15 Songs by Male Seiyuu to enjoy on New Years’ eve

2021 is almost here. As we say goodbye to this year, here’s 15 Songs by Male Seiyuu to enjoy on your New Year’s eve.

How do you like your New Year’s soundtrack? I can safely say that I enjoy my New Year’s to have classy, funky and groovy music. I love to kick off a year in the right foot and good vibes are essential.

Some of you perhaps don’t like to have a soundtrack to this time of the year and others love to blast some EDM to get pumped up.

Thing is, regardless of your soundtrack preferences for the New Year’s, there’s a lot to choose from when it comes to music by male seiyuu and 2D music.

In this article I bring you 15 groovy songs that are a must in my playlist for this year’s New Year’s celebrations as well as some gems that fit this season to a T.

A note that the songs aren’t ranked. If you listen to all songs in the intended order though, you’ll experience a lot of ups and downs in tension.

This list counts with fast paced EDM, sexy Jazz-pop, old-school dance music and playful funk, the perfect, mellowed entry to your 2021.

You can shuffle the songs around if you want to. Additionally, a Spotify playlist featuring some of the tracks in this list is provided below.

To prepare you for the New Year’s, here’s a list of “15 Songs by Male Seiyuu to enjoy on New Years’ eve”.

TRIGGER “in the meantime”

In their 5 years as a group, TRIGGER have released quite a lot of dancefloor-ready bangers however, there’s one that trumps them all: “in the meantime”.

The song included in 2017’s “REGALITY” is an intense EDM pop track with a massive bassline and an addictive chorus that will be playing in your head until you come across something even more addictive.

The fast tempo, the heavy bass, and the dreamy, airy synths put you in a spacious soundscape where your wildest dreams are set free and all your worries are no more.

TRIGGER want your attention for those 4 minutes and they are masterful at the way they pull that off.

If this wasn’t enough, this song provides you with your own dance break so… time to bust some moves or, like I do – professional headbanger with zero experience in dancing – rock your head and shoulders to it (it counts as dancing, doesn’t it?).

TRIGGER’s “in the meantime” is a mean dancefloor anthem, and a proper track to get the party going.

Makoto Furukawa “miserable masquerade”

“miserable masquerade” kicks off in a classy, slow-paced, jazz fashion but soon things get exciting as bebop jazz takes over, making this one of the most danceable tracks on this list.

Put on your jazz shoes and sway to this classy song. Makoto Furukawa takes you to a dimly lit, smoky jazz lounge with an intimate yet unfamiliar and dangerous soundscape.

The excitement is palpable with each brass hit, piano solo, or drum brushes rhythms.

Add to it Makoto Furukawa’s powerful, vibrato-filled vocals and his charismatic self will completely win you over.

When this song is over, you’ve had quite a blast and done quite the dance routine. Classy and extremely fun.

Mamoru Miyano “BLACK OR WHITE”

All parties need a song to calm things down and lower a bit the tension. Mamoru Miyano’s “BLACK OR WHITE” is the epitome of sexy and classy with its blend of jazz, funk, and R&B.

Deliberate, slow-paced snare-driven drums set an alluring tone as the Rhodes piano and funk guitars paint a warm, intimate soundscape in which you’ll lose yourself.

For those that aren’t good dancers, this one is perfect to jam along, a couple of shoulder wiggles and basic hips work does it. You’ll blend in perfectly!

Kidding aside, BLACK OR WHITE can be risqué at times but does so in a really tasteful, classy way that I enjoy and is the perfect intermission song as the tension was, indeed, lowered from EDM, but it still lingers, carrying over to the next song.

Daisuke Ono “SHAKE IT!!”

Bring out the funk and disco and who is the master among male seiyuu? Daisuke Ono.

Sexy and playful, “SHAKE IT!!” is bass goodness and the perfect song to enjoy at parties but, better yet, on New Year’s!

The bassline is crazily groovy, creating a throwback danceable vibe with the classy brass and strings.

The atmospheric synths and slowed-down guitars add a different layer to this song, channeling a classy and slightly mature vibe that makes this song such a delight to listen to.

