JO1 Celebrates 5 Years with Groundbreaking “Best Of” Album

If JO1 hasn’t made it onto your playlist yet, this is your sign to hit play. The 11-member Japanese boy group – Sho, Ren, Ruki, Junki, Keigo, Takumi, Syoya, Shosei, Sky, Shion, and Issei – was born out of PRODUCE 101 JAPAN in 2020. With an eye-watering 65 million votes cast by fans (known as the “Nation’s Producers”), the lineup was decided, and a pop superheroes were born.

Since then, JO1 has built a career most Japanese artists can only dream of: nine #1 singles on the Oricon charts, two chart-topping albums on Billboard Japan, and a string of awards, including three MTV VMA Japan wins, three MAMA Awards, and a Japan Gold Disc Award. Oh, and their debut single Protostar? That went double platinum with over 300,000 copies sold in its first week.

But numbers only tell part of the story. With their recent first U.S. tour, they continue to energise their growing international fanbase. Now, five years into their journey, they’re taking a well-deserved moment to reflect – and to drop one of their biggest projects yet.

To celebrate their 5th anniversary, JO1 has just released a Best Of album that feels anything but like a look back. It’s a vibrant celebration of everything they’ve accomplished so far – and a loud, stylish announcement that they’re only getting started.

At the heart of the release is BE CLASSIC, a bold title track that reimagines Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (yes, that Beethoven) into a slick, great concept pop track. Released in advance on March 24, the song created a tsunami. As of April 2, it’s already sitting at #1 on both Billboard Japan’s Download Songs and Hot Shot Songs charts. Over on Oricon, the album is topping the daily sales charts, while the music video has racked up 10 million views in just nine days.

No big deal – just JO1 casually sampling Beethoven and turning it into a viral hit.

The track is special as it is a rearranged version of the group’s debut single, released again to reflect just how far they’ve come. Alongside BE CLASSIC, the Best Of album features five new tracks and a whopping 39 fan-voted favorites, handpicked by their loyal fandom, JAM. It’s a true blend of past and present—nostalgic, proud, and full of forward momentum.

Far from a simple greatest hits collection, the album (titled Feel the Classics) also presents fresh creativity and member-led contributions. Even after the fanfare of their Best Of album, JO1 aren’t hitting pause. They’ve announced plans to release an English version of BE CLASSIC by the end of April. And with their current slogan, Go to the TOP, they’re making it clear: JO1 is aiming for legacy status, not only chart-topping singles.

So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign to become a JAM, this is it. Turn up BE CLASSIC, feel the history, and get ready for whatever magic JO1 have planned next.

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}