Ai Scream!

Did You Know?

• The live-action music video for "Ai Scream!" was published on YouTube on August 31, 2025, directed by Atsunori Toshi with choreography by Chami.
• In June 2025, AiScReam collaborated with McDonald's in Japan for a promotional campaign called AiScReam × HiruMac, announced on June 30 via McDonald's Japan's official X account.

Background and release

AiScReam is a Love Live! unit that brings together performers from different eras of the franchise, a first for the series. It was created through the radio program Love Live! Series no All Night Nippon Gold. The group consists of Ruby Kurosawa (played by Ai Furihata) from Aqours, Ayumu Uehara (played by Aguri Onishi) from Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, and Shiki Wakana (played by Wakana Okuma) from Liella!. The unit was planned as a temporary project, and co-writer Hayato Yamamoto wanted the main song to be easy for audiences to sing along with, even on first listen. He got the idea after attending a Love Live! concert and being struck by how loudly and joyfully the crowd cheered. For the music, Yamamoto said he wasn't chasing any particular trend but has always loved the bright, sparkly, cute sound of Japanese idol pop. However, he described "Ai Scream!" as having a surprisingly heavy beat, with the singers' voices giving it a sweet surface while the core hits hard—a "sweet & spicy" mix. His main goal was to make a track where the rhythm and bass alone make people want to move. The second verse includes a call-and-response part based on the voice actresses' actual favorite ice cream flavors. The producer asked them for their preferences ahead of time and picked the ones that fit the rhythm best. Yamamoto explained that because the live concert energy was so important to him, he already had a clear picture in his head while producing: the whole venue shouting "Hai!" back and forth together.

Chart performance

"Ai Scream!" first appeared at number seven on Japan's Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for the week starting February 3, 2025, and also entered the Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales chart at number eight for the week of January 29, 2025. The song later reached number one on the Billboard Japan Heatseekers Songs Chart for the week of May 14, 2025. It then reclaimed the top spot for the week of May 28, 2025, after rising from number two the previous week. This resurgence was likely linked to the group's first television performance on NHK's Venue101 on May 24. Internationally, the track placed second on the Billboard Japan Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart.

Global impact

The viral spread of "Ai Scream!" on short-form video platforms pushed its popularity well outside Japan. By May 2025, it had reached number three on the Billboard Japan Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart. Luminate's Connect tool showed major streaming growth in Asia, especially in South Korea and Thailand, where the Love Live! franchise already had a dedicated audience. In week 10 (March 7–13, 2025), streaming also rose in Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, and Brazil. The song's "memeification" picked up in week 12 (March 21–27, 2025), with notable increases in North America and Europe. A major factor in its global reach was its adoption by K-pop artists, beginning with Ive on March 29, 2025, and later by Kep1er, BoyNextDoor, Tomorrow X Together, Twice, and Aespa, who posted videos or performed parts live. By week 14 (April 4–10, 2025), South Korea became the top streaming country outside Japan, sustaining high numbers for about a month.

Reception

Music critic Aone Komachi linked the hit song "Ai Scream!" with three other tracks—"Shikairo Days," Noa's "Any Angle," and M!LK's "Ii Jan"—noting they all share a catchy melody and phrase that get stuck in the head, prompting listeners to replay it. Komachi pointed to the mix of "loop × cute × surreal" as the reason these songs spread widely on social media.