Hifumi Izanami “Party o Tomenaide”

Grab your champagne glass – or alternative, alcoholic or not – and get ready for things to get intense once again after the slight cooldown.

This was the first song that I added to this list, actually, the inspiration for this list.

Hifumi’s “Party o Tomenaide” is far from being a hip-hop song even though it’s in the Hypnosis Mic franchise – we have to agree on this, this is not a hip-hop song – but it ended up being one of the cheesiest and, simultaneously, one of the best party songs released to date by male seiyuu (solo, band, unit or 2D music projects).

Eurobeat is something that us, Europeans, deeply regret having turned into a trend (at least I think we do. Anyone?). It was one of the cheesiest periods in the history of dance music that gave us the magnus opus of shame, ozone’s “dragostea din tei”.

If you don’t know about this song, please spare your ears and eyes for good things and avoid the secondhand embarrassment of listening/watching that song/music video.

But as cheesy as those songs are, we, Europeans, secretly enjoy those for party purposes. Would we listen to those songs free willingly? No.

But if it’s playing at a party? We know the lyrics by heart and even its dance routine.

Out of all subgenres of dance music, I am a big fan of French electronica and Italo-disco. But do I know the lyrics to ozone’s “dragostea din tei”? Unfortunately, yes. Eurobeat is mostly a guilty pleasure music genre and if there are people out there that truly “live” this music genre with a passion, I’d like to exchange a few words.

Back to what I was writing about.

Hifumi’s “Party o Tomenaide” is not a glamorous or classy dance song like the other entries on this list.

No.

It is wild, intense, loud, fast-paced. It is a song in which it seems like you’ll be partying until you die.

It has a vibe to it that will throw off many people however, it has a charm that, after the first chorus will make you regret the decision of listening to this song in the first place.

You’ll find yourself singing along to the lyrics in the loudest way you can, matching the passion and intensity of Ryuichi Kijima’s fancy, Enka-meets-Eurobeat performance.

If this isn’t a “dragostea din tei” moment, I don’t know what it is.

Either way, awesome dance song but don’t rest just yet because things will get even more interesting.

Shouta Aoi “Existence”

Shouta Aoi cranked up the heat with “Existence” a K-pop-inspired song with a dark, alluring, EDM sound made to enthrall the listener.

You’re guided through an intimate, suffocating corridor to the dancefloor in which sound is muffled and the beat seems distant then, as doors open for you, you are hit with the explosive chorus.

Deep bass melodies reverberate in your ears as you join the dancefloor and bask in the elegance and dreamy performance that Shouta Aoi is putting for you.

This is Aoi’s masterpiece in the EDM / dance department, hitting hard and draining the listener while being imposing and sexy at the same time.

As if hypnotized, you stay on the dancefloor dancing like there’s no tomorrow.

SolidS “GAME IS MINE”

Once again, we’re back with some jazz, this time around with SolidS’ first-ever iteration to the music genre in “GAME IS MINE”.

Known for their sexy and alluring sound + risqué lyrics, SolidS are no strangers in capturing the listener’s attention and having them wrapped around their fingers.

Ditching the downright, “in your face” sexy gimmick for this release, SolidS showcased their vocal chops in a song counting with Tsubasa (CV: Soma Saito) as their center.

The contrabass dictates the playful tempo for this track as brass and funky guitar riffs paint the walls of this sweaty, dimly-lit jazz bar.

The vocals are passionate, the instrumental is fun, classy, and, at the same time, incredibly upbeat, creating a unique soundscape in which you’ll want to dive in and forget all about your worries.

This type of fun doesn’t come by often so lose yourself in the groovy contrabass, fancy brass, melodic vocals and catchy lyrics because this game is yours.

QUELL “Angel’s Ladder”

90s funk-imbued, dreamy pop tune, “Angel’s Ladder” comes in to lower the tension once again and does so in classy fashion.

Known for being chameleons among all 2D units, QUELL is no stranger to trying new things and embracing new music genres or even going all out with throwbacks.

“Angel’s Ladder” is a massive throwback to a time in which bass was groovy and rich, guitars were funky, simplicity was key, strings were classy accents lent from disco and the beats were as close to hip-hop as it could get.

