2016 in Japanese music
The year 2016 in Japanese music.
Events
- 67th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Number-ones
- Oricon number-one albums
- Oricon number-one singles
- Hot 100 number-one singles
Best-sellers
Artists
The following is a list of the 5 best-selling music artists in Japan in 2016 by value of sales, including sales of records and of DVDs and Blu-rays, according to Oricon.| Rank | Artist | Value |
| 1 | Arashi | |
| 2 | Sandaime J Soul Brothers | |
| 3 | Nogizaka46 | |
| 4 | AKB48 | |
| 5 | Kanjani8 |
Albums
The following is a list of the top 10 best-selling albums in Japan in 2016, according to Oricon.| Rank | Album | Artist | Copies |
| 1 | Are You Happy? | Arashi | 747,115 |
| 2 | The JSB Legacy | Sandaime J Soul Brothers | 643,115 |
| 3 | Fantôme | Utada Hikaru | 569,963 |
| 4 | Ano Hi, Ano Toki | Kazumasa Oda | 412,496 |
| 5 | Various Artists | 362,024 | |
| 6 | Your Name | Radwimps | 351,811 |
| 7 | Sorezore no Isu | Nogizaka46 | 331,848 |
| 8 | Fuku no Oto | Masaharu Fukuyama | 302,628 |
| 9 | Cho Ikimonobakari ~Tennen Kinen Members’ BEST Selection~ | Ikimonogakari | 294,207 |
| 10 | DEAR | Hey! Say! JUMP | 292,426 |
Singles
Oricon
The following is a list of the top 10 best-selling singles in Japan in 2016, according to Oricon.| Rank | Single | Artist | Copies |
| 1 | "Tsubasa wa Iranai" | AKB48 | 1,519,387 |
| 2 | "Kimi wa Melody" | AKB48 | 1,294,962 |
| 3 | "Love Trip / Shiawase wo Wakenasai" | AKB48 | 1,213,660 |
| 4 | "High Tension" | AKB48 | 1,202,533 |
| 5 | "Sayonara no Imi" | Nogizaka46 | 910,811 |
| 6 | "Hadashi de Summer" | Nogizaka46 | 851,229 |
| 7 | "I Seek/Daylight" | Arashi | 828,533 |
| 8 | "Harujion ga Sakukoro" | Nogizaka46 | 828,315 |
| 9 | "Fukkatsu Love" | Arashi | 541,121 |
| 10 | "Power of the Paradise" | Arashi | 471,619 |
Billboard Japan
The following is a list of the top 10 best-selling singles in Japan in 2016, according to Billboard Japan's year-end Top Singles Sales chart.| Rank | Single | Artist | Copies |
| 1 | "Tsubasa wa Iranai" | AKB48 | 2,507,000 |
| 2 | "Kimi wa Melody" | AKB48 | 1,482,000 |
| 3 | "High Tension" | AKB48 | 1,438,000 |
| 4 | "Love Trip / Shiawase wo Wakenasai" | AKB48 | |
| 5 | "Sayonara no Imi" | Nogizaka46 | 918,000 |
| 6 | "Hadashi de Summer" | Nogizaka46 | |
| 7 | "I Seek/Daylight" | Arashi | |
| 8 | "Harujion ga Sakukoro" | Nogizaka46 | |
| 9 | "Fukkatsu Love" | Arashi | |
| 10 | "Chicken Line" | SKE48 |
Awards
- 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Japan
Albums released
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Deaths
- February 10 – Asami Nagakiya, 30, Japanese steel pan player
- April 3 – Kōji Wada, 42, Japanese singer and songwriter