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Ongaku Magazine is a teen-run music magazine, an independent collective of writers, critics, musicians, and producers under twenty. Explore below to find our original teen-written content, curated-playlists, charts, resonate with various topics surrounding the music industry.
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See the Ongaku Charts
Ongaku Magazine publishes two curated ranking charts: a Top 25 Songs chart and a Top 20 Artists chart. Unlike sales-driven lists, our charts prioritize artistry — the compositional craft, emotional depth, innovation, and lasting resonance of a track or artist — over immediate commercial performance. We hold that true artistry shouldn’t be reduced to first-week streaming numbers or chart-topping ad buys; the most meaningful music often proves its value over time.
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kokoro ni ongaku.
The Revival of Cigarettes in Gen-Z Music Brands
From selfies on Dua Lipa’s Instagram, to being the main attraction in Charli xcx’s visual brand, having features on Malcolm Todd’s bedside, a grand contributor to Lana Del Rey’s “cool girl” aesthetic, cigarettes have been making a comeback in the pop culture scene and it’s raising some eyebrows. Why is it resurfacing now? How did it come about?
I Went to the Buena Vista Social Club: Here’s What I Thought
On a rainy Wednesday afternoon during my President’s Day Break, I had the opportunity to view the Tony Award-Winning Music, Buena Vista Social Club. A performance depicting real events with vibrance, sentiment, colors, music, and a history lesson, the show is a must-watch, and most certainly a celebration of music you just can’t miss.
Why You’re Wrong About the Grammys.
Why do the Grammys always give the biggest awards to the “wrong people”? How does the voting procedure work? Find out in this article.
Amid Political Tensions, Bad Bunny Provides a Much-Needed Performance
Just a week ago, Puerto Rican Artist, Bad Bunny, received the Grammy for ‘Best Musíca Urbana Album’ and called attention to a political reality that cannot be ignored. “ICE Out,” said Bunny on the 68th Grammy Stage. Tonight, he performed on the Super Bowl halftime show and provided a much-needed message for America.
The Top 10 Albums of 2025
Ongaku Magazine’s Top 10 Picks for the Albums of 2025. Includes our Honorable Mentions.


Most songs explore romance, but Type O Negative does not merely explore it, it wallows in it. The four-member band that started in 1989 has a plethora of songs within their discography that explores this phenomenon. The clearest example is “October Rust” (1996): an album both provocative and poetic, horny and sincere, and most importantly, an album built on contradictions.