I Don’t Like Mondays. release ‘New York, New York’ single for 10th anniversary

J-rock unit I Don’t Like Mondays. have released their first single of 2024, ‘New York, New York’, kicking off the 10th-anniversary celebrations of their major debut.

Starting 2024 with a sprint, the band’s recent tour of China sold out instantly, and they provided the music and lyrics for boy band Snow Man’s 10th single ‘LOVE TRIGGER’, which soared to a million sales in just two days of its release.

I Don’t Like Mondays. pay homage to their roots in ‘New York, New York’, a poignant single that embraces the UK sound that has always inspired them. Vocalist YU, who spent his formative years in New York City, pours his heart into the lyrics, capturing the bittersweet essence of the iconic metropolis.

The song’s inception was a unanimous decision among band members and their team, signifying its significance as the inaugural release for their milestone anniversary. The accompanying jacket artwork features a photo taken by YU himself, adding a personal touch to the heartfelt tribute.

Comments from I Don’t Like Mondays:

I always wanted to create a song titled “New York”, that’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.

But I wondered if I had a city to devote my youth to, and inevitably, my attachment only grew stronger, leaving the hurdle very high all along.

When the sound of this song was first created, I thought intuitively, while listening to it, that maybe I could sing this song. It was the first time that happened. Perhaps reaching the 10th anniversary of the band’s debut also pushed me forward.

However, it wasn’t easy to figure out how to bring that city into the spotlight from any angle.

I’m in Japan, and that city was too dazzling.

In hindsight, we created a song that I really love.

Everything came together in perfect balance.

YU (Vo)

During the ten years until now, we’ve taken on various challenges, and what we’ve come to create now, the sound we most want to pursue, is the UK rock sound.

While keeping the tracks as simple as possible to express ourselves primarily as a band, there are developments that are uniquely us that go beyond just that.

For the first time in a while, we’re playing with live drums without layering too much programming.

Please listen to it at full volume!

SHUKI (Dr)

I Don’t Like Mondays. will begin their nationwide ‘Island Tour’ across Japan, spanning 13 cities from April 30th. Additionally, the band will hold their first full-scale tour in Asia this autumn titled ‘FOCUS’ ASIA TOUR, with 10 performances in eight cities.

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