UNISON SQUARE GARDEN

UNISON SQUARE GARDEN

Genres: J-rock, japanese, rock, j-pop, indie

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About UNISON SQUARE GARDEN

UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (ユニゾン・スクエア・ガーデン; short: USG) is a Japanese Pop/Rock band which formed in April 2004 and has been on hiatus since April 27th 2026. Members: ** Vocals & Guitar: 斎藤宏介 (Kousuke Saito) ** Bass & Backing Vocals: 田淵智也 (Tomoya Tabuchi ) Ex members: ** Drums & Backing Vocals: 鈴木貴雄 (Takao Suzuki; left the band on July 15th 2026) Biography: UNISON SQUARE GARDEN was formed on July 24, 2004, when Saito invited his high school bandmates Tabuchi and Suzuki to start a new band. On that day they entered a studio for the first time and played “Hoshioi-tachi no Inori.” At this stage the band was called Unison (ユニゾン), but July 24 is regarded as the official formation date of UNISON SQUARE GARDEN. A week later, on July 31, 2004, they competed in the TEENS’ MUSIC FESTIVAL instrument store competition and won the grand prize. On September 25 they changed their name from Unison to UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, and from their first live show in October at Otsuka CAVE onward, they consistently used the new band name. They took part in Teens 'Music Festival Musical Instrument Store Competition, they won the Grand Prix finally. Their early releases were electropop-based, but over time become a rock style. UNISON SQUARE GARDEN were previously signed to the indie record label UK PROJECT. In March 2005 they released their first demo CD, Ryūsei Kōro. Later that year, on October 5, they held their first self-produced event, Hakoniwa Nostalgia Vol.1, and released another demo CD, Sentimental Period. Their major-label debut came on July 23, 2008, with the single Sentimental Period, released by TOY’S FACTORY. On April 15, 2009, they released their first full-length album, UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, followed by a nationwide tour covering 22 venues. The latter half of the tour consisted of six one-man shows, while the remaining dates were three-band events. On May 11, 2011, they released their fifth single, Orion o Nazonru, which became the first release by the band to surpass 10,000 copies in cumulative sales. That summer, on August 20, they held their first-ever concert at Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. Their fourth album, CIDER ROAD, was released on February 6, 2013, debuting at number nine on the Oricon weekly album chart and marking their first top-10 album. On the same day, they released their first live video work, UNISON SQUARE GARDEN ONEMAN TOUR 2012 ~Spring Spring Spring~ at ZEPP TOKYO 2012.04.21. In February 2014, they made their first appearance on the TV program Music Station with the song “harmonized finale.” The following month, on March 24, Saito underwent surgery to remove vocal cord polyps, leading the band to announce a hiatus of about a month and a half and cancel their scheduled appearance at VIVA LA ROCK. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, they released the commemorative album DUGOUT ACCIDENT on July 22, 2015. Two days later, on July 24, they performed their first concert at Nippon Budokan, marking their 11th year as a band with the special live event “fun time 724.” On the same day, they launched their official fan club, UNICITY. In October 2016, they became regular hosts of the radio program R&R Band Wagon, which ran until September 2018. This was followed by their first self-titled radio show, UNISON SQUARE GARDEN no Kizai-sha Radio, which began airing in October 2018 and continued until October 2021. July 2019 saw several major releases, including the band’s first B-side collection album, Bee-Side Sea-Side, as well as reissues of their indie-era works Shinsekai Note and Ryūsei Zen’ya. On July 24, they released a 15th anniversary tribute album, Thank you, ROCK BANDS!, and three days later held their 15th anniversary live show “Program 15th” at Maishima Sports Island. In 2021, the band carried out four nationwide tours within a single year, including both new and revival tours. In 2023, they reached a major milestone when their ninth album, Ninth Peel, topped the Oricon chart for the first time in their career, and also earned their first number-one spot on the Billboard Japan chart. Throughout 2024, UNISON SQUARE GARDEN celebrated their 20th anniversary with the large-scale project “20-nenme no Prologue.” Highlights included a three-day run at Nippon Budokan from July 24 to 26, the release of their 20th anniversary best album SUB MACHINE, BEST MACHINE on July 24, and a supporting tour. Additional events included revival and special one-man shows, a joint live tour, the release of their 20th single Bōjaku no Charisma in October, and a grand finale concert in December at Intex Osaka. They also announced the launch of their official Instagram account at the end of the year. In 2025, the band embarked on a nationwide tour in support of Bōjaku no Charisma, released multiple live video works documenting their anniversary performances, and held a fan club–exclusive concert to mark the 10th anniversary of UNICITY at K Arena Yokohama. A new nationwide hall tour is scheduled to begin in December. Looking ahead, UNISON SQUARE GARDEN are set to release a double A-side single, Uruwashi / Azalea no Kaze, on January 21, 2026. On April 27th 2026, drummer Takao Suzuki announced that he would leave the band after the performance at Makuhari Messe on July 15, 2026. As a result, the band will cease activities under its current lineup and go on hiatus. His statement: "Sorry! I've decided to quit the band! Throughout our long band activities, there were many times when I clashed with the other members. In 2025, we had a major falling out over differences in management policies. During that time, Tabuchi approached us saying, "I'm exhausted after 20 years, and I want to quit." One of the main causes of that exhaustion was myself. I wanted to continue the band, so I suggested various ways of doing things, but we couldn't find a good compromise. However, it would be a waste if the band were to disappear altogether, so I decided to quit and prioritize the band's survival. The fact that we were able to work with such a miraculous group of members, and that we were blessed with such wonderful fans, I am fully aware of the significant losses I will face. However, I have spent the past year coming to terms with my decision and solidifying my resolve. I still have many things I want to do in the future, and I have many friends who will support me. Thanks to them, I have resolved to live with hope. So please don't worry. I will share updates about my future plans on this account after my farewell concert. (Suzuki Takao's channel will continue to upload very catchy videos even after this post.) I have always been and will continue to be grateful to all my fans. I hope that those who will continue to support me in the future will do so! As for UNISON, it might sound insincere to say that I'm supporting them from afar, but they are a great band, so I hope you will continue to support them!" They are signed to Sony Music Artists and TOY'S FACTORY. https://unison-s-g.com/

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