Winners of Music Awards Japan (MAJ) 2025 - Premiere Ceremony (21 May 2025)

The Music Awards Japan (abbreviated as MAJ), is a music awards show held by the Japanese music industry to honour music talents from Asia, Japan and the Western regions and introduce Asian music to the global audience. The awards are organized by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA) in collaboration with the Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). CEIPA was founded by the five major music organizations of the Japanese music industry i.e. the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), the Japan Association of Music Enterprises, the Federation of Music Producers Japan, the Music Publishers Association of Japan, and the All Japan Concert & Live Entertainment Promoter's Conference and is responsible for the organization, marketing and hosting of the Music Awards Japan.

The list of eligible works and artists was generated through an automatic system based on data from Oricon, Billboard Japan, GfK Japan, Luminate, Usen, Daiichi Kosho Company, JASRAC etc. The artist concerned must have released at least one work during the qualification period of 29 January 2024 to 26 January 2025. 

The nominees (up to 5 per category) were then decided by a panel from the Japanese music industry. An international panel then decided on the winner for each category. However, the following categories' nominees and winners were selected through a public voting exercise via Spotify:

• Best of Listeners' Choice: Japanese Song
• Best of Listeners' Choice: International Song

The winners for the inaugural edition of MAJ will be announced over two days i.e. during the premiere ceremony on 21 May and the grand ceremony on 22 May, both held at Rohm Theater in Kyoto.

* Note that the announcement website provides links to various streaming/download portals to listen to the winning songs.

* The delayed-live stream of the grand ceremony can be viewed here.

Here are the winners announced during the premiere ceremony:

Best Japanese Song: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Best J-Rock Song: "SPECIALZ" by King Gnu

Best Japanese Hip Hop / Rap Song: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Best Japanese R&B / Contemporary Song: "Automatic" by Utada Hikaru

Best Japanese Dance Pop Song: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Best Japanese Alternative Song: "more than words" by Hitsujibungaku

Best Japanese Singer-Songwriter Song: "Kaiju no Hanauta" by Vaundy

Best Idol Culture Song: "Watashi no ichiban kawaii tokoro" by FRUITS ZIPPER

Best Anime Song: "Idol" by YOASOBI

Best Enka / Kayokyoku: "Kurenai no chou" by Yamauchi Keisuke

Best Revival Hit Song: "Peppermint Blue" by Ohtaki Eiichi

Best Cross-Border Collaboration Song: "Feelin' Go(o)d" by Fujii Kaze / A.G. Cook

Best Instrumental Song: "aruarian dance" by Nujabes

Best Vocaloid Culture Song: "Senbonzakura" by Kurousa

Best Music Video: "Idol" by YOASOBI

Best Dance Performance: "Otonablue" by Atarashii Gakko!

Best Viral Song: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Top Japanese Song in Asia: "Lemon" by Yonezu Kenshi

Top Japanese Song in Europe: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Top Japanese Song in North America: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Top Japanese Song in Latin America: "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts

Best International Pop Song in Japan: "APT." by ROSE & Bruno Mars

Best International Rock Song in Japan: "feelslikeimfallinginlove" by Coldplay

Best International Hip Hop / Rap Song in Japan: "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar

Best International R & B / Contemporary Song in Japan: "we can't be friends (wait for your love)" by Ariana Grande

Best International Alternative Song in Japan: "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" by Billie Eilish

Best K-pop Song in Japan: "Ditto" by NewJeans

Best Jazz Album: "Step Into Paradise - LIVE IN TOKYO -" by Yano Akiko x Hiromi

Best Classical Album: "Opus" by Sakamoto Ryuichi

Best Japanese Song Artist: Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Best J-Rock Artist: King Gnu

Best Japanese R & B / Contemporary Artist: Utada Hikaru

Best Japanese Dance Pop Artist: Atarashii Gakko!

Best Japanese Alternative Artist: Hitsujibungaku

Best Japanese Singer-Songwriter: Fujii Kaze

Largest Live Audience: WEST.

Best Radio-Break Song: "Ai ga issou mellow" by Rikon Densetsu

Best Dance / Electronic Song in association with JDDA: "Edison" by Suiyoubi no Campanella

Best DJ in association with JDDA: DJ Nobu