When it comes to Japan’s album of the year, there have been some incredible releases that have made waves in the music industry. From catchy pop tunes to soulful ballads, this music not only captured the hearts of many out there but also influenced them for good, and it also helped them overcome their difficulties and problems in life. So, if you are interested in knowing about the best albums in Japan, below are the top 10 Billboard Japan hot albums of the year.
1. Mr.5 (King & Prince)
King & Prince is a two-member Japanese idol group under Johnny & Associates that debuted in 2018. Mr. 5 is the best album by King & Prince. It was released on April 19, 2023. They set another group record as their new album “Mr. 5” sold over 900,000 copies on its first day. Mr. 5 is the 'Tsukiyomi/Irodori' act's first best-of album. It comes in four versions. The best album will be a 2-disc set with 17 title songs from the first single, "Cinderella Girl."
2. i DO ME (Snow Man)
"i DO ME" is Snow Man's third album. It was released by MENT Recording on May 17, 2023. It was released in three formats. It was announced that the group's first dome tour, ``Snow Man 1st DOME Tour 2023, I DO ME'' would be held. The dome tour was held for 10 performances in 4 cities, starting with the Kyocera Dome Osaka performance on May 26th, touring Tokyo Dome and Fukuoka PayPay Dome, and ending with the Vantelin Dome Nagoya performance on July 2nd.
3. Super Bowl (Stray Kids)
Stray Kids is a popular South Korean boy band consisting of eight members. "Super Bowl" is a track from their third Korean-language studio album called "5-Star", which was released on June 2, 2023, through JYP Entertainment and Republic Records. The Japanese version was released as the lead single from their third Japanese-language EP Social Path / Super Bowl (Japanese Ver.) on August 10, 2023, through Epic Records Japan. Stray Kids first performed "Super Bowl" at Lollapalooza music festival in Paris on July 21, 2023. The Japanese version was included on the setlist of their 5-Star Dome Tour.
4. FML (Seventeen)
Seventeen is a South Korean boy band. The group consists of 13 members. FML is the tenth extended play (EP) by South Korean boy band Seventeen. It was released on April 24, 2023, by Pledis Entertainment through YG Plus, with "F*ck My Life" and "Super" serving as the EP's double lead singles. FML became the second most-preordered album in South Korean history, with 4.64 million preorders. FML was pre-ordered 4.64 million times, becoming the most pre-ordered album in South Korean history at the time, breaking the record set by BTS' Map of the Soul: 7 in 2020.[16] In May 2023, this was surpassed by Stray Kids' 5-Star.
5. ALWAYS YOURS (Seventeen)
Seventeen is a popular South Korean boy band that was formed by Pledis Entertainment. The group is composed of thirteen members. To mark the fifth anniversary of SEVENTEEN's Japan debut, the album features a total of 27 songs on two discs. The album includes two new original Japanese songs as well as Japanese versions of the band's popular Korean hits. This is SEVENTEEN's first Japanese best album, which was released on August 23, 2023.
6. The Sound (Stray Kids)
Stray Kids is a popular boy band from South Korea that was formed by JYP Entertainment through a reality show of the same name in 2017. The group comprises eight talented members. 'The Sound' is Stray Kids' debut Japanese-language studio album and their third album overall. It was released on February 22, 2023, through Epic Records Japan, eight months after their second Japanese-language EP Circus.
The accompanying music video premiered on February 10, preceded by three teasers. The Korean version of the song was included in the group's third Korean-language studio album 5-Star. Stray Kids gave the debut performance of "The Sound" at Music Station on January 27, 2023. They also performed the song at Buzz Rhythm 02 on February 17. The group added the song to the setlist of the encore shows of the Maniac World Tour in Saitama and Osaka, Japan.
7. Seventeenth Heaven (Seventeen)
Seventeen is a popular South Korean boy band that includes thirteen members and is managed by Pledis Entertainment. The band has released several albums, and their latest extended play is called "Seventeenth Heaven". The album was released on October 23, 2023, by Pledis Entertainment through YG Plus. It came out five months after their previous album, "FML". "Seventeenth Heaven" has three different versions. The 5:26 AM version portrays the day dawning over the festival, the 2:14 PM version captures the festival in full swing, and the 10:23 PM version highlights the festival's flashy, firework-filled finale.
8. Koe (SixTONES)
SixTONES is a Japanese idol boy band formed by Smile-Up in 2015. The group was previously a sub-unit of Johnny & Associates' pre-debut trainee group Johnny's Jr. SixTones made their official debut on January 22, 2020. They sold 6.24 million physical copies in Japan. Koe is the third album by SixTONES, released on January 4, 2023. The album includes 15 tracks, including 12 songs, two bonus tracks, and an overture. The limited edition Type-A version of the album includes a DVD with a music video for "Boom-Pow-Wow!" it includes leading songs from their singles "Kyomei," "Watashi," "Good Luck!", "Futari" as well as "PARTY PEOPLE.”
9. Popmall (Naniwa Danshi)
Naniwa Danshi is a Japanese boy band created by Johnny & Associates on October 6, 2018. The group comprises seven members primarily from the Kansai region. On July 28, 2021, their label J Storm made an official announcement about their debut. Naniwa Danshi's second album is called POPMALL. It was released on July 12, 2023. The album will be their second album after two years of debut. It was filled with songs from a wide variety of genres. The album's lead song Poppin Hoppin Lovin invites listeners from casual everyday life to an exciting POP world. The album includes 15 songs in total, including the latest single "Special Kiss," the 3rd single "Happy Surprise," and the new song "Blue Story."
10. SWEET (TOMORROW X TOGETHER)
Tomorrow X Together, also known as TXT, is a boy band from South Korea that was created by Big Hit Entertainment, now known as Big Hit Music. The group is composed of five members: Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Huening Kai. They made their debut on March 4, 2019, with their extended play called The Dream Chapter: Star. Sweet is TXT's second full Japanese album, which was released on July 5, 2023. The album features "Sugar Rush Ride (Japanese Ver.)" as its title track and has 12 tracks in total. Additionally, the physical album comes in three different versions.
