{"id":8425,"date":"2026-09-21T07:14:36","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T14:14:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=8425"},"modified":"2026-09-21T07:14:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T14:14:36","slug":"make-believe-melodies-for-sept-21-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=8425","title":{"rendered":"Make Believe Melodies For Sept. 21, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"captioned-image-container\">\n<figure><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_!5bz9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fceaf2e6d-9081-4ae3-852e-d427887ef6bf_640x640.jpeg\" data-component-name=\"Image2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"image2-inset\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/%24s_!5bz9!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fceaf2e6d-9081-4ae3-852e-d427887ef6bf_640x640.jpeg\" width=\"540\" height=\"540\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/ceaf2e6d-9081-4ae3-852e-d427887ef6bf_640x640.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:640,&quot;width&quot;:640,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:540,&quot;bytes&quot;:167769,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/mbmelodies.substack.com\/i\/216666931?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fceaf2e6d-9081-4ae3-852e-d427887ef6bf_640x640.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}\" class=\"sizing-normal\" alt=\"\" \/>\n<div class=\"image-link-expand\">\n<div class=\"pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset\"><button tabindex=\"0\" type=\"button\" class=\"pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image buttonBase-GK1x3M\"><\/button><button tabindex=\"0\" type=\"button\" class=\"pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image buttonBase-GK1x3M\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Sayonara Ponytail \u2014\u00a0<\/strong><em><strong>Magical Box<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s not get into the project\u2019s longevity or the collaborative spirit propelling it forward or even into how the ever-mysterious collective predicted the contemporary shape of J-pop over a decade ago. That was all <a href=\"https:\/\/mbmelodies.substack.com\/p\/make-believe-melodies-for-october-755\">touched on in the 2025 Sayonara Ponytail report<\/a>. Instead, let\u2019s zero in on just how catchy the group\u2019s music can get.<\/p>\n<p>Two weeks ago I was at Miyashita Park. I was killing time and simply wandering around. The complex\u2019s PA system started playing a minimal groove, one teasing bossa but never getting that relaxed about how it unfolded. A woman\u2019s voice meandered over it, adding a touch of longing to this stroll of a song. A horn eventually breezed in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s this? It\u2019s really good,\u201d my wife asked. It took a second but then it clicked\u2026this was \u201cHako\u201d by Sayonara Ponytail, the second song on <em>Magical Box <\/em>and an absolute Sunday-morning delight\u2026tested out just then.<\/p>\n<p>The latest full-length from the group balances pure pop delights with variety. They certainly go in surprising directions \u2014\u00a0opener \u201cMagical Ra Pa Pa\u201d teases sugary vocal harmonizing before letting a muted Jersey Club beat propel it forward \u2014\u00a0but always guide it towards something sticky. There\u2019s acoustic-blip pop via the chipper \u201cPhotography,\u201d melancholy indie-pop leading to a hummable center on \u201cAme No Melody,\u201d and Local-Visions-ready keyboard grooves on \u201cTeito.\u201d Every number touches on different musical territory, but features some of the most memorable melodies from the project ever.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s just a really great J-pop album, one providing some of the best sonic ideas from the idol side of the industry in 2026 while also being apt for ginormous shopping establishment\u2019s BGM. That\u2019s not an easy tightrope to walk, in a corner of music that often feels split between \u201ccrowd pleasing\u201d and \u201cexperimental \/ weird.\u201d <em>Magical Box <\/em>shows how to do it with aplomb. Listen above. <\/p>\n<p class=\"button-wrapper\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/mbmelodies.substack.com\/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"ButtonCreateButton\"><a class=\"button primary\" href=\"https:\/\/mbmelodies.substack.com\/subscribe?