Sayart.net - K-Pop Dominates Japanese Music Scene, Outperforming Western Pop on Billboard Japan Hot 100

Nikkei Report Highlights K-Pop's 20% Share on Key Chart, Surpassing Western Pop's 0.3% in 2023

Courtesy of SM Entertainment

According to a report by Nikkei, the Japanese daily newspaper, K-pop's popularity in Japan continues to surge, surpassing Western pop on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart in 2023. The chart, a crucial indicator of musical popularity in Japan, incorporates physical sales and streaming data.

In 2023, no Western pop song secured a spot on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, with Western pop accounting for only 0.3%, compared to K-pop's significant share of approximately 20%. This marks a notable shift from 2008 when Western pop held a 29.8% share.

K-pop's rise in Japan commenced in 2018 when it first exceeded pop songs on the chart, claiming 14.2%, outpacing Western pop by nearly 6%. Since then, K-pop has consistently increased its presence in Japan, which holds the title of the world's second-largest music market, boasting total sales of $2.4 billion in 2022, as reported by the International Trade Administration. 

▲ K-pop boy band SHINee performs at Japan's Tokyo Dome / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

The analysis by Nikkei attributes K-pop's appeal to its incorporation of catchy English lyrics and pop elements, meeting the demand for pop songs in the Japanese market.

Despite K-pop's dominance, the report emphasizes that J-pop remains influential, evidenced by the success of Japanese singer Ado and J-pop duo Yoasobi. Ado's "Show" and Yoasobi's "Idol" both topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart. "Idol" gained additional popularity through a viral challenge video featuring various K-pop singers.

The All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoters Conference (ACPC) reported a significant rise in K-pop concert attendance in Japan, reaching 2.75 million people in the first half of last year, a 12% increase from 2014. The surge is attributed to an increase in large-scale concerts. K-pop concert ticket sales in Japan amounted to 35.2 billion yen ($234 million), constituting 14.8% of the total sales in the Japanese performance market.

Japan is a preferred destination for K-pop record labels for concert organization due to the availability of large-scale venues like Tokyo Dome, accommodating over 10,000 spectators, compared to the limited facilities for big concerts in Korea.

Sayart

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com