and penultimate list for the music of 2020, yet again filled with nonsense and words that you will likely skip over in favour of finding out how poor my taste is in my #1 choice.

Now, before I get into the nitty-gritty of this list, I do want to point out that this is my first dedicated album year end list, mostly because I had an inability to acknowledge albums in the past. Now, after the ass-kicking of a year we've had, I finally took the time to fully understand and appreciate the merits that an album has, and thanks to finally listening to quite a few of them - maybe around 30? - from beginning to end, I was able to come up with Top 10 Albums of the year, thus allowing its own dedicated list, finally.

Granted, I still think some albums are pointless - I mean, look at Houkago Princess My Princess II, an album that serves no other purpose than to just exist for the sake of sales. Yeah, I bought it just because, but I'm a sucker for anything HouPri at this point, and despite some albums serving the purpose of only making ¥¥¥, a lot of the albums I listened to served the purpose of either introducing me to the singer, group or act in question, as well as entertaining me with new, album-exclusive songs alongside those familiar tunes from previous releases.

In one way or another, these albums have offered all who listen to them a sense of escapism and happiness, and in the year of 2020 that has been sorely needed, and with that all said and done, I am here to talk about the Top 10 album releases of the year gone by that allowed me to enter a new world and escape the reality we are experiencing for a little while.

Before we get into the list however, let's check my annoyingly present criteria that you can easily ignore:

⮞ Albums that I enjoy either in their entirety, or most of

⮞ Replay it til the CD breaks-factor

⮞ The time and emotional investment I throw into that album

⮞ How memorable the release is as a whole

⮞ Nostalgia, mate

⮞ Mini-Albums included. We don't discriminate here, loves.

⮞ It can be as recent as December 2020

⮞ It can be a physical or digital album release.

Criteria~

As per, just because an album ranks high on this list or not at all, does not mean the albums songs will be featured higher up or lower on my final Master List of songs. How I feel about the individual tracks is a whole different kettle of fish, to put it simply. Whether they appear on the final list or not though, it does not matter; in one way or another, these albums and the songs featured within them have brought me some form of joy throughout the year.

Of course I hope that you find a new album or something interested to delve into from this list, or perhaps a rediscovery that you will happily fall into once again. I also implore you to think of your own favourite album from 2020, and hope that you enjoy this list of album releases that I enjoyed from yester-year.

Turn up the volume for the 2020 Music Edit: Albums Edition. Where will the music take you today?

2020 Music Edit: The Top 20 Singles

In a year filled with music that broke away the silence, I return with another obnoxiously long Year End list of the singles that truly made my 2020 so much brighter.

Let's celebrate the happiness these single releases have brought us in such a tiring year.

In one of the easier lists that I have tackled I bring you my second post of the New Year, as well as the second music of 2020 list that took far too long to complete because I have an inability to contain my words.

Anyway, despite the difficulties of 2020 in regards to our favourite musicians, idols and artists releasing music, the year gone by has actually been very fruitful in regards to releases and the variety that it has given us. Yes, some groups and singers delayed the release of their singles until much later in the year for the sake of release events, but we got them one way or another and cherished said releases all the more.

Much like the digital tracks released throughout the year, these singles have aided us in one way or another and allowed us to look forward to something from our favourite groups and singers. It has also been a way of support in a very trying year, and whilst we certainly could not listen to or even buy everything that all of these groups and singers have released, we have done our best in keeping up with and supporting those that are important to us all.

I have lost count of how many singles I heard in 2020 alone, but I can honestly say that with a lot of time on my hands I was able to sit through plenty, to a point where I could pin-point the 20 favourite singles of a year gone by. Before I bore you with the actual list though, I have some criteria for this list that you will probably skip over:

⮞ Singles that I have enjoyed the entirety - or most - of

⮞ The Loop Factor

⮞ How invested I am in the entirety of the single

⮞ How intense my emotions are when I listen to it

⮞ How memorable the single is as a whole

⮞ It can be as recent as December 2020

⮞ It can be a physical or digital release. If digital, multiple songs must be included; it can not be a stand-alone song.

I like listing the criteria, for some reason.

As always, just because a single has ranked highly in this list does not mean that all songs will appear in my Master List for my favourite songs of 2020. This list is purely based on the single as a whole and the joy it brought me, and how much I enjoyed the single from beginning to end. Honestly, some of these songs may not appear on the final list at all, but that's okay; it's all about the entertainment these singles delivered when I needed to feel happiness or even sadness at any given moment.

I hope that you all find something interesting in this list, and perhaps something new to enjoy as well. I also hope that it inspires you to think about the single that dominated your 2020, so please enjoy this list that I have created and indulge in some wonderful releases.

Let's dive into The 2020 Music Edit: Singles Edition. What will you discover this time?

2020 Music Edit: The Top 25 Digital Songs

With so many digital releases to enjoy and many new artists and groups to discover in the year gone by, it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly which song has become one of many favourites...

Are you ready to endure another Year End list from Okay! Musume Time?

