Groove It was one of my favourite J-Pop releases last year as well! And I LOVED Watashi, it's one of my favourite songs to come out this year. life ep is also really solid, iri is so good. :love

FLOWER FLOWER is really great! I hope you check out their stuff and enjoy it!

yaaaaaas I was waiting for you to show up...! #musicsoulmates4lyfe

C3AFASG17 took place over the last 3 days here & I'm amazed that foreigners from countries such as USA actually flew in to attend the event o_O

Especially since the performers lineup are crappy (to me) but my sister said they mainly come because of the meet & greet sessions that were organised , something that rarely if not never happens in Japan

That said , it was great to have FLOW back after their last visit here 3 years ago

I hope the organisers of C3AFA next year can bring in bigger acts to perform . A few years ago they were able to get Mizuki Nana & Nishikawa Takanori to come which I have no idea how they were able to do that , that was still epic and in the end Nana was the 1 that stole the limelight from Takanori haha x)

Yeah! Listened to some on youtube, my favorite so far is Negai!

Aki and Takaramono are also amazinggggg

Just listened! Aki <3 These songs are perfect for my mood right now.

yaaaaaaas Aki is incredible :heart It's so funny because it doesn't sound like autumn to me at all...it sounds like first thing on a midsummer morning when you're using your hand to shade your eyes from the sun and you're like "oh man, it's gonna be a hot one today" :laugh

:heart

Yeeeesss, these songs are fantastic! :heart But my heart really belongs to Kamisama, and I'm also deep in love with Mannequin, I really love it when they go more rock.

I've always thought Aki really fits autumn (the nice part of autumn, September and early October, when most of the leaves have fallen but it's not all rain and slush and cold and dark and miserable all the time :laugh) but I can actually get behind this description too.

do anyone here listen to LOOΠΔ? I thought I'd make a base if a few members are listeners

They already have a thread:
http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123420

I don't listen to them though.

oh the thread flopped hard. I won't bother then, I already have some people to talk about them. thanks!

ARASHI + The Minions collaboration = :eyebrow

Was listening to alan’s music and oh my god J-Pop will never be as good as when she debuted. Miss her Japanese work.

Uru's debut album is coming on 20th December.
Checking it out for sure, even though she almost does exclusively ballads (few of those aerial ones are awesome).

All of her singles so far had amazing covers.
The ones for the album are pretty disappointing though.

http://www.jpopasia.com/feed/22539/h...ed-from-label/

This really sucks & I didn't know things would turn out to be this bad

Needless to say , now suddenly Hilcrhyme physical releases are impossible to get hold of D:

I followed/supported Hilcrhyme for almost 7 years and I never expect things would come to a terrible drastic end for them ._.

I'm waiting it too. I wonder if it's worth opening a thread for her?

Listened 3 albums by Shiina Ringo because I like Honnou a lot...
sadly I didn't connect with any of her other songs.:no

New GRANRODEO , NEWS & now KinKi Kids singles to kick off 2018 !

Now I need BREAKERZ to release a new single and I will be damn happy

I didn't know that Yuta Tamamori - my favorite of Kis-My-Ft2 performers, especially with his pre-major debut (pre-2011) blonde (and somewhat long) hair that I really miss for the past several years - smokes...

(Found this on another Arama article, this time whether LDH is actually more stricter than Johnny's in some way - http://aramajapan.com/news/ldh-stric...ociates/83257/. We understand Johnny's talents aren't on social media, and all those ridiculous policies...but smoking among Johnny's talents is still allowed, while LDH members - e.g. EXILE, E-girls - aren't allowed to smoke, or even be in the car as a driver?)

Despite the questionable title , B'z's DINOSAUR album is a solid release before 2017 wraps up . B'z rarely if not never disappoints

Also I'm not surprised Suga Shikao stayed at Marina Bay Sands & let alone he visited the Infinity Pool and he loved it

So many Japanese artistes love to stay at Marina Bay Sands cos of the fantastic skyline view & there's even a dedicated concierge solely for Japanese tourists

And no I'm not kidding as I've been to Marina Bay Sands several times & despite the ridiculous prices (starting price of a 'basic' room is S$500 onwards) , they have no problems being full house almost everyday and they really treat you like royalty

