Teepu’s Music Picks For 2015

As fair warning, I wanted to begin by saying that I have a huge bias for Hello! Project music. It’s the bulk of what I listen to, because they tend to cater to my tastes to the tee. That being said, there are a handful of picks which aren’t from Hello! Project, so they are definitely something special. Also, I really can’t order these in order of rank, because too many of them would end up as a tie. Instead, I’ve arranged them in order of artist (alphabetical order). Within each artist’s list though, those songs are ordered by rank (this only applies for artists I chose multiple songs from). Trust me, I tried for a long time to rank all the songs but I simply could not. It’s better this way. Think of it this way: if it made it on this list, it’s amazing and deserves to be checked out. I hope you enjoy my list, and if you aren’t familiar with any of these songs, I hope you discover something new and exciting.

1. Otome no Gyakushuu – ANGERME

From the moment I heard this song in the beginning of the year, I knew it was going to be hard to top. I remember saying that it would likely be my song of the year. If not for the emotional impact of Berryz Kobo’s final song, this would definitely be my song of the year, without a doubt. It has a very dark tone, a very catchy beat, great use of vocal talent and a very well-directed music video. To top it off, it has a meaning that’s a little deeper than the average idol song. That’s not to say it’s a deep and complex song, but it is reasonably so within the genre. This song is what made me a believer in S/mileage’s reboot as ANGERME. They have since kept their high level of quality and have been on fire the whole time, as can be gathered from the number of songs on my list by them.

2. Desugita Kui wa Utarenai – ANGERME

This one’s a doozy. Composed by Yuki Uozumi of LoVendoЯ, it has a very heavy rock feeling while still being grounded in the idol world. I’m especially fond of Yuki’s skills and I love her style when it comes to her compositions. The fact that she was able to contribute to the hottest Hello! Project group of 2015 in one of their best songs is awesome. The song has a very beautiful flow to it and makes use of some really strong vocal talent from the group to help push the song forward.

3. Taiki Bansei – ANGERME

I’m not going to lie. Anything Takui Nakajima touches is usually pure gold. He’s made some really top-notch contributions for Hello! Project, this one arguably being his best. Interestingly, this was going to be an original song in his own album but he agreed to give this version to ANGERME instead, thus making his version a cover. Odd how that works out, but as far as I’m concerned both versions are his creations so neither is a cover. This song was ANGERME’s first foray into that rock-idol fusion and was a darn good start. This fusion has also been ANGERME’s prevailing theme in their singles since they started.

4. Nana Korobi Ya Oki – ANGERME

Any song where Meimi Tamura is at the forefront of the chorus is a good song in my books. Being one of the strongest singers in not only ANGERME, but also Hello! Project, she brings a very phenomenal talent to the table. This particular song is propelled by her talent, and is undeniably the main pull of this song for me. That’s not to say that the rest of the crew does not shine, because they most definitely do.

5. Mahou Tsukai Sally – ANGERME

Alright, this one is a little silly of me. This is far from being intense or complex. In fact, it’s probably one of the most simple. It has a repetitive chorus, and a repetitive sound as a whole. That being said, this song is freaking catchy as heck. Most importantly, it is extremely fun! From the cute little witch outfits to the really adorable approach to the singing style, this song tickles me in all the right ways. This is actually a variation on the theme song for the anime of the same name. Over the many years and many iterations of this anime there have been an equal number of variations on this song. Another reason for my love of this is the very distinct S/mileage feel. This was the first song since they started as ANGERME where I felt they did a good job of bridging that gap between old S/mileage to new ANGERME. That, is ultimately why I love this song so much.

