????????? <J-Music Club>

[Esper]

～俺の歌を聴け‼～ <J-Music Club>

J-MUSIC CLUB

Welcome to the fanclub! | ファンクラブへようこそ！
Welcome to the new J-Music Club, where we talk all about Japanese music and our love for it. There's an almost endless amount of music coming out of Japan and more is made each day. Here we can talk about our favorite artists, recent discoveries, upcoming releases, or the state of the music industry in general. Any topic is okay as long as it relates back to Japanese music.


The Rules | ルール
- Follow all the general forum rules, particularly in being respectful to other members.
- Stick to the theme of this club.
- Try to be active and have fun!


Joining | 入る
Just post that you want to join and then you'll have to cast a vote. Every year at new years Japan hosts Kōhaku Uta Gassen (or just Kōhaku), a special performance of the best and most popular artists of the year. The musicians are divided into two groups: Team Red for female artists (or groups with female-vocalists) and Team White for male artists (or groups with male vocals). You, too, have to pick which team to vote for and it will be marked beside your name in the members list with either ● or ○.

Example:

I want to join! I really like some songs by Ayumi Hamasaki so I'm voting for Team Red.

You can use your vote post to also join in on the discussion, ask questions, or just gush about your favorites.


Members | メンバー

● Esper
● DarkestMidnight
● Xin
● machomuu
○ Mawa
○ zappyspiker
● Radix
● Dracowyn
○ Espeonica
○ Aisu
● tokyodrift
● Midori Chi
○ Volpe Artica

Let's chat! レッツチャット！
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CSS shamefully copied and adapted from other threads​

 

[Esper]

As a starting topic let's ask this question: What was the first Japanese song you can remember hearing?

For me, I have some trouble remembering, but it was probably seeing the Japanese opening to Sailor Moon and being surprised to learn that the show came from Japan in the first place.

Also, I'm voting for Team Red.

 

[DarkestMidnight]

Hey there, what's up? My name is Midnight, and I'd like to join your club. I just started listening to J-Music, and it's starting to grow on me. Just note that I don't really have many opinions yet since I don't know the genre too well quite yet. From what I've heard so far, I guess I'll go Red Team.

Thanks for making a cool club like this, can't wait to be a part of it. :)

Edit: I hope BoA counts as J-Music... :)

 

[JJ Styles]

Preferred name to be addressed as: "Xin"

The first J-Pop song, not counting any anime OPs or EDs, that i really remember hearing and enjoying a lot for some reason is "Can You Keep a Secret" by Utada Hikaru. I remember MTV (back it was about Music Videos) playing J-Music at certain days or timeslots and Utada Hikaru's song was the one i first heard and enjoyed for some reason.



Regarding the scene right now, I'm definitely listening to a lot of Babymetal and LADYBABY on a regular basis

Team Red voting over here

 

[machomuu]

Ooooh, a thread that hits my horribly niche ears.

machomuu, here. Or just macho, if you prefer. And in regards to the first Japanese song I heard...well, I suppose that goes into "anime" and "non-anime" camps.

In the case of anime, it was one of two. Hironobu Kageyama's Cha-la Head Cha-la, which played on the VHS of The Tree of Might (DBZ), a movie I adored as a kid, and one that hits slightly closer to PC, Rabbit's It's Love, from Ranma 1/2: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China. I heard it on the VHS to Pokemon, of all things, even though I didn't even know what Ranma was until several years later. But those were definitely my first two, since I heard them both at a very young age.

As for non-anime...ooh. Hm...I couldn't say. I kind of got into Japanese music in general during my Osu days, since that's when it became easiest to bite into as an American. I also tend to listen to original works by Comiket circles from time to time.

Oh, and Team Red. Because Garnidelia's Maria. Also Nano...?

 

[Esper]

Welcome, y'all! Looks like Team Red is going to take this handily. Not that I'm too surprised. It can be difficult sometimes finding a lot of good music by male artists.

"Can You Keep a Secret" by Utada Hikaru

That's a pretty good way to start, I gotta say. It's artists like her which helped me get past anime theme songs and deeper into a whole much of different music genres. When I first went to Japan the used CD stores had most of her albums for 100 yen (about $1) so I bought them all and it was one of the best decisions I made.

 

[DarkestMidnight]

I know it's kinda lame, but I got into J-Music mostly through anime openings. Funkist really stood out to me at first because of Fairy Tail, and I've actually branched out from the opening songs and listened to more songs by the same artists. "Masayume Chasing" by BoA is still one of my favorite openings from the series, and I actually like a lot of her other songs.

 

[Esper]

I know it's kinda lame, but I got into J-Music mostly through anime openings. Funkist really stood out to me at first because of Fairy Tail, and I've actually branched out from the opening songs and listened to more songs by the same artists. "Masayume Chasing" by BoA is still one of my favorite openings from the series, and I actually like a lot of her other songs.

No, that's not lame. Everyone has to start somewhere. It's where I started anyway and I don't want to think of myself as lame so...

But anyway, there are some really good songs used in anime. For a while it seemed like anime were going to be oversaturated with music from big name pop stars and groups, but it seems like that's calmed down a bit. Or I'm out of touch with who the big names are?

 

[DarkestMidnight]

No, that's not lame. Everyone has to start somewhere. It's where I started anyway and I don't want to think of myself as lame so...

