Spyair | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Nagoya, Japan |
Genres | |
Years active | 2005–present |
Labels |
|
Members | UZ (guitar, programming) Momiken (bass guitar, leader) Kenta (drums) Yosuke (vocals) |
Past members | Ike (vocals) Enzel☆ (DJ) |
Website | www |
Spyair (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese rock band from Nagoya, formed in 2005. The band consists of Yuji "UZ" Nakai (guitar, programming), Kenji "Momiken" Momiyama (bass guitar, leader), Kenta Sasabe (drums) and Yosuke (vocals). [4] [5] The band's name was determined in one shot by the members, which came from the word spyware, a type of computer virus. [5]
The band was formed in 2005 and produced and released a number of materials themselves up until 2009 when they signed with the indie label U-Project. While with U-Project, they released the singles "Japanication" and "Kanjō Discord" before signing a major record deal with Sony Music in 2010. Their major debut single, "Liar," was released on August 11 and was used as the theme song for the drama Hammer Session! . [6] Their second major single, "Last Moment," was released on December 1 and was used as the 25th ending song for the anime Bleach . [7]
Spyair's indies debut single "Japanication" was re-released on March 16, 2011, followed by their fourth major single, "Samurai Heart (Some Like It Hot!!)," on June 8, which was used as the 17th ending song to the anime Gin Tama . [8] In early 2012, the single "My World" was used as the second ending song for Mobile Suit Gundam AGE . [9] The single "0 Game (Love Game)" was used as an official soundtrack for the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man in Japan. [10] They also provided the theme song for the second Gin Tama movie, "Genjō Destruction". [11] Their eighth major single "Naked" was released on September 5 [12] and was followed by the announcement of the band's second album, Just Do It, which features 12 tracks including their last three singles. [13]
In October, DJ Enzel☆ announced that he would be leaving the band after their Nippon Budokan concert on December 18. [14] The single "Wendy: It's You" was used as the theme song for the drama Koi Suru Hae Onna, which started airing in November. [15] On December 18, the band successfully held their first live concert at the Nippon Budokan, performing a total of 21 songs including their latest singles. This concert was Enzel's last performance with the group. After the concert, they announced a new single, "Sakura Mitsutsuki," set for release on March 13, 2013. It was used as the 13th opening song for Gin Tama for the month of January. [16]
Spyair's third studio album, Million, was released on August 7. On September 23, it was released by JPU Records in Europe, where the CD only version included three bonus tracks: "Last Moment," "Samurai Heart (Some Like It Hot!!)" and "My World." In October, the single "Just One Life" was used as the first opening song of the anime Samurai Flamenco . [17] Their next single "Imagination" was released on April 30, 2014, and served as the first opening song of the anime Haikyū!! . [18] The single "Firestarter," released on July 22, 2015, was used as the theme song for the drama The Last Cop . [19] In October, Spyair contributed with the first opening song of the second season of Haikyū!!, "I'm a Believer", [20] and a year later, their single "Rage of Dust" was used as the opening song of the second season of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans . [21]
On March 31, 2022, it was announced that Ike would be leaving the band due to struggles with ulcerative colitis. [22] On April 13, 2023, Ike's replacement was announced to be 24 year old Yosuke.
The members of the band have cited their musical influences to be Korn, [23] Linkin Park, [23] [24] and Michael Jackson. [23] [25] SPYAIR combines elements of rock, pop and electronic music.