Danceable despite being downtempo, “Angel’s Ladder” is one of those songs in which you can lose yourself in and enjoy it as you want, no one will be judging because we will all be vibing to it.

The vocals are fancy, focusing on R&B riffing and belting to bring to the listener the most entertaining and groovy performance we’ll get to experience.

Always a great choice for any party playlist.

Miyu Irino “IF YOU WANNA”

In 2018, Miyu Irino made his long-awaited comeback to the music industry after a 2-year hiatus to study in Europe. During that time, Irino was inspired by Spanish music, minimalistic EDM, and disco music and all those genres made their way to his single, FREEDOM.

IF YOU WANNA is one of those songs that is unmistakably influenced by Motown singers from the 60s and 70s – interestingly enough, that’s not the type of music that you’d find being popular here in Europe.

As I was listening to this song and hit the chorus I was thinking “this could have been a Jackson 5 song!”.

IF YOU WANNA is stylishly groovy, sexy, fun in a boogie sense, perfectly capturing the sound from that era’s funk and disco.

Add to it Miyu Irino’s flawless English pronunciation and there’s no way you won’t be immersed in this song.

Dancefloor-ready and bringing a whole lot of class to your party, IF YOU WANNA is a must-have for any New Year’s playlist.

Knights “Knights the Phantom Thief”

Knights have plenty of fun and classy songs to choose from however, “Knights the Phantom Thief” was the song that made me their fan. Why was that?

They have a really fancy blend of pop and jazz that is a treat to jazz fans and makes for an easy-listening hybrid that youngsters can enjoy at the same time.

Playful brass and piano melodies set the stage for the talented quartet to dazzle you with their passionate harmonies.

Funk is also big in this track with a groovy bassline, intense saxophone solo, and bouncy piano melodies.

Danceable, extremely fun, and still, managing to exude a fancy, classy vibe that all parties need.

Kensho Ono “Rain Dance”

Acid-jazz is a niche jazz sub-genre.

It blends soul music, jazz, funk, and disco. For jazz purists, that’s a music genre that does everything about jazz wrong, for fans of experimentalism, it’s the perfect marriage of music genres.

If you are familiar with Jamiroquai, yup, it’s exactly like the majority of his repertoire.

In 2018, Kensho Ono experimented with acid-jazz in the funky “Rain Dance”, song that brought disco beats, groovy basslines, and funky guitar riffs to the spotlight, creating one of the deepest, and most playful tracks in his repertoire.

This song is the embodiment of the jazz music that I love. Drums are intense and the bassline never stops delivering for the whole 5:43 minutes of its duration.

“Rain Dance” is an elegant song with a late summer vibe at its core but its danceable twist makes it a versatile piece that can also fit a playlist for New Year’s.

Tasteful take on a tough music genre to pull off and, with how long the track is – and plenty of solos to enjoy – you got yourself a pretty awesome song to jam and dance along to as time gets closer to 2021.

DRAMATIC STARS “DRAMATIC NONFICTION”

This is easily one of the most addictive dance tracks released by a 2D music group but it also goes the Eurobeat route (because there’s never enough Eurobeat to enjoy), having some cheesy shades of it in its intro.

Thankfully, the song builds up into being a simple, mid-tempo take on the music genre, focusing more on the melodic, passionate vocals than on the beat and italo-disco influences in the instrumental.

DRAMATIC STARS also has one of the best lineups among 2D music groups: Shugo Nakamura, Yuma Uchida, and Taku Yashiro.

This trio is able to make this song overflow with energy and soon, you’ll find yourself jamming to this song and singing along to the chorus – and if, like myself, you’ve watched the group’s live performances, you’ll be doing the choreo physically or recalling it in your head.

Massive dance track right here.

D.A.T “NOCTURNE -drastic dance-“

And now I bring you the classic royal touch in EDM by D.A.T.

Daisuke Ono (vocals and rap) and Takayuki Kondo (vocals and rap) were on top of their game when “NOCTURNE -drastic dance-“ was released back in 2014.

Since then, there hasn’t been a group as good at pulling off classy EDM as D.A.T, hence their mention is more than deserved in this list.

The beat is contained, pretty tight, and simple for the whole duration of the song. However, it is the looping piano melody that sets a classy tone to the song while the synths create the dancefloor for you to enjoy.