6. Love together! – Berryz Kobo (TEEPU’S TOP PICK FOR 2015)

Oh my goodness, I don’t even know where to begin. This song drives me insane. I’ve grown into the person I am today due in large part to the music I started listening to back in 2005. Morning Musume and Berryz Kobo have been the biggest positive points in my life. That being said, having to see Berryz Kobo go on indefinite hiatus (read: quit) was heart breaking. Being there to see it in person even more so. I remember sitting in the audience, holding my breath when the final song was announced, tears on all the members’ faces. Suddenly a piano appeared to the left of the stage, and they sang this song purely to a piano instrumental. Despite their imperfections due to them crying, this song was the epitome of performances to me. It was fueled by the most power, emotion and love of any song I’ve ever seen performed in my life. Not just by the pianist and the singers, but also by the audience as we sung along too. It was an experience unlike anything I’ve seen. This song has some very powerful lyrics that really hit you in the heart as their final farewell to their fans and the world of idols. Admittedly, I like that last live much better than the original arrangement, but the song as a whole is just an extremely beautiful song that will forever hold a special place in my heart. It’s composed beautifully, places each of the girl’s talents accordingly and has a very melodic feel to it. I think it is extremely fitting and touching that Tsunku wrote and composed this final song for Berryz Kobo, considering his resignation as Hello! Project’s general producer. That final point is honestly the real defining factor. It’s the thread that ties the whole package together neatly and elegantly. I find my love for this especially odd because this isn’t exactly the type of song I normally like. That speaks volumes of its quality, impact and meaning. Love together! is, without a doubt, my favorite song of 2015. Bar none.

7. The Middle Management ~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku~ - ℃-ute

Most people I know liked Tsugi no Kado wo Magare the most out of this particular single release. Being in the minority, I liked The Middle Management far more. I know it has a little more synth and also a bit more auto-tuning than Tsugi no Kado, but to me it has a far more attractive beat. If a song can effectively intertwine singing talent with auto-tune, and have an organic feel with a practically all synth track it speaks volumes of its quality. I was also very impressed with the music video, which was fun but very grounded.

8. I’m alone – callme

(No official or unofficial video source available)

My surprise hit of the year: callme. I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing their debut album and to interview them as well. I knew nothing about them, and figured they would be another throwaway J-Pop group who would be of little interest to me. I was grossly mistaken. From the moment I started listening to the album I knew it was something extremely special. I later learned that they are completely self-composed. In the idol world, I found this extremely intriguing. They brought various themes and talents to the table, including but not limited to: video game influence, choreography, instrumental talent and compositional skills. This particular track screams awesomeness to me. I really love how they infused the piano into the song to create a very exciting and addictive song with beautiful singing talent. This song is without a doubt my number 3 song of 2015 (right under Love together! and Otome no Gyakushuu).

9. My affection – callme

Forcing myself to being limited to only two songs from Who is callme?, this was my next best choice. The album as a whole is phenomenal, and if you haven’t heard it yet, do yourself a favor and buy it. Seriously, why are you still reading this? Go and buy it! Jokes aside, this song felt like the best combination of composition skill, lyrical arrangement and vocal talent of all the other songs in this album to me.

10. Koi Dorobou – Country Girls

Country Girls is the oddball of Hello! Project. They tend to focus on more cutesy and elegant songs which are admittedly not going to be as popular as a song that sounds like it’s on fire. While they have solid music, this song was my personal favorite of theirs, and is definitely worthy of being on this list. If you take that cutesy and elegant feel I mentioned earlier and turn it into a catchy tune, this is what you get.

11. GIRLS BE AMBITIOUS – Juice=Juice

Words cannot describe how blown away I was by Juice=Juice’s first album. It is hands down the best album release I’ve seen. It had one disc of all singles, another disc of brand new songs and another disc of covers. What a glorious way to kick things off. Admittedly, Juice=Juice’s quality had become arguably unstable after their first 2-3 singles. The sound of a new album wasn’t exceedingly attractive, but when it released and I got to hear the whole thing, I was flabbergasted. This song in particular was ‘the one’ to me the moment it started playing. It’s what proved to me that they could stray from their base style with resounding success. This song is far more poppy and cute than their initial ‘cool’ jazz-pop style that defined them. It doesn’t help that I can never get this song out of my head.

12. Umaretate no Baby Love – Juice=Juice

Contrasting my previous choice, this song was the strongest reminder of the jazz-pop style they started as. This song has a nice simple yet complex jazz base to it that is complemented by some really smooth and beautiful vocals. It may not be the catchiest or the most exciting song of the album, but it is most definitely the most well-made in my opinion. It’s also a nice reminder of why they started off so strong to begin with.