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
JPN Oricon [27] | JPN Billboard | KOR Gaon [28] | ||
Alive |
| — | — | — |
Rockin' the World |
| 8 | 8 [29] | 67 |
Just Do It |
| 20 | 25 [30] | 44 |
Million |
| 2 | 2 [31] | 34 |
Best |
| 3 | 6 [32] | 36 |
4 |
| 6 | 7 [33] | 66 |
Kingdom |
| 5 | 5 [34] | 61 |
Unite |
| |||
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | Notes | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JPN Oricon [35] | JPN Billboard [36] | KOR Gaon [28] | ||||||
"Japanication" | 2009 | 84 | — | — | Released under the label, U-Project | Non-album singles | ||
"Kanjō Discord" | — | — | — | |||||
"Liar" | 2010 | 55 | 26 [37] | — | Spyair's major debut single, used as Hammer Session! theme song | Rockin' the World | ||
"Last Moment" | 43 | 95 [38] | — | Bleach 25th ending song | ||||
"Japanication" | 2011 | — | — | — | Re-released | |||
"Samurai Heart (Some Like It Hot!!)" | 18 | 40 [39] | — |
| Gin Tama 17th ending song | |||
"Beautiful Days" | 34 | 67 [41] | — | Don Quixote theme song | ||||
"My World" | 2012 | 21 | 31 | — | Mobile Suit Gundam AGE second ending song | Just Do It | ||
"0 Game" | 15 | 10 | — | The Amazing Spider-Man Japanese theme song | ||||
"Naked" | 47 | 22 [42] | — | |||||
"Rock This Way" | — | 52 [43] | — | Collaboration with Japanese hip-hop artist Seamo | Non-album single | |||
"Wendy: It's You" | 29 | 26 [44] | — | Koi Suru Hae Onna theme song | Best | |||
"Sakura Mitsutsuki" | 2013 | 10 | 8 | — |
| Gin Tama 13th opening song | Million | |
"Niji" | 20 | 24 [45] | — | Sennyu Tantei Tokage theme song | ||||
"Genjō Destruction" | 6 | 5 [46] | — |
|
| Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya theme song | ||
"Just One Life" | 23 | 15 [47] | — | Samurai Flamenco opening song | Best | |||
"Imagination" | 2014 | 9 | 3 | — |
|
| Haikyū!! opening song | |
"Glory" | — | — | — | |||||
"Rockin' Out" | 2015 | 11 | 17 | 50 | 4 | |||
"Firestarter" | 18 | 26 | — | The Last Cop theme song | ||||
"I'm a Believer" | 9 | 5 | — |
|
| Haikyū!! Season 2 opening song | ||
"This Is How We Rock" | 2016 | 8 | 17 | 59 | Kingdom | |||
"Rage of Dust" | 10 | 7 | 64 |
|
| Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Season 2 opening song | ||
"Be With" [48] | 2017 | 12 | 34 | 55 |
| |||
"Midnight" | 20 | 65 | — | Utsubokazura no Yume theme song | ||||
"I Wanna Be..." | 2018 | 26 | 24 [50] | — | Gintama 21st Opening song | Unite | ||
"We'll Never Die" | digital single | |||||||
"B-the One" | 2019 | 2018–19 B.League season theme song [51] | ||||||
"Pride of Lions" | ||||||||
"Inside of Me" | 2020 | digital single | ||||||
"One Day" | Haikyu!! To the Top 2nd ending song | |||||||
"Wadachi" | 2021 | Gintama: The Final theme song | ||||||
"iris" | digital single | |||||||
"All I Need" | digital single | Non-album single | ||||||
Year | Song | Director(s) [52] |
---|---|---|
2012 | "ジャパニケーション" (Japanication) | Takahide Ishii |
"0 Game" | Kensaku Kakimoto | |
"Liar" | Wataru Saito | |
"Last Moment" | Takuya Tada | |
"Beautiful Days" | Tatsuya Murakami | |
"My World" | ||
"サムライハート(Some Like It Hot!!)" (Samurai Heart (Some Like It Hot!!)) | ||
"Naked" | Masakazu Fukatsu | |
"Wendy ~It's You~" | ||
"Movin' On" | Dan Nishi | |
2013 | "サクラミツツキ" (Sakura Mitsutsuki) | Masakazu Fukatsu |
"虹" (Niji, Rainbow) | ||
"現状ディストラクション" (Genjō Destruction) | ||
"Just One Life" | Hideaki Sugawara | |
2014 | "イマジネーション" (Imagination) | Masakazu Fukatsu |
"Glory" | Masahiko Tsuruo | |
2015 | "Rockin' Out" | Masakazu Fukatsu |
"ファイアスターター" (Firestarter) | ||
"アイム・ア・ビリーバー" (I'm a Believer) | ||
2016 | "This is How We Rock" | Wataru Saito |
2017 | "Be with" | Yamado Yuki |
"Midnight" | Masakazu Fukatsu | |
2018 | "I Wanna Be…" |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | Spyair | Animation Artist of the Year [53] | Nominated |
2013 | Spyair | Animation Artist of the Year [54] | Nominated |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | "Niji" | Best Single [55] | Nominated [56] |
Ike (Spyair) | Best Use of Social Media [55] | Nominated [56] |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Spyair | Best Musical Act [57] | Nominated |
Asian Kung-Fu Generation is a Japanese alternative rock band formed in Yokohama in 1996. For its entire career, the band has consisted of vocalist Masafumi Gotoh, guitarist Kensuke Kita, bassist Takahiro Yamada, and drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi. Starting out as a college band, Asian Kung-Fu Generation released a series of independent EPs featuring lyrics mostly sung in English. In 2002, they released their major-label EP debut Hōkai Amplifier, from that point singing their lyrics in Japanese. The band's musical style is influenced by seminal Western alternative rock acts as well as their own local Japanese indie rock and punk scene. Their songs incorporate various aspects of the genres, most typically expressing fast tempos and prominent power chord guitar riffs in addition to rhythmic groove and emotional lyrics. Despite the indie nature of their music, the band has enjoyed worldwide commercial success in addition to critical acclaim. Asian Kung-Fu Generation has been cited as one of the best, most balanced modern rock bands to emerge from Japan in the 2000s.
