The 50th Annual Japan Record Awards took place at the New National Theatre in Shibuya, Tokyo, on December 30, 2008, starting at 6:30PM JST. The primary ceremonies were televised in Japan on TBS.

Performers

• Wink
• Kome Kome Club
• Aki Yashiro
• Shinichi Mori

Awards winners

• Japan Record Award: - Ti Amo
  • Artist: Exile
  • Songwriter and Composer: Kiyoshi Matsuo
  • Composer and Arranger Jin Nakamura
  • Record companies: Avex Entertainment
• Best Vocal Performance: Mitsuko Nakamura - Onna no Tabiji
• Best New Artist: Jero - Umiyuki
• Best album: Namie Amuro - Best Fiction

Nominees

Japan Record Awards

• Thelma Aoyama feat. SoulJa — "Soba ni Iru ne"
• Junko Akimoto — "Ai no mama de" (愛のままで...)
• W-inds. — "Ame Ato" (アメあと)
• Exile — "Ti Amo"
• Cute (°C-ute) — "Edo no Temari Uta II"
• Kumi Koda — "Moon Crying"
• Kazuyoshi Saito — "Ya Mujō" (やぁ 無情)
• Nana Tanimura — "Jungle Dance"
• Tohoshinki — "Dōshite Kimi o Suki ni Natte Shimattandarō?"
• Kiyoshi Hikawa — "Genkai Funauta" (玄海船歌)
• Kaori Mizumori — "Wajima Asaichi" (輪島朝市)
• Mihimaru GT — "Girigiri Hero"

Best New Artist

• Girl Next Door
• Jero
• Kimaguren
• Mai Fukui
• Kumiko Sakurai