\"><span>Subscribe now<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Stones Taro \u2014\u00a0<\/strong><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stonestaro.bandcamp.com\/album\/physics\">Physics<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"bandcamp-wrap album\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/stonestaro.bandcamp.com\/album\/physics&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Physics, by Stones Taro&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;4 track album&quot;,&quot;thumbnail_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/919f39ff-450d-4719-af02-b056b9ddd2c6_700x700.jpeg&quot;,&quot;author&quot;:&quot;Stones Taro&quot;,&quot;embed_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=874349464\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=333333\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/&quot;,&quot;is_album&quot;:true}\" data-component-name=\"BandcampToDOM\"><\/div>\n<p>Let\u2019s keep with the theme of \u201clistening to music in shopping centers\u201d shall we. I had time to kill before a work-related concert this weekend, so I went to a mall in Chiba. It was packed, primarily with people trying to avoid the rain outside, and I was simply walking around to run down the clock. Kyoto producer Stones Taro\u2019s new EP <em>Physics <\/em>felt like an apt soundtrack for this, featuring some of his most after-last-train cuts in a minutes. Here, I was transported from LaLaport to a night out, zig-zagging around folks while Taro laid down skittering dub (\u201cDoorkeeper\u201d) or garage-inspired swagger on \u201cHold On, Math.\u201d Taro explores a lot of territory, but this is concentrated club energy in four tracks\u2026perfect for Shibuya at midnight or a crowded commercial plaza. <a href=\"https:\/\/stonestaro.bandcamp.com\/album\/physics\">Get it here<\/a>, or listen above. <\/p>\n<p><strong>80KIDZ \u2014\u00a0<\/strong><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/80kidz.bandcamp.com\/album\/loon-ep\">LOON EP<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"bandcamp-wrap album\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/80kidz.bandcamp.com\/album\/loon-ep&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;LOON EP, by 80KIDZ&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;6 track album&quot;,&quot;thumbnail_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/40c6e2f8-a67b-4bbc-9b60-1499d87fdbdb_700x700.jpeg&quot;,&quot;author&quot;:&quot;80KIDZ&quot;,&quot;embed_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=1535300388\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=333333\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/&quot;,&quot;is_album&quot;:true}\" data-component-name=\"BandcampToDOM\"><\/div>\n<p>Dang, how much heat did these two have in the chamber this summer? <\/p>\n<p>Only a few weeks after <a href=\"https:\/\/mbmelodies.substack.com\/p\/make-believe-melodies-for-aug-31\">releasing a triumphant bit of raging-into-mid-life<\/a>, 80KIDZ share even more new music, this time via TREKKIE TRAX. These three tracks feel like an expansion pack for <em>CUT OUT<\/em>, with a greater emphasis on club energy via hypnotic construction and general rowdiness (with a little bit of silliness put in\u2026the title track features something approaching squawking, <em>LOON<\/em>-y indeed). Bonus points for remixes, including an always welcome Guchon flip. <a href=\"https:\/\/80kidz.bandcamp.com\/album\/loon-ep\">Get it here<\/a>, or listen above.<\/p>\n<p><strong>kiki vivi lily \u2014\u00a0<\/strong><em><strong>TOU.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m kinda surprised to find out indie-pop polyglot kiki vivi lily hadn\u2019t released an EP or album in three years. She\u2019s offered a drip of new songs in that span \u2014\u00a0appearing here, on <em>TOU.<\/em> \u2014\u00a0all of which are tied together by a relative laid-back energy. Yet it\u2019s the new songs on this EP that really grab attention, whether because of the giddiness underlining them (the deceptively breezy \u201cLove Affair,\u201d which boasts a strolling funk arrangement but hides a lot of longing via a hook of \u201ctake me somewhere \/ to a love affair \/ a place beyond compare\u201d) or the total huh-what of \u201cKoi Ga Repeat,\u201d a tofubeats-produced trampoline of a song featuring Bose of Scha Dara Parr adding some veteran rhymes to lily\u2019s sunny sound. Listen above.<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;ghIkPjXip70&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"Youtube2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"youtube-inner\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Plastic Girl in Closet \u2014\u00a0<\/strong><em><strong>moon room<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Plastic Girl in Closet have been together for HOW LONG??? That\u2019s not any kind of slight at the Iwate-Prefecture-based band, but rather surprise at seeing just how long a group I distinctly remember encountering via MySpace in 2009. See, I <a href=\"https:\/\/makebelievemelodies.com\/lookin-down-plastic-girl-in-closet\/\">wrote about them in February 2010<\/a>, with a very \u201cduhhhhh shoegaze and Japan, ya know\u201d post. Newest release <em>moon room <\/em>underlines what has always made them interesting, indeed leaning into the distortion-assisted hallmarks of shoegaze but supplementing it with  electronic touches that add a levity to it all. Their best moments, like this EP\u2019s twinkling \u201cOne Star,\u201d make the most of that combo. Listen above.