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Japanese Music (Pop, rock and all 'dat) |OT|

Superflat

Member
Are majority of Japanese music sales still physical (CD/DVD)? What other popular mp3 services are used in Japan asides from iTunes?

I wonder about this all the time. Physical sales are pretty huge, esp for what's trendy right now (idols), since they come with a ton of bonuses and many fans take loyalty to extremes (showing support by buying multiple CDs and versions).

edit:

Also, I've been putting this album on heavy rotation for the past few days:

news_header_ebichu_kinpachi_limited.jpg

Ebichu is probably my favorite Stardust act atm, the music is just fucking rad
 

Superflat

Member
Same on all accounts. Really solid album.

Forreal, this song kills me every time. Cacophonous nonsense in the best way.

I'm saving up money for a December trip to Japan, and one of my priorities is nabbing a ”Ebichu Kurisumasu" ticket. Saw em live for the first time in Zepp Fukuoka 2013, and it was the shit. Seeing em live again is a must. Their fans are amazingly nice too.

Also bought a VIP SCANDAL concert ticket for Anaheim. I haven't listened to them in the past two years or so though. Time to catch up!
 
Are majority of Japanese music sales still physical (CD/DVD)? What other popular mp3 services are used in Japan asides from iTunes?

Digital sales are much larger, songs can sell millions which you wouldn't see physically (unless you're an idol group). Some other sites are Mu-Mo, Recochoku, music-book.jp, Chaku-uta etc.
 

Kurita

Member
I never thought I would say this but, I actually like the new ONE OK ROCK song.
Back to their root... somewhat.

It kind of reminded of Niche Syndrome/Zankyo Reference yeah (well technically their roots would be pop-rock/hip-hop since that's what their early releases were, but I get what you mean)


New the chef cooks me PV, great song! Seems like synths are kinda back into their songs.
http://youtu.be/MdaqZhW0NEo

The fin. released a PV for Without Excuse, from their full album released last month. Cool video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njXvOOW6wkw

Negoto unveiled their new artist picture and the covers for their upcoming full album VISION.
 

Kurita

Member
I'm pleasantly surprised to see that Victor (or their label Getting Better to the very least) is starting to release some music on western iTunes stores. Got THE BAWDIES's latest album, there's also Kyuso Nekokami's major mini-albums, as well as go!go!vanillas's first full album. Hope KEYTALK's upcoming single will also be available.
It still baffles me that you can't buy stuff on every store with your credit card and that you need prepaid cards. 2015 people.
 
Got a physical copy preordered as well as the digital version on iTunes (since I won't receive my CD the day of its release :lol)!

The cutest pop couple~ (Fukase looks kinda sad on the pic though :lol)

Nice, I just have the ITunes pre-order.

They are also touring with Yellowcard as supporting act on these dates:
April 6, 2015 Lawrence, KS Granda Theatre
April 7, 2015 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
April 8, 2015 Lincoln, NB Lincoln Theatre
April 10, 2015 Des Moines, IA Wooly's
April 11, 2015 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
April 12, 2015 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
April 14, 2015 Indianapolis, IN Deluxe Old National Centre
April 15, 2015 Cleveland, OH House of Blues
April 17, 2015 Pittsburgh, PA Altar Bar
 
Anyone else watching these でんぱジャック ‐World Wide Akihabara‐ videos with Dempagumi.inc? They're funny stuff. A bunch are subbed as well, they say English at the start of the description not in the video title.

yup. those dating ones are super awkward and borderline creepy, but the reactions at the end make them worthwhile. Poor Pinky :).

I love how much they rag on each other too. Can't wait for the new album.
 

Superflat

Member
Anyone else watching these でんぱジャック ‐World Wide Akihabara‐ videos with Dempagumi.inc? They're funny stuff. A bunch are subbed as well, they say English at the start of the description not in the video title.

I've been watching em as they come out. They got the right idea to sub these, it's pretty great... even if they're HUUUUUUUUGE.

I always found the "date" videos to be hilariously uncomfortable no matter what group is doing them, but Dempa is pretty great when they're just shootin the shit.

That dubbed gaijin host is somethin else tho

even their non-chaotic songs are good now. for real, Mayama, Hirota, and Kashiwagi are some of the best and most unique voices in the entirety of idoldom.

not that that's a huge compliment if we're being honest, but you know what I mean

Agreed. Shiawase no Harigami is one of my favorite b-sides and Playback from Kinpachi is good too.

Something Stardust excels at is creating groups with very identifiable voices (for better or worse... usually better imo). Hinata, Aika, and Mayama are vocal powerhouses and are really instrumental for making a lot of their songs work (though Aika's high voice sometimes...)

