While boy bands such as Arashi and Exile continued transmogrifying midtempo pap into Oricon gold, the interesting twists and turns in J-pop over the past year came from idol pop. The scene, often associated with schoolgirl costumes and no-dating policies, produced some great music and exciting storylines. Big names such as Momoiro Clover Z, Berryz Koubou and Morning Musume (which from next year will be called Morning Musume. '14) charted with tunes that took cues from contemporary electronic music, while fledgling outfits such as Lyrical School and Especia released some of the catchiest cuts in Japan.
Techno-pop trio Perfume made some strides internationally. Even AKB48, who started the year on a low note thanks to the Minami Minegishi head-shaving scandal, released some solid songs and revealed a self-aware side.
Dempagumi.inc, my pick for the best J-pop act for the first half of 2013, had already released two of the year's best singles (the frantic-and-dramatic "W.W.D" and "Den Den Passion") before finishing off the hat trick with "W.W.D II." It upped the theatrics of "W.W.D" (while revealing their Queen crush) and gave J-pop its most emotionally powerful climax of the year. And it came with the year's best video, a clever clip showing what idol pop would look like in 2020.
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