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Koyasuko \u2014\u00a0<\/strong><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/koyasuko.bandcamp.com\/album\/--10\">Shojo No Uta<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"bandcamp-wrap album\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/koyasuko.bandcamp.com\/album\/--10&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;\u5c11\u5973\u306e\u8a69, by \u6545\u3084\u3059\u5b50&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;6 track album&quot;,&quot;thumbnail_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/beddc30b-46ea-415e-8894-63f9ca41938c_700x700.jpeg&quot;,&quot;author&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;embed_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/v=2\/album=1895292712\/size=large\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/ref=http%3A%2F%2Ffacebook.com%2F\/&quot;,&quot;is_album&quot;:true}\" data-component-name=\"BandcampToDOM\"><\/div>\n<p>Osaka\u2019s Koyasuko deserves praise on their latest EP for managing to make a Vocaloid sound like it is screaming at you from down an empty school hallway. That experience emerges on song two, but the entirety of <em>Shojo No Uta <\/em>is disorienting pop delivered via singing-synthesizer unease, the rare Vocaloid release that sounds haunted. Which makes it a must listen around these parts. <a href=\"https:\/\/koyasuko.bandcamp.com\/album\/--10\">Get it here<\/a>, or listen above. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Ichigo Rinahamu And MARiMARi \u2014\u00a0\u201cCaramel Kiss (U)\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;Cbhg662w9FU&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"Youtube2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"youtube-inner\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A sweet bit of electro-pop that wastes no time getting to the rush. This is the kind of exhilaration Rinahamu\u2019s duo BPM15Q does on their best music, and something she can share with others\u2026such as MARiMARI, who fits in well to the blast. Listen above.  <\/p>\n<h4><strong>Become A Paid Member Of Make Believe Melodies For An Extra Post Every Week!<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>For $5 USD a month, you\u2019ll get more writing from me\u2026including dispatches on J-pop fast food collabs (doubling as analysis of how the biggest names approach marketing themselves\u2026and to who).<\/p>\n<div class=\"digest-post-embed\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;nodeId&quot;:&quot;7dc69f9f-61c4-4898-9ea2-6e7fe464690b&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Mrs. Donut (Mrs. GREEN APPLE X Mister Donut)&quot;,&quot;cta&quot;:null,&quot;showBylines&quot;:true,&quot;showDescription&quot;:true,&quot;showImage&quot;:true,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;lg&quot;,&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Make Believe Bonus: Mrs. Donut \/ Y-Burrito&quot;,&quot;publishedBylines&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:28594,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Patrick St. Michel&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;Freelance writer in Tokyo&quot;,&quot;photo_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!_hBR!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F86987a4b-7dc4-468a-a2e3-8d50ec328afb_400x400.jpeg&quot;,&quot;is_guest&quot;:false,&quot;bestseller_tier&quot;:null}],&quot;post_date&quot;:&quot;2026-09-17T13:16:55.302Z&quot;,&quot;cover_image&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!AOnx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F01fd57ac-5116-4441-a1ff-8359072cf327_1920x1080.jpeg&quot;,&quot;cover_image_alt&quot;:null,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/mbmelodies.substack.com\/p\/make-believe-bonus-mrs-donut-y-burrito&quot;,&quot;section_name&quot;:null,&quot;video_upload_id&quot;:null,&quot;id&quot;:215967634,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;newsletter&quot;,&quot;reaction_count&quot;:1,&quot;comment_count&quot;:0,&quot;publication_id&quot;:71186,&quot;publication_name&quot;:&quot;Make Believe Mailer&quot;,&quot;publication_logo_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!RVQ-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd43daefc-8f05-408a-9061-f92693ba8bba_804x804.png&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;youtube_url&quot;:null,&quot;show_links&quot;:null,&quot;feed_url&quot;:null}\"><\/div>\n<h4><strong>Oricon Trail For The Week Of Sept. 7, 2026 To Sept. 13, 2026<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><em>Back in the day, the Oricon Music Charts were the go-to path to music stardom in Japan. Acts of all sorts traversed these lands, trying to sell as many CDs as possible in order to land a good ranking on a chart choosing to only count physical sales, even as the Internet came to be and the number of versions offered for sale got ridiculous. Today, with the country finally in on digital, these roads are more barren and only looked at by the most fanatic of supporters needing something to celebrate. Yet every week, a new song sells enough plastic to take the top spot. So let\u2019s take a trip down\u2026the Oricon Trail.