MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 Premiere Ceremony: Kenshi Yonezu, Sakanaction, M!LK, Hitsujibungaku & more shine

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The long-awaited second installment of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN shone a light on the diversity, vibrance and power of music from Japan and beyond. The 2026 edition saw the addition of 14 new awards, bringing the total number of categories to 78 and broadening opportunities for artists to be recognised for their boundary-breaking talent.

A Premiere Ceremony happened on 13 June at the SGC HALL ARIAKE ahead of the Grand Ceremony that took place later that evening. With votes from over 5,000 people consisting of music industry professionals and an optional public voting phase, the Premiere Ceremony set the stage for the amazing victories and spectacular performances that were set to unfold throughout the evening.

The winners

One of the biggest victors of the ceremony was Kenshi Yonezu. He dazzled audiences with the unprecedented success of his track 'IRIS OUT', which served as the opening theme song for the animated film Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. 'IRIS OUT' won a whopping five awards, including the Best J-POP Song Award and Best Japanese Song in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America.

Yonezu also won the Best Digital Culture Artist Award under his Vocaloid persona Hachi, demonstrating not only his border-defying reach with releases like 'IRIS OUT', but also showcasing how his versatile artistry continues to spread the appeal of Japanese music globally.

After a two-year hiatus that ended with the launch of a world tour and the spectacular release of 'Kaiju', Sakanaction proved that their passion for music never diminished and was merely on a temporary pause. Having been featured as the official opening theme for Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, the track won the Best Anime Music Award, while Sakanaction also won the Best Rock Band/Solo Artist Award.

With their high-octane energy and youthful charm, M!LK also made waves during the ceremony. They won two notable awards, including Best Boys Idol Culture Song Award (Group/Solo) for 'Sukisugite METSU!' and Best Viral Song Award for 'E Jan'.

They shared their gratitude for being recognised for their artistry as Yamanaka Jutaro mused, "I'm filled with disbelief. First of all, I'd like to express my gratitude to MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN for creating this opportunity, all the staff involved with M!LK, and our M!LKies and fans who make us shine. Thank you to everyone. I believe that being an idol is a truly wonderful profession and has the power to bring smiles to many people's faces. I will continue to work hard to bring even more energy to all of Japan."

Not forgetting MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025's Artists of the Year, Mrs. GREEN APPLE continues to be one of the brightest beacons in Japan's music scene as they were given the Best J-POP Artist Award.

The king of Japan's funk, groove, and R&B scene, Fujii Kaze also claimed his fair share of awards, taking home the Best R&B/Contemporary Song Award for his track 'Prema' from his 2025 album and deservedly, the Best R&B/Contemporary Artist Award for his vibrant sonic flair.

His discography before Prema was also recognised, as 2020's HELP EVER HURT NEVER won the Best Long-Charting Album Award.

Reinforcing their identity as one of Japan's greatest hip-hop exports, Creepy Nuts remained on their throne as they won the Best Hip Hop/Rap Artist Award and were bestowed the Best Hip Hop/Rap Song Award for 'doppelgänger'.

The layered and immersive textures that Hitsujibungaku brings to audiences was not lost on the voting committee as they were awarded the Best Alternative Artist Award. Shiozuka Moeka reflects on her musical journey during her acceptance speech as she said, "We've been working really hard, caught between longing for and rebellion against existing things, without really understanding what alternative music is or what Hitsujibungaku itself is doing."

Coming just a year after their debut, HANA's monumental wins were an unapologetic statement that they were here to revolutionise J-pop with their bold and authentic musical direction. The septet emerged victorious in both the Best Dance & Vocal Song Award (Group/Solo) category for 'Blue Jeans' and the Best Dance & Vocal Artist Award (Group/Solo) category. Read our interview with HANA here.

As MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN continues to champion international music, they gave several global artists recognition for their talent and musical influence. Recognising the ever growing influence of K-pop, G-DRAGON's 'POWER' earned the star-studded Korean Popular Music Special Award while BTS won the Best K-POP Artist Award.

