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DJ Kaori’s Party Mix 5
Release Date: 8/21/13
Price: 2286 yen
The latest release in the hugely popular DJ Kaori’s Mix series, which has sold over 4 million copies over the years since its debut in 2005. You can visit the official website for more info on previous entries. A lot of EDM tracks on this one.
EDM Anthem II
Release Date: 7/24/13 ? 8/14/13
Price: 2190 yen
The second release in Universal’s EDM Anthem series. The track list is decent, if a little heavy with mainstream acts. Sebastian Ingrosso’s “Reload” is pretty amazing, though.
There’s more info at the official site. I really wish they wouldn’t set their videos to auto-play, though. -_-
DJ Kaori’s Party Mix 5
Release Date: 8/21/13
Price: 2286 yen
The latest release in the hugely popular DJ Kaori’s Mix series, which has sold over 4 million copies over the years since its debut in 2005. You can visit the official website for more info on previous entries. A lot of EDM tracks on this one.
EDM Anthem 2
Release Date: 7/24/13 ? 8/14/13
Price: 2190 yen
Another EDM release that’s been delayed a few weeks. The final list appears to be out, though.
ZIPmania All Best Mix
Release Date: 9/18/13
Price: 2190 yen
ZIPmania All Best Mix’s companion release will feature songs from ZIP-FM’s Hot 100 charts. The early list has a few repeats from ZIPmania All Best Mix, which I hope isn’t the case on the final list.
ZIPmania All Best Mix
Release Date: 9/18/13 ? Release Cancelled
Price: 2190 yen
Update (8/26/13): Sigh, I was afraid this would happen. CD Japan now lists ZIPmania and its companion release as cancelled. Fuck you, Universal.
ZIP Hot 100 1993-2013 All Time No. 1 Hits
Release Date: 9/18/13
Price: 2190 yen
The 20th anniversary festivities don’t end with ZIPmania All Best Mix. In addition to the ZIP Dance Hits 20, ZIP-FM also have a more general ZIP Hot 100 chart with music from all genres. This release will focus more on the pop side of ZIP-FM, and includes artists like Eminem, t.A.T.u, and Black Eyed Peas. It’s unclear whether this will also count as a Dancemania release.
ZIPmania All Best Mix
Release Date: 9/18/13
Price: 2190 yen
ZIPmania lives!!! Holy crap, EMI/Universal are really pumping out some unexpected releases this year. After reviving the Speed series after a 6-year hiatus, they’ve gone ahead and revived ZIPmania, which hasn’t seen a release since ZIPmania 7 in 2004.
ZIP-FM is a popular radio station in Nagoya, Japan that happens to be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Their influential ZIP Dance Hits 20 chart used to be full of Dancemania artists back in the late ’90s and early ’00s, and they had a close relationship with EMI for years.
A few artists have been revealed, and the sad reality is that Dancemania will forever be changed by EMI’s sale to Universal. Misa and Pandora do make appearances, as does Katy Perry, but the rest of the list is populated by Universal artists like Lady Gaga, LMFAO, Jennifer Lopez, and Rihanna. One of things I used to love about Dancemania was that it focused more on European artists, so I can’t help but be disappointed that more mainstream artists are showing up. And unless EMI license the tracks from Warner, we might be missing tracks like “Dub-I-Dub” or “Butterfly” that would truly make this an anniversary release.
What’s Up Dance The Greatest Hits 2
Release Date: 6/19/13
Price: 3048 yen
The latest release in the What’s Up! series. Disc 1 features mainstream dance hits, while Disc 2 focuses more on EDM. I can’t help but feel that the list is a little outdated.
EDM Anthem 2
Release Date: 7/24/13
Price: 2190 yen
The second release in Universal’s EDM series arrives 5 months after the first. With the apparent demise of EMI’s EDM series, it’s possible they’ll just fold more EMI artists into Universal’s series.
What’s Up Dance The Greatest Hits 2
Release Date: 6/19/13
Price: 3048 yen
The latest release in the What’s Up! series will be another 2-disc set focusing on dance.
What’s Up Dance R&B Hip-Hop The Greatest Hits 2013
Release Date: 1/1/13
Price: 3048 yen
Universal Japan’s What’s Up! series has always followed musical trends. When it debuted in 2003, it was simply “What’s Up? Hip-Hop Greatest Hits,” reflecting Hip-Hop’s domination in the world music scene. In 2006, a separate sub-series, “What’s Up? R&B Greatest Hits” was released as smoother R&B began to capture the attention of audiences. By 2010, the two series had merged to become a yearly “What’s Up! R&B Hip-Hop The Greatest Hits” series (and eagle-eyed readers may notice the “?” was inexplicably turned into a “!”).
2012 brought a sea change in musical tastes, as EDM and dance dominated the charts worldwide. It’s only fitting, then, that the 2013 edition of What’s Up! finally adds “Dance” to the sub-title and features a selection of dance tracks on disc 1 while R&B/Hip-Hop tracks are shuffled aside to disc 2 to wallow in their own self-pity, remembering the good old days when they were number one.
What’s Up Dance The Greatest Hits
Release Date: 6/13/12
Price: 3048 yen
Universal Japan’s What’s Up! compilation series has been around for 10 years now, but up until recently has been outside the scope of this blog. As with EMI’s VIP series, What’s Up! used to compile only R&B/Hip-Hop. However, the recent EDM boom means that dance is once again in fashion, so in June 2012 Universal decided to release What’s Up! Dance. As with most releases in the series, it’s a 2-disc set and mostly features artists from the Universal stable. It skews a little too mainstream American Top 40 for me. :/
EDM Anthem
Release Date: 2/27/13
Price: 2190 yen
New EDM compilation from Universal Japan. A lot of mainstream US artists are signed to the label, so expect tracks from familiar names like LMFAO, Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on the listener. Check out Universal’s official EDM Anthem website for more info.
EDM Anthem
Release Date: 2/27/13
Price: 2190 yen
Universal is the latest Japanese record label to jump on the EDM bandwagon. Their EDM compilation will be released in February and will feature artists like Avicii, Elsso, and David Guetta.
DanceMaster | 
09 26th, 2013| 
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