Ikimonogakari—named for the young students who care for classroom plants and pets—write J-pop songs that cut right to the heart. Several band members met as part of their first grade ikimonogakari; a decade later they were performing early songs on the street. In 2008, Ikimonogakari launched an unstoppable run of album chart toppers that only paused when the band took a short hiatus in 2017. The trio creates pop-rock with giant choruses brought to life by the stormy, powerful vocals of Kiyoe Yoshioka. Keyboards, guitars and harmonica round out the band’s electrifying sound.