Flow is a Japanese rock band formed in 1998 as a five-piece band made up of two vocalists, a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer. They are signed to Sacra Music. As of November 2023, the band has released 40 singles and 12 studio albums. Their songs have been featured in the opening sequences of several anime and Japanese drama series.
Sid is a Japanese visual kei rock band, formed in 2003 and signed to Ki/oon Records. Formed by Mao, Shinji, Aki and Yūya, they are known for producing anime songs, such as for Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, Black Butler or Magi.
Jin Akanishi is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter and actor. He has been active since 1998 as one of the two lead vocalists of the J-pop boy-band KAT-TUN before starting a solo career in 2009. Akanishi has also acted in several films and dramas.
Ikimonogakari (いきものがかり) is a Japanese pop rock duo from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan consisting of Yoshiki Mizuno and Kiyoe Yoshioka. The group started in February 1999 with Hotaka Yamashita and Yoshiki Mizuno, who had known each other since they were six years old, and was joined by vocalist Kiyoe Yoshioka in November of the same year. The group's name is a reference to ikimono-gakari (いきものがかり), a group of children who are responsible for looking after plants and animals in Japanese elementary schools.
Vamps is a Japanese rock duo formed in 2008 by Hyde and K.A.Z. Only a year after their founding, Vamps performed its first international tour, ten dates in the United States, and in 2010 they went on their first world tour. Originally signed to Hyde's own record label Vamprose, every release the band has had to date has reached the top ten on the Oricon music chart. In 2013, the group changed labels to Universal Music Group's Delicious Deli Records and produced their worldwide debut release. After several tours and collaborations with Western acts, Vamps worked with outside producers and songwriters for the first time on the 2017 album Underworld before temporarily ceasing all activities at the end of that year.
Ling Tosite Sigure are a Japanese rock trio, formed in 2002 in Saitama Prefecture. The band's style resembles post-hardcore and progressive rock, math-rock, often incorporating rapid changes of tempo and mood framed in complex guitar melodies and technical drumming. They utilize both male and female vocals ranging from soft singing to loud wails and screams.
Supercell is an 11-member Japanese pop rock band led by musician and songwriter Ryo, which formed in 2007 as a dōjin music band. The other 10 members are artists and designers who provide illustrations in album booklets and music videos. Supercell started out by making use of the Hatsune Miku Vocaloid singing synthesizer to produce vocals for songs submitted to the Nico Nico Douga video sharing website. The popularity of the songs led the band to release their independent self-titled album Supercell (2008). Supercell later signed to Sony Music Entertainment Japan and had a professional release of their Supercell album in March 2009, which was updated with more songs.
Maon Kurosaki was a Japanese singer and songwriter signed to NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan. After being discovered while working as a performer in Akihabara, Tokyo, she made her major debut in 2010, performing ending themes to the anime television series Highschool of the Dead. She released her debut album H.O.T.D. in September 2010, which features the ending themes from Highschool of the Dead. Her first two singles were used as ending themes to the anime television series A Certain Magical Index II.
