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

P

Peru

Member
I saw Perfume live last night. Never experienced artists getting the crowd as pumped for an entire show, from the first song. So much jumping, so much joy.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
YUI just announced that she's going on a temporary hiatus.

In her message on her official website, she explained that she has found something new that she wants to try, so she will be taking a break in order to prepare for that. She said that she worried that the news would cause people to worry, but she reassured everyone that she made the decision with a positive mind. She also indicated that her music may change because of this, but she said that she wants to enjoy lots of things through the music that’s important to her.
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http://www.tokyograph.com/news/yui-announces-another-temporary-hiatus/

It'll start at the end of this year. She's going to be preforming Good-bye Days on this weeks Music Station.
 
I

Infinite

Member
faridmon said:
are many of them available in a non-Japanese Itunes? i do buy it sometimes from there when ever it is possible (Lillies and Remains ones are always available there) but many of them aren't there..
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Nope not always. Sometimes I have to end up buying a Japanese itunes gift to acquire those but it still cost me less than ordering a CD
 
F

faridmon

Member
Infinite said:
Nope not always. Sometimes I have to end up buying a Japanese itunes gift to acquire those but it still cost me less than ordering a CD
Click to expand...

Really? Well that is intresting. Looking at Aamazon Japan, Both Digital and physical albums cost similiar. However, I have to look into Japanese Itunes if that is true.

I hate Itunes, but whatever
 
K

Kisaya

Member
DonMigs85 said:
Somebody recommend me the best Bonnie Pink and Ayumi Hamasaki albums.
Click to expand...

Was never really a fan of Ayumi but I jammed out to her Guilty album.

Aahhhh I took a really long break from Japanese music, but after seeing MONKEY MAJIK live and hearing Utada is back from the grave it looks like I might be jumping back >.<

Favorite artists and bands that I listened to: Utada Hikaru, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, MONKEY MAJIK, L'arc~en~ciel, OLIVIA, Rie fu, Angela Aki, VELTPUNCH, OGRE YOU ASSHOLE, DOES, m-flo
... and a bunch more but around the time I dropped J-Music completely I had lost interest in the ones I didn't name.
 
S

scogoth

Member
kisaya said:
Was never really a fan of Ayumi but I jammed out to her Guilty album.

Aahhhh I took a really long break from Japanese music, but after seeing MONKEY MAJIK live and hearing Utada is back from the grave it looks like I might be jumping back >.<

Favorite artists and bands that I listened to: Utada Hikaru, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, MONKEY MAJIK, L'arc~en~ciel, OLIVIA, Rie fu, Angela Aki, VELTPUNCH, OGRE YOU ASSHOLE, DOES, m-flo
... and a bunch more but around the time I dropped J-Music completely I had lost interest in the ones I didn't name.
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Where? I was at the Toronto concert
 
C

cloudwalking

300chf ain't shit to me
DonMigs85 said:
Somebody recommend me the best Bonnie Pink and Ayumi Hamasaki albums.
Click to expand...

Most people will tell you that I am... is her best album and I'm inclined to agree. IMO nothing else comes close to it. With I am... she started composing the songs herself and most of the songs on the album are not only written but also composed by her. So it has quite an experimental vibe for a pop album.

If I had to pick a top 5:

1. I am...
2. Duty
3. Loveppears
4. My Story
5. A Song for ××

Used to be a huge Ayu fan, but her stuff post-2006 started to drop off so quickly that I lost interest. There are some good songs sprinkled across some of the later albums, but mostly filler and stuff that sounds the same. I feel that the albums I listed are solid albums from start to finish. At least back then she innovated and tried new things, new genres. Her shit lately is nothing but "safe" ballads and watered down power-pop. Terrible.
 
K

Kurita

Member
Gotta say that Miyavi's latest album is amazing.
Opening track with Hifana, then you got featurings with Yuksek, Kreva, f'n TAKESHI HOSOMI...
Never gets old, wonderful. Dropping the Visual Kei style is the best thing he ever did.
 
E

Evening Musuko

Black Korea
Nuklear said:
So J-Gaf what are some your favorite J-Christmas music?

Here's one I really love: Tommy Heavenly6 - I LOVE XMAS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbWxk6Uv90E


WTF is Sony Japan thinking pulling the official video off youtube? Seems so dumb.
Click to expand...

Sony's a bag of dicks when it comes to youtube. Actually a good chunk of Japanese music companies are. It wasn't always like this. :(

Anyway here's some Christmas music.

Tatsuro Yamashita's Christmas Eve.

Keisuke Kuwata - Shiroi Koibitotachi

Bonus: Here's Ken Hirai singing a cover.

Morning Musume - Wa~ MERRY PIN X'mas!