It has been a long time coming everyone, but we finally made it to this point. Happy New Year. I hope you are all safe and well and celebrating in an appropriate manner~

After a heavy year that has taken a toll not only our mental wellbeing, but also our physical and financial well-beings, music has become a much needed solace for many of us. Whether we use it for escapism, relaxation or to simply help us keep calm, the music that has been delivered to us from around the world has been a much appreciated gift. For the Japanese music industry especially, the current state of the world became a topic of inspiration and allowed Idols and artists alike to create music that delivered hope for their fans and the people around them.

With live shows halted and an order to stay at home, it was no surprise to see digital tracks becoming a popular way to release music for many that would typically release their music physically, and whilst we could not hear every track that has been released, these digital songs have aided us in one way or another. So, for my first End of Year list for the year that was 2020, I will introduce my first 'Top Digital Songs' ranking and share with you all the songs that made my 2020 a little more bearable.

With well over 40+ songs to enjoy and many more that did not even clock onto my radar, I will take a look at the 25 Digital tracks that delighted me the most throughout 2020. As always, I have certain criteria that I go by when creating these kinds of lists, so without further ado:

⮞ The song was released by itself digitally

⮞ It can be a part of a single or album release later on

⮞ Replay factor

⮞ How invested I am in the song and the emotions I have tied to it

⮞ How memorable the song itself is

⮞ It can be as recent as December 2020

As always, my criteria is fairly basic and self-explanatory, but it's nice to keep it here as a refresher for myself when creating these types of lists.

Of course I hope that you all find something new or interesting to check out in this list, regardless of what is mentioned here, and I hope that this list allows you to think about your own favourites from 2020 when it comes to Digital music. For now though, it's time for this opinionated blogger to pass her own judgement on the Digital tracks of 2020 and share her favourites with you all. Are you ready to head into a brand new Year End list?

Welcome to The 2020 Music Edit: Digital Songs Edition. What will we tune into today?

Music Digest: 3rd Quarter

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The Autumn and Winter months are on their way and the end of the year is nearing, which means that it is time for the third installment of my Music Digest, otherwise known as the 3rd Quarter. Sure, the sounds of summer may be a faint memory to some, but it's time to reminisce on all that music brought us in the months of July, August and September.

Once again, this quarter of the music digest aims to act as a reflection on the music that I enjoyed these past few months, as well as to introduce everyone to a new singer or group, or maybe give you a reason to catch up on a past Idol you had since abandoned? Whatever it is, I hope that this list ignites your music-loving flame and gives you something different to listen to.

With that said, all indiviual releases listed here are subject to a change in opinion come the end of the year. What I feel now may not be how I feel come December, so whilst I may love it now, I may think differently come my End of Year list. This digest is simply to look back on the music I have enjoyed in the past few months, and to reflect on how it made me feel and why I took to it.

I look forward to bringing you into my world of music once again, and look forward to sharing some new finds with you all. As always, I hope that this quarter's list introduces you to something a little different, or reintroduces you to a lost love within the vast world of Japanese music. Once again, Spotify links are provided at the end of my spiels, and I hope that you all enjoy the music I share with you today.

It's time to invest yourself in music and fill your ears with happiness, and hopefully we can find something to enjoy together. Are you ready to engulf yourself in the warmth of summer's sound before the cold of the Autumn sets in? If yes, then press play and hum a little tune with me~

When A Bad End Evolves Into A New Beginning: An Introduction to Merry Bad End (Updated on June 4th, 2020)

'An Introduction to' is a passion-fueled project of posts in which I assemble together an article of information on a specific idol group that piques my intrigue, with the ultimate goal being that I introduce the history, concept and members of any given group, and more if possible.

Regardless of a groups tenure or status within the industry, my aim is to create a guide for idol fans, as well as myself. If a group piques my interest, then I will feel a desire to research them, and what better way to fuel my research than to write about the group that I have recently discovered, and potentially fallen in love with?

With that said, today's group is one that I struggled to research, simply because they share a name with a former Visual Kei band (Dec. 2015 - Aug 2018) and a Vocaloid song. But with these hurdles I faced myself and hours of dedicated research, I finally managed to compile enough sources and the necessary information to complete this guide, which ultimately gave me a sense of fulfillment and happiness, because idols and research are my passion!

And now, without further ado, it is time to introduce today's group. Resisting the bad end together with their fans, let's take a look at Merry Bad End!

*Despite my research, I am in no way an expert on Merry Bad End, nor do I claim to be one. This article was made out of my love of idols and research, and to share with other fans who may have an interest in the group. I did all I could to include as much research as possible, and tried my best to include accurate dates and details. Of course, mistakes will be made, so please let me know of any that are undoubtedly sprinkled throughout this post. Thank you in advance.

The Origin Story

The evolution of Merry Bad End (メリーバッドエンド ) is an interesting one, because whilst their story has a defined starting point to their career as a group, it isn't the first of their beginnings. If anything, the group that we have come to know as Merry Bad End have had multiple start points in their short history, and it wouldn't be until May of 2018 where the group would finally get the chance to move forward and make a name for themselves.

