MGA, aka Mrs. GREEN APPLE: A Beginner’s Guide to Japan’s Monster Band

Each year, the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) releases a Global Artist Chart recognizing the world’s best-selling artists of the previous year. This year’s report dropped in February, and Taylor Swift — whose album The Life of a Showgirl debuted with the largest week for an album and spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — was named the most successful global artist of 2025.

With globally recognized names like Stray Kids, Drake, The Weeknd and Bad Bunny rounding out the upper tiers of the chart, MGA (outside Japan, Mrs. GREEN APPLE goes by MGA) stood out…