How Official HIGE DANdism’s ‘Subtitle’ Is Shaping As much as Be the High J-Pop Winter Ballad of the 2020s

Official HIGE DANdism‘s newest single “Subtitle,” launched Oct. 12, has change into a record-breaking hit in Japan.

On the Billboard Japan Scorching 100 songs chart dated Nov. 9, 2022, “Subtitle” took the No. 1 place for a 3rd consecutive week. In its streaming metrics, which function signposts of main hits, it got here in at No. 2 on the chart dated Oct. 19 (with 9,905,294 streams), No. 1 on Oct. 26 (18,116,526 streams), No. 1 on Nov. 2 (20,781,069 streams), No. 1 on Nov. 9 (21,044,966 streams), and No. 1 on Nov. 16 (21,377,507 streams).

The variety of streams simply retains going up and up and up. For the week monitoring Nov. 7 to 13, the music had 29,935,364 streams — the second-highest variety of streams for any music on the chart ever, surpassed solely by BTS‘ “Butter,” which was launched on June 2, 2021. It’s additionally the primary time in Japan Scorching 100 historical past {that a} music has had over 20 million performs for 3 weeks in a row. There’s no query that “Subtitle” is without doubt one of the main hit songs of the Japanese music scene within the latter half of 2022.

“Subtitle” is a winter ballad written because the theme music to the dramatic TV sequence silent. The members of the band learn the script therapy and precise script for the present, that are utterly unique. The story and the present’s message resonated with the band, which is why they determined to jot down the present’s theme music. silent is a love story centered on protagonist Tsumugi Aoba (performed by Haruna Kawaguchi) and her former boyfriend, So Sakura (performed by Snow Man’s Ren Meguro). The bittersweet and endearing story of Sakura, who begins to progressively lose his listening to on the age of 18, Aoba, who works to just accept the adjustments he’s present process and rebuild her relationship with him, and Nana Momono (performed by Kaho), who was born deaf, has attracted a various viewers. The present itself has change into one in all 2022’s excellent applications, with playback numbers that sweep away earlier record-holders on TVer, the tv broadcast service for over-the-air broadcasters. The synergy between the present and its opening theme is boosting the hit’s trajectory. It’s a really perfect tie-up.

The selection of the title “Subtitle” for the theme music of this drama about assembly once more in a soundless world exhibits the respect they’ve for the sequence.

“Subtitle” begins with the road “‘Pouring the solar into your frozen coronary heart’ and ‘That’s what I’ll be for you,’” sung by Satoshi Fujihara (vocals and piano). The way in which the music launches straight into the vocals with out an intro exhibits a contemporary sensibility, however the construction of the music itself is pure J-pop: verse, bridge, refrain, mushy refrain, center eight. HIGE DAN’s strengths, like chord progressions which make efficient use of modulation and dramatic melody strains, are taken to a brand new top, producing a music that’s nice but by no means goes stale. Care was additionally taken with the association, and the colourful guitar phrases and rhythm line, with its deep bass tone, make fairly the impression. One other of the appeals of this music is the musical ability proven by Daisuke Ozasa (guitars and refrain), Makoto Narazaki (bass and saxophone), and Masaki Matsuura (drums and refrain).

Coming in at over 5 minutes, the music is unusually lengthy for a contemporary music, however due to the standard of the melody and the intricacy of the music’s design, it by no means overstays its welcome. The rationale the variety of performs retains rising is that the music has a lot depth — each time you take heed to it, you uncover one thing new.

What enthralls listeners essentially the most about “Subtitle,” although, are its lyrics. The core of the robust is the highly effective love the singer feels towards “you,” and the frustration they really feel about not with the ability to convey that love. The lyrics artfully categorical how phrases spoken to convey one’s emotions vanish the second they’re uttered, as epitomized within the phrase “phrases are like snowflakes.”

This emotion peaks within the line “Much more than saying I really like you, I need to say wait, only a second extra, till you’re feeling my love.” The struggles confronted by the singer finish, unresolved. They don’t take any concrete motion. However the love the singer feels for “you” is true and with out query, and the singer needs to share their emotions, shifting “your” coronary heart. Listening to the music, you’re feeling these feelings ring pure and clear.

Instantly after the music’s launch, individuals began posting their interpretations of the lyrics on social media and in YouTube feedback. “I really like the lyrics. I’d relatively really feel the type of love the place two individuals help one another than love that’s a one-way road. If I’ve to expertise the bottom of the lows in life, that’s the type of life I’d relatively lead.” “I really feel just like the lyrics to ‘Subtitle’ actually have an effect on the way in which I see love…however shift them somewhat, on the identical time.” “Regardless of the way you attempt to categorical your self, in case your feelings aren’t of the identical depth, your capacity to speak your emotions will undergo. However you’ll be able to’t hand over on sharing what you’re feeling in your coronary heart.” Feedback like these are testomony to how the phrases to “Subtitle” resonate with the experiences and recollections of listeners, and the way they really feel just like the music is their very own music.

Official HIGE DANdism has produced numerous hits, together with “115man Kilo no Movie,” “Pretender” and “I LOVE…” “Subtitle” will certainly change into one in all their new requirements, due to the standard of its music and the profundity of its lyrics. It should change into a number one J-pop winter ballad of the 2020s, persevering with to enthrall listeners for years to return.

—This text by Tomoyuki Mori first appeared on Billboard Japan.