The Thai Popular Music Special Award was awarded to YOUNGOHM for his track 'My Heart Follows You' while Hòa Minzy took home the Vietnamese Popular Music Special Award for the song 'Bắc Bling'. After electrifying performances at Shibuya Sound Scramble, SONG BRIDGE Stage on 11 June, Hindia was given the Indonesian Popular Music Special Award for 'everything u are' while Cup Of Joe earned the Philippine Popular Music Special Award for 'Multo'.

Major international artists were also given a moment to shine as the Best International Pop Song Award went to Lady Gaga, for the banger 'Abracadabra', while Green Day's 'Smash It Like Belushi' was given the Best International Rock Song Award.

Tyla's addictive rhythms on 'CHANEL' earned the track the Best International R&B/Contemporary Song Award, while Tyler, the Creator's 'Stop Playing With Me' won the Best International Hip Hop/Rap Song Award. The Best International Alternative Song Award was given to none other than the ever-alluring Rosalía for her track 'Reliquia', as BLACKPINK rounded off the international awards by winning the Best K-Pop Song Award for 'JUMP'.

Other standout wins include =LOVE who won the Best Girls Idol Culture Song Award (Group/Solo) for their song 'Tokubechu, Shite', SHOW-WA & MATSURI's 'Our Whistle' that received the Best Enka/Kayokyoku Song Award, Kan Sano who was given the Best Instrumental Track Award for 'God's Melody' and XG who won the Best Dance/Electronic Track Award in association with JDDA for 'GALA'.

Other notable winners included:

r-906 — 'The Spoon Curse' for Best Vocaloid Culture Song Award
Gen Hoshino & Lee Youngji — '2 (feat. Lee Youngji)' for Best Cross-Border Collaboration Song Award
ORANGE RANGE — 'Ikenai Taiyou' for Best Revival Song Award
Vaundy — 'Kaiju no Hanauta' for Best Long-Running Hit Song Award
Hiromi Uehara — (Hiromi's Sonicwonder) OUT THERE for Best Jazz Album Award
Joe Hisaishi — Joe Hisaishi Conducts for Best Classical Album Award
¥ØUUK€¥UK1MATU — for Best DJ Award in association with JDDA

The performers

Upholding the awards' commitment to diversity and representing a plethora of genres, it was time to vibe out to the alluring jazz sensibilities of Hiromi Uehara's classical and pop-infused artistry. Each melody evoked a different emotion as the sonic patterns struck with enthusiasm and excitement, setting the tone for the awards ceremony that followed.

Cup Of Joe represented the rise of OPM with pride as they performed 'Multo' and effortlessly guided the crowd into an immersive soundscape of feel-good rhythms and unforgettable melodies.

Keeping the Southeast Asian artist kick going, Hindia brought his distinct sonic identity to the stage as he delivered a beautiful live rendition of 'everything u are', showcasing the artistry that led him to become one of Indonesia's most influential artists. With a delightful mix of searing indie rock beats and airy, dreamlike synths, his performance truly set the mark for what regional artists can bring to the global music scene.

STUTS brought his genre-blurring musical sensibilities to the stage, infusing his unique hip hop and R&B flair with sizzling rap verses by MADz's Kohjiya and evocative vocal performances by powerhouse performer Hana Hope.

As the ceremony came to a close, the alternative rock sound of THE SPELLBOUND and the electronic energy that defined BOOM BOOM SATELLITES culminated in a crossover performance that delivered an unforgettable experience. The collaboration was a testament to the versatility of music and its ability to unite people despite their preferences and differences.

While the biggest honours of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 were still to come later that evening, the Premiere Ceremony proved that it was far more than just a precursor to the main event. Through its celebration of genre-spanning artistry, regional talent, and well-deserved achievements across dozens of categories, the ceremony highlighted the incredible diversity of Japan's music landscape and set the stage for an unforgettable night of recognition and celebration.

The winners

The performers

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