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>SixTONES \u2014 \u201cDance Forever \/ My Only\u201d (436,087 Copies Sold)<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;lmYusdmVg28&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"Youtube2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"youtube-inner\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s telling about how far the J-pop industry at large has come that the numbers associated with a STARTO release making me double take are the YouTube ones, not the physical sales.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s going on with the view counts for these two SixTONES songs, both uploaded two months ago? The pair \u2014\u00a0both filmed in Croatia, is that it, people really want to see the beauty of Eastern Europe? \u2014\u00a0boast what to me are really, really high numbers. The whizz-bang bounce of \u201cDance Forever\u201d has over 37 million, while the more swelling ballad \u201cMy Only\u201d records 54 million at time of writing. That\u2019s significantly more than other SixTONES\u2019 videos as of late\u2026and also a higher figure \/ pace than Snow Man, who are the biggest male idols in this space going, in theory at least. <\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;3lOsboT-IWU&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"Youtube2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"youtube-inner\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Something seems weird here, but I\u2019ll also give at least \u201cMy Only\u201d the benefit of the doubt \u2014\u00a0it serves as the theme song to a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/slmICW4r4Is?si=3VcfP3R4Q8vQ1atA\">drama<\/a> that SixTONES member Hokuto Matsumura stars in, and it\u2019s totally possible that has been a solid hit directing fans towards the video. And hey, maybe they wanted to check out \u201cDance Forever\u201d too while they were online. Yet beyond that possibility I just\u2026don\u2019t get why these numbers seem to be doing so well on YouTube? There\u2019s nothing special about the music to warrant extra attention, and every video from STARTO is basically \u201clook at these men doing things together.\u201d Am I missing something? Or is this just a newer mutation of how fandom and data intersect to create weird moments where play counts go crazy?<\/p>\n<h4>News And Views<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/news\/2026\/09\/19\/japan\/crime-legal\/timelesz-member-arrest\/\">Police arrested Shuto Inomata of STARTO group timelesz over the weekend after allegedly assaulting a woman<\/a>, who claimed she was the boyfriend of the assailant. He has (expectedly) been suspended from activities as a result too.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>As I write this week\u2019s newsletter, Japan is experiencing a typhoon\u2026another one! The sun\u2026what\u2019s that? Monday was expected to be a particularly bad day, resulting in many events cancelling, including the holiday\u2026errr <a href=\"https:\/\/rijfes.jp\/2026\/message\/4021\/\">day of the ROCK IN JAPAN music festival<\/a>. I think it\u2019s the right move owing to potential transportation issues\u2026but I also think it\u2019s worth noting that, given how much scrutiny summer fests have come under due to higher temperatures owing to global warming, the solution of moving them later in the year might not work either if unpredictable storms and sustained bad weather (as the Kanto region has experienced all September). <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>The Weeknd was in town for two shows at Belluna Dome in Saitama Prefecture! Lots to go over here\u2026starting with a playlist of Japanese songs he likes, <a href=\"https:\/\/radiko.jp\/#!\/ts\/INT\/20260916190000\">shared with radio station interFM<\/a>. It includes Zutomayo, Haru Nemuri, Midori and many more.     <\/p>\n<p>The question I\u2019ve had a few people pose to me since it dropped\u2026how many of these does he really like? I\u2019m not cynical enough to question The Weeknd\u2019s Japanophile tendencies \u2014\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2013\/09\/01\/weeknd_wide-ea0f5c107f26a319392dd6a3f7a1bcbbbd687b1e.jpg\">click here<\/a> for the best artist photo of the century \u2014\u00a0but I think it\u2019s fair to be a little skeptical of this, especially given the ummmmm how do you say, Rate Your Music-ness of it all. But both sides are interesting, as it is either an interesting look into what he likes OR a snapshot of what Japanese music is viewed as \u201ccool\u201d enough to share as a signifier.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Anyway, I\u2019m sure everyone who went to his shows this weekend could care less, as they just enjoyed a big ol\u2019 performance featuring a new song called \u201cTokyo\u201d featuring a sample of \u201cA Cruel Angel\u2019s Thesis\u201d which was backed up by a bunch of <em>Evangelion <\/em>footage. And also Yoko Takahashi just performed the theme too, I think Sunday???<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;4PppFg0-XvU&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"Youtube2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"youtube-inner\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;lF6ltBfY2KQ&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"Youtube2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"youtube-inner\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Perfume to <a href=\"https:\/\/natalie.mu\/music\/news\/690476\">release a new compilation<\/a> called <em>Favorites (Selected by Perfume)<\/em>, a project they say started before \u201ccold sleep\u201d which finds each member selecting personal faves from across their discography.