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67th Japan Record Awards 2025 full list of nominees and winners

67th Japan Record Awards reveal full nominees and early winners, with a diverse line-up set to compete for the Grand Prix on 30 December.
Full Nominee & Winner Breakdown for the 67th Japan Record Awards
67th Japan Record Awards 2025 Unveils Full Nominee and Winner Line-up Ahead of 30 December Broadcast

Japan’s music world is gearing up for one of its biggest nights. The 67th Japan Record Awards will air live on TBS, running from 5:30 PM JST to 10 PM JST on 30 December, and the lineup this year is honestly stacked. From chart-toppers to rising rookies, the awards perfectly mirror how diverse and fast-moving Japan’s music scene has become.

Below, we break down all the nominees, the newly revealed winners in the pre-announced categories, and where industry watchers think the Grand Prix might land this year.

Grand Prix Nominees: A True Mix of Japan’s 2024–2025 Sound

This year’s Grand Prix field is one of the most varied in recent memory. 

Pop, dance, idol, and traditional flavours sit comfortably side by side, reflecting Japan’s ever-widening music tastes.

Grand Prix Nominees

  • ILLIT – Almond Chocolate

  • M!LK – E Jan

  • FRUITS ZIPPER – Kagami

  • AiNA THE END – Kakumei Dochu – On The Way

  • Ikuta Lilas – Koikaze

  • Mrs. GREEN APPLE – Darling

  • CANDY TUNE – Bai Bai FIGHT!

  • Niihama Leon – Fun! Fun! Fun!

  • Junretsu – Futari dake no Himitsu Kichi

  • BE:FIRST – Muchuu

Fans already expect tight competition. 

Mrs. GREEN APPLE are the obvious name to watch thanks to their back-to-back wins in 2023 and 2024, but BE:FIRST, FRUITS ZIPPER, and AiNA THE END have also dominated social media all year. It’s genuinely anyone’s game.

Best New Artist Nominees: Four Fresh Acts to Watch

This year’s new artist lineup is especially colourful, showing just how broad Japan’s entry-level scene has become.

Best New Artist Nominees

  • CUTIE STREET

  • SHOW-WA & MATSURI

  • HANA

  • BOYNEXTDOOR

Quick Breakdown

CUTIE STREET – Bright, cheerful, and very classic-idol coded. They debuted with a clean pop sound that’s already pulling younger fans their way. 

SHOW-WA & MATSURI – A clever blend of retro Showa-inspired vocals and modern dance beats. Nostalgic but fresh, appealing across generations. 

HANA – A soloist with a light, clear tone and understated emotional delivery. Her ballads chart steadily and have earned her strong critical attention. 

BOYNEXTDOOR – The Korean group making steady progress in the Japanese market. Smooth vocals, polished choreography, and international eyes on them. Their nomination signals how global the awards have become.


Major Special Awards Announced

Special Album Award

  • Fujii Kaze – Prema

Special International Music Award

  • Ado

  • &TEAM

Special Award

  • “Kokuho”

  • Hosokawa Takashi

  • Seiko Matsuda

  • Yazawa Eikichi

Best Singing Award

  • Yamauchi Keisuke

Yamauchi’s win is particularly noteworthy. 

2024 marks his 25th anniversary, and he’s been on a roll with his commemorative release “Kita no Dangai” and the highly talked-about “Yami ni Goyoujin”. 

Reacting to the award, he expressed deep gratitude, saying he was moved to tears and thankful for fans and staff who have supported him. 

He promised to deliver a memorable performance on the 30th.

Best Composition

  • Kudo Taiki & Hanamura Sota (Da-iCE – Nonfictions)

Best Lyrics

  • Rino Sashihara (=LOVE – Tokubetsu Shite)

Best Arrangement

  • Sato Kazuto (Ichikawa Yukino – Oboro, Oka Midori – Hiyashinsu)

Project Award

  • AKB48 – Oh my pumpkin!

  • Rockon Social Club – THE SHOW MAN

  • Nogizaka46 – Same numbers

  • Yatsuka Rie – SONGS / HEARTS

  • TUBE – TUBE×

  • Miki Takashi – Miki Takashi Songbook

Japan Composer’s Association Award

  • Tendo Yoshimi

Japan Composer’s Association Masterpiece Award

  • Funauta (Singer: Yashiro Aki / Lyrics: Hama Keisuke / Composition: Aku Yu)

Special Achievement Award

  • Ai Joji

  • Ishida Ayumi

  • Kamijo Tsunehiko

  • Kawamura Eiji

  • Kusano Koji

  • Nishio Yoshihiko

  • Hashi Yukio

  • Miura Koichi

Top 10 Works of the Year: A Snapshot of Japan’s 2024 Sound

Announced in the usual 50-syllable order, these ten tracks represent the most influential songs of the year.

  • Almond Chocolate – ILLIT

  • E Jan – M!LK

  • Kagami – FRUITS ZIPPER

  • Kakumei Dochu – AiNA THE END

  • Koikaze – Ikuta Lilas

  • Darling – Mrs. GREEN APPLE

  • Bai Bai FIGHT! – CANDY TUNE

  • Fun! Fun! Fun! – Niihama Leon

  • Futari dake no Himitsu – Junretsu

  • Muchuu – BE:FIRST

From idol pop to dance groups to modern enka, the list captures exactly how multifaceted Japan’s current music scene is.

Looking Back: Past 5 Grand Prix Winners (2020–2024)

A quick recap to understand current trends:

  • 2020 – LiSA “Homura”

  • 2021 – Da-iCE “CITRUS”

  • 2022 – SEKAI NO OWARI “Habit”

  • 2023 – Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Keserasera”

  • 2024 – Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Lilac”

Recent winners show a clear pattern: strong digital presence, universal pop appeal, and wide social media reach.

Who’s the Favourite for 2025?

Based on the trends:

  • Mrs. GREEN APPLE could easily pull off a third consecutive win.

  • BE:FIRST have had massive streaming momentum.

  • FRUITS ZIPPER continue to dominate online culture.

  • AiNA THE END brings unmatched artistic impact.

This year’s race is genuinely unpredictable — and that’s exactly why fans are buzzing.

The 67th Japan Record Awards is shaping up to be a proper year-end spectacle. With the industry rapidly expanding and crossing borders more than ever, the results on 30 December will reveal which songs truly defined Japan’s year in music.

Stay tuned — the big titles, especially Grand Prix and Best New Artist, are still up for grabs.

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