Also I love their hotel room's bed too bad I can't steal it back home haha

Wonder why it took B'z almost 30 years to finally perform at FNS Kayousai but it was well worth the wait , they nailed it with their performances last week

Seeing that they're JRock god like status , I guess Fuji TV gave them top billing and allowed them to perform the full versions of their songs cos normally in such TV shows , the artiste(s) don't tend to sing the full song except on rare occasions

Also Fukuyama Masaharu-san never ages it's ridiculous , he looked amazing last night when he performed on FNS Kayousai , damn it . It felt like going to a rock concert of his & not a formal event haha

And LUNA SEA performed their evergreen classic ROSIER , that never goes wrong at all . I jokingly told my friend (who's a die hard long time LUNA SEA fan & a SLAVE fanclub member) that frontman RYUICHI never seemed to age and changed that much and she agree with me on it LOL

Today is the first day for Oricon counting digital song sales!

Here's the first week:
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dis/w/2017-12-25/

That's the first time we ever get numbers for single songs. Pretty awesome.

Though it proves, that also digital song sales are pretty low overall. Only the first two songs are higher.

How does Oricon calculate digital song sales? It's a bit complex considering we have iTunes, Recochoku, etc...

Pretty easy probably with all the sites like iTunes and recochoku reporting the download numbers to Oricon.

V6's Okada will be getting married , congrats to him !

Wonder who will be the next Johnny to get married x)

2017 isn't over yet, but I already have so many things I'm looking forward to next year! Do As Infinity, iri and MONKEY MAJIK have all announced album releases, JILLE seemed to be hinting at an album coming out next year (if my Japanese reading skills are to be trusted...), and I'm probably forgetting something too. I'm especially looking forward to MONKEY MAJIK's new album, their last one was an unexpected change of direction and I liked it.

I listened to Uru's album today and I have to say... She has a pretty voice and the songs seemed quite good (I really liked the first track) but it was just too many slow serene songs one after another, I was getting bored to tears and wishing for it to be over by the halfway point.

Also, I've been thinking back on the past year and my favourite songs and albums released in 2017 and thought about making a thread for discussing those. I always think about it at this time of the year, but maybe this year I'll actually do it. :laugh

:innocentYou can do that in this thread as well, I suppose.
I'd like to read and comment for sure. :)

With Uru I agree, but I didn't expect anything else.
The album is nice for a calming background music.

I'll make a separate thread for it later. I just ended up going full fake-deep-music-blogger on it and now I want to hold off on posting until I've got my comments all down because I have a lot to say. :laugh I'd like to see your comments too! :yes

^ I would be interested to read what good music you've come across this year as well

I have a music blog that I write regularly so I know what you mean cos at times I can go nerd out too

Music wise this year to me has been quite eventful as I came across albums that turned out to be unexpectedly great (like GRANRODEO's Pierrot Dancin' , BREAKERZ's X , V6's The ONES , Hirai Ken's Utabaka Dake ni. , SPYAIR's KINGDOM & etc) , a few of my favourite artistes & most favourite artiste celebrate their milestone anniversaries and quite a lot of veteran artistes I support such as B'z , Fukuyama Masaharu-san , KinKi Kids & V6 put out pretty good material where all the while they don't tend to be so active unlike this year

Also this rarely happens but I finally come onboard GRANRODEO's music after I went Osaka beginning of 2017 to see them perform alongside with BREAKERZ . I seldom get into an artiste's music prior to watching them perform but after being 3 rows centre away from them onstage , I was a convert of their stuff as both bands were fantastic live

2018 hasn't started but already I have new music to look forward to until mid Feb :laugh

Whoever said JPop is dead , I beg to differ , you just have to keep an open mind on it & after listening to JPop/JRock for more than 10 years , I can say I rarely if not never get bored of what I listen on a daily basis and sometimes I also can't keep up with the artistes' releases too cos there're just way too many acts I follow/support , it's a struggle but I can handle it x)

^ I don't know how you keep writing regularly, it took me forever to get my list written and now I'm exhausted. :laugh

And now I'm reminded that I've got GRANRODEO's Pierrot Dancin' downloaded on my computer, still waiting to be listened... Oops.

Really? Ayaka's releasing a Blu-ray/DVD of that Budokan concert on the 26th pretty soon? I'd be interested...but that means I'm spoiled with all the upcoming releases!

