Japanese Music: Anyone listen to this stuff?

[SonGoku V3]

Maybe I should change the topic a little, anyone BUY this stuff? Just a few minutes ago I got about 8 cds I've ordered from CD Japan(www.cdjapan.co.jp), and I can already admit to loving the music, but jeez, the packaging is friggin AMAZING!! There's one artist named Gackt, whose cd Moon is one of the albums I purchased, and at first I thought the thing was a DVD! When fans of American artists and the music industry uses the argument of "buying a cd because of artwork.....blah blah blah", I say they haven't SEEN artwork until they've looked at Gackt's Moon CD. I mean, sweet Jesus, I'm debating whether I should even take the CD out of the case, I mean everything looks so nice and perfect. Also, the case looks like one of those X-men or Lord of the Rings DVDs, definitely worth the money spent for it(about $20). Also, Deep River by Hikaru Utada has some of the nicest booklet paper I've ever seen from an album, and not to mention the sweet little card that came with my Gomatto "Shall We Love" single. I am floored right now.......I mean, looking at this stuff, it makes me wonder if the American music industry would be in a sales slump if they went this far with their packaging, artwork, and just music in general. Maybe I'm crazy, but I think free and/or nice stuff could help boost sales of these albums here in the states, but what does a 17-year old music fan know anyway?

Back to the original topic though, does anyone else listen to or buy Jpop/JRock/JR&B(even if it is anime music )? I just don't want to feel like I'm the only one who listens to this stuff

[Matt Hazuda]

I just started listening to jpanese music again, but I still don't own any J-Pop CDs(The Cowboy Bebop CD that came with the DVD boxset doesn't count, because that's mainly english), but I found this great internet raido station called Japan-A-Radio that plays a bunch of J-Pop and anime music(they're playing the english version of "Come Sweet Death" from End of Eva right now. I know it's not japanese, but I really like it ) and they also play Hikaru Utada's japanese version of "Simple and Clean" from Kingdom Hearts. My two favorite songs right now are "Cinderella Story" from Tenchi Muyo! and "Lights brought the future" by Globe.

I recommend checking out this site if you haven't. It's really good, and the quality is great! A dial-up version of the station is available as well though.

[Mackenzie Rainelle]

Oooh, another Gackt minion! I'm a Jrock/pop fangirl. I listen to Gackt
Malice Mizer
Hikaru Utada
L'Arc En Ciel
Luna Sea (DAMN, I love name puns! XD)
Ayumi Hamasaki
anything composed by Yoko Kanno
Two-Mix
Dream
SES
Dir en Grey
GLAY
XJapan
Shinohara Tomoe
Do As Infinity

[Chris Wood]

I buy some Japanese music, but I hate fluffy boy/girl band stuff. I prefer rock in general. I'm a bit out of touch since returning to the US in 2000, but a few of the bands I like are:
X-Japan
Fuji Fumiya
B'z
Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi
Loudness
Ulfuls (don't know how to spell it in English)
Bluehearts
Dragon Ash
Seikimatsu
Yellow Monkey

[Krayenhoff]

I'm not a big fan of Japanese music, but I refuse to listen to any songs that have random English thrown in.

[Chris Wood]

Originally posted by Krayenhoff
I'm not a big fan of Japanese music, but I refuse to listen to any songs that have random English thrown in.

I guess rap is out then, huh?

[Barb Gordon]

I remember Gackt. I have a younger friend, he's still in high school, and he's an avid Gackt fan. Had all his cd's and everything, I've only listened to two or so of his songs myself. I like J-pop though I tend to listen to Anime soundtracks alot more. I don't have any specific artist's CD's, only a handful of mixed CD my best Otaku buddy gave me in an effort to enlighten me on J-pop a few years ago.

~Barb

[Psilon]

My roommate constantly listens to the stuff. Its too damn cheery.
I'll take Blind Guardian and Dream Theater.

[James]

I enjoy some of Faye Wong's works - thanks to a mate in America who sent me some of her stuff that he had imported from Japan (her music travels far and wide!). I think the phonetic sound of the Japanese language is beautiful in songs. It has such a gentle dancing quality to the sound - particularly on women.

I really need to explore the market more. Oh and the Gatchaman Anime theme, Da Da is one of the best songs - I learnt that phonetically once so I could use it at a gig - never had the guts in the end!

