Mrs. Green Apple’s “Lilac” is the Year’s Biggest Hit in Japan
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More than 900 Million Streams
The song “Lilac” by Japanese band Mrs. Green Apple generated the highest copyright royalties in Japan in fiscal 2025 (April 2025 to March 2026), earning it the prestigious Gold Award from the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers (JASRAC). Written by the group’s Ōmori Motoki, the song was used as the theme for the Oblivion Battery anime and became the fastest single in history to exceed 900 million streams when it was released in April 2024. It earned the top royalties for interactive streaming and was second for karaoke.
In response to the honor, Ōmori said that “I want to keep enjoying the creative process, even while I wrestle with loneliness and other troubles. I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who helped put this together.”
Misora Hibari’s legendary 1989 single “Like the Flow of the River” was second, followed by “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” by Creepy Nuts in third.
Top 10 Japanese Musical Works by Royalty Distribution in Japan (FY 2025)
| Song | Artist | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Lilac” | Mrs. Green Apple |
| 2 | “Kawa no nagare no yō ni” (Like the Flow of the River) | Misora Hibari |
| 3 | “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” | Creepy Nuts |
| 4 | “Ao to natsu” (Blue and Summer) | Mrs. Green Apple |
| 5 | “Soranji” | Mrs. Green Apple |
| 6 | “Idol” | Yoasobi |
| 7 | “Astro Boy” | Kamitakada Boys Choir |
| 8 | “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” | Takahashi Yōko |
| 9 | “Genki o dashite” (Cheer Up) | Takeuchi Mariya |
| 10 | One Piece instrumental soundtrack | Tanaka Kōhei |
From left, “Kawa no nagare no yō ni” (Like the Flow of the River) (© Nippon Columbia/Hibari Productions) and “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” by Creepy Nuts (© Sony Music Labels Inc.).
Music royalties overall rose in fiscal 2025 by 5.4% from the previous year to a record high ¥152.3 billion.
Interactive streaming, such as subscription-based services and YouTube, increased by 9.6% year-on-year to ¥61.8 billion. This area has been growing since around 2015, but the embrace of online activities across society during the COVID-19 pandemic boosted use of subscription services and video streaming. Revenue from concerts and other performances also increased, climbing by 11.9% to ¥29.1 billion as more big events were held and ticket prices rose.
Data Sources
- Data on the top 10 musical works by royalties and the music business in fiscal 2025 (Japanese) from the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: From left, the “Lilac” single cover and the members of Mrs. Green Apple with Ōmori Motoki at center. Courtesy JASRAC.)