When Suchmos broke through in 2016 behind the smooth funk of “Stay Tune,” it felt like a sea change for Japanese music. After half a decade dominated by bubbly idol groups both female and male, here arrived an honest-to-goodness band capturing the sound and vibe of young folks in Japan. Boasting about being inspired only by authentic happenings in the member’s lives, the music the Kanagawa-born outfit created struck a nerve with young listeners, aided by a groove indebted to Jamiroquai and early ‘90s acid jazz.

The path from there ended up being trickier to navigate than expected, though it certainly had its highs. The group soared in the wake of “Stay Tune,” with big album sales for its sophomore effort The Kids and played a sold out show at Yokohama Stadium. Yet they also had to grapple with the realities of pop stardom and the challenges of wanting to be artistically ambitious when other forces expect the same old hits. This all culminated in Suchmos going on hiatus in 2021.

In early July, the band got back together. Suchmos played two shows at Yokohama Arena signifying its return, with a new EP on the way shortly after. In the time the project was away, music critics in Japan have hailed Suchmos as being representative of the decade’s sound, with Music Magazine going as far as to name “Stay Tune” as the best song of the 2010s owing to the way it blurred the retro with reality.

With Suchmos set to get back into the swing of things, now is a good time to revisit its rise.

Revvin’ Up

The members of Suchmos all criss-crossed with one another while growing up in the southern coast of Kanagawa Prefecture, even playing in bands while growing up. Eventual lead vocalist Kasai Yosuke (better known as Yonce) was pals too, though his first forays into music came via a more classic-rock-tinged outfit called Old Joe. Eventually, the other players who would constitute Suchmos (a name inspired by Louis Armstrong’s nickname “Satchmo”) offered him a chance to be the singer…an invitation he jumped at after spending so much time in a general rock outfit.

Suchmos combined elements of rock, funk, rap, jazz and dance music to create a sonic blend reflecting both the member’s individual upbringings and the wider taste of millennials in Japan. The group attracted attention from local live shows, but it wasn’t until an appearance at Fuji Rock Festival’s Rookie-A-Go-Go went very well that they really considered creating recorded material. That led to the pace-setting Essence EP and the band’s proper intro to the wider world, The Bay.

Right away, Suchmos’ debut established the group’s worldview. “I’m so cool / he’s so cool / she’s so cool / we cool / and you?” goes a hook that turns into a mantra, playing out against a guitar groove interrupted only by record scratching. It nods to hip-hop and Jimi Hendrix in equal measure, while establishing a unique perspective on Japanese youth. From there, The Bay shuffles from squiggly dancefloor flirtations (“GAGA”) to R&B struts (“Girls”) to jazzy minimalism (“Pacific”). Sometimes ecstatic and other times a bit melancholy, it introduced Suchmos as always grounded in reality…and always cool.

The album — along with a promotional strategy of giving out demos to fashion brands, stylists and other “cool” entities rather than the eternal drags that are the music and media industries — helped Suchmos gain attention and become a rising darling within the Japanese entertainment world. The group’s big breakout, though, was just around the corner.

Cruise Control

The stylish video for “Stay Tune” (above) came out at the very start of 2016, and quickly became a viral hit in a Japanese ecosystem where such YouTube sensations were a rarity. The sound, indebted to Jamiroquai but arriving at a moment when all things old were in with younger listeners including “city pop,” stood out, as did Yonce’s presence in the accompanying clip. Suddenly, Suchmos weren’t just a cool group of dudes, but a band capturing the mindset of Japan’s young adults.

The months that followed were a whirlwind, with the band releasing two well-received EPs building on “Stay Tune” while also exploring newer funk mutations, while also landing assorted brand partnerships and a growing number of TV appearances. It was all building towards January 2017’s The Kids, Suchmos’ defining statement of the time.

