(stylized in all caps as ONE OK ROCK) is a Japanese rock band, formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 2005. Originally five members, the band currently consists of vocalist Takahiro Moriuchi, guitarist and bandleader Toru Yamashita, bassist Ryota Kohama, and drummer Tomoya Kanki. Former members include drummer Yu Koyanagi and guitarist Alexander “Alex” Reimon Onizawa. They play varied styles of music, with songs ranging from alternative rock and emo to post-hardcore and pop punk.
One Ok Rock was affiliated originally with Amuse, Inc. ever since their debut in 2007. The band left Amuse on April 1, 2021 and established their own management agency, named 10969 Inc. In the United States, they are signed with record label Fueled by Ramen.
The band's name comes from "one o'clock", the time that the band used to practice their music on weekends. They chose to play at one o'clock in the morning because it was cheaper to use the rehearsal space during such hours. However, noticing that the Japanese language made no distinction between R's and L's, "O'CLOCK" transformed into "O'CROCK" or "O'KROCK", which later transformed into "OK ROCK". In addition, One Ok Rock can be expressed as "10969" (wan-ō-ku-ro-ku). The band uses both Japanese and English lyrics in their songs.
One Ok Rock rose to international fame with their 2012 single "The Beginning" from their sixth album Jinsei×Boku=, which led them to concerts and music festivals outside Asia. Following the success, the band started to release their later albums in two versions (Japanese-English and full English) with 2 to 3 different tracks in each version. Their seventh studio album, 35xxxv, became their first album which charted on US Billboard. It peaked at No. 11 on Heatseekers Albums, No. 43 on Independent Albums, No. 23 on the Hard Rock Albums, and No. 1 on the World Albums Chart. The band's eighth album, Ambitions, debuted at No. 106 on the US Billboard 200 and international charts while incorporating more arena rock and pop-rock. In 2019, the band adopted a more electronic and pop sound on their ninth album Eye of the Storm. In 2022, they experimented with more rock-centered sound while still incorporating modern pop-rock for their new album, Luxury Disease.
One Ok Rock won Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards for Eastern Breakthrough Male Band in 2016, and Rock Sound Awards for Best International Band in 2017 and Best Live Performance in 2018. The band was also nominated for two Alternative Press Music Awards – Best International Band in 2016 and Best Breakthrough Band in 2017.
History
2005–2006: Formation and early releases
The foundation for One Ok Rock began on July 29, 2005, when Toru Yamashita, a high school student, wanted to start a band. He invited his childhood friend Ryota Kohama, who was also a member of the hip-hop dance group HEADS they were both in years prior. He told Ryota to learn the bass and asked Alexander Onizawa, who was their senior in school, to join to be their guitarist and his classmate, Yu Koyanagi, to play drums. Toru was searching for a vocalist and found Takahiro Moriuchi, who was in another band performing. Impressed by Taka’s singing skill, Toru insisted him to join One Ok Rock instead. At first, Taka refused despite repeated attempts to sway him, but eventually, he joined the band. The band released their self-produced demo CD “Do You Know A Christmas?”. On December 21, 2005. There were only 200 copies of the CD. In 2006, they released 2 EPs, ONE OK ROCK and KEEP IT REAL. After signing with Amuse, Inc. Yu Koyanagi left the band to pursue an acting career and replaced by Tomoya Kanki who was a student at the ESP (Musical Academy) and was already in a band that was not going well. He then joined One Ok Rock in 2006 and became an official member when they debuted in 2007.