Archive - This Side of Japan

Idol Watch #24: January/February 2025

Rounding up the best idol songs from the past two months, featuring MYERA, Tonalia, Juice=Juice and more, plus a revisit of a classic Hello! Pro…

Feb 28 •

Friends Recommends #3: Emergency Calls and a Grand Sense of Hope

Our guest writers highlight the year's new drops of battle weary rock, epic chamber pop, ska-inflected punk-pop and friendship R&B

Feb 26 •

Issue #92: Walls

Exploring the new Laura day romance album and Seiko Matsuda's "Rock'n Rouge," plus guest recommendations of new singles

Feb 26 •

Issue #91: Moth to a Flame

Talking about the music in this winter's J-dramas, the Phantom Siita show in Anaheim and the original "Choo-Choo TRAIN"

Feb 13 •

Monthly Listening: January 2025

Rounding up great new releases we checked out during January from Suichu Spica, Pale, The Traveling Theory and more

Feb 2 •

January 2025

The first issue of 2025 highlights the new Suichu Spica album, Saki Kubota's "Ihojin" and some footnotes regarding the '80s hit and the surrounding Silk…

Jan 29 •

December 2024

This Side of Japan's Best of 2024: The Friends List

We wrap up our best of 2024 coverage with selections picked by friends of the newsletter

Dec 26, 2024 •

[Text list] This Side of Japan's Top 100 Songs of 2024

The simple text list of our favorite songs of the year from Sasuke Haraguchi, Regal Lily, KOTONOHOUSE and many more

Dec 11, 2024 •

This Side of Japan's Top 100 Songs of 2024

Collecting our favorite songs from the year by Sasuke Haraguchi, Regal Lily, KOTONOHOUSE and many more

Dec 11, 2024 •

Idol Watch's Top 100 Idol Songs of 2024

Looking back at a year in idol featuring songs from FRUITS ZIPPER, f5ve, Phantom Siita and many more

Dec 4, 2024 •

[Text list] Idol Watch's Top 100 Idol Songs of 2024

The text list of the column's favorite idol songs of the year from FRUITS ZIPPER, f5ve, Phantom Siita and many more

Dec 4, 2024 •

Idol Watch's Top 40 Idol Songs of 2024: The Boys

And here are our favorite boy groups songs of the year from Number_i, Genin Wa Jibun Ni Aru, Yo Ga Yo Nara!!! and many more

Dec 4, 2024 •

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