Welcome to our annual JROCK NEWS Top 10 ranking! Each year, we strive to highlight the visual kei and Japanese rock artists who made waves, and 2025 was a fiercely competitive year. From ambitious worldwide tours to breakout acts, the scene was anything but quiet. Expect familiar faces, exciting discoveries, and plenty of music to turn up loud.
Reader votes from X, Facebook, and Instagram helped shape both our picks and our rankings. Read on for JROCK NEWS’ top visual kei and Japanese rock artists of 2025!
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Top 10 visual kei artists
1. D’ESPAIRSRAY
When we think of visual kei in 2025, we think of the pivotal return of D’ESPAIRSRAY. The beloved band had been frozen in a 15-year deep sleep after entering a hiatus due to vocalist Hizumi’s physical condition. In the years that followed, each member remained active through various projects, including Luv PARADE, H.U.G, THE MICRO HEAD 4N’s, and “NUL.“. Yet it felt as though D’ESPAIRSRAY was quietly waiting for the right moment, when Hizumi was ready to return, and that moment finally arrived.
When it did, the shock was felt around the world, sparking thousands of reactions from international fans. It felt like a rare unifying moment for the global visual kei fanbase.
A high-profile appearance at CROSS ROAD Fest and the announcement of their sold-out May 2026 solo live, RAPTURE, proved that fan devotion remains as strong as ever. In our exclusive interview, the band immediately expressed a desire to tour overseas again, and they made good on that promise with their booking at B7KLAN J-ROCK FEST in Paris this year.
D’ESPAIRSRAY further marked their return by releasing their entire back catalogue on digital platforms, allowing fans worldwide to rediscover their music or experience it for the first time.
2. DAMNED
Despite just celebrating their third anniversary and undergoing a major lineup change in 2024, DAMNED experienced explosive growth in 2025. Touring overseas is ambitious for even established bands, but this relative newcomer blew away expectations with their first European tour, JUKAI. This signaled their growing momentum outside of Japan.
Remaining proudly indie, DAMNED released a steady stream of singles in 2025, sharpening their technical, blisteringly loud sound with each release. They also stood out as one of the few visual kei bands distributing music via Bandcamp, offering high-quality downloads while ensuring fair compensation for artists.
Overall, this was the year DAMNED stopped feeling like a rising act and became a force to be reckoned with! Be sure to check out their latest single, ShoKu (蝕), which features guest guitarist Cazqui (Cazqui’s Brutal Orchestra; formerly in NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST).
3. DEVILOOF
Not many bands get to go major. That’s something DEVILOOF managed to do this year while staying true to their sound. They hosted their own events and even released the slamming single INSHU (因習).
After striving for a European tour since 2017, the band achieved a goal nearly eight years in the making: in 2025, the band finally took on Europe with their nine-stop European tour, THE UNHOLY.
DEVILOOF proved their resiliency with the departure of their drummer, Kanta. With the introduction of their newest drummer, NAO, the band is primed to make waves in the year ahead. Staying true to their roots and branching out with more international shows means DEVILOOF was a heavy hitter this year.
Curious what the band thought about finally touring Europe? Check out our interview with the members here!
4. DEXCORE
DEXCORE shared many exciting and melancholy moments with fans this year. Fans received a non-stop supply of live performances across Japan, as well as a China tour, to experience the eccentric atmosphere of a DEXCORE show. The year also didn’t come without hardships; the heartbreaking loss of bassist TO-RU on September 19 has left a hole in DEXCORE and the hearts of their many fans around the world.
Their long-awaited second full album, WE WERE HERE, released in May, serves as a welcome send-off to TO-RU, featuring his last recorded material as part of DEXCORE. The 17-track album showcases DEXCORE at their best, featuring intense new songs with variety that make for an engaging listening experience from start to finish. November saw the release of the song Later alongside a music video. Although the band has no intention to release Later via streaming or digital purchase, it has hyped fans up for the band’s future endeavors in 2026.
5. DIR EN GREY
In 2025, DIR EN GREY reaffirmed their global dominance. The band stayed relentlessly active, touring across Japan, North America, and Asia, reaching thousands of fans worldwide. They fueled anticipation for the future with the announcement of their upcoming album MORTAL DOWNER, alongside two additional Japan tours slated for 2026. Honoring their legacy, DIR EN GREY celebrated the 25th anniversary of their album MACABRE with a vinyl release. They also released a documentary concert film from their 2024 European tour, DIR EN GREY LIVE FILM Zankyou no Ketsumyaku.
In 2025, we had the opportunity to interview guitarist Die on the band’s legacy and the road ahead. If it makes you nostalgic for their live presence, check out our live report from their April 8 performance in Los Angeles.
