JPU Records is a multi-award winning Japanese music record label based in London, UK. We help get bands from Japan the recognition they deserve overseas, while also making their music easier to own on CD, vinyl, tape cassette and even MiniDisc!
Thank you for supporting our quest to spread great music from Japan around the globe!
Latest Japanese Music News Check out all the news
Popular Japanese Bands:
Here are four of the biggest selling bands on the label. We've sold thousands of CDs and have millions of downloads and streams and we're sure you will love them! There's Osaka pop-rock legends SCANDAL, widely acknowledged as the most powerful girl bands in Japan. There's the GazettE with their dynamic sound and style. One of our newest signings is NEMOPHILA, whose JPU-exclusive CD became our fastest selling CD ever! They also hit over 100k subscribes on YouTube before the release of their first album! And of course, the mighty BAND-MAID – don't let their looks fool you.
Exclusive
Kick Ass Merch
Check out our collection of exclusive JPU Records merch, celebrating the glorious unison of heavy metal with Japanese pop culture. Including 5 designs by ISANA KAGAMI (BABYMETAL, BAND-MAID illustrator) whilst stock lasts.
Awesome Anime Songs:
Love anime music? Perfect! Our artists and bands have been responsible for some of the most iconic anime theme songs. Delightfully quirky anime voice actress and singer Sumire Uesaka recently passed over 4-million Spotify streams from her single EASY LOVE (Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro theme song), while her brilliant track POP TEAM EPIC song stayed in Spotify's Viral 50 Chart for weeks. Then there's the BACK-ON boys, with over 100-million streams under their belts. We celebrated their 15th anniversary by releasing 2CD album FLIP SOUND, featuring their classic anime songs (from Fairy Tail, Gundam and more) re-recorded in the band's latest style. The brilliant Lie and a Chameleon ooze energy and good vibes with tunes from In/Spectre and the Bleach mobile game. Plus the mighty FLOW (CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA!) with their album filled with just their anime songs.
Japanese Female Metal Bands:
Not only do we have some of the greatest Japanese Heavy Metal Bands in existence, we also have a collection of Japan's most celebrated and fierce female metal bands. We secured power metal band LOVEBITES their first award with Metal Hammer's Golden God Award for 'Best New Band', who also toured the UK with DragonForce. Then there's pioneers Aldious. As equally pioneering are metal queens Mary's Blood, newcomers NEMOPHILA and SIN ISOMER.
The New Era:
Genres? Where we're going we don't need genres. These bands mix and match all kinds of influences and refuse to be easily labelled. Are they rock? Pop? Jazz-fusion? All we know is they're all awesome and absolutely deserve your attention. There's Japan's mysterious rising stars blank paper, already branching out and playing festivals in the UK, France and Spain. There's the amazingly brilliant and mind-bendingly speedy sokoninaru who defy labels. Then there's KARI BAND, a prog / jazz-fusion project formed by the band members of a phenomenon known for worshiping a Fox God. Plus iconic superstars, responsible for an entire shift in youth culture in Japan; BUCK-TICK.
Alternative J-pop:
Love Japanese pop but want something less mainstream? POW! How about a pair of time-travelling sentient rap mannequins? Check out viral sensation FEMM immediately. How about bikini rioter Ena Fujita, Japan's #1 singer-songwriting gravure idol who is also star of several Japanese horror flicks, including one where her music makes people's heads explode! Experience 'sexy underground idols' Bed In and their love of the 80s and 90s. Plus upcoming pop-rock band ELFRIEDE, highly recommended for fans of SCANDAL, Stereo Pony and BAND-MAID.
Japanese Punk Bands:
Japan has a vibrant punk scene and here at JPU Records we think we have picked some of the most exciting. There's ska-punk positivity with KEMURI, who toured the UK with Less Than Jake. There's East-meets-West with ROA, implementing Japan's traditional instrument the shamisen with punk-rock. Plus ROS, featuring members of Dragon Ash, ex-RIZE and smorgas. And the wonderful boot kicking' MUTANT MONSTER! Enjoy!
Japanese Idol Groups:
Dempagumi.inc brought in an entirely new era of idol culture with their zany, energetic world and hyper tunes. We also have two other idol group's from their management company DEARSTAGE, including EDM idols moso calibration and energetic sunshine vibes from Niji no Conquistador. We also have another viral star; hip hop idols lyrical school. who wowed tech media across the world with their ground breaking music video to track RUN&RUN. Then there's electronic screamo noise makers PassCode who have to be experienced by all. Plus, a group that needs no introduction: LADYBABY.
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