Omonomono

[LAST UPDATED 12/16/2022]

Now that each branch’s streaming plans are set, it’s time to make public my big IDOLM@STER streaming music rec post. I had to update it to change some selections from 765Pro and CG because Columbia decides to not stream a lot of the catalog or not in full. I also removed some from Shiny because Lantis aren’t streaming the back catalog yet for some reason. And since it’s not quite 12/28 yet some of these may be subject to change. I probably won’t be updating this further though, when new stuff get added eventually from the back catalog. Anyways, for the ones I removed between when this was first written and mid-December 2022, I will try to add some other picks, which wasn’t hard at all.

For the ones not included in the streaming

Shout out to @AngryDaenjangny for goading this P into writing this and it was a great idea. I hope this was all useful to you in the end, and even if not, I found the exercise helpful.

https://twitter.com/i0bao/status/1603737581845327877

IDOLM@STER music runs the gamut. On one hand you have the most standard fair otaku property image songs. On the other hand, you have literally K-POP. The large IP spans several sub-brands and two record companies. It employs whole hosts of musicians and creators, not to mention 100s of cast members. There are the music games in which we associate IDOLM@STER with in 2022, but to me it’s also about the big concerts and performances where the cast perform all the songs. Everything comes together for those moments and this franchise orbits around that idea.

765 Pro All Stars: I’ll keep the new stuff and the tangent stuff (radios etc) out to keep this short. That said, Puchimas music is now also streaming so I’ll fill in the excluded picks (strikethrough) with them.

• 自分REST@RT – one of my all time favorites and a hype song in the concert setting.
• 自転車 – It’s a simple little song but super powerful in the concert setting. I mean who does not like to yell “suki da yo” at the idol you like?
• è¿·èµ°Mind – A classic from the first Master Artist series back when Koji Nakagawa still wrote character music for this series. Nakagawa is now the music producer for 765Pro and the IDOLM@STER franchise overall.
• tear – Yes I am a Makoto P, can you not tell? Secretly this was one of my biggest FOMO when Hiromi Hirata performed this at 9th tour Osaka stop, and back then I wasn’t able to go…
• THE IDOLM@STER 初星-mix – a nice twist on a classic, the mix itself is getting on in years as well, from 2018, but I think it’s going to wear the years well. There is a long intro to the song that sets the mood well.
• Kosmos, Cosmos – For YukihoPs over a certain age I think this song means a whole, whole lot, but personally it’s just a great hit from IDOLM@STER SP, in 2009.
• Little Match Girl – My first full blown introduction to IDOLM@STER was around the animas/IDOLM@STER, and this one stuck the landing the hardest. It doesn’t hurt that so many years since, it’s still a massive banger both on recording and in live shows.
• Colorful Days – This kind of idol songs is what 765Pro sounds to me, and I’m glad things hasn’t really changed all these years? I mean the music has evolved–most successful major artist pull this off, and maybe things are easier for a totally produced group like IDOLM@STER. Still, it’s good to go back to the OG vibes and hear the same sound.
• エージェント夜を往 – Agent Yoru wo Yuku is the classic Nico medley content. NicoNicoDouga and IDOLM@STER go a long way back and that sure was late Aughts on the Japanese internet.
• LOST – There’s something about a certain trilogy. I will just say that these are music from the past that still resonate with me. What is even more shocking to me is how it becomes doubly so when Million Live hijacks such things to make it work for that series.
• DREAM – There’s something about a certain trilogy, but again this sound is what mainline IM@S sounded in the late 00s and early 2010s.
• arcadia – I always liked this song over its subsequent variants (lol), but it does get a bit overplayed maybe. Perhaps in 2022 we can listen to this 2009 hit again?
• 隣に・・・ – If you are familiar with Kaede Takagaki’s Koikaze, you might find Chiaki Takahashi (Azusa) putting on a big deal for Tonari ni… in the same way. This was always memorable to me because there used to be a thing called Eminence Symphony Orchestra, who produced a concert with IDOLM@STER, in Australia, and this was the big epic song for that show. At least, my FOMO of such a thing keeps it memorable…
• Pon de Beach – This one is from M@STER Artist 3…and it’s 7 years old as of 2022. Time flies. The joke goes that during the Master of Idol World 2015 concert, Manami Numakura went on stage with her backup dancers for this song, all armed with super soakers, and sprayed the crowd. That split the world in two: those who were sprayed, and those who weren’t.
• 全力アイドル – A 2010s throwback to maybe the late 80s? I’m not sure anymore. Iori sure is cute.
• トリプルAngel – I was one who never took up the earlier whacky Ami/Mami songs, but Triple Angel is so good.
• SMOKY THRILL – Aside from the actual jazz remixes, old school 765Pro music can be kinda hybrid like this. The controversial IM@S2 unit is my jam though, so here we are.
• 99 Nights – Another Inotak contribution, for me this is about the bass and drum track. It’s an OFA DLC song, and OFA being a game I racked up the hours in, I don’t associate any singer with the song particularly.
• チアリングレター – Songs like Cheering Letter are like amber with a mosquito from the past, it’s magic to a fantastic time for a boomer like me.
• choco fondue – You want some Chihaya music that’s not serious or depressing? Here it is. It’s fun and catchy just like its source material.
• Princess Snow White – Similar to above but more upbeat. If Takane was a magical girl, maybe this is it.
• ねがいひとつ – Yukiho is a Christmas idol after all, and it continues in this series.
• “HELLO!!” – The Dearly Stars tune makes it to streaming in full under the 765PRO GRE@TEST+BEST series, so I’m including the one song from that series here. It’s the series main theme and still stands the test of time.