• Ayaka-Daichi Miura 'Heart Up' collab single (2/14)
• Leo Ieiri 'TIME' album (2/21)
• Ayaka Acoustic 3-STAR RAW (II) Budokan concert Blu-ray/DVD (3/14)

(And don't get me or Karen talking about when the next Hey! Say! JUMP release is coming out just yet...)

Haha I've been doing this since 2006 and back then I was still listening to English music before jumping to Japanese music full time

Pierrot Dancin' is good but my sister who's a big GRANRODEO fan says she prefer their last album Karma to Labyrinth a lot more & that album is more dark and it has a great long album opening + closing tracks

I like both Karma to Labyrinth & Pierrot Dancin' . Pierrot Dancin' is more old school & less moody

I've been totally out of the loop for the Chinese singers Twins, cause they concentrated on acting for quite some time (last release - an album - was in 2012).
So I just learned that they released two EPs back in 2015 they toured with afterwards (and continuing touring with in 2018) and also released another new EP in summer this year. Have to catch up!

Yesterday I ordered a CD from Japan after a really long time. Not that I didn't wanted to buy some CDs but I had to save the money for more important things. Now I can't wait for the CD to arrive

Which artist best represent as 'Japan's music act' (in a similar fashion to how the Dallas Cowboys is 'America's NFL team')? I'm probably saying Arashi.

5 different BREAKERZ related news were announced after BREAKERZ LIVE TOUR 2017【X-cross-】final finished today

So spoilt & psyched , can't wait :D

Nogizaka46 wins the Japan Record Awards that was filled with Keyakizaka46, AKB48, Kana Nishino and other random junk (e.g. AAA).

Oh wait - Shukan Bunshun actually 'announced' who the winner is well before the big day came?

Seriously, that's taking away the fun factor from the JRAs! And they did this too last year with Kana Nishino! Can anyone really trust the JRAs these days after the bribing incident with JSB a couple of years back?

3 nin KAT-TUN is making a comeback in 2018 :banana1 :banana2

Hard to believe it has been 20 years since the 1st Johnny's Countdown was started o_O

The very 1st Johnny's Countdown that V6 & KinKi Kids performed in was so simple unlike the currrent ones . Watching old footages of their past countdown was cringy but yet nostalgic haha

Also I don't listen/support Kanjani∞ anymore but there's no doubt that they always steal the countdown's limelight as much as possible

Kanjani∞'s Murakami did a commendable job in handling the rap portion of ARASHI's A・RA・SHI during Johnny's Countdown 2017 - 2018 but he looked so weird while rapping & flat out tired after the rapping was done LOL

And no thanks to them , now everytime I listen to Kisumai's Everybody Go , I will always remember Kanjani∞'s epic failness in trying to sing the song and rollerskate at the same time during Johnny's Countdown 2016-2017 which they failed spectacularly as they kept falling down 1 by 1 while singing :roflmao

Kisumai make it look so easy to sing & rollerskate co-currently but Kanjani∞ proves otherwise haha

My favourite Kanjani∞ performance during Johnny's Countdown is still 2010-2011 when they dressed up like sushi and poor Yokoyama was dressed up as the soya sauce bottle & he looked so miserable :rofl

https://s18.postimg.org/ilbdf1pix/Jo...c_2017.mp4.jpg

https://s18.postimg.org/6jfzkwo09/Jo...c_2017.mp4.jpg

:roflmao :roflmao :roflmao

What's going on with the Kouhaku? For me, there's no Ayu, Ayaka, miwa or Leo Ieiri, but this really shocks me:

The 68th Kouhaku from last Sunday night was the third-worst rated Kouhaku, with a Kanto viewership rating of only 39.4% for the 'critical' second half (2004 and 2015 were worse, at 39.3% and 39.2% respectively; 35.8% for the first half). And this is the Kouhaku that featured Namie Amuro's final appearance! :O

This is the lowest-rated Kouhaku that the white team (shirogumi/male) won; the two that were worse than this had the red team (akagumi/female) won in each of them.