But anyway, there are some really good songs used in anime. For a while it seemed like anime were going to be oversaturated with music from big name pop stars and groups, but it seems like that's calmed down a bit. Or I'm out of touch with who the big names are?

Not sure. Like I said, I'm fairly new myself. I do really like the music from Fairy Tail, and from other anime as well.

 

[Mawa]

Omg Count me in!!!!!

I don't listen as much to J-Music as I did before, but for many years that's was all I could listen! I do still listen to many artists. I'm just don't really know the newest stuff, I sticked with what I knew and still love today.

I'll vote for Team White because almost all of my bands have a male singer!
The only female I did loved was the lead singer from Omnyoza but I think they stopped soon.... I liked Ayumi Hamasaki too, and Namie Amuro! But she's such influenced by America these days...

 

[Esper]

Omg Count me in!!!!!

I don't listen as much to J-Music as I did before, but for many years that's was all I could listen! I do still listen to many artists. I'm just don't really know the newest stuff, I sticked with what I knew and still love today.

I'll vote for Team White because almost all of my bands have a male singer!
The only female I did loved was the lead singer from Omnyoza but I think they stopped soon.... I liked Ayumi Hamasaki too, and Namie Amuro! But she's such influenced by America these days...

I haven't heard of Omnyoza before, but I'll go take a look and see what they're about. Okay, so they seem a little like metal mixed with enka, which is, well, a little weird, but not bad.

And yeah, Namie went kinda EDM lately and it's not bad, but it's not the best thing she's done.

 

[DarkestMidnight]

As a newbie, what would you guys recommend I listen to? I like rock and some pop, pretty much female artists for pop. I'd really appreciate the feedback, thanks!

 

[Mawa]

As a newbie, what would you guys recommend I listen to? I like rock and some pop, pretty much female artists for pop. I'd really appreciate the feedback, thanks!

The only female I did listen to were Ayumi Hamasaki and Namie Amuro so I can't help you a lot hehe
But I surely recommend L'arc-en-ciel !
My favorite band was Kagrra, but I know it might not be something that everybody likes. You can try Mucc and DuelJewel. Dir en Grey is awesome too but a bit more... heavy.

 

[DarkestMidnight]

The only female I did listen to were Ayumi Hamasaki and Namie Amuro so I can't help you a lot hehe
But I surely recommend L'arc-en-ciel !
My favorite band was Kagrra, but I know it might not be something that everybody likes. You can try Mucc and DuelJewel. Dir en Grey is awesome too but a bit more... heavy.

Hey sure, I'll check them out. Thanks for the advice! :)

-Midnight

 

[Mawa]

Hey sure, I'll check them out. Thanks for the advice! :)

-Midnight

Let me know what you think about them! :)

 

[Esper]

As a newbie, what would you guys recommend I listen to? I like rock and some pop, pretty much female artists for pop. I'd really appreciate the feedback, thanks!

Depending on what kind of rock you like you might like Radwimps. They're kinda similar to Red Hot Chili Peppers. Superfly has a kind of 60s / 70s rock sound if that's more your thing. Ling Tosite Sigure has a kind of hard/shoegaze style. There's X Japan if you'd rather have some glammy metal. All very highly rated groups.

 

[DarkestMidnight]

The only female I did listen to were Ayumi Hamasaki and Namie Amuro so I can't help you a lot hehe
But I surely recommend L'arc-en-ciel !
My favorite band was Kagrra, but I know it might not be something that everybody likes. You can try Mucc and DuelJewel. Dir en Grey is awesome too but a bit more... heavy.

Depending on what kind of rock you like you might like Radwimps. They're kinda similar to Red Hot Chili Peppers. Superfly has a kind of 60s / 70s rock sound if that's more your thing. Ling Tosite Sigure has a kind of hard/shoegaze style. There's X Japan if you'd rather have some glammy metal. All very highly rated groups.

Thank you both so much, I love all of your suggestions! :)

 

[Mawa]

Glad you liked it! ^_^

I did listen a lot of Kagerou too!


The signer of Kagrra, (the comma is in the name lol) he wa smy favorite Signer. And then he died. I was devastated TT__TT
Now my favorite signer is Hide from L'arc-en-ciel. He did a solo career too.

 

[Esper]

Now my favorite signer is Hide from L'arc-en-ciel. He did a solo career too.

But you'll have to look for him under the name hyde because you'll get the wrong musicians looking for Hide. I got to see him perform under the side project Vamps. It wasn't a very good show, I'm sorry to say. They did a terrible job with the speakers and stuff and so it was all too loud and distorted and you couldn't hear him sing like at all.

Okay, so, to get more discussion going let's make this into another question: Who is your current favorite artist and what is your current favorite song?

 

[Mawa]

But you'll have to look for him under the name hyde because you'll get the wrong musicians looking for Hide. I got to see him perform under the side project Vamps. It wasn't a very good show, I'm sorry to say. They did a terrible job with the speakers and stuff and so it was all too loud and distorted and you couldn't hear him sing like at all.

Okay, so, to get more discussion going let's make this into another question: Who is your current favorite artist and what is your current favorite song?

I wanna say my favorite band is Kagrra,, but I listen more to L'arc-en-ciel. If I have to choose only one song, it's gonna be Umibe. You have to try it ;)