Cinderella Girls – a good bet for total newbies into this series is to listen to the set lists from 10th tour. It’s all great. I’m not really into Deremas much these days but the bangers of Cinderella never stop. What is disappointing is that outside of the main songs from the Cinderella Girls TV anime, all the solo and game songs are the short/game versions. About 4% of the total Deremas discography are in full. Thankfully, a huge percentage of them are available as short versions, including almost all the Deremas songs from the game.

• S(mile)ING! – Having lived through Cinderella Girls circa all that leads to the TV anime and years after, this song is just full of emotion for me.
• 純情Midnight伝説 – When you want a “big band finish” there is none better than this from IDOLM@STER.
• Fascinate – Idols often go well with metal. The two new cast members in the unit VelvetRose also come across oddly spot on for a metal song.
• ガールズ・イン・ザ・フロンティア – Girls in the Frontier is a test: which proposition makes the most sense? (Isn’t it “on”?) It’s also a declaration that Starlight Stage and Cinderella Girls in general is here to fight for a space for itself in the post-idol-war era, in the mobile gaming space, and in the greater cultural context of anime, comics and gaming. Despite being the massive franchise that holds concerts in baseball stadiums nowadays, it was always about, well, people who are Cinderellas.
• Love∞Destiny – Probably my favorite “early” era Deresute song. I am probably biased in that the M@STER version (which is the recorded version for CD release) has Mayu and Miho in it.
• メッセージ – Really like the melody of this song. It’s also an old song with a unique flavor which succinctly is connect with a certain feel, a certain franchise in a particular space and time.
• オルゴールの小箱 – Orgel no Kobako is like that slow ballad that we need more in 2022.
• Palette – nope I’m not biased or anything.
• Romantic Now – Not only I had a great memory with this song at MOIW 2015, it’s also just a totally fun song from a series that doesn’t take itself that seriously. Tomoyo Kurosawa plays the best kids yeah?
• Twilight Sky – Lowkey one of the best Cinderella Girls solo songs, it’s also very emotional to see over the years in the live shows.
• Trancing Pulse – It’s a unique sound that is an endangered species these days.
• Hotel Moonside – “The Hotel” is the one first big Taku Inoue song that made this “subgenre” of Cinderella Girls songs popping, if a thing at all. Have to say while the follow-ups are great, nothing beats the OG.
• Sayonara Andromeda – Probably the tail end of this great thing but also my favorite out of all of that.
• Trust me – Yuyoyuppe brings a bit of hip-hop to an anniversary rock piece is always welcomed.
• あらかねの器 – The “Chihaya power ballad” guy writes this song for Hajime and it sure is out there.
• 毒茸伝説 – This is the other metal x idol deremas song that completes the spectrum.
• è–„ç´… – It’s on this list because it’s a great song, and I fell in love with it because of this guy’s cover.
• always – The Deremas ballad of choice in the COVID era.

