Yoasobi

Yoasobi is a Japanese musical duo formed in 2019. It consists of songwriter and producer Ayase and vocalist Ikura. Represented by the slogan "novel into music", the duo's narrative-driven songs are originally based on selected fictional stories posted on the website Monogatary.com. Later, sources also come from various media, such as fiction written by professional authors, books, letters, messages, plays, and social media posts. Known for its fast pace and complex structure, their music has been characterized as a blend of J-pop and Vocaloid music. Rising to prominence during 2020 in Japan, Yoasobi's debut single, "Yoru ni Kakeru", topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for six non-consecutive weeks and its 2020 year-end chart, the first ever non-CD single to do so, as well as receiving the first ever diamond and double diamond certifications for streaming figures from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Three other songs were also certified diamond: Blue Period-inspired "Gunjō" and anime series openers "Kaibutsu" from Beastars and "Idol" from Oshi no Ko. The latter set the record for the longest-running number one on the Japan Hot 100 history with 22 non-consecutive weeks, the first Japanese act to top the Billboard Global Excl. US, and was one of the best-selling songs worldwide in 2023. Several publications dubbed the duo a representative of J-pop of the 2020s and the Reiwa era. Yoasobi's first four EPs—The Book, The Book 2 (2021), The Book 3 (2023), and The Book For, (2026)—explore the "reading CD" theme and peaked in the top ten on the Oricon Albums Chart. The duo entered the English-language market by translating their songs into English and releasing the E-Side EP series. Furthermore, the duo also collaborated with four Naoki Prize winners in the short story collection Hajimete no and performed songs based on each story. Yoasobi...