How TikTok resurrected a Japanese pop star s defining hit japantimes.co.jp - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from japantimes.co.jp Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Jan 14, 2021
Last year marked a paradigm shift for the music industry in Japan. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a move toward digital, an area the nation’s labels and artists have long bristled at embracing. With people stuck at home, unable to go to concerts or pop into CD stores, companies had to adapt to the internet, whether by uploading entire discographies to subscription streaming services or putting on livestreamed shows. In 2020, J-pop finally caught up with the 21st century.
Even in the new year, however, the novel coronavirus continues to disrupt the country’s music community. On Jan. 7, Japan announced a second state of emergency that affected Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures, and expanded the heightened safety measures to include seven more prefectures on Wednesday, forcing in-person events to postpone or cancel. Large-scale gatherings are still off the table.