And here's Exile Singing a Cover of Last Christmas

Oh, and Infinite, nice avatar.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
63rd Kohaku Uta Gassen lineup

Red Team (Female)

aiko (11)
Ayaka (6)
Ikimonogakari (5)
Ishikawa Sayuri (35)
AKB48 (5)
SKE48 (1)
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (1)
Koizai Kaori (16)
Koda Kumi (8)
Godai Natsuko (19)
Sakamoto Fuyumi (24)
Tendo Yoshimi (17)
Nakashima Mika (9)
Nishino Kana (3)
Perfume (5)
Hamasaki Ayumi (14)
Fuji Ayako (18)
Princess Princess (1)
Mizuki Nana (4)
Mizumori Kaori (10)
Momoiro Clover Z (1)
YUI (1)
YUKI (1)
Yuki Saori (13)
Wada Akiko (36)

White Team (Male)

Arashi (4)
Itsuki Hiroshi (42)
HY (2)
EXILE (8)
NYC (4)
Kanjani 8 (1)
Kitajima Saburo (49)
Go Hiromi (25)
Golden Bomber (1)
Kobukuro (7)
Saito Kazuyoshi (1)
Sandaime J Soul Brothers (1)
SMAP (20)
Tachi Hiroshi (2)
TOKIO (19)
Tokunaga Hideaki (7)
AAA (3)
Naoto Inti Raymi (1)
Hikawa Kiyoshi (13)
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS (4)
Fukuyama Masaharu (5)
Hosokawa Takashi (36)
Porno Graffitti (11)
Miwa Akihiro (1)
Mori Shinichi (45)
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http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/11/nhk-announces-artist-line-up-for-63rd-kohaku-uta-gassen/

So, the rumors were true about them cutting K-pop from the lineup this year. Anyway, good to see the Kyary, YUI YUKI, Momoclo and SKE made it in for the first time.
 
L

LayLa

Member
do the numbers mean the amount of times they've appeared on the show? if so really surprised that it's YUKI's 1st time.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
LayLa said:
do the numbers mean the amount of times they've appeared on the show? if so really surprised that it's YUKI's 1st time.
Click to expand...

Judy and Mary went on there.

I'm surprised Namie didn't choose to finally go since it's her anniversary year.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
LayLa said:
do the numbers mean the amount of times they've appeared on the show? if so really surprised that it's YUKI's 1st time.
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Yep. It can take a long time to get invited since there are several factors when it comes to invites. Although i'm pretty sure that sales are the main factor. But they also take into account songs that'll fit the theme that they have for that year.

Zoe said:
I'm surprised Namie didn't choose to finally go since it's her anniversary year.
Click to expand...

Is it possible that she declined an invite? I know Hikki has never done it even though she'd been invited.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
SolidSnakex said:
Is it possible that she declined an invite? I know Hikki has never done it even though she'd been invited.
Click to expand...

Many artists from the 90's actually decline now because it's a week long commitment to go on the show. Namie's been declining for years because she doesn't work around the new year anymore.
 
F

faridmon

Member
There is not a single artist/band that I like at the moment in that list above. I did like HY at some point before (not anymore as their quality of their music have declined) and TOKIO as well.
 
E

Evening Musuko

Black Korea
F

faridmon

Member
I was looking at the Mirraz website and I cam across this festival they are playing at next month. The line-ups, so goood

cdj1-630x532.jpg


But 30'000 yen. Soo Expensive.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
Evening Musuko said:
lol No Momusu this year (again). I'm surprised to see that this will be YUI's first time. I'm guessing this will be her final performance before her hiatus.
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It would've been nice for Momusu to make it in since Reina is about it graduate. Pretty much everyone that I once knew from that group is gone. Sayumi is the only other current member that I know of.
 
K

Kurita

Member
faridmon said:
I was looking at the Mirraz website and I cam across this festival they are playing at next month. The line-ups, so goood

cdj1-630x532.jpg


But 30'000 yen. Soo Expensive.
Click to expand...

Well, that's the Countdown Japan, one of the biggest festivals out there.
Four days of music + live countdown with bands playing around midnight the 31th.
 
E

Evening Musuko

Black Korea
SolidSnakex said:
It would've been nice for Momusu to make it in since Reina is about it graduate. Pretty much everyone that I once knew from that group is gone. Sayumi is the only other current member that I know of.
Click to expand...

There were rumors that Momusu were going to be invited because of their rising sales and their 15th anniversary but I'm not surprised they're not going to be there.

It's amazing how many members have left MM in these past couple of years but I guess they're making up for lost time.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
The age gap in Morning Musume is too big. Sayu won't be around for long unless they want to keep her around as a Yuko.
 