Million Live – Nowadays, my main jam. This brand is known for being all over the place musically. 765Pro members also sometimes have songs under this brand, and that leads to some fun collaborations. I mean, there’s a song about Costco (not licensed). Everything goes in this series. For songs up to 2016 I have separately posted before, which overlaps with many below. At start, 490 songs are available with exception of a handful not yet available or omitted for unknown reasons. A few of the songs attached to the Gessan manga serialization are also available!

• U・N・M・E・I ライブ – Happy-go-lucky is a side to Million Live but it gets downplayed a lot nowadays. This song actually comes from its long-running radio shows that always broadcasts in real time over Nico.
• プリムラ – Secret vocal powerhouses sing cute love songs! That is a big part of Million Live’s appeal to me.
• Sentimental Venus – Legendary song from Million 2nd live, but always memorable to me because it really a baton song from Kugimiya to the Million kids (at the time).
• 星屑のシンフォニア – For Ps in Million Live before Theater Days, the performance Hoshikuzu no Symphonia at Budokan (4th live) was a memorable turning point. Now it’s the rally cry for people who wants to see all performers under the same roof. Here’s a retelling of the story from 4th, which hasn’t been updated with the next chapters from 5th and 7th!
• Beat the World!!! – Million Live’s first towel song is a lot of fun and it is not like I am biased or anything.
• 俠気乱舞 – Notable to me because it’s written by Yuki Waga (of fhana fame) but also it’s a cool gangster theme song with really fun lyrics.
• 夜に輝く星座のように – Old timer idol songs are fun! Rietion’s voice really comes through too.
• Sweet Sweet Soul – ZAQ and Shinnosuke (of Soul’d Out)? Cute idols throwing it down? 調子はどうだい？ All day, all night, don’t stop the music.
• NO CURRY NO LIFE – Who doesn’t love curry?
• Do the IDOL!! ～断崖絶壁チュパカブラ～ – This song is a lot of fun, and the lyrics also very good, if you know what I mean, Producer-san. The story behind this one goes pretty deep, but the short of it is that it became a production challenge between the main music director for Million Live and some of his coworkers to make a song due to some dumb game people had to play. The end product was so shocking that some non-ACG people even picked it up.
• Super Duper – During Theater Days, the series have some twist and turns, and this is one of them. Yes, it’s K-POP influenced if even that–they went and got a Korean to write the music.
• ジレるハートに火をつけて – To me this is a slow burn that really comes together on stage. Maybe not so hot by itself, but Million Live always frequently tapped to the west for its beats.
• Bigバルーン◎ – The composition of this song was just so good. It makes me want to learn to play the guitar.
• UNION!! – Of all the anniversary songs, this is it.
• 絵羽模様 – Emily’s solo songs are always great but her latest solo takes it up to the next level.
• シルエット – Kotoha’s second image song just hits me.
• Clover’s Cry ～神と神降ろしの少女～– A newish song compared to the rest of this list, but shows you where this franchise can go.
• プラリネ – You’ve not seen Million Live, live, until you have seen Aimi on the guitar, as it were. And props to Jun Sasaki and Kimiko (of nano.RIPE) for producing most of her songs (lol).
• 真夏のダイヤ☆ – I love this summertime banger, even if it’s not much to write home about. The great mix of singing and “voicing” lines in the song brings out everyone’s uniqueness.
• MUSIC JOURNEY – IM@S always copped music genres from the west, and while it’s hardly unique to the brand, it’s a core identity. I am glad we finally got the Mary Poppin song in one of these series. And really, Million Live is precisely that, a journey through music.
• little trip around the world – The Costco song featuring Iori and Emily. The lyricist Youhei Matsui is a brainiac from Kansai and writes all kind of wild stuff!

SideM – I don’t really know SideM. Going to be looking for other people’s recs once streaming is available. Like Million, most of the catalog is on streaming at full size.