But in order to understand why Merry Bad End are the group that they are now, we need to rewind a little bit. So, heading back to 2017, let's actually get into their story and learn a bit of Idol History. Are you ready?

"I want this to be a group that doesn't lose to anyone!" - An Interview with LONDON BLUE

Earlier this month, I was contacted by LONDON BLUE asking if I would like to interview the members. With the up-coming debut of newly appointed member, NOA, I knew that I had some questions I wanted to ask the two girls who make up the cool & cute group inspired by Pop, rock and the iconic London landmark.

This interview will mark my 4th time talking with the group, but the first time interviewing both AILI and NOA. Please enjoy the interview below.

Left: NOA, Right: AILI

*I would like to thank LONDON BLUE, their staff and the members for allowing this interview to happen. I would also like to thank LONDON BLUE staff for permitting the use of their images of the members, which can be found on their group and individual Twitter accounts.

The following Interview was conducted via e-mail.

Active since September 2013, LONDON BLUE is a group with a COOL & CUTE image and a sound that will either charm you, or simply rock your socks off. A lot of the groups inspiration undeniably comes from Britain's capital, London, and more often than not you will find that influence infused into the groups sound style, as well as their fashion on-stage.

Similar to most other Idol groups, LONDON BLUE has had its fair share of old and new members, with NOA being the most recent addition this year. Debuting on January 31st, this will end LONDON BLUE's current one-member system, which AILI has dedicated herself to whilst also being active as a member within Ange Mignon.

Before AILI and NOA debut the latest chapter of LONDON BLUE on January 31st however, let's take a look at what the girls have to say in regards to their image of the group, their goals for the new year, and what inspired them to become Idols...

"I've stopped calling myself an Idol" - Yoneko Transitions From Idol To Artist in Her New Song, 'SET FIRE TO NOW'

With the new year and a new decade already set in motion, self-produced soloist and former Bellring Shoujo Heart / Migma Shelter member, Yoneko, is set to make her mark this 2020 as she takes a step forward in her career by rebranding herself from 'Idol' to 'Artist'.

"I've stopped calling myself an idol. There's nothing there for me anymore. There is nothing I feel like doing as an idol."

With 2020 marking the fifth anniversary since Yoneko's performance debut, it only feels right that this would be the same year that the singer-songwriter drops the Idol tag completely. Now at a pivotal point in her career, Yoneko is entering the year with the release of a new song and music video that defines her freedom as an artist.

Acting as her first solo release in over 9 months, SET FIRE TO NOW is a statement piece that not only reflects who Yoneko is as a person, but also expresses the raw power and emotion that she has as a singer, lyricist and composer in both a visual and audial manner. Undeniably passionate from beginning to end, SET FIRE TO NOW is Yoneko's brilliant transition from an industry filled with restraints, to one that has no barrier that holds her back.

In sound this is a mesmerising piece, one that is inexplicably freeing thanks to its almost ethereal sound mixed with the textured beauty of the post-rock genre. Though it may seem like a more soothing song from the start, SET FIRE TO NOW progresses in a striking way, and will undoubtedly surprise and impress even Yoneko's most dedicated listeners.

There is a raw, deeply moving vulnerability to this piece that can only be experienced by listening to the song, as well as by watching the music video that accompanies it. Though an artistic visionary already, Yoneko has stepped up her game with the quality of her music video for SET FIRE TO NOW, which captures the artists passion, vulnerability and freedom beautifully. 

Visually this is a stunning MV, one that you will not be able to tear your eyes away from thanks to the passion and honesty that exudes from the video itself. It's intense, with visuals that are textured and complex, often transcending the reality we experience. But this is Yoneko's unfiltered worldview, a peek into the complex mind of an artist who wants to share the vision only she can see, and it is through this very video that we as the viewers can experience and hear her freedom. It is not until the end, however, that we catch a glimpse of Yoneko's true freedom, and it is this very moment of the music video that I want other viewers to experience the most: Yoneko, content and at one with herself.

SET FIRE TO NOW is nothing like the music that Yoneko has released up until now, because what we have here is something that goes beyond 'music'. This is an experience, as well as sound that you will find yourself emotionally invested in. Stimulating, raw and powerful, SET FIRE TO NOW is Yoneko's passionate display that will see her transcend from the world of Idols to the world of artists, and I, for one, look forward to all that she brings after this.

Set for release on January 22nd at 21:00 JST, SET FIRE TO NOW will be available for online distribution only, with no plans to release the single in a physical format at this time.

If you enjoy Yoneko's music or recently became a fan of hers, you can find all of Yoneko's solo and collaborative physical releases, as well as all her other merchandise, at Idol Underworld.

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CREDITS:

SET FIRE TO NOW

Lyrics and Composition: Yoneko

Music Arrangement: Kageyama Shōtarō (Studio Caribe)

MV Director: Tomeoki Daisuke

Assistant Director: Kosakai Runa

Kyoryoku: Nakamura Rio

Seisaku Tokyo COLORS TEC

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*I would like to extend my thanks to both Yoneko and Derek Vasconi for providing me with this press release, and look forward to sharing the video and song in full on January 22nd, 2020.