And have you watched the music video for this song?

Classy as hell with regal European clothing set in a ballroom. Waltz and urban dance blend in what is a pretty aesthetic and pretty refreshing music video, as far as seiyuu units/solo artists’ music videos go.

Now, this song… this song will fly by. It’s short and sweet. Some of you – those old enough or those that love dance music and have checked a bit from every era – will find familiar that piano melody playing in the intro as well as in the curtain call.

It brings back memories from the golden age of dance music – the late 90s, early 00s -, something that I love.

Tetsuya Kakihara “DIAMOND BEAT”

We’re getting closer to midnight and tension has to rise once again, one last time in 2020.

Tetsuya Kakihara has just the right thing for you. “DIAMOND BEAT” raises the tension with its addictive deep, party-driven EDM sound.

Kakihara is a beast in this song, going for an intense, charismatic performance of a song that, otherwise, would have been pretty standard had other seiyuu performed it.

The beat is strong and the pounding bassline will certainly set a club vibe however, what makes this song memorable is its lead synth.

It sounds as much like it was taken from something you’d hear in the late 90s, early 00s rave but, at the same it has a modern touch with trap elements and Latin percussion – this one really in the background – in the mix, adding the final touches in what is a song made to stand on the spotlight.

A song that makes you shine.

Tetsuya Kakihara & Nobuhiko Okamoto “one morning”

And wrapping up this list is a song that fits perfectly in the aftermath of it all. A song made for the day after the party.

Tetsuya Kakihara & Nobuhiko Okamoto dazzled in 2020 with their awesome funk-meets-jazz-meets-R&B song, “one morning”.

The massive, groovy bassline, jazzy piano melodies, and wah-wah guitar riffs set a sweet, dreamy, albeit slightly alluring tone to the soundscape in front of you.

This is the type of song that fits a couple of interesting situations, the aftermath of a party is one of those.

Waking up after all the fanfare and partying. Looking around and finding little memories here and there in your living room of what were the celebrations the night before. Or, if you want to go closer to the tone of this song, waking up to the person you love after New Year’s.

“one morning” has a mature vibe exploring a situation akin to what I’ve just written but does so in a really tasteful way with Kakihara and Okamoto’s vocals honeying their way to you and taking you to explore this intimate soundscape.

The perfect closer to New Year’s Eve and the perfect opening track to the New Year.

BONUS: Soma Saito “Vampire Weekend”

Soma Saito was not known for having a groovy, danceable sound up until “in bloom” hit stores and he went bolder with his sound.

Put all your misconceptions aside about Saito’s music as a solo artist.

This album, and especially this song, are nothing like what you’ve listened to previously from him.

In what is 2020’s album of the year, Saito managed to include a pretty fresh and surprising danceable track with a dangerously groovy and sexy sound.

“Vampire Weekend” would fit perfectly as a song to blast pretty late into the night, setting a pretty loungy and groovy soundscape with a twinge of allure in it.

It is the perfect song to kick off a party or serve as a downtempo track fitting mid-way through your playlist. Either way, your party is certain to slightly change your mood because this song gets really sexy pretty fast. Beware those risqué lyrics and growly vocals.

These are just some of the suggestions I have to light up your New Year’s party. I leave all of these – and more – in a playlist for you on Spotify.

Attention as some songs may not play for you – because those are my local hosted files, however, if you have those songs with correct tags on your PC/smartphone, the unplayable songs will be playable to you.

There will be yearly updates to this playlist, so I welcome you to follow it!

2020 is coming to an end. It was a crazy and frustrating year. It was a year of growth and rebirth, of thinking outside of the box. Hope that, even with all the bad stuff that happened this year, you managed to take some positives from it.

At the same time, I hope these songs help you get in a good place while you get ready for New Year’s.

I wish you a fantastic 2021 filled with good experiences, personal growth, and, of course, that you get lots of great music to enjoy!

Make sure to make the best of this season and remember, be responsible about it.

Any male seiyuu or 2D groups’ songs perfect for New Year’s that I missed?

Hop in the comments and leave your suggestions so that those are added to the playlist.