See the rest of the visual kei top list:
6. JILUKA
7. Fukuro
8. lynch.
9. KAMIJO
10. BUCK-TICK
Top 10 Japanese rock artists
1. HYDE
HYDE‘s 2025 was nothing short of expansive. He completed his nearly one-and-a-half-year-long HYDE [INSIDE] world tour, with shows in Japan, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Going one step beyond that, internationally accessible livestreams and theater broadcasts across Asia brought his performances to even wider audiences. On home soil, HYDE took center stage at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, delivering a special live performance for “Wakayama Day” that celebrated the history, culture, and spirit of his home prefecture.
Looking ahead, HYDE’s upcoming birthday livestream, to be broadcast online and in theaters across Japan, signals the start of his next chapter, HYDE Orchestra Tour 2026 JEKYLL. His first orchestra tour in five years includes a special performance in Vienna, Austria, where he will become the first Japanese rock artist to perform with a Viennese orchestra. His role as Austria’s Tourism Ambassador, first awarded in January 2024, has also been extended for another year.
In 2025, HYDE reinforced his status as a truly global artist while breaking musical boundaries in new and novel ways.
Don’t miss our one-on-one video interview with HYDE here!
2. Dimrays
The underground scene is hot with unique talent. Enter Dimrays: a female duo out of Osaka with fire in their eyes, absolutely electric stage presence, and command over a crowd like seasoned pros. Dimrays puts on a show like no other and definitely demands your time. They started the year with their fifth single, BAD TASTE releasing in January, and used that to propel shows with undying energy. Here’s to next year; let’s get another release with all the chaos we all love and need.
Dimrays owned the crowd at our 10th anniversary concert, JROCK NEWS presents PULSE vol. 1 in September. Their fierce set made them a crowd favorite! To learn more about these up-and-comers, check out our video interview with them here.
3. GUNGIRE
GUNGIRE takes a spot mostly due to their presence in the underground scene this year. Seemingly starting out as an emergency measure to fill a time slot, the band kept on with their almost joke-like lyrics and themes. In 2025, GUNGIRE was relentless with their live shows, cornering the market on their fellow performers’ fans. Not only this, they released an absolute banger of an EP, Outlive, in June.
GUNGIRE was one of the most-anticipated acts at our 10th anniversary concert, JROCK NEWS presents PULSE vol. 1 in September. Get more acquainted with “Japan’s angriest rock band” in our video interview, here.
4. HANABIE.
“HANABIE.” commanded main stages at major international festivals like Wacken Open Air, Sziget, and Leyendas del Rock, while also performing at the legendary Vans Warped Tour in the United States. This momentum fueled a massive EU & UK 2025 tour that stormed through dozens of cities, selling out venues from Glasgow to Madrid. Building on that live energy, the quartet closed the European tour by announcing a new EP, titled HOT TOPIC.
Regarding studio milestones, the high-energy single Oishii Survivor debuted as the opening theme for the anime Momentary Lily. Success in the animation world continued with Karu Garu Everyday!!, the theme song for the anime short series Araiguma Calcal-dan, and placements that introduced a signature sound to global mainstream audiences.
By consistently delivering unforgettable live experiences and pushing the boundaries of the genre, HANABIE. proved this project belongs at the very top of the scene.
5. MAZARI
MAZARI, a newcomer to the anti-idol scene, has already made a scary first impression. Built on heavy music and a concept drawn from Japanese curses, the group features guitar work by Leda (ex-DELUHI). In 2025, they celebrated their first anniversary with a notable support lineup: Ray (DEVILOOF), Akinori (lynch.), and Hibiki (Matenrou Opera).
In just one year, MAZARI has cultivated a cult following among idol and metal fans, showing significant growth in their live performances, with three members now also contributing scream vocals. They are one of the few idol acts that stand out both musically and visually, a distinction reflected in their music videos, which regularly draw 100–200 thousand views. Their rise from zero to this level of recognition is nothing short of impressive.
See the rest of the Jrock top list:
6. Ado
7. Crystal Lake
8. BAND-MAID
9. Paledusk
10. Knosis
We want to thank everyone who contributed with their top artists of this year! If you wish to contribute to next year’s top list, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and voice your opinions. Thanks for your continued support!
More top lists:
- Top 10 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2024
- Top 10 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2023
- Top 10 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2022
- Top 15 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2021
- Top 15 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2020
- Top 15 visual kei and Japanese rock artists 2019
- Top 15 visual kei and Japanese acts of 2018
- Top 15 visual kei and Japanese acts of 2017