If you’re nostalgic for the idea of a monoculture, then Japan is currently the place to be. In recent months the country has been unified by a shared enthusiasm for the film “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle,” the Osaka Expo and the continued on-field achievements of baseball player Shohei Ohtani.
Add Kenshi Yonezu to that list. His blippy, fidgety single, “Iris Out,” dropped in mid-September and was an instant hit. It broke Spotify Japan’s record for most streams by a song on its release day ever, and hasn’t budged from the top of the streamers’ domestic Top 50 since. The video has racked up more than 74 million views in under two months, while the track has topped the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for six straight weeks.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.