■Category categories co-created with supporting partners also announced
Culture and Entertainment Industry is a general incorporated association established by five major music industry organizations (Recording Industry Association of Japan, Japan Music Business Association, Japan Music Producers Federation, Japan Music Publishers Association, and Concert Promoters Association). It has been decided that the award ceremony for the “MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN” (MAJ) by the Japan Promotion Association (CEIPA) will be broadcast on terrestrial TV on NHK and distributed worldwide on YouTube.
Details regarding “sponsoring partners” and “each division in the co-creation category” were also announced.
■About “MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN”
“MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN” is Japan’s largest international music award, with the concept of “connecting with the world and lighting up the future of music.” The award ceremony will be held at ROHM Theater Kyoto on May 21st and 22nd. It has been decided that the award ceremony on May 22nd will be broadcast live on NHK, and the two-day award ceremony will be broadcast worldwide on YouTube, which has become a global streaming partner (* (excluding some areas).
It has also been decided that support will be provided by companies that agree with the philosophy of the award and are disseminating information from Japan to the world. In addition to the previously announced 8 categories and 50 categories that award a wide variety of works, new categories will be added, such as the “co-creation category” in collaboration with companies involved in music. Together with over 5,000 voting members, musicians, companies involved in music, and general listeners, we will celebrate the wonderful music culture and light up the future of music.
[“MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025 KYOTO” event overview]
Event date and time: May 21st (Wednesday) and 22nd (Thursday), 2025
*Holding week: May 17th (Sat) – May 23rd (Fri), 2025
Venue: ROHM Theater Kyoto
Broadcast: Live broadcast on NHK *22nd (Thursday) only
Distribution: Scheduled to be distributed worldwide on YouTube (global streaming partner) *Excluding some areas
Cooperation: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (under coordination), Agency for Cultural Affairs
*Image is for illustrative purposes only
[Supporting partner]
A number of companies have decided to support the awards.
The top partner is Toyota Group, the gold partner is Asahi Breweries, Ltd., Kinoshita Group Co., Ltd., and NTT Docomo, Inc., and the silver partner is Kyoto University of the Arts (Uryuyama Gakuen Educational Corporation). Furthermore, as prize partners who will create a category with MAJ in the “co-creation category”, Xing Co., Ltd., Daiichi Kosho Co., Ltd., JASRAC (Japan Music Copyright Association), Spotify Japan Co., Ltd. Companies such as USEN (U-NEXT.HD) have also been decided. In addition, TimeTree Co., Ltd., IRIS Co., Ltd. (TOKYO PRIME), LIVE BOARD Co., Ltd., and LINE Yahoo! Co., Ltd. are media partners, and JTB Co., Ltd., Space Shower Network Co., Ltd., and Recochoku Co., Ltd. are project partners. Companies will support the awards as music industry partners.
Additional supporting companies and organizations will be announced in due course.
[Co-creation category and Best Viral Song Award/Radio Special Award]
The award will feature a co-creation category with music-related companies that will serve as prize partners. The best work will be chosen from among the songs that have been listened to and enjoyed by general listeners at karaoke, cable broadcasts, etc. In addition, in collaboration with TikTok, it has been decided to create the “Best Viral Song Award” to honor songs that have gone viral and became hits through TikTok, and the “Radio Special Award” to be chosen by radio directors and radio DJs in collaboration with radio stations across the country. We will celebrate wonderful music culture while collaborating with various companies involved in music.
◼︎Karaoke Special Award Karaoke of the Year powered by DAM & JOYSOUND
Two categories are planned: J-Pop and Enka/Popular songs.
This award honors the most sung song at karaoke.
The top 30 most sung songs on DAM and JOYSOUND during the target period will be the entry works, and the best song will be the most sung song on DAM and JOYSOUND during the karaoke special award singing period after the entry work is announced. .
◼︎Special Request Award Oshikatsu Request of the Year powered by USEN
This award honors the artist who has received the most requests to date, based on the rankings of the song voting service “USEN Oshikatsu Request,” which anyone can participate in.
The artists with the highest number of requests during the target period will be selected as the “Entry Artists”, and the top artists who have received more requests will be selected as the “Nominated Artists” for this award and will be awarded as the Best Artists.
◼︎Creator Special Award Song of the Year for Creators presented by JASRAC
This award honors the creator of the song that received the most distribution of copyright royalties from JASRAC.
Among the songs whose copyright management is entrusted to JASRAC, the award will be given to the song that will receive the highest share of copyright royalties in 2024.
◼︎Best Viral Song Award
This award honors songs that have gone viral after being used in a video or post on TikTok, and can be considered a hit that has permeated the general public.
The best work will be selected from among the Top 50 songs selected based on the award’s original chart, which is a composite calculation of the number of songs used on TikTok and the total number of views of the videos used during the collection period.
◼︎Radio Special Award (name currently being adjusted)
This award is given by DJs, personalities, directors, and producers from radio stations across the country who are at the forefront of the music scene and listeners, selecting innovative songs that update the music scene with their professional sensibilities.
A primary vote will be held based on radiko’s annual on-air data, and the best work will be selected from the final candidate songs.
[About general voting section]
At the awards, we have created a public voting (listener’s choice) category in which general listeners can participate, and the award will be determined from votes collected through Spotify.
“Best of Listeners’ Choice: Domestic Songs powered by Spotify,” where Spotify’s domestic and international users vote to determine the best domestic songs, and “Best of Listeners’ Choice: International Songs powered by Spotify,” which determines the best overseas songs. In addition to the two categories of “Top Global Hit From Japan,” which is one of the six major categories and honors domestic songs that have become hits around the world, the selection of nominees for the “Top Global Hit From Japan” award, which is one of the six major categories, will be based on a general vote of Spotify’s overseas users. It was decided that it would be done.
◼︎Best of Listeners’ Choice: Domestic songs powered by Spotify
This award is held by Spotify’s domestic and international users to determine the “best song in Japan” through public voting.
◼︎Best of Listeners’ Choice: Foreign Songs powered by Spotify
This is an award in which Spotify’s domestic and international users vote to determine the “Best Overseas Song.”
『MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN』
Official X (old Twitter)
https://x.com/MAJ_official_x
Official website
https://www.musicawardsjapan.com/