• DRIVE A LIVE – Still remember it coming on the speakers during MOIW 2015 intermission but wanted to see it in person by then already.
• Study Equal Magic! – Early SideM was all about this one wasn’t it.
• Reason!! – I dunno why but this one stuck the landing for me, also one of the few SideM songs I’ve heard in person.
• Alice or Guilty – Always was a great song, but also one that transcended the ages now.
• 永遠(とわ)なる四銃士 – I dunno, sword song is cool.

Shiny Colors – Compared to other brands, there aren’t as many songs. Makes this job no less easy perhaps. It also doesn’t help that I’ve fallen off this bandwagon a little. About a quarter of the songs are on streaming, which is mostly the latest series of group songs and one of the character solo albums. They have already announced that more old songs will be released over time. I’ll just cross out the affected ones for now, because it’s the majority of these and there isn’t much I can make up for; I’ll also add something streaming in the cases where it applies.

• OH MY GOD – Yep, it’s time for an all new era. Shinymas has the ability to flip the page on the entire music meta every so often by dropping a new group, and we still haven’t recovered from the first SHHiis reveal back in 2021.
• Shinography – Hige Driver’s masterpiece contribution to the franchise makes it its best group song I think. Just as good is the c/w, Dye the sky.
• 太陽キッス – Still one of the best all around songs from this series to me. It’s also a towel song, and a lot of fun.
• Alstroemeria – Alstroemeria (the unit) also started with a nice punchy song from the get go to set up the image of the group. Since I love cheeky pop love songs, I enjoyed all their songs, but still this one stands out the most to me.
• Wandering Dream Chaser – Let’s goooooo. Also Straylight unveil was just one of the overall most epic marketing thing the series has done and this song is front and center for that.
• Destined Rival – Let’s go, but harderrrr. Tracing Defender is an equally worthy alternative if you want something streaming.
• We can go now! – Hilarious fun song
• トライアングル – There’s a meme about this song but let’s just enjoy the fun song about tomorrow’s weather for once.
• Black Reverie – It isn’t l’Antica without the double bass drums, but I think this one has everything come together musically the best. Maybe try 浮動性イノセンス for something streaming?
• 幻惑SILHOUETTE – This is one of the songs that made me really curious about the creators of Shiny Colors. Yeah let’s write a song based on Plato’s Cave? Okay… The other thing you can try is 愚者の独白 which has a nice chorus too!
• SOS – Fuyuko is so good in the concerts!
• 相合学舎 – School units are the strongest together
• 神様は死んだ、って – Luca’s digital single dropped during Shiny Color’s Christmas concert in 2021 as a surprise encore. Killing god on his birthday became a legendary present from the game to all the producers out there, and it remains a banger a year later.
• ラブ・ボナペティート – Love Bon Appétit is a natural next step with the image of the Alstroemeria unit, but it still gets Shiny Color’s retro-future vibe. Try Give me some more… for a taste.
• Love Addiction – Also see above. Also hmm I wonder which unit I produce…
• いつだって僕らは – As a unit that debuted during COVID, noctchill had a rough time. Itsudatte Bokura wa is the main unit song, and their first public performance of this song was a bit of that mixed-feel tear-jerker that really hits home the restless and depressing ennui of the early 2021s.
• Fashionable – Imitation is flattery but it’s oddly appropriate in a song about being fashionable from a seiyuu-idol project catching today’s trends.

Others & Covers – crossed out if they’re not being streamed.

• ハッピース – It’s a fun song from the Dearly Stars DS game unit.
• VOY@GER – One of the latest entry at year 16, but it’s a new type of song for 765Pro. The all-unit version is great, but the individual units all have their take of the “rapping part” which results in all kinds of fun. The unit-based versions of the songs are available from each branch’s streaming library except Cinderella Girls (game size only) and 765PRO All Stars.
• VACATION – Wild cover from way back. Not to be confused with this also-ancient thing.
• 空 – Strictly speaking it’s a 765Pro song but that list got a bit long, so Kotori’s song is going here. There is also the recent spiritual sequel/prequel in 翼 from the Asayake wa Koganeiro manga which is oh so good also (but not yet streaming). The other Kotori songs on streaming are also great.
• Dance Dance Dance – This is from the recent console game Starlit Seasons, which features not only all 765Pro idols, but select ones from Shiny Colors, Million Live and Cinderella Girls. Pairs well with Kaede. Inotak makes a return here.