Jpop: Top 20 of the fourth quarter of 2015

With a few exceptions, this last quarter of 2015 seems dedicated to the odd, the different and the ugly, which is in some sense is just business as usual for what makes me love the japanese music world.

20. Riemann Mic - Re: Gokun OK. If nothing else, I liked a lot of "ugly culture" videos this autumn, with aesthetics that one would maybe think is un-Japanese, but they are very much a part of Japanese culture, believe me. ;-)

19. Inshow ha - Pretty. The life-size ice copies gimmick aside, this is very much the sound of Inshow ha again, in a good way.

18. Daoko - ShibuyaK. A rather new and young aquaintance but then she also has a very fresh and interesting take on the jpop sound.

17. Suiyoubi no Campanella - Ra. It is obvious that this video shows that SnC is getting more and more recognition for their music as it is their most expensive and visually impressive video be far.

16. Suiyoubi no Campanella - Medusa. If 'Ra' is carried by its visual strength, Medusa is more a meld of a sound and vision - yes, a typical good SnC video in other words.

15. AoA - Oh Boy. First single from their japanese debut this song and video delivers all of what the fans expects in terms of looks, choreography and sound, but I find it slightly repetitive in the long run.

14. Crayon Pop - Dancing all night. Their second japanese single is actually one of their better songs the last year, and the video shows of yet another of their excellent and nerdy dance numbers.

13. 0.8Syooogeki - Words of rainbow color. Both very beautiful *and* very punk, that is a feat in itself. Love this video.

12. Sloth - Bi Bi Bi. The video is on the trashy side, but that just suits the Serebro cover perfectly, with Tokyo rapper Sloth managing to make the song even more addictive.

11. Rip Slyme ft Chay - Jump. The sounds of this are really cool and modern, combinating perfectly with the video.

10. Beddo In ft Ijiri Okada - C-tone beauty-eggplant. It seems I have managed to dig into  more than average of ugly videos these last few months...this is another one. Charming in all its burlesque.

9. Tokyo Karan Koron - Spice. Her voice! Those guitars! So harmonic and sweet.

8. BoA - Lookbook. Yet another good song from the queen of asian pop.

7. Asakura Saya ft Gomess - River Boat Song. Super charming Saya involves autistic rapper Gomess to reach even further with her very personal take on traditional japanese enka songs.

6. 5572320 - Ponpara Pekoruna Papiyotta. This video is so very much an indirect tribute to Queen, with its pompous and crazy video and arrangement. So impressive.

5. Asako Toki - C’est La Vie ~Onna wa Ai ni Isogashii~. Asako Toki's jazzy voice is a golden jazz voice and here it comes perfectly to its right, creating a small soft universe with her singing.

4. Mizuki Nana - Super☆man. She has already made several popular songs for animes and such, but this song cought my eye for being so positive and just happy, which felt refreshing and perfect for Mizuki Nana.

3. Osaka Syunkasyuto - Furo the King. Singer Maina is so impressive in her cover och Rainbow's original song and this video version is so completely crazy and captivating!

2. Rebecca ft Charisma.com - Friends. Yep, two covers for top three, but the new version of this song is all about the nerve of the song and the contrast between Rebecca's and rapper Itsuka's singing, it just takes the song to the next level.

1. Frederic - Owarase Night. A close fight but the guys of Frederic won this on creativity, and I really love their sound.