I don't understand why, despite Namie's final appearance before retiring, the Kouhaku is struggling to push higher - or even maintain - its viewership ratings since the turn of the century. Maybe partially it has to do with the youth not being on the TV so much these days now we have smartphones to deal with? In fact, can we convince NHK to stream the 'main' Kouhaku (not just the 'Ura Talk' second-screen companion program) to computers and smartphones, not just TVs? And/or is it because the lineup and/or the program overall was stale? :no

Also, by the way, in that same Kouhaku, three members of Keyakizaka46 - including 'center' Yurina Hirate - suffered hyperventilation after performing "Fukyouwaon" not once - but twice - causing questions whether or not Keyakizaka46 and/or its members were pushing too far, not to mention Techi (Hirate) is only 16 years old, the youngest of the 'Kanji Keyakizaka46' members (that performed in the Kouhaku). :no

It seems that the lineup was underwhelming. In fact, in recent years the hype around kouhaku seemed to be in decline. But it could be from a variety of factors. :shrug

about the viewership being low even with amuro: wasn't she scheduled at 11pm or something? that's rather late and I'd imagine many people were out getting ready to celebrate.

4 1/2 hours for a music show can be really tiring to sit and watch though . Maybe this's why MUSIC STATION's Tamamori don't want to host Kouhaku despite him being offered to do so multiple times

That said I haven't watch the entire Kouhaku yet but I wouldn't lie that all the while I always prefer watching Johnny's Countdown as it's a lot more fun

Wouldn't surprise me if Johnny's Countdown 2017 - 2018 is higher than the previous 1 especially with the announcement of KAT-TUN's comeback

Quite surprised BREAKERZ's longtime stylist is currently spending the new year in my country :O

Now why can't BREAKERZ tag along with him ? D:

I know GIRL NEXT DOOR's self titled album had special TSUTAYA & mu-mo versions that have different versions of Guuzen no Kakuritsu PV , plot wise

I watched finished earlier on the Guuzen no Kakuritsu (Another Version I ~ III) and they're all 3 short versions of the same song with different plots although they're mainly CG driven

It's quite crazy that avex used to spend a lot of $ on them and in a way it's sad that while their music got better , their budget when comes to their PVs & covers went down :x

OH PLEASE NO...NOT AYAKA! :no

Also adding how will the management make up these dates. :(

I randomly ended up listening to Shiina Ringo's cover album this weekend and was surprised to find that I really liked it! Her covers of more, Chiisana Kinomi, I won't last a day without you, and Kuroi Orfeu are so good and addictive... This album makes me feel like trying to get into her original works again.

Musically the year starts awesome.
New album by BoA 02/14, new album by JUJU 02/21, new album by Kuu 02/28!
And a new single by Beverly 02/28 as well!

My sister will be going back Japan consecutively the next 3 months which's ridiculous , LOL

When both of us went Osaka last Jan , she said it was her 1st & last time going back Japan during Winter but now she's taking it all back :roflmao

Our mum asked my sister what concert she's going for next month and she said she's going to see 46 guys perform onstage at Chiba's Makuhari Messe :laugh

On a side note , Johnnys overload kick off this week until end of next month woo

Still waiting for KAT-TUN to announce a proper release for their comeback song Ask Yourself

MIYAVI is coming here to perform for the 1st time :O

Wow about time , better late than never

Also I found out other artistes that has never performed here before are coming to perform here for the 1st time which includes

- HY
- Atari Kousuke
- Hajime Chitose

Atari & Hajime are performing together

Any thoughts of a new Johnny's group? Haven't had a new Johnny's group for the past four years or so...but that will change this spring when the Johnny's family welcomes King & Joker Prince to its roster!

http://aramajapan.com/news/johnny-as...-spring/84272/

^ King & Prince , not King & Joker

So, yeah. This just happened. This came out of nowhere. I can't believe this happened... :yeek

I have to wonder what's going to happen in J-pop - other than AKB/Johnny's - first Namie's retiring, and now Tetsuya Komuro, all because of a sex scandal, is going to retire as well...

This is a dark day in J-pop indeed. :(

Looking at all sales and popularity from last year and also the start of this year, male solos are on the rise.
Maybe they're going to be the next big thing after female solos and idols?
Gen Hoshino, Kenshi Yonezu , Ken Hirai, Keisuke Kuwata.
Or also some international ones like Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran.
Newer male bands and formations not being idols are doing good as well like e.g. Wanima or Suchmos.
Going to be interesting to follow that.