13. Nen ni wa Nen – Kobushi Factory

Usually when a group is formed out of eggs (Hello! Pro Kenshuusei), it’s a bit rough around the edges and very underdeveloped. ℃-ute, Berryz Kobo and Tsubaki Factory are perfect examples of this. Kobushi Factory, on the other hand, hit the ground running at full speed. Nen ni wa Nen is one of the most powerful idol songs to come out of Hello! Project in 2015. This is due in no small part to the genius distribution of talent and integration into the instrumental of the song.

14. Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san no Uta – Kobushi Factory

Another choice of mine that isn’t bursting with talent, but is simply FUN. Like Mahou Tsukai Sally, it’s mostly repetitive, but is so silly and fun that it’s hard not to smile when listening to this song. Interestingly, this is actually a cover of a Sharam Q song.

15. Crazy Party Night (Pumpkin no Gyakushuu) – Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

I personally didn’t think 2015 was a good year for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu considering her high quality music from before. That being said, this particular song hearkens back to the kind of silly and catchy music she’s done in the past. The cute Halloween theme helps top off the package perfectly. It’s also oddly addictive.

16. Desert of a moonlight night ~Tsukiyo no Sabaku~ - LoVendoЯ

Remember how I mentioned Yuki Uozumi earlier? Here is one of the songs she has composed from scratch. It’s a purely instrumental track, but is really rockin’. She brings her love of anime and video games into the heart of this track, while still keeping a distinct LoVendoЯ feel to the whole track. I’m especially fond of this song because it shows off her talent, which isn’t shown off enough.

17. Iin ja nai? – LoVendoЯ

Hey guess what? It’s another Takui Nakajima song! I did warn you that practically everything he touches is gold. This song is no exception. He manages to show his talent by creating a rock song that has enough of a hint of idol to cater to the unique sound that LoVendoЯ is known for.

18. Sukatto My Heart – Morning Musume ‘15

2015 was a mixed year for me in regards to Morning Musume ’15. In their defense, they managed to address a variety of styles which catered to various tastes. Since they focused on a singular style in 2014, this was very refreshing. The tradeoff is that fans aren’t guaranteed to like everything they put out. Of all their songs, Sukatto My Heart was definitely their standout song of the year for me. I’m a sucker for jazz-pop songs, and this is no exception. Throw in a slight touch of disco and you’re golden. It has a very swingin’ beat that is something I can’t help but move my body to. Another defining factor that pulls me in is that the singing is spread out in a format that is easy to learn, and thus, easy to sing along to. To top it off, each of the girls is given their own moment to shine in this song. With a group of 13 members, that’s no small feat.

19. Tsumetai Kaze to Kataomoi – Morning Musume ‘15

I have a feeling this song is going to eventually become one of my favorite songs ever. Back when Toki wo Koe Sora wo Koe released, I was oddly intrigued but didn’t care about the song much. It just wasn’t my style. A year later and it turned into my all-time favorite Morning Musume song. Tsumetai Kaze to Kataomoi has a similar type of story. The overall style doesn’t exactly appeal to me. There is something really special about the really smooth flow, elegant singing and graceful music video that reaches out to my heart. It’s simple yet oddly alluring. It’s a really beautiful final single for Riho Sayashi that focuses on her while not making her the focus, if that makes any sense. It’s a subtle farewell that plays on the talents of all the girls while still giving Riho her time. This is definitely worthy of being on this list. Even though it’s not one of my favorite songs right now, I know it will be as it grows on me more and more.

20. Pick Me Up – Perfume

One of Perfume’s most exciting features is that they tweak their sound every album. It keeps them fresh. The problem with this is that we won’t always like what they release. 2015 was a lackluster year in accordance with my tastes. They still produced top-notch high-quality material, but none of it screamed to me. Except Pick Me Up. This song has a very surreal feel to it that makes me feel at ease but also gets my heart racing. It’s an odd feeling that makes me really appreciate the song as a whole. It helps that I totally dig the music video and also that I simply cannot make a favorite songs list without Perfume in it.
 
There you have it! I actually started this list with 31 songs, cut it down to 25 and then finally (painfully) cut it down to 20. I emphasize that some of these songs may not exude quality, but since they speak to me personally, they are my favorites. I hope you enjoyed the list and maybe discovered something that speaks to you. Here’s to hoping that 2016 proves to be just as exciting as last year!

- Teepu (Bowser05)