★NOTICE★ I am biased towards female vocalists, therefore my selection features them 9 out 10. Please feel free to post your favourite songs in the comments!
BoA was only 19 years old in 2005! This would be her first no.1 on Oricon Single Chart, which was the first time after 22 years for non-Japanese artists to top the chart after Ouyang Fei Fei’s Love is Over, back in 1983.
Other releases in 2005: make a secret | Dakishimeru | Girls On Top (KR)
Theme song for the film NANA, which stars Nakashima herself. HYDE of L’arc-en-Ciel composed this track, which he would do the self-cover English version in 2009, and the Japanese version in 2020. The lyrics were written by NANA mangaka, Ai Yazawa. This would also be Nakashima’s first no.1 on Oricon Single Chart, too.
Other releases in 2005: Sakurairo Mau Koro | Hitori
m-flo loves LISA – TRIPOD BABY
This would be m-flo’s first collab with LISA (not to be confused with anison singer LiSA) after she left the group in 2002 to focus on her solo career. This song is also used as a collaboration with SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG. The name TRIPOD comes from their debut single, the tripod e.p. (been so long is gooood).
Other releases in 2005: DOPAMINE (loves EMYLI & Diggy-MO’) | A.D.D.P. (loves MONDAY Michiru) | tO yOUR bEAT (loves YOSHIKA)
Namie Amuro – WANT ME, WANT ME
This song was supposed to be an album track for Queen of Hip-Pop, but Amuro liked it so much that she decided to release it as a single. The lyrics are explicitly sexual, which is different from her earlier discography. Written by MICHICO (who also wrote many bops for Amuro, such as Girl Talk, Can’t Sleep Can’t Eat I’m Sick, What A Feeling, etc.), and in it name dropping “Trojan”, a condom brand.
Since her MVs are pretty much wiped out off Youtube, this is the best that I could find. If you want to watch the full MV, click HERE.
Other releases in 2005: White Light | Queen of Hip-Pop
Ayumi Hamasaki – STEP you
This would be Ayu’s best-selling single in 2005, at over 300k copies. It was container for best-selling solo single of the year, until Nakashima’s GLAMOROUS SKY was released.
Other releases in 2005: fairyland | Bold & Delicious
Koda Kumi – hands
Did you know Kuu released NINE singles in 2005? I had no idea until now lmao. No wonder why she was everywhere in late 00s! Koda wrote the lyrics for this song herself, saying she would love to sing more ballads after a few dance tracks like real Emotion or Cutie Honey.
Other releases in 2005: Butterfly | you | D.D.D. feat. SOULHEAD | flower
Hirai Ken – POP STAR
This was Hirai’s only single in 2005. It was used as a theme song for TV drama Kiken na Aneki (Dangerous Beauty), and would be featured in rhythm games such as Taiko no Tatsujin and Jubeat.
Crystal Kay – Koi ni Ochitara
Crystal was also 19 years old when she released this song! Koi ni Ochitara would be her best-selling single to date. It was a theme song for TV drama Koi ni Ochitara -Boku no Seikou no Himitsu-. A few artists have made a cover of this song, such as Flower (Hanadokei CD exclusive) and Airi Suzuki.
Other releases in 2005: Kiss | Two As One (with CHEMISTRY)
YUI – feel my soul
This is YUI’s major debut song, when she was 18 years old! YUI penned the lyrics herself, expressing her feelings of wanting to move forward despite the struggles of moving away from her home in Fukuoka to Tokyo. It was a theme song for TV drama Fukigen na Gene.
Other releases in 2005: Tomorrow’s way | LIFE
Source:
Youtube 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
ONTD, what is/are your favourite J-Pop song(s) of 2005? For me, 2005 would be the first year that I got into J-Pop seriously (before that it was mostly random anime songs, I didn’t really get into artists and stuff). So many great songs that even the first melody got me teared up because they associated with fond memories — Hikki’s Be My Last, CHEMISTRY’s Wing of Words, even L’Arc-en-Ciel’s Link.