KinKi Kids's latest single is great & they seldom disappoints

I love the contrast of what both A-side have with each other and I didn't expect the 2nd part of DESTINY PV included a mini Koichi solo dance which's awesome as I love to see Koichi dance , sorry Tsuyoshi :laugh

I hope I wouldn't need to wait for another 8 more years for KinKi Kids to release something that they write & compose together

New Kobukuro single to be released in April

Psyched , about time for new Kobukuro material

Last year's Kokoro was surprisingly good & for once the PV elevated the song to another level , thanks to teamLab which they subsequently also worked on V6's Setsuna-teki Night PV which to me is the best PV out of the rest in The ONES album

AKB48 just sold almost 550k in one day with their new album. And with just two versions, too.
That's great. Curious how the weekly numbers will be.

And no more Kami 7 either with Mayuyu leaving at the end of 2017. :(

(There is a theater version actually, though I'm not sure if that's even counted...)

I would have loved to see KinKi Kids perform either Topaz Love or DESTINY on this week's MUSIC STATION

Real surprised they opt out which's unusual . Maybe this's why they performed both songs earlier than usual last year on 2017 FNS Kayousai , Shin Domoto Kyoudai Christmas SP & NHK Songs

I'm probably just greedy haha

After years of living in the dinosaur stone age , Johnnys & Associates finally lift a partial media online photo ban & online media sites can now post official Johnnys photos taken at certain events

Honestly it's about time J & A move on with the times cos all the while this photo ban makes 0 sense . I guess they were 'jealous' that ex SMAP's Goro , Tsuyoshi & Shingo have a considerable big social media presence after they left the agency and they have no idea how social media can be beneficial if you utilise properly

If not why J & A allows SMAP's Takuya to post photos of himself via LINE ? But I do admit that Johnnys should have not have their own social media accounts but as a compromise their own staff should be the 1 doing the posting but I don't think nutty Johnnys fans are ready for that , yet

Slow & baby steps

Now I have to imagine how the Johnny's camp will look like around 2020, particularly on the Internet side after what just happened earlier this week - the first steps in lifting 'protectionist' bans (that is, photos of Johnny's acts, on media press conferences at the moment that Karen just said)...

Just announced a few mins ago , new FLOWER FLOWER album

Psyched :banana1 :banana2

^ Me toooo, can't wait!

But good lord, J-pop wants all my money. In addition to all the other releases I was already looking forward to, today I see album announcements from FLOWER FLOWER, Sakanaction, and ame_no_parade. So right now, I've got... at least 10 album releases I'm looking forward to in just the next two months. I love it, but it's a lot. :laugh

BREAKERZ just released the covers & promo pictures for their new single D×D×D / GREAT AMBITIOUS -Single Version-

It's so tacky in the best possible way LOL & there're 2 1st in that it's the 1st time AKIHIDE showcased his new hair colour + SHINPEI is not wearing his trademark sunglasses

Wonder why it took the guys 11 years for something like this to happen but hey better late than never

And SHINPEI you look great with sunglasses , please stick with that haha x)

3 nin KAT-TUN is finally coming back <3

And PV preview for BREAKERZ's DxDxD is as expected , wacky , tacky in the best possible way xD AKIHIDE nailed it as the womaniser prince Vino :tipsy

I can't wait for my Ayaka and Hey! Say! JUMP's CDs...once Leo Ieiri's album release window opens next week (since I'm ordering Leo's album as well and Leo's album releases on the week after Ayaka's and HSJ's singles).

I mean, my Ayaka and HSJ CDs could've come this Wednesday (not tomorrow, because of the holiday on Monday, and typically CDJapan deliveries ship on Mondays, but this week's releases would start Tuesday), but I'll need to wait until next Tuesday (or maybe next Wednesday because we've got Presidents' Day in the USA next Monday, and who knows if this will affect deliveries) because of Leo.

