So...J-Rock and Pop

I've been into JRPGs and animes for years now but never really got into the Japanese music scene.

But more recently my interest was sparked by....I haven't a clue really. I'm just random like that.

So I've been looking into the whole Visual Kei thing, mainly looking into the bands people around me have been yapping about since I got into Japanese media. Mainly Malice Mizer and X Japan so far.

Of course I'm also listening to some Gackt because the two songs I heard of his off the Dirge of Cerberus OST were pretty cool.

Though, even if he is like a Japanese superstar, I find Mana more interesting and am listening to his group, Moi dix Mois more than I am to Gackt.

Anyway, I'm just wondering:
1. What J-Rock and Pop do you listen to?
2. Do you have any suggestions on who I should look into?

Utada Hikaru
Ayumi Hamasaki
TETRA-FANG
The Pillows

That's all I know

This is going to be a mix of Korean and Japanese pop, bear that in mind, before any one yells at me for mixing up ethnicities.

Namie Amuro (<3)
Morning Masume (giant girls group that switches line-up every few years)
Ami Suzuki (FREE FREE is one of my favorite songs of ALL TIME)
Kumi Koda
Utada Hikaru (also look up her English stuff under the name Utada, love her!)
Girls Generation (Youtube "Gee" - cutest song EVER! They're kind of like the Korean Morning Masume)
Ayumi Hamasaki
Super Junior (Korean boys group)
Big Bang (Another really awesome Korean boys group)
Crystal Kay (half black - half korean singer who was raised in Japan)

Those are the obvious ones that come to mind. There's are a lot of people out there.

EDIT: I dunno if you're interesting in J-rap but Teriyaki Boyz are like, seriously one of my favorite groups out there. They're really fun and have a lot of collaborations with famous hip-hop artists.

Boom Boom Satellites is probably the only Japanese band I have because I really love the band, not because I heard a song in some show or something and liked it a lot xD


So my recommendation is Boom Boom Satellites for sure!

YouTube - Boom Boom Satellites - Def
YouTube - boom boom satellitesâ– The Wonderful Wizard Of Dub
YouTube - Boom Boom Satellites - BLINK
YouTube - Boom Boom Satellites - DRESS LIKE AN ANGEL


Another plus is all of their lyrics are in English, so my friends and family who normally can't stand my Japanese music like them!

Utada (This bish right here is fierce)
Namie (So is this bish)
Hyde
L'arc en ciel
The Mad Capsule Markets
Asian Kung Fu Generation
Teriyaki Boyz (If they count)
Nujabes (If he counts)
Dir en grey

I used to listen to Gackt in middle school, but I grew out of his music mostly because a lot of his stuff -- especially now is just like wut to me. And his dancing has always been horrible.

If you like stuff like the Mana stuff I would go with Gazette. I can't stand them, but you'd probably like it. There are very few bands in Japan that still do the whole Visual Kei thing. To my knowledge, Gazette is one of the few that still do. I loathe Morning Masume with a passion. I want to destroy every single one of them. STOP. SINGING.

Tuts my barreh.

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Originally Posted by Romero

Asian Kung Fu Generation

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Hahahaha, yes yes yes yes! I forgot about those. And Mad Caps.

I freaking love After Dark!

Another band Dan introduced me to - Beat Crusaders. This is the coolest performance ever:

YouTube - Tonight Tonight Tonight Beat Crusader

Oh snap. I forgot about Shocking Lemon. Admittedly, I only usually listen to their Inner Light song, but it's amazing.

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Originally Posted by Romero

Utada

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A lot of people elsewhere have suggested her as well. *puts down on list*

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Dir en grey

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I've heard a lot about them over the years as well.

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If you like stuff like the Mana stuff I would go with Gazette. I can't stand them, but you'd probably like it. There are very few bands in Japan that still do the whole Visual Kei thing. To my knowledge, Gazette is one of the few that still do.

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As I said, I'm new to the whole J-Rock thing. Visual kei is mainly just big, theatrical concerts and performances where the band dress up and use well..visuals in addition to the music they're performing.
Right?

From the bit I've seen of Mana's band, they seem to do that.

Then again it's very possible I'm totally wrong on what visual kei is.

So thanks everyone for the suggestions. Got lots of stuff to check out. =P

Also Romero, do you not like Mana's stuff either then? Just wondering since you suggested a band you didn't like based on a band I did like so I'm guessing they have similar styles.

The ALFEE, to go old-skool
Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Merry
SADS
X-Japan

Gazette is like J-Metal xD

It's worth noting that after Malice Mizer broke up, a short-lived band called Moi dix Mois was formed out of Mana's ashes. I liked them better

Being Chinese, I'm more into mandopop and cantopop, and I'm enjoying the music coming out from the 'import' stars like Lee Hom Wang. They're bringing a western touch to Asian music. Jay Chou is my favourite musician of all time. He's been mixing asian and western dominate genres for years.

J-pop wise, I like BoA. Not Japanese, I know, but she does sing it and she's friggin' hot too. xD

Utada Hikaru, and I like that 'Tobira No Mukou E' song by Yellow Generation. :P

J-Rock, not so much.

Utada is my smurfing queen, though.

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Originally Posted by Darth Alliekin

It's worth noting that after Malice Mizer broke up, a short-lived band called Moi dix Mois was formed out of Mana's ashes. I liked them better

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Actually, they're still around as far as I know. Last new album came out in 2007 and a live DVD came out in 2008. I'm getting the latter when I have some money.

YouTube - Moi dix Mois - MAd iNgraiN

I have the DVD this is from already.

