Suchmos

Japanese rock band Suchmos is known for blending jazz, alt-rock, ’70s funk, and ’90s R&B in their music, and they have scored three consecutive Top 5 LPs across multiple charts in Japan. ∙ Founded in 2013, Suchmos chose their band name as a playful tribute to the legendary Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. ∙ Their debut LP, 2015’s The Bay, reached the Top 20 of Billboard Japan’s Hot Albums chart on the strength of the fan-favorite hit single “YMM.” ∙ The group won Best New Artist honors at the Apple Music Best of 2015 awards. ∙ The clip for their Top 20 hit “Mint”—from their 2016 release, Mint Condition – EP—won Best New Artist Video at the MTV Video Music Awards Japan. ∙ After being featured in a national ad campaign in 2016, their song “Stay Tune” became a viral hit, bringing added attention to their sophomore EP, Love&Vice. ∙ The Kids, their best-selling sophomore LP from 2017, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales chart.