Billboard Japan unveiled its 2026 mid-year charts, tallying the period from Nov. 24, 2025, to May 24, 2026.
On the all-genre song chart Japan Hot 100, Kenshi Yonezu’s “IRIS OUT” claims the No. 1 spot. Written as the theme song for Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, the track hit 100 million streams in four weeks, the fastest any song has reached that milestone in Billboard Japan history. It also peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Global 200 dated October 4, 2025, the highest position ever achieved by a Japanese-language song on that chart. The long-running hit has become a hit both domestically and internationally, riding on the strength of the anime’s popularity. Yonezu swept a total of 11 mid-year chart titles including this one.
“I’m proud that ‘IRIS OUT’ has become a song so many people have taken to heart,” says Yonezu. “Listening back to it now, I can’t help but laugh at what an outrageously unhinged song it is, but having put something like this out into the world at this particular moment in time, and being able to keep making music from here, is the greatest happiness I could ask for as a pop musician. I want to express my gratitude once again to Chainsaw Man, a truly extraordinary work. Thank you.”
Coming in at No. 2 is M!LK’s “Sukisugite Metsu!” The track’s catchy hook, a surge in media appearances including the 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, and viral traction on social media fueled it to 23 consecutive weeks in the top 10 during the tracking period. Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “lulu.,” the opener for the anime series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2, follows at No. 3, and the list continues with King Gnu’s “AIZO” at No. 4 and HANA’s “Blue Jeans” at No. 5. The top tier brings together a diverse range of acts — solo artist, idol group, band, and dance-and-vocal unit.
Courtesy Photo
On the Japan Hot Albums roundup, BTS’s fifth album ARIRANG, the group’s comeback after roughly three years and nine months, takes the top spot. The set topped both physical sales and streaming, and held the No. 1 spot eight times across the tracking period.
“We are deeply honored and overjoyed that the album we released after three years and nine months has been loved by so many,” BTS comments. “Like Arirang, that gives the album its name, our hope is that this music will resonate with people across eras and borders, and be remembered for a long time to come.”
HANA’s first album HANA lands at No. 2, followed by King & Prince’s STARRING, a concept album built around a cinema theme, at No. 3. Number_i’s second full-length project No.II comes in at No. 4, and the RADWIMPS tribute album Dear Jubilee -RADWIMPS TRIBUTE- rounds out the top five.
Courtesy Photo
On the Japan Artist 100 list, compiled from the results of the Japan Hot 100 and Hot Albums charts, Mrs. GREEN APPLE continues to dominate. The three-man band tops the Japan Artist 100 mid-year roundup for three consecutive years, an unprecedented achievement in the list’s history.
“Winning three years in a row is an incredible honor,” says Mrs. GREEN APPLE frontman Motoki Ohmori. “We’re actually right in the middle of working on an album slated for release later this year, so this gives us motivation, or energy, to make that record as good as it can be. Thank you so much.”
HANA follows at No. 2, just over a year after the seven-member group’s major-label debut, while back number comes in at No. 3 after placing a total of 14 songs on the mid-year Japan Hot 100. Kenshi Yonezu, whose “IRIS OUT” continues its long run on the chart, lands at No. 4, and M!LK, coming off a blistering run that stretches from last year into 2026, places No. 5.
On the Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart (tallying the period from Nov. 21, 2025 to May 21, 2026), which tracks songs from Japan charting around the world, Kenshi Yonezu’s “IRIS OUT” again takes the top spot, and also reaches No. 1 in six different countries/regions on the Japan Songs lists.
Billboard Japan Hot 100 Mid-Year Chart 2026
1. “IRIS OUT” / Kenshi Yonezu
2. “Sukisugite Metsu!” / M!LK
3. “lulu.” / Mrs. GREEN APPLE
4. “AIZO” / King Gnu
5. “Blue Jeans” / HANA
6. “Bakuretsu Aishiteru” / M!LK
7. “ROSE” / HANA
8. “On The Way” / AiNA THE END
9. “JANE DOE” / Kenshi Yonezu, Hikaru Utada
10. “CHARISMAX” / Snow Man
Billboard Japan Hot Albums Mid-Year Chart 2026
1. ARIRANG / BTS
2. HANA / MHANA
3. STARRING / King & Prince
4. No.II / Number_i
5. Dear Jubilee -RADWIMPS TRIBUTE- / Various Artists
6. Cosmic Princess Kaguya! / Various Artists
7. THE CORE / XG
8. ANTENNA / Mrs. GREEN APPLE
9. BE:ST / BE:FIRST
10. Prema / Fujii Kaze
Billboard Japan Artist 100 Mid-Year Chart 2026
1. Mrs. GREEN APPLE
2. HANA
3. back number
4. Kenshi Yonezu
5. M!LK
6. BTS
7. CHANMINA
8. Official HIGE DANdism
9. Vaundy
10. Snow Man
Billboard Japan Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan Mid-Year Chart 2026
1. “IRIS OUT” / Kenshi Yonezu
2. “TOKYO DRIFT(FAST & FURIOUS)” / TERIYAKI BOYZ
3. “AIZO” / King Gnu
4. “JANE DOE” / Kenshi Yonezu, Hikaru Utada
5. “KICK BACK” / Kenshi Yonezu
6. “Mayonaka no Door / Stay With Me” / Miki Matsubara
7. “HYPNOTIZE” / XG
8. “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” / Creepy Nuts
9. “On The Way” / AiNA THE END
10. “Otonoke” / Creepy Nuts
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