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Originally Posted by Forsaken Lover

Also Romero, do you not like Mana's stuff either then? Just wondering since you suggested a band you didn't like based on a band I did like so I'm guessing they have similar styles.

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I do like Mana to an extent, but I haven't listened to much of the stuff as I used to. I get in to moods where I want to listen to certain genres and Mana's stuff is just not doing it for me right now. Though I do like Mana more in Malice Mizer. They were on repeat for me back in middle school. Illuminati MAGICAL MERRIMENT <3

What's that Japanese band that does the whistling song in the Kill Bill movie and the commercial?

this?

Utada Hikaru (though not the biggest fan of her latest English stuff)
Angela Aki (she is amazing)
Do As Infinity
Chihiro Onitsuka
Yuna Ito
L'Arc~en~Ciel
Stephanie

Flow
Utada Hikaru
L'arc en ciel
Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Home Made Kazoku

All of these guys are awesome, if you watch popular anime shows like Bleach, Naruto and FMA then you would have heard some of there songs.

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Originally Posted by rubah

this?

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Nah, it wasn't that. It was more like maybe a ooo ooo. I know this is not very helpful.

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Originally Posted by Forsaken Lover

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Dir en grey

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I've heard a lot about them over the years as well.

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They're lovely n.n

My favorite Dir en grey song is probably karasu :3

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Originally Posted by Shiny

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Originally Posted by rubah

this?

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Nah, it wasn't that. It was more like maybe a ooo ooo. I know this is not very helpful.

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YouTube - The 5, 6, 7, 8's - "Woo Hoo"

Thank you, JKTrix! I like this song. It's so cheery!

I've only heard a few songs of each, but looking at my artists:

Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Dir en Grey
Maximum The Hormone
Nightmare
Mika Nakashima

I think that's it, but I'm not even sure they're all J ish xD

Hmmm, let's see.

Perfume
marble
ROUND TABLE
Maaya Sakamoto
May'n
Ayako Kawasumi
Supercell
Kenji Ootsuki
Bivattchee
Denki Groove
Little Non
Rie Tanaka
Alstroemeria Records
IOSYS

Morning MUsume. D:

Most of my exposure to the usual Japanese artists comes from anime. Most of the songs specifically mentioned in this thread are from anime.

As far as Gackt goes, I'm kinda diggin' how he's totally cool with the whole kids/nerds demographic. He's done a several songs recently specifically for anime and games (including a cover of the Gundam franchise's most legendary song for a major Gundam video game), he sung two songs for the last Kamen Rider show... in fact he's going to be 'acting' as the main character in an upcoming, high-profile anime.

I haven't really heard much of his stuff outside games/anime, though. I quite liked one of his most recent tracks, Setsugekka, which was used for Samurai Warriors 3. It also featured instrumentalists from other fairly big J-Rock bands like Nightmare and Duel Jewel, so it was a pretty big collaboration. He uses his voice in a way I hadn't heard him use it before.

I didn't really mean to make this post about Gackt :P he just has my respeck for being all into the otaku stuff.

I never really got much into VizKei, and most of the bands whose songs I liked are decidedly contemporary. I've gotten into folks like AKFG and Beat Crusaders (mentioned before), and others like Sukima Switch, Base Ball Bear, Sambomaster, Kimaguren, Bivattchee...

There are a few groups/artists that I do pay more attention to following, though. First is probably Ikimonogakari. When I first heard Hanabi come out of my speakers at the end of Bleach (I think it started the same episode that Beat Crusaders' "Tonight Tonight Tonight" did) I was stunned. Their singer has remained one of my favourite singing voices out of Japan since then.
One of my favourite voices overall is Maaya Sakamoto. Never really made it huge outside of the anime circle. She tends to do mostly 'easy listening' kinds of stuff when she sings, and she's quite the prolific actor--voice acting in anime and otherwise. She had a big concert just a few weeks ago, celebrating both her 30th birthday and her 15th anniversary of being in show business. I really wanted to go. Totally love her.

I'm a fan of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9vfC4qnKzwPerfume[/URL], though that one is definitely less about the vocal performance, and more about the groove factor/entertaining dance moves. I can certainly tolerate them more than the groups like AKB48 and Morning Musume (too many people, too young).

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Originally Posted by Lady of the sheep

I've only heard a few songs of each, but looking at my artists:


Nightmare

I think that's it, but I'm not even sure they're all J ish xD

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Ohhh, I forgot about them. I do like their song Varuna.

There is also Buck Tick which has a sort of gothic feel that Mana/Moix Dix Mois has.

Most of it sucks balls, but here are some good artists + cool songs:

Tokio (YouTube - [PV] TOKIO - Sorafune, YouTube - TOKIO - SeiSyun)
Asian Kung-Fu Generation (YouTube - Riraito)
Dragon-Ash (more like j-rap, but still awesome: YouTube - Dragon Ash - Shizukana Hibino Kaidan Wo, YouTube - Dragon Ash『Los lobos�)
SADS (YouTube - SADS - Boukyaku no sora PV)
Utada Hikaru (YouTube - Utada Hikaru - Exodus '04 (LIVE), YouTube - Utada Hikaru - Beautiful World)

I'm a sucker for Visual Kei when it's not trying to sound like metal.

Have to second kotora's recommendation of Dragon Ash; that song from Battle Royale is my favorite, but all of their stuff is fantastic.

YouTube - dragon ash - shizuka na hibi no kaidan wo

Maximum the Hormone
Asian Kung-fu Generation (Seriously, did they do every anime opening/ending ever or what?)
exist†trace
High and Mighty Colour
Matenrou Opera
Onmyouza
Galneryus