Ebichu has been a weird outlier among its sister groups (not having a center, not pushing the "color=member" angle, large number of members and extensive graduation history, etc) but I guess you don't fix what isn't broken. It's working really well for the group and its output has been aces. Kaho and Riko are amazing additions, if for none other reason so far than they really fit with the group dynamic.
 
(though Aika's high voice sometimes...)
.

Aiai's voice only bothers me when she's talking. But even then, half of what makes her interesting is that she's probably actually crazy.

tumblr_nixvc16mf51tsqfxqo4_400.gif


Ebichu has been a weird outlier among its sister groups (not having a center, not pushing the "color=member" angle, large number of members and extensive graduation history, etc) but I guess you don't fix what isn't broken. It's working really well for the group and its output has been aces.

Their management recently said that they're happy with the lineup the way it is now and don't have any plans to change, which is super smart. I'd rather them keep the chemistry they have now than try to stick to the "middle school" thing. Especially as 2/3 of the group (if not more) are in high school now anyway.
 
I don't really listen to their music (I don't hate it either) but they look fun. And the short haired one is super hot, and she likes the HIATUS!

Moga is absurdly hot and has a really good sense of humor, she rocks. She's also done plenty of gravure, so google away. :)

but man, that poor girl can not sing to save her life.
 
Perfume's upcoming ustream (Feb 14th) now has a time of 9pm. They should announce a single during this, and maybe there's a PV teaser like they did with Spring Of Life?

tumblr_nhg0guglf61r028v2o1_250.gif
 

Superflat

Member
Their management recently said that they're happy with the lineup the way it is now and don't have any plans to change, which is super smart. I'd rather them keep the chemistry they have now than try to stick to the "middle school" thing. Especially as 2/3 of the group (if not more) are in high school now anyway.

Ebichu really freakin lucked out with their line up, every single member is really entertaining in their own right. The somewhat recent grad of Natsu, Hirono, and Mizuki really had me worried but Ebichu is just as great as they've been (still miss em, esp Hirono but luckily Riko brought the awkward quotient back up). They seem more united than ever, and they best not tinker with it much from here on.

I started out not liking Aika much, but had a complete change of heart the more I saw her. She's incredibly pro. And insane.

I don't really listen to their music (I don't hate it either) but they look fun. And the short haired one is super hot, and she likes the HIATUS!

Yeah! Moga's great, and by far the most popular among the overseas fans I know (maybe in Japan too but I don't know for sure).

I'm a little picky when it comes to Dempagumi songs but they have some real strong ones.
 

GutsOfThor

Member
Just found out that Perfume is playing SXSW this year but the cost is over $700 to get in. Closest they'll ever get to where I am(New Mexico)! I can only feel for the fans that live in Austin who are shut out due to the price....
 

Zoe

Member
Just found out that Perfume is playing SXSW this year but the cost is over $700 to get in. Closest they'll ever get to where I am(New Mexico)! I can only feel for the fans that live in Austin who are shut out due to the price....

It's not $700 to get in. People who have that pass will have priority, but otherwise it's just the venue's cover charge at the door.
 
Just found out that Perfume is playing SXSW this year but the cost if over $700 to get in. Closest they'll ever get to where I am(New Mexico)! I can only feel for the fans that live in Austin who are shut out due to the price....

ugh, that's disgusting. megafestivals are just the worst.

I suspect that you could get tickets and a round trip flight to LA to go see them next time they go there for less than $700.

if they put out an album this year, it's going to be kind of a mystery, yeah? this has to be the fewest singles between albums they've done to this point? Nakata's been experimenting a lot lately, so I hope he does something interesting with it. I want him to make an entire album with songs like Party Maker.
 

GutsOfThor

Member
It's not $700 to get in. People who have that pass will have priority, but otherwise it's just the venue's cover charge at the door.

Nice! Thanks for the clarification! Still won't be able to go due to school and band schedules though....


ugh, that's disgusting. megafestivals are just the worst.

I suspect that you could get tickets and a round trip flight to LA to go see them next time they go there for less than $700.

if they put out an album this year, it's going to be kind of a mystery, yeah? this has to be the fewest singles between albums they've done to this point? Nakata's been experimenting a lot lately, so I hope he does something interesting with it. I want him to make an entire album with songs like Party Maker.

I plan on seeing them when and if they come back to LA. no doubt about it!

I'm looking forward to a new album very much so. I fucking loved the Cling Cling single (especially Display!) so I wouldn't mind more of that as well as more stuff like Party Maker. Hell, I wouldn't mind more of Level 3 as a whole!
 
2/2 is "twintail day," apparently because the 2's look like the tails or something.

but in reality what it means is my social media feeds are full of pop stars taking cute selfies, so I'm not complaining.


points for effort, Moga.
 
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