Omg ...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DV-XCEjX...jpg&name=small

This's going to be so so so epic & no doubt probably the concert of 2018 (for now)

And before anything can be said further , DAIGO☆STARDUST will win this for sure 150% LOL

If DAIGO☆STARDUST is still able to wear his outfits now 15 years after he made his debut which he did so over last weekend lmao , I don't see why he wouldn't win x)

I'm trying to remember this song from like... 2007 (maybe earlier). It's on the tip of my tongue but I remember the video being a dark atmosphere, she was standing at a cemetery or some cathedral in the background. Shadows passing by her. The singer had a deep strong voice. Ugh it's bothering me. I use to be obsess with it and I want to find it now lol

First day sales of JUJU's new album are only 11k (and it's constantly charting in the top 30 of the hourly ranking of amazon.jp since it was announced!).
That's really low for her, her last album easily sold over 100k.
Also Leo Ieiri's new album is only 6k first day as well.
Seriously tough times.

ARASHI finally has a PV that's not boring for once with their past PVs just standing around doing nothing . Love the dance moves going on in Find The Answer , was hoping for more but I shouldn't be greedy haha

Also I thought BREAKERZ's GREAT AMBITIOUS -Single Version- PV was going to be boring as the main focus is on DxDxD but the PV preview was a nice surprise

I'm not surprised about Leo Ieiri, I've been under the impression that she hasn't really been hot stuff for years, and looking at her history on the charts, it seems like only her first album (and her best-of) did really well on the charts. JUJU though... yeah, seems like tough times.

Have to agree here...I was rooting for Leo Ieiri, and I thought this was doable. Pretty weak sales nonetheless...

Have to agree that as well, I think Leo might be underrated.

Anyways, if Johnny's, AKB and Sakamichi group are still the only ones that are relevant in the Oricon physical sales charts with six- or seven-figures and I'm supporting an artist whose first day album sales are in the four-figures, then what's the trend? Are we continuing the progress towards digital streaming, even though the Johnny's camp doesn't release their music digitally and AKB/Sakamichi put all those handshake ticket gimmicks?

I wouldn't complain that the Johnny's camp swept the single, album and DVD #1 rankings for the latest round, but it makes me wonder if digital services - downloads and streaming - are trying to disrupt the physical sales market...

^ You can sell poorly physical CD sales wise but yet you might sell very well digitally like Nishino Kana

There's a reason why Johnnys' physical CD sales are still relatively strong because their material are not released digitally

That might change in the near future as right now they're slowly if not finally start to embrace digital trends like lifting the senseless online photo ban after they saw how well ex SMAP members are utilising social media to their greatest benefit after they left J&A

If not why Kimura Takuya has been over spamming so much on LINE regarding promo for his new drama ? that doesn't happen for no reason

Well, I've only meant it for solo females.
For those it really isn't easy with sales, physical and digital.

Meanwhile...Kenshi Yonezu just sold 235k with his new single Lemon on the digital single charts for its first week.

So BREAKERZ just announced more details on the different bonus item giveaway & also the release event details for D×D×D / GREAT AMBITIOUS –Single Version-

I thought DAIGO STARDUST doing spacey hugs is strange but BREAKERZ will be able to touch my head at the D×D×D / GREAT AMBITIOUS –Single Version- release event(s) ? o_O :roflmao

That's really creepy to me , I'm more than contented to get another personalised autograph from them thank you LOL while my friend says she wants the guys to sign her handphone xD , with her planning to shake their hands for I don't know how many times once more haha

At the meantime I'm having another headache on where I should buy the extra copies of D×D×D / GREAT AMBITIOUS –Single Version- cos as expected the bonus items the cd stores are giving away are all different , again D:

Typical -_- xD but this's 1 of the many reasons I love supporting BREAKERZ cos of the personal extra touches they do for the fans . They don't have to do it but they chose to

It's another way of boosting sales cos their sales all the while are terrible but that's not what I supported them from the beginning in the 1st place

It's so weird that female solo singers seem to be having such a tough time in Japan when they still seem to be the biggest thing among Western fans.

I have a ton of cds to listen to in late. Sometime it's painful to follow so many artists.

I'm quite tempted to buy MTV Unplugged: KinKi Kids as most of the songs featured in the release are tracks that I really like

I don't think avex Taiwan will make this cos they didn't made the CD + DVD B version of The Red Light

I probably make this an exception for KinKi Kids heh

Back to Johnny's continuing loosening of restrictions on the web:

Seriously. A Johnny's YouTube channel?????



http://aramajapan.com/news/social-me...channel/85896/

Kalafina is going to disband this Spring :x

While I don't listen to them (my sister does & saw them performed when they came here) , it's always unfortunate whenever groups disband

Yeah, it's sad. :/
I'm really glad I was able to see them live at least once.