Man with a Mission is a Japanese rock band which was formed in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, in 2010. The band currently consists of five band members, with stage names of Tokyo Tanaka, Jean-Ken Johnny, Kamikaze Boy, DJ Santa Monica and Spear Rib (drums). Their distinguishing feature is that all of the members wear differently designed wolf masks during both their concerts and their music videos. Many of their singles have been used as theme songs for a variety of anime, live-action movies, and video games.
Eir Aoi is a Japanese singer from Sapporo, Hokkaido, signed to Sacra Music. After being discovered through the Japanese video sharing website Niconico, Aoi made her major debut in 2011 with the release of her first single "Memoria", whose title track was used as the first ending theme to the 2011 anime television series Fate/Zero.
Egoist was a Japanese pop music duo consisting of songwriter Ryo of Supercell and vocalist Chelly. Originally formed to produce theme music for the 2011 anime television series Guilty Crown, the group continued creating other songs after the end of the series including themes for other anime television series including Psycho-Pass and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. Egoist's debut album Extra terrestrial Biological Entities was released in September 2012.
My First Story (マイ・ファースト・ストーリー、マイファス、MFS) is a Japanese rock band from Shibuya, Tokyo. Formed in 2011, the band currently consists of vocalist Hiroki Moriuchi, guitarist Teruki Nishizawa, bassist Nobuaki Katō, and drummer Shōhei Sasaki. Their debut album My First Story (2012) caught people's attention and put them in lineups of major music festivals. Their fourth studio album Antithese (2016) ranked 4th on Oricon chart, and directed their first Nippon Budokan live show, gathering 12,000.
Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas(sic) is a Japanese electronicore band from Kobe that was formed in summer 2008. The band currently consists of vocalist So, keyboardist Minami, guitarist Taiki, drummer Tomonori, and bassist Tetsuya. They are best known for their heavy use of vocoder and synthesizer blended with emo/metalcore music and rave beats.
SiM are a Japanese alternative metal band from the Kanagawa Prefecture formed in 2004. The band currently consists of MAH (vocals), SHOW-HATE (guitar), SIN (bass), and GODRi (drums). Their musical style mixes heavy metal, alternative, hip hop, ska, reggae, dub and punk with rebellious lyrics and songs with attitude.
Generations from Exile Tribe is a seven-member Japanese dance and vocal group formed and managed by LDH. The group is part of the "Exile Tribe" collective related to Exile and is signed to the record label Rhythm Zone from the Avex Group. Generations debuted on 21 November 2012.
Cyntia was a Japanese heavy metal band formed in 2011. They are believed to have been the first act from the Girls Metal Band Boom to have signed to a major record label when they joined Victor Entertainment in 2013. Drummer and co-founder Kanoko left the group in April 2015, and the band moved to the Village Again Association label for their 2016 album Urban Night. Cyntia began an indefinite hiatus after January 13, 2018.
Band-Maid is a Japanese rock band formed in 2013, consisting of singer Saiki Atsumi, guitarist/singer Miku Kobato, lead guitarist Kanami Tōno, bassist Misa, and drummer Akane Hirose. The band combines a rock sound with a maid image modeled on Japanese maid cafés. They are currently signed to Pony Canyon. Their most recent studio recording, the EP Unleash, was released in September 2022.
Just Bring It is the fourth studio album and first full-length album by Japanese band Band-Maid, released on January 11, 2017 in Japan via Crown Stones and February 10, 2017 internationally by JPU Records. The record was preceded by the quintet's first world tour and the single "YOLO", released in November 2016. The album reached number 16 on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart, selling 4,015 copies in its first week.
Lovebites is a Japanese heavy metal band, formed in 2016 by former Destrose members Miho and Haruna. Its lineup currently consists of Haruna on drums, Midori and Miyako on guitar, Asami on vocals, and Fami on bass. After signing to Victor Entertainment, the group released both their debut EP and their first album in 2017, The Lovebites EP and Awakening from Abyss, before performing their first overseas concerts at the end of the year. With another EP and album released in 2018, Battle Against Damnation and Clockwork Immortality, Lovebites quickly garnered international attention and won that year's Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award for Best New Band. Following the releases of Electric Pentagram (2020) and Glory, Glory, to the World (2021), bassist Miho left the band in August 2021. After a year-long hiatus, Lovebites recruited Fami on bass and released Judgement Day, their fourth album, in February 2023. It is their highest-charting record to date, reaching number 5 on both the Oricon and Billboard Japan charts.