J-Pop Sensation: =LOVE's 'Koi, Hajimemashita.' Soars to No. 1 on Japan Hot 100!

The latest Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, released on September 2nd and tallying data from August 24th to 30th, sees =LOVE's new single "Koi, Hajimemashita." ascend to the coveted No. 1 position. This marks a significant milestone for the group, as the title track of their 21st single, which launched on August 26th, sold an impressive 503,043 copies in its opening week. This achievement not only propelled them to the top spot but also represented the group's first-ever half-million opening week in sales.

=LOVE's dominant performance was driven primarily by robust physical sales, securing the top position in that metric. The song also demonstrated a strong presence in other categories, landing at No. 8 for video views and No. 9 for streaming. Overall, the track’s point total experienced a remarkable 385% week-over-week increase, solidifying its No. 1 debut.

The chart also welcomed new entries and notable movements among other popular acts. RIIZE's “Sunburst,” the title track from their third Japanese single, made an immediate impact by bowing at No. 2. This debut was particularly strong in both physical sales and radio airplay, where it secured the No. 2 position in each category. Meanwhile, EBiDAN’s “Yes! Tokyo” maintained a strong presence, holding firm at No. 3, continuing its reign in video views, with its multiple member-group “taiken nyūgaku” versions still charting effectively.

Last week's chart-topper, TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s “Setsuna Hanabi,” experienced a drop to No. 4. Despite a decrease in overall points to 48% of the previous week's total, the track successfully held its ground within the top 5, showcasing continued listener engagement. Another significant debut came from MORE STAR, the new ASOBISYSTEM girl group, whose double A-side debut single “Summer Go!!” entered the chart at No. 5. Released on August 26th, the single sold 88,280 copies, achieving No. 3 in sales.

The remainder of the top 10 featured a familiar lineup, largely mirroring the previous week’s chart. Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Brand New” secured No. 6, followed by M!LK’s “Sukisugite Metsu!” at No. 7 and “Bakuretsu Aishiteru” at No. 8. Spitz’s “Mishiranu Ito” held No. 9, and ILLIT’s “It’s Me” rounded out the top 10 at No. 10.

Further down the chart, Motoki Ohmori’s “Haiiro,” the latest solo track from the Mrs. GREEN APPLE frontman and theme song for the film Hakucho to Komori, debuted at No. 12, notably topping the downloads category. Kenshi Yonezu’s enduring hit “IRIS OUT” celebrated its 50th chart week, reaching No. 13 and underscoring its sustained popularity. TAKARA’s “Akarui Yume,” a new track by the duo formed from the audition program No No Girls, made its debut at No. 16 and notably topped radio airplay. Among returning titles, ILLIT’s “I Got Your Back” climbed from No. 27 to No. 20, and Fuji Fabric’s “Wakamono no Subete” moved from No. 43 to No. 27 this week.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 methodology rigorously combines various data points to compile its rankings, including physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views, and karaoke data, providing a comprehensive overview of music popularity in Japan.