Kira is having an awesome live concert in May!

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/Lzuy8S.png

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/CksH0O.png

I love the concept!
And I am in Japan on that date, but in Nagoya and attending Kuu's FC live.

Which is why I commented on her posts about it on her Instagram, that I'm not able to go and hoping there will be a DVD release for it.
Hopefully they hear me!

AKIHIDE is releasing his 6th solo album in June

About time for a solo album of AKIHIDE , I really hope he can sing again as I like his singing voice a lot more than DAIGO's :3

V6's Morita Go is now married , congrats to him !

2 more members before everyone in V6 is married x)

I still haven't ordered Ayaka's latest live concert Blu-ray, since I'm tight on budget and class schedule, and the fact that my computer that I use to extract Blu-rays/DVDs/CDs and convert them is being used not only by me for Elite Dangerous (an obsession I'm recently been having) but also my brother for Counter-Strike (his gaming obsession)...

(We can't even afford a new computer either, not to mention prices of certain parts are impossibly too high to bear.)

Omg, Kira posted a pic from recording in the studio today with the capture, that she has 14 days left to finish her album.
A new album is coming! Happy right now.

I'm surprised on how good FLOWER FLOWER's new album is

No singles in Spotlight but yet such a big change from Mi , in a good way . More aggressive , more experimental , less emo , I like !

Also a free Japanese concert is taking place this weekend in my country & my sister is going tomorrow night to see GARNiDELiA perform

I hope it wouldn't rain tomorrow x_x

I'm really glad J-pop (and international music in general) is getting more accessible, because that wasn't even a thing 10 years ago.

Agree! Downloading was a hassle (and sometimes even finding albums/singles were a struggle) and $30+ for one album is just too much. God Bless streaming and Japan opening up to the idea.

14-year old me is extremely jealous. It's been easier to check out new artists this way and keep up with my favs. Everything you mentioned is so accurate it terms of how things could be.


In other news, AISHA's Usotsuki Liar is a bop and I was pleasantly surprised. It's nice to enjoy a song as much as I enjoy her aesthetic lol.

https://open.spotify.com/track/4TsUY...TU2FVDZVpYhXaw

That's good to ear that. :)

Tohoshinki's new album is so good! nice to know they still have IT

YU-A is going to shoot something in 10 days!
Which is why she's working out like mad right now to look good and fit. :laugh
Hope it's music related, it's been some time since we got something from her.

MIYAVI has worked on a song in Kisumai's upcoming new album

That's so cool , I look forward to hear what MIYAVI has came up with

On a sidenote , MIYAVI performed here for the 1st time last Sun , hope he had fun performing in my country !

And the day before that , Aimer & Amazarashi performed together at the same venue which MIYAVI performed too

Kira finished the album recording today, yay!
She took 5 days longer, cause the last song teased her so much. She says now we have to listen to the album. :laugh
Sadly she doesn't give a hint when it's coming, just that we should look forward to the release.

^ Looking forward to it, I hope we get a release date soon!

And YU-A is in the studio today recording!
So she probably is shooting a PV soon.
(still miss her long purple hair though- she was one of my inspirations to go with purple myself)
In the last half year a lot of great (female) artists are more active again, it's awesome.

Edit:
I said that about purple hair and now she's in a salon getting colour, covering it up with a purple snake gif. Hopefully it is purple again! :laugh

After ex SMAP's Shingo , Goro & Tsuyoshi left J&A , they embraced SNS in such a manner that they feel so liberated in doing so as technology is the 1 thing that really hampered J&A a lot

It's funny yet ironic that after the 3 of them left , J&A realised how much they lost out technology wise as they always feel it's the 'enemy' but after they saw how much digital success the trio received , now then they feel their old yet makes no sense no photos upload ban is so out of touch at this day & age

Now official media can upload photos of Johnnys taken at official press conferences & starting last Sun , avex has began uploading short preview clips that're Kisumai and V6 related

And also now Johnnys who appear in magazines , the companies are allowed to post the photos 'intact' instead of the lame grey hue that's always so visible

Maybe in future J&A will list their artistes' music online for sale and/or streaming ?

Kira is filming a PV in 2 days!

New thread:

http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124024

Took us over five years just to reach this point. :O