YOASOBI

Yoasobi is a Japanese musical duo formed in 2019. It consists of songwriter and producer Ayase and vocalist Ikura. Represented by the slogan "novel into music", the duo's narrative-driven songs are originally based on selected fictional stories posted on the website Monogatary.com. Later, sources also come from various media, such as fiction written by professional authors, books, letters, messages, plays, and social media posts. Known for its fast pace and complex structure, their music has been characterized as a blend of J-pop and Vocaloid music. Rising to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, Yoasobi's debut single, "Yoru ni Kakeru", topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for six non-consecutive weeks and its 2020 year-end chart, the first ever non-CD single to do so, as well as receiving the first ever diamond and double diamond certifications for streaming figures from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Three other songs were also certified diamond: Blue Period-inspired "Gunjō" and anime series openers "Kaibutsu" from Beastars and "Idol" from Oshi no Ko. The latter set the record for the longest-running number one on the Japan Hot 100 history with 22 non-consecutive weeks, the first Japanese act to top the Billboard Global Excl. US, and was one of the best-selling songs worldwide in 2023. Yoasobi's first three EPs—The Book, The Book 2 (2021), and The Book 3 (2023)—explore the "reading CD" theme and peaked at number two on the Oricon Albums Chart. The duo entered the English-language market by translating their songs into English and releasing the E-Side EP series. Furthermore, the duo collaborated with four Naoki Prize-winning novelists to publish the short story collection book Hajimete no, and performed songs based on each story. Yoasobi has received many accolades, including CD Shop Awards, Japan Gold Disc Awards, Japan Record Awards, MTV Video Music Awards Japan, Music Awards Japan, and Space Shower Music Awards. With these successes, several publications dubbed the duo a representative of J-pop of the 2020s and the Reiwa era.