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Speaking of, all three members got together for A-chan\u2019s wedding ceremony.<\/p>\n<div class=\"instagram-embed-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;instagram_id&quot;:&quot;DdiQIi-mhH0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Perfume \u3042\u301c\u3061\u3083\u3093 on Instagram: &quot;\ud83d\udd4a\ufe0f\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb1\ud83d\udc70\ud83c\udffc\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffc\ud83c\udf3f\ud83c\udf31nSeptembe\u2026&quot;,&quot;author_name&quot;:&quot;@a_chan.prfm_p000001&quot;,&quot;thumbnail_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/images\/__ss-rehost__IG-snapshot-DdiQIi-mhH0.jpg&quot;,&quot;like_count&quot;:null,&quot;comment_count&quot;:null,&quot;profile_pic_url&quot;:null,&quot;follower_count&quot;:null,&quot;timestamp&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}\" data-component-name=\"InstagramToDOM\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/natalie.mu\/music\/news\/690527\">Ado linking up with Kuromi<\/a>, the dark-and-sassy Sanrio character. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/eitaro-shibasaki-named-chief-business-officer-at-warner-music-japan\/\">Eitaro Shibasaki appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer of Warner Music Japan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/tower.jp\/towermusictheatershibuya\">Tower Records opening a venue in Shibuya<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>News: <a href=\"https:\/\/eurovisionasia.com\/news\/11-countries-to-participate-eurovision-song-contest-asia-2026\/\">Japan won\u2019t participate in Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026<\/a>, the not-Euro-at-all edition of the European singing competition. Views: Good, this sounds very stupid, why does Asia need this? I was told the Asian pop music scene was going strong, why stoop to a contest that <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/XgrlG6hQbNM?si=-BbLMZ0Hco1oDngS\">pushed Jedward<\/a> towards the world? Salute to J-pop for having self respect. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/allofTAKANAKA\/status\/2100937968689320328\">FLYING GUITAR<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ivy_atlantide\/status\/2100540229849678032\">NEW iVy ALBUM<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>I <a href=\"https:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/culture\/2026\/09\/17\/music\/city-pop-japanese-music\/?utm_term=autofeed&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter#Echobox=1789588889\">wrote about how \u201ccity pop\u201d has gone from advertising term to vague descriptor to internet phenomenon to actual genre for The Japan Times<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Time Out named Tokyo\u2019s Koenji neighborhood \u2014\u00a0a hotbed for music and other indie art activities \u2014 as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/travel\/coolest-neighbourhoods-in-the-world-2026\">ninth coolest in the world<\/a>. Hurry before Time Out readers make that not true!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Luna Nakagawa of FRUITS ZIPPER announced her solo efforts via THE FIRST TAKE.<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-wrap\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;4J06I7qy7kM&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}\" data-component-name=\"Youtube2ToDOM\">\n<div class=\"youtube-inner\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Written by Patrick St. Michel (patrickstmichel@gmail.com)<br \/>Twitter \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mbmelodies\">@mbmelodies<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/playlist\/6LHkRA8cFRT5ZHPABezl7D?si=e699aa0a7ee94a74\">Check out the Best Of 2026 Spotify Playlist here<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"subscription-widget-wrap-editor\" data-attrs=\"{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/mbmelodies.substack.com\/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}\" data-component-name=\"SubscribeWidgetToDOM\">\n<div class=\"subscription-widget show-subscribe\">\n<div class=\"preamble\">\n<p class=\"cta-caption\">Make Believe Mailer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fake-input-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"fake-input\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"fake-button\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sayonara Ponytail \u2014\u00a0Magical Box Let\u2019s not get into the project\u2019s longevity or the collaborative spirit propelling it forward or even into how the ever-mysterious collective predicted the contemporary shape of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8425\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}