Japan’s Vocaloid Scene: Top Trend for the First Half of 2024 Is ‘Room for Interpretation’

On Billboard JAPAN’s “Niconico VOCALOID SONGS” 2024 mid-year ranking, announced on June 7, Yoshida Yasei’s “Override” took the top spot. This chart tracks the popularity of Vocaloid songs on Niconico, ranking the top 20 based on data such as the total number of plays, the total number of videos, the number of comments, the number of likes, and other figures, multiplied by coefficients developed by Billboard JAPAN. Chart results have been published on a weekly basis since December 7, 2022.

Sasuke Haraguchi’s “HITO Mania” took the No. 1 spot on the “Niconico VOCALOID SONGS TOP20” for the first time on September 20, 2023, keeping its position for 18 consecutive weeks, a new record for the chart. This had a huge impact on the Vocaloid scene. However, on the January 24, 2024 chart, “HITO Mania” was dethroned by Yoshida Yasei’s “Override,” failing to reach the 19 week mark. What’s important to note is that while jon-YAKITORY’s “Konton Boogie,” Sasuke Haraguchi’s “Medicine,” and nbaji’s “Sukina Souzai Happyou Dragon” then took the number one positions, “Override” made a comeback, claiming the number one position once more. This is a testament to the song’s tremendous momentum. It combines a catchy, distinctively Vocaloid, unforgettable melody with lyrics that can be taken as lampooning society itself, taking the position that there’s no way to know what lies beneath the things people say. The music video, featuring Kasane Teto, makes quite the impression, packed with net memes. The popularity of “Override” also got a boost from derivative works.

◎Yoshida Yasei’s “Override”

Not only have there been changes in the sound of Vocaloid songs, but also in the voice synthesis software used to make them. For example, KAFU, which was released as CeVIO AI voice synthesis software in July 2021, was based on the voice of KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO’s virtual singer KAF, and its use became a major trend starting in 2021. The Niconico VOCALOID SONGS chart has included Tsumiki’s “Phony” (2021), Hiiragi Magnetite’s “Marshall Maximizer” (2021), and Iyowa’s “Kyu-kurarin” (2021), all of which feature KAFU. In addition to Yamaha’s VOCALOID, there is now a growing range of voice synthesis software, including VOICEROID, CeVIO AI, and Synthesizer V. This wide selection has led to more diverse music.

The mid-year chart for 2024 has been taken by storm by songs featuring Kasane Teto in particular. There’s Yoshida Yasei’s “Override” (No. 1), Sasuke Haraguchi’s “HITO Mania” (No. 2), Sasuke Haraguchi’s “Medicine” (No. 3), 32ki’s “Mesmerizer” (No. 6), nbaji’s “Sukina Souzai Happyou Dragon” (No. 7)… The chart is top-heavy with songs that use Kasane Teto. A major reason for this boom is the commercial release of Synthesizer V AI Kasane Teto on April 27, 2023. This voice synthesizer, which can produce more human, realistic vocals, began as an April Fool’s hoax: in March 2008, users on the 2channel message board announced the creation of new Vocaloid software named “Kasane Teto.” Coincidentally, the free UTAU voice synthesis software had been released in March of the same year. With UTAU, it was possible to use the voice of Mayo Oyamano, who provided the fake vocals for the prank, as a voicebank. With this, Kasane Teto was launched as an “official” voice synthesizer. As if to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this serendipitous beginning, the chart for the first half of 2024 is packed with Kasane Teto songs, whether made using the Synthesizer V version or the UTAU version.

Listening again to the songs in the chart, a few other interesting commonalities spring up. The first that stands out is the way that net memes and common phrases are sprinkled throughout. For example, these include “Override,” whose video appears to be a homage to Surii’s “Telecaster B-Boy,” “HITO Mania,” which takes a poke at modern society using familiar, cut-and-pasted expressions, and “Konton Boogie,” which includes the nostalgic 2000’s meme “What is that? Does it taste good?” From the early days of the Vocaloid scene until around 2015, lyrics were often direct, telling a story, as can be heard in ryo’s “Melt” or Scop’s “Irony.” However, in recent years, Vocaloid songs have had a growing tendency to use metaphors, symbolism, and difficult lyrics. We live in an age in which the things that people say are often taken in isolation, divorced from their context, shared and spread, and interpreted in unintended ways. Perhaps this is what is behind the new trend of Vocaloid lyrics becoming strings of abstract expressions. In the comments, people provide various interpretations, attempting to unravel the messages lurking within these abstractions. The massive hit “HITO Mania” typifies this, with deep lyrics that can be seen as skewering society, carried by a clipped audio backing. Its lyrics bear wide room for interpretation.

◎Sasuke Haraguchi’s “HITO Mania”

The Vocaloid scene, which sprang from Niconico, is very welcoming to all kinds of derivative works, such as dance and vocal covers. “Sukina Souzai Happyou Dragon” took the No. 4 spot in the Neta Kyoku Tokosai (“Joke Song Festival”) category in VocaColle 2023 Summer. Parody comics and art by artists like the manga creator Sakamegane caused it to trend on X (Twitter), and its popularity exploded. User-generated content now holds the key to becoming a hit, and in some cases creators themselves actively encourage the creation of derivative works. For example, in the comments of his video “Override,” Yoshida Yasei provided tips for creating derivative works. nbaji wrote in the description box of his own videos that derivative works and parody songs were welcome. Moves such as these have accelerated the sharing of the songs. The killer tunes of the Vocaloid scene aren’t just the product of high musical quality, but involve various interwoven factors, including derivative works.

The chart for the first half of 2024 features many unique songs with the unique passion and individuality so typical of Niconico. It will be one to remember and it’ll be interesting to see what kinds of new killer tunes will one day dethrone them.

—This article by Mio Komachi was planned for publication in June 2024, but Niconico service was suspended due to a cyberattack, and is instead being published in September 2024