The Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association has announced the nominees for the 2025 edition of Music Awards Japan. The awards ceremonies are expected to take place at the ROHM Theatre Kyoto on May 21, 2025 and May 22, 2025.
The final nominees have been selected from approximately 3,000 submissions and includes 251 nominated works by 65 artists.
Both days of the ceremony will be livestreamed on YouTube (except in select regions), while the final day of the event will be broadcast live in Japan on the NHK channel on May 22, 2025.
For anime fans, artists YOASOBI and Creepy Nuts received nominations in several major categories at this year’s Music Awards Japan, including Best Artist, along with Mrs. GREEN APPLE, Vaundy, and Fujii Kaze, who leads all competition with 17 nominations.
Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” (Mashle: Magic and Muscles The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc opening), YOASOBI’s “Idol” (OSHI NO KO Season 1 opening), and Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” (Oblivion Battery opening) are all nominated in the Best Song category. The three songs are also nominated in the Best Anime Song sub-category, along with “Dai Zero Kan” by 10-FEET (The First Slam Dunk anime film ending theme).
Other noteworthy categories for this year’s awards include:
Best New Artist
- • FRUITS ZIPPER
- • Number_i
- • Omoinotake
- • Tuki.
- • Kocchi no Kento
Best Album
- • ANTENNA — Mrs. GREEN APPLE
- • LOST CORNER — Kenshi Yonezu
- • LOVE ALL SERVE ALL — Fujii Kaze
- • replica — Vaundy
- • SCIENCE FICTION — Hikaru Utada
Top Global Hit From Japan
- • “It’s Going Down Now” — Lotus Juice, Azumi Takahashi
- • “WOKE UP” — XG
- • “Idol” — YOASOBI
- • “Shinunoga E-Wa” — Fujii Kaze
- • “Mayonaka no Door” (“Stay With Me”) — Miki Matsubara
The full list of nominees can be found on Music Awards Japan’s official website.
Music Awards Japan is Japan’s largest international music awards event that honors artists and songs from Japan, Asia, and the West. The event is organized by the Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association — an initiative formed by Japan’s five major music industry organizations that includes the Recording Industry Association of Japan, Music Producers Association of Japan, Federation of Music Producers Japan, Music Publishers Association of Japan, and All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoters Conference.
Source: press release, Anime News Network
