2004 : 10 "Getsu to Oji" by Kenji Ninuma

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If I can step outside of the field of music for a moment, I'd like to point out that 2004 was the year that marked the release of Katamari Damacy, a video game for the Playstation 2 that constitutes a cultural touchstone of the decade in its own quirky Japanese way. Katamari Damacy—and its sequel, We Love Katamari (2005)— were beloved among people who didn't ordinarily love video games, and there were undoubtedly a lot of reasons for that. Some were won over by the game's innovative mechanics, others by its cutesy character design. I kind of doubt that the game's kicking J-Pop soundtrack was the deciding factor that won over any holdouts, but on the other hand it probably didn't hurt. And even if you never played the game, you should still check out the music, if you have any interest in what global pop looks like in the Aughts. (This track backs the levels "Make A Star 2" and "Ursa Major.") —Jeremy Bushnell Listen: Kenji Ninuma >> "Getsu to Oji"