Best Artist 2026 celebrates its 25th anniversary with live performances by about 40 artists, hosted by Sho Sakurai and others.

Best Artist 2026, the NTV music festival that began broadcasting in 2001 and is celebrating its memorable 25th anniversary this year. The chief host will be Sho Sakurai, and the hosts will be Shinichi Hatori, Bakarhythm, and announcer Reina Ichiki, and it will be delivered live again this year. The program’s theme is "A Journey Through Music." Looking back on this year together with music, it will unravel during the journey why those songs resonated with people’s hearts... A five-hour live broadcast by about 40 luxurious artists in total. Part 1 will air from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (excluding some regions), and Part 2 will air from 7:00 p.m. to 10:54 p.m. And today, the second wave of appearing artists was revealed. It has been decided that Spitz, a four-member rock band formed in 1987 and major-debuted in 1991, will appear on Best Artist for the first time. Even this year, when they are celebrating their 35th debut anniversary, they continue to be active energetically, and their song "Mishiranu Ito," written as a drama theme song for the first time in seven years, became a huge hit representing this summer. Spitz, a national band, will gently color the stage of the 25th-anniversary Best Artist. It has also been decided that Snow Man, whose latest album "AMENITY" achieved a first-week million and became the second act in history after B’z to achieve five consecutive first-week million album releases, will appear. They, whose great leap forward does not stop with their high performance ability x overwhelming individuality, will greatly enliven the Best Artist stage. KEY TO LIT, a five-member group formed in February 2025, with all members having more than 10 years of junior history, has just announced that they will release their debut single on Wednesday, December 9, and it has been decided that they will appear on Best Artist for the first time. The five, who are stepping into a new stage with the individuality and solid ability each has cultivated, are drawing great attention. Furthermore, on the stage of Tokyo DisneySea®, which is celebrating its memorable 25th anniversary, luxurious artists will present a special performance for one night only. Travis Japan will perform "Jamboree Mickey! Evolution," Kohei Matsushita will perform "Remember Me" (from the Disney and Pixar film "Coco"), =LOVE will perform "Let’s Build a Snowman" (from the Disney film "Frozen"), May J. will perform "Let It Go ~Ari no Mama de~ (End Song)" (from the Disney film "Frozen"), and Raul (Snow Man) & Minju (ILLIT) will perform "A Whole New World" (from the Disney film "Tangled"), among others, making it a one-night-only special performance on a dream stage. It has also been decided that a special group-song shuffle medley by nine STARTO artists, a special 25th-anniversary project, will be held. The performers are Hey! Say! JUMP, timelesz, King & Prince, SixTONES, Snow Man, Naniwa Danshi, Travis Japan, Aぇ! group, and KEY TO LIT. The songs they will sing will be revealed later. In addition, appearances by luxurious artists such as Aina the End, ILLIT, Aぇ! group, JO1, Choutokkyuu, Naniwa Danshi, Number_i, and Ryokuoushoku Shakai (in Japanese syllabary order) have been decided one after another. On the next occasion, Friday, November 20, the third wave of luxurious appearing artists is planned to be revealed. Attention is also gathering on information about further special projects that can only be seen on Best Artist. ■Broadcast information NTV music festival "Best Artist 2026" Broadcast date: Saturday, November 28, 2026 Part 1: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. *excluding some regions Part 2: 7:00 p.m. to 10:54 p.m. <Performers> Chief host: Sho Sakurai Hosts: Shinichi Hatori, Bakarhythm, Reina Ichiki (Nippon Television announcer) <Appearing artists (first and second waves)> Aina the End, ILLIT, =LOVE, Aぇ! group, EXILE, KEY TO LIT, King & Prince, Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS, JO1, SixTONES, Snow Man, Spitz, timelesz, Choutokkyuu, Travis Japan, Naniwa Danshi, Number_i, HANA, BE:FIRST, Hey! Say! JUMP, Kohei Matsushita, Mrs. GREEN APPLE, M!LK, May J., Yuzu, Ryokuoushoku Shakai (in Japanese syllabary order) ■Related site: "Best Artist 2026" official site ■Broadcast information NTV music festival "Best Artist 2026" Broadcast date: Saturday, November 28, 2026 Part 1: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. *excluding some regions Part 2: 7:00 p.m. to 10:54 p.m. <Performers> Chief host: Sho Sakurai Hosts: Shinichi Hatori, Bakarhythm, Reina Ichiki (Nippon Television announcer) <Appearing artists (first and second waves)> Aina the End, ILLIT, =LOVE, Aぇ! group, EXILE, KEY TO LIT, King & Prince, Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS, JO1, SixTONES, Snow Man, Spitz, timelesz, Choutokkyuu, Travis Japan, Naniwa Danshi, Number_i, HANA, BE:FIRST, Hey! Say! JUMP, Kohei Matsushita, Mrs. GREEN APPLE, M!LK, May J., Yuzu, Ryokuoushoku Shakai (in Japanese syllabary order) ■Related site: "Best Artist 2026" official site