The following is an overview of the year 2008 in Japanese music. It includes notable awards, lists of number-ones, yearly best-sellers, albums released, groups established and disestablished, deaths of notable Japanese music-related people as well as any other relevant Japanese music-related events. For overviews of the year in music from other countries, see 2008 in music.

• December 31 – 29th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen

• May 30 – 2008 MTV Video Music Awards Japan
• December 30 – 50th Japan Record Awards

• Oricon number-one albums
• Oricon number-one singles
• Hot 100 number-one singles

The best-selling music artist in Japan in 2008 by value of sales, including sales of records and of DVDs and Blu-rays, according to Oricon, was Exile, with ¥19.58 billion.^[1]

The following is a list of the top 10 best-selling albums in Japan in 2008, according to Oricon.^[2]

The following section includes albums by Japanese artists released in Japan in 2008 as well as Japanese-language albums by foreign artists released in the country during this year.

• January 1 – Guilty by Ayumi Hamasaki
• January 23 - Night Fishing by Sakanaction
• January 30 – Kingdom by Kumi Koda
• January 30 – Darling by Yui Horie
• February 13 – Award Supernova: Loves Best by M-Flo
• February 13 – Love Is... by Sachi Tainaka
• February 20 – Complete Single Collection '97–'08 by The Brilliant Green
• February 27 – The Face by BoA
• February 27 – Daiji na Mono by Idoling!!!
• February 27 – Izayoi no Tsuki, Canaria no Koi. by Yukari Tamura
• March 5 – World World World by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
• March 12 – Kyokuto Symphony: The Five Stars Night @Budokan by Nightmare
• March 12 – Namida no Kiseki by Ai Nonaka
• March 19 – Heart Station by Hikaru Utada
• March 26 – Exile Catchy Best [ja] by Exile
• March 26 – Shion by MUCC
• April 2 – Hikari Nadeshiko by Eiko Shimamiya
• April 9 – Gokutama Rock Cafe by An Cafe
• April 9 – I Loved Yesterday by Yui
• April 16 – Game by Perfume
• April 23 – Dream "A" Live by Arashi
• May 14 – Superfly by Superfly
• June 4 – KAT-TUN III: Queen of Pirates by KAT-TUN
• June 18 – B'z The Best "Ultra Pleasure" by B'z
• June 23 – Hayley Sings Japanese Songs by Hayley Westenra
• June 25 – Ā, Domo. Ohisashiburi Desu. by Greeeen
• June 25 – Honey by Chara
• July 9 – Panic Fancy by Orange Range
• July 11 – Envy/Jesu by Envy and Jesu
• July 20 – Best Fiction by Namie Amuro
• July 23 – Hakai by Wagdug Futuristic Unity
• July 23 – Love & Peace by Emi Tawata
• July 30 – Best Fiction by Namie Amuro
• September 3 – Arigatō by Hatsune Okumura
• September 10 – 5 by Berryz Kobo
• September 10 – A Complete: All Singles by Ayumi Hamasaki
• September 17 – B'z The Best "Ultra Treasure" by B'z
• September 24 – Fairy Dance: Kokia Meets Ireland by Kokia
• November 5 – Best Destiny by Miliyah Kato
• November 11 – Uroboros by Dir En Grey
• November 12 – Kanjō Effect by One Ok Rock
• November 12 – My Short Stories by Yui
• November 19 – More! More! More! by Capsule
• November 19 – Color by NEWS
• November 26 – Voice by Mika Nakashima
• December 3 – Exile Ballad Best [ja] by Exile
• December 3 – Me... by Emi Hinouchi
• December 10 – Awake -Evoke the Urge- by Deathgaze
• December 12 – Supermarket Fantasy by Mr. Children
• December 17 – Kirari to Fuyu by Koharu Kusumi
• December 17 – Love Letter by Ai Otsuka

• Afilia Saga
• Dempagumi.inc
• Girl Next Door
• Hangry & Angry
• Happiness
• no3b
• Momoiro Clover Z
• SKE48
• Shugo Chara Egg!
• Watarirouka Hashiritai 7

• Athena & Robikerottsu

• 2008 in Japan
• 2008 in Japanese television
• List of Japanese films of 2008