Its second full-length album encapsulated this big year, featuring “Stay Tune” along with the more cinematic-in-scope “Mint,” the chill “PINKVIBES” and much more. The band’s authenticity continued to be a guiding artistic principle, with all of the songs influenced by their actual experiences (no matter how hum-drum…”Snooze” details the challenges of trying to overcome a hangover, for example). Featuring slightly more rocking moments alongside Suchmos’ core style, it expanded  what they were capable of playing while still zoning in on what had made them a sensation. It was a hit, and pointed towards even more growth in the future.

Sometimes, though, getting too big can prevent some obstacles.

Engine Troubles

If there’s a point where Suchmos’ fortune started to change, it would probably be 2018 single “VOLT-AGE.” This more guitar-centric rocker isn’t a particularly bad song though it’s also a number finding the band operating in unfamiliar territory. It was created as national broadcaster NHK’s official theme song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the first time the group ever had to write a song for a tie-up promotion, forcing them to move away from its usual ethos of drawing from real life. The resulting number is fine if not a bit clunky during its seven-minute-plus runtime (soccer references abound), but hit at a tension it now faced having achieved this kind of popularity.

Music industry demands started weighing on Suchmos, and interviews with Yonce from this time hint at the year after The Kids being a frustrating time. Part of the challenge came from the group’s desire to depart from the sound that made them popular in the first place. The 2018 EP The Ashtray hinted at a growing interest in classic rock, psychedelic sounds and general prog visions. Suchmos chased it, resulting in its third album being one of the wilder left turns sonically from a popular Japanese group during the 2010s.

The Anymal, released in 2019, saw the breezy funk and hip-hop accents of Suchmos’ breakthrough days tossed aside in favor of slow-burning rock songs pushing the ten-minute mark. It was an ambitious effort, but also one that sounded like a group just starting to experiment, with no actual finish line in sight. At its best, the group find new angles to the sound they had already perfected. At its worst, The Anymal wanders around aimlessly, with guitar melodies going nowhere and Yonce scatting through a maze.

While celebrated by critics, the album was met with more confusion from listeners, and didn’t leave a strong impression after its release. Still, things were going well for the group in 2019, topped off by a solo show at Yokohama Arena, a particular triumph for these Kanagawa kids. Yet these highs were matched by lows, such as multiple dates needing to be cancelled due to bass player HSU’s poor health, and an entire Asian tour getting nixed. The forward momentum they had stalled.

By early 2021, it needed a break, and Suchmos announced an extended hiatus in February. Several months later, HSU died. The other members continued on in various projects or started side groups (such as Yonce’s more rock-oriented Hedigan’s), and it wasn’t clear when or if Suchmos would get back together.

Out Of The Garage

Before 2025, Suchmos’ legacy had been cemented. While its time at the center of Japanese music was overall short, music critics hailed the band as helping define the 2010s, with Music Magazine going as far as to call “Stay Tune” the best song of this decade. Its music became nostalgic, inspiring covers by younger groups. While young dudes themselves, Suchmos were all ready vintage. 

At the start of 2025, Suchmos stepped back into the spotlight. The band announced they would perform two shows at Yokohama Arena in June, followed by an assortment of festival appearances plus a new EP, with one song already previewed, above. Having already left a mark in Japanese rock history, perhaps now is the time for the band to truly set out on its next road.

Five Essentials

“Miree”

One of the first Suchmos songs is among the best, cruising out of the gate and backed by guitar melodies conjuring images of the Chigasaki coast.

“Stay Tune”

Not only its breakout moment, but the quintessential Suchmos sound captured in just under five minutes.

“Mint”

Suchmos go cinematic in scope. The funk grooves and breezy atmosphere remains, but the band found a way to turn it into something wide-screen fitting for this number, hinting at versatility in the process.

“PINKVIBES”

Relaxed as a Suchmos song can get, but “PINKVIBES” stands out in showcasing Yonce’s unique approach to vocals, using refined Japanese as if he’s penning a short story…and accenting it with English that just sounds good off the tongue.

“ROMA”

The Anymal works when viewed as a band just realizing they can deviate from its established sound, but shines brightest when finding new sonic perspectives to that style. “ROMA” is the highlight on this front, taking the groove of old Suchmos and deploying a new, refined palette to make it different.