I

Infinite

Member
Evening Musuko said:
Oh, and Infinite, nice avatar.
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Haha thanks, thanks for noticing.

Tsunku pretty much dug himself a whole with momosu by keeping the old members for as long as he has. Reina, their most identifiable member and best singer now is has to graduate so he's definitely rolling the dice now. Sayumi won't be around for too much longer as well. It most definitely will affect all how their singles are written moving forward.

On a related H!P note Berryz Koubou PV Want! is live
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
Evening Musuko said:
It's amazing how many members have left MM in these past couple of years but I guess they're making up for lost time.
Click to expand...

That's the biggest danger to the popularity of any of the big idol groups. Graduations always happen, but you need to make sure that there's someone in line that's popular enough to replace the outgoing members. Speaking of that, it's interesting that one of AKB's most popular members (Yukirin) auditioned for the fifth gen of Momusu and was rejected. I wonder how different things would've been for that group had she made it? She's now big enough that she has her own independent label from Avex Trax.
 
E

Evening Musuko

Black Korea
Infinite said:
Haha thanks, thanks for noticing.

Tsunku pretty much dug himself a whole with momosu by keeping the old members for as long as he has. Reina, their most identifiable member and best singer now is has to graduate so he's definitely rolling the dice now. Sayumi won't be around for too much longer as well. It most definitely will affect all how their singles are written moving forward.

On a related H!P note Berryz Koubou PV Want! is live
Click to expand...

It'll probably be Riho and Sakura leads like how Reina and Ai were from 2007-2011. Riho's going to be their new Reina and they're probably going to push Sakura to the moon like they did Maki and Koharu.

SolidSnakex said:
That's the biggest danger to the popularity of any of the big idol groups. Graduations always happen, but you need to make sure that there's someone in line that's popular enough to replace the outgoing members. Speaking of that, it's interesting that one of AKB's most popular members (Yukirin) auditioned for the fifth gen of Momusu and was rejected. I wonder how different things would've been for that group had she made it? She's now big enough that she has her own independent label from Avex Trax.
Click to expand...

I think Yuki's famous because she's in AKB48 and not necessarily the other way around. Also, I think she auditioned for 8th gen actually and by that time MM's popularity was waning but it was still bigger than AKB at that point. If Yuki joined alongside Aika and JunJun and LinLin, I'm sure AKB still would have dominated and MM would still be in the position it's in now.
 
I

Infinite

Member
I actually think it maybe Mizuki and Riho who become the new leads.

Speaking of that, it's interesting that one of AKB's most popular members (Yukirin) auditioned for the fifth gen of Momusu and was rejected. I wonder how different things would've been for that group had she made it? She's now big enough that she has her own independent label from Avex Trax.
Click to expand...

Wow that's something I did not know, Would have been definitely interesting to see if things happened differently
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
Evening Musuko said:
I think Yuki's famous because she's in AKB48 and not necessarily the other way around. Also, I think she auditioned for 8th gen actually and by that time MM's popularity was waning but it was still bigger than AKB at that point. If Yuki joined alongside Aika and JunJun and LinLin, I'm sure AKB still would have dominated and MM would still be in the position it's in now.
Click to expand...

You're right about the 8th gen part. With that said, I don't think that it would've done anything to prevent AKB's popularity. They were/are brilliantly marketed. But it could prevented Momusu's fall from being so far. She has a lot of personality, which is something that the early Momusu girls like Yossi and Marippe were known for. That seems to be what they're lacking now compared to AKB.
 
I

Infinite

Member
The year is coming to a close and people usually do their best of so lets listour top Japanese tracks of 2012

Here's mine
Nami Tamaki - Paradise
Zazen Boys - Tengu
Skirt no Naka - &#36870;&#31435;&#12385;&#22899;
Perfume - Hurly Burly
Dormir - Ume Mage Blanche
My Dear Dead Girlfriend - Nasty Mayor's Daughter
Kaela Kimura - Mamireru
The Rice Panic - &#21313;&#20061;&#27507;
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Fashion Monster
Hinto - &#12488;&#12461;&#12513;&#12461;&#12489;&#12521;&#12452;
Berryz Koubou - Cha Cha Sing
People in the Box - &#12373;&#12424;&#12358;&#12394;&#12425;&#12289;&#12371;&#12435;&#12395;&#12385;&#12399;
DIY (Heart) - Forest For Rest
She Her Her Hers - A Seed of Tomorrow
 
P

Peru

Member
BiS' "Idol is Dead" is an amazing rock album - heavy, shoegaze-inspired rock with heavenly melodies.

I think 'Maiden War Z' is the song of the year, though I was baffled by it at first.

Really love what Jasmine's been doing this year but her sales are abysmal. She should've been the star she was hyped as.
 
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