[Taiso]

Faye Wong sings mostly in chinese....since she started out in Hong Kong. I'm chinese, but most Japanese music gets imported over to Hong Kong, so I've got my fair share. I love Japanese r'n'b, I think some of it is easily comparable to the americans, but I like some other stuff too, Favourite artists are:

Misia
Utada Hikaru
Ken Hirai
Love Psychedelico
Toshi Kabuto(he has an english album too, and it's fab! Sounds just like Maxwell)
Dragon Ash

[Chris Wood]

Originally posted by Psilon2011
My roommate constantly listens to the stuff. Its too damn cheery.
I'll take Blind Guardian and Dream Theater.

If you're into metal, check out these Japanese bands:
X-Japan
Loudness
Seikimatsu

Sex Machineguns
Anthem
United
Outrage

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

Crazy CD cover of the day, from the J-pop band Ulfuls

[DisneyBoy]

I have a friend who is massively into Japanese techno. When we were in New York, we spent almost an hour and half in this one store in Chinatown and I nearly killed myself. That music...

[Elven Moon]

Originally posted by Good Ol' Batmanuel!
Crazy CD cover of the day, from the J-pop band Ulfuls

LOL! Oh I want, I want!

My favorite Jpop band is Morning Musume - they're so CUTE and cheery, I just can't resist But I also love The Brilliant Green, Maaya Sakamoto, etc.

[Mackenzie Rainelle]

I think it's on the International Channel (not sure though), but some digital cable/satellite channel airs "Hey! Hey! Hey!", which is like a Japanese Top 10. They had Gackt on as a guest a few weeks ago, and one of the male hosts was ha*rass*ing the poor jrocker, who did NOT look thrilled about it. Geez, first Shingo Mama, then that, no wonder he's been cracked in the head lately.

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

Tak Matsumoto from the band B'z was a guest on Steve Vai's album "The Ultra Zone." I had heard of B'z somewhere, but had never heard them. After Vai's album, though, I checked them out and they're pretty cool!

[Outlander00]

I have starting to get into listening more of it, especially after haven played Kingdom Hearts and hearing the track by Hikaru Utada. Unfortunately, I didnt know of anymore artists (until this thread came along anyway ).

[Chris Wood]

Originally posted by Good Ol' Batmanuel!
Tak Matsumoto from the band B'z was a guest on Steve Vai's album "The Ultra Zone." I had heard of B'z somewhere, but had never heard them. After Vai's album, though, I checked them out and they're pretty cool!

B'z has a few cool rock songs, but for all the rockstar posturing they mostly do silly pop fluff. "Real Thing Shakes" is my favorite song.

[finbarlafume]

I'm a big classical music fan and one of my favourite composers is Akira Ifukube. I've managed to find about 10 CDs of his stuff on import... fantastic! The kind of stuff I've listened to on repeat mode for three hours straight.
He also does film scores, but I prefer his classical compositions.

[SonGoku V3]

Originally posted by Taiso
I love Japanese r'n'b, I think some of it is easily comparable to the americans, but I like some other stuff too, Favourite artists are:

Misia
Utada Hikaru
Ken Hirai
Love Psychedelico
Toshi Kabuto(he has an english album too, and it's fab! Sounds just like Maxwell)
Dragon Ash

YAY! Another JR&B fan! If you like the said artists, I definitely recommend checking out Chemistry, Skoop on Somebody, and Crystal Kay if you haven't already.

It's interesting how I found out about Gackt, because I was first looking into Morning Musume at the time. Anyway, there was this clip of a show called Music Station(I think, it might have been another) where one of the members, Ai Kago, is talking about going on a date with Gackt. Ever since that clip and hearing the man tell the poor girl he was a 400 year old vampire, I've been interested in him ever since!

Elven Moon:
WOO-HOO! Another MoMusu fan........not too many people are willing to go near their music, and when you listen, it almost becomes too impossible to resist. Do you know all the members yet? I used to like Maki, but she's gone, and Makoto(check avatar) is my new girl, but now I'm balbbling I'm surprised to see so many people atleast familiar with it though, because I knew Mackenzie was a Gackt girl, but I didn't know if anyone else was really familiar with it.