Your interest in the Japanese pop music scene

[NintendoHTF1242]

So in the Utada Hikaru thread, I had made a comment about my interest in Japanese pop as a whole and had two people share the same senitiments. I'd love to hear how y'all feel as well nowadays towards the music scene.

For me, ever since Utada dropped her album; I barely come onto AHS anymore. All the acts I follow just don't wow me anymore. I'm not sure if it's an age thing, or just a change of interest in music genres or what. Not going to lie, I still remain somewhat hopeful that old acts I listen to will return someday (Yuna Ito, MiChi, Meisa Kuroki, Leah Dizon) but I just feel like the market nowadays is so... boring. Nothing excites me. Utada slayed the entire game and Ai Otsuka unexpectedly won my heart with LOVE TRiCKY last year but like... now what lol

What about you guys? Still got any diehard J-Pop fans here? lol

[ExodusUK]

Completed bored and lost interest. At one point maybe up until 2010, it was 80% of what I listened to.

[Princess_Of_Roses]

I am 28 and continue still to listen to it. Yesterday I did a 4 mile walk, hour and 30 minutes and listened to nothing but Kuu. I cant stand whats on the radio (usa) right now. Its still thrilling to me and still catchy!

[Zeke.]

Rarely do I come across a new release that I love. Although, I continously listen to everything I've collected up to this point in time and just rotate through different songs/albums of the past.

However, more recently a few songs from REOL's album got me OBSESSED.





Here's a montage of songs from the album.



If you haven't downloaded you need to now.

My favorite is "lunatic" - it got to the point where I was getting mad at myself for playing it every chance I got but I just couldn't help myself.

On top of these, I also like kamasama ni natta hi.

[EndOfTheWorld]

I definitely know what you are getting at here.
I too am not so enveloped in Jpop like a was 5ish years ago. There isn't anything going on that is really making an impact on me in the Jpop world.
I'm mostly following new releases by veteran artists. New artists like Kyary are fun but these idols don't satisfy my deep passion for music.
The last thing that made an impact on me in Jpop is when Yasutaka Nakata stared rising in popularity in the mid/late 2000s. I was fascinated by his unique electronic songs and stylish artists. The whole electro scene from then was so amazing to me.
Once the 2010s came in I noticed things were changing and the music was less creative to me than the 90s and 2000s. Currently I just keep building my Jpop cd collection with albums from these decades. I love it, but I also wish there were newer releases to get excited about.
My struggle is that I also hate what is going on with the American music scene right now as well. It's become completely dumbed down, over sexualized, crap.
But none of this is the end of the world. I would say just follow what you love and cherish your current collection from over the years. That is what I do. I keep listening to the albums I love but keep my mind open to new things.

[Bigtop]

With an hour before MSSL about to start, my mind is already thinking I'm not ready for MSSL yet.

Either that...or, in the context of this thread - I'm not sure what the future of J-pop looks like.

I mean, there's barely no more Ayu on TV performances. Not even MSSL. Or the Kouhaku. And I am sometimes questioning the viability of idol groups, such as AKB48 and Johnny's.

The reason why I got interested in J-pop all started with Ayumi Hamasaki. Then I expanded further with Johnny's artists, AKB48, and even the surprise Sayuri Sugawara. But these days, I have to wonder what has been going on recently with the world of Japanese music - and things haven't been positive... I mean, the TV ratings have been down for major shows (especially year-end), and then SMAP is about to disband in a week - Japanese music is not the same as ten years ago when I started getting interested in 2006.

It seems like I really miss those old days. I don't think AKB, Nogizaka and even Keyakizaka isn't going to help very much in the long run. Or even miwa, IMO. So who's going to be the next great artist that isn't an AKB, Johnny's or some idol group? Who's the next Ayumi Hamasaki, Utada, Ayaka or something? I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel yet...we might be far ways off from that kind of a thing. Something has got to change in the Japanese music scene before the 2020 Olympics come...

Also blame YouTube Red for limiting our choices of J-pop in the USA. Once used to be able to see it, it's been a year since they launched it, and I'm still unable to watch short clips from artists from Victor (e.g. Leo Ieiri), Pony Canyon (Rina Katahira), Being group (B'z, BREAKERZ, and even Honey Bee-associated girl artists Chelsy and Lily's Blow recently), and even Sony (SCANDAL, etc., but even then most of Sony videos are blocked outside of Japan before YouTube Red rolled in)...it's pretty much a mix of issues that have made me lose interest in J-pop at times.

[Chiharo]

I don't have this problem because there's still so many artists, even older ones, that I want to listen to. And I'm actually overwhelmed all the time by how many aritsts' discographies there are to go through. This is not even considering the artists that I already like and who release something new. As for new releases, it's true that lately they've been somewhat dull, but it still all depends. For example Miliyah Kato released a mind blowing album this year.

In general I just ignore the artists whose music I don't like (stuff like idol groups) and focus on interesting artists. Because really, there are so many - some of them with huge discographies. So there is no way I that I (at least for now) feel Jpop "bores" me. After all it's always been 90% of what I listen to and my interest in it never faded somehow through all these 10 years. Because as I said, there are always tons of artists to discover, old or new.

For example just this year I started discovering Jpop oldies likes Miyuki Nakajima, Akina Nakamori and Seiko Matsuda. As well as others, and just those few have huge discographies that I don't even know I'll manage to listen to all. Especially as there are STILL newer artists whose music I've wanted to give a chance to but never could because of just how much Jpop there is to listen to.

So to me - Jpop actually still feels really refreshing to listen to because of all the differences in genres it can have, and really it's just huge. So even if I don't like new releases by my favorite artists - oh well, there's still tons of other stuff I can listen to anyway which I will like.

[Corvina]

I have the same sentiments as Chiharo.
JPop is still the genre I listen to most. That never changed.
I mean, the whole Japanese music scene doesn't only consist out of the popular acts, you can still discover so much more, old and new stuff.
The veteran artists I love are still active, there are some interesting new acts worth checking out (even if you maybe have to look a bit closer to find them) and there are still so much older acts I have to check out. The whole JPop scene alone is so huge, how could it get boring for me?

[CatGirl]

Originally Posted by Zeke.

Rarely do I come across a new release that I love. Although, I continously listen to everything I've collected up to this point in time and just rotate through different songs/albums of the past.

However, more recently a few songs from REOL's album got me OBSESSED.





Here's a montage of songs from the album.



If you haven't downloaded you need to now.

My favorite is "lunatic" - it got to the point where I was getting mad at myself for playing it every chance I got but I just couldn't help myself.

On top of these, I also like kamasama ni natta hi.

Yo REOL is everything!!! Their album was definitely a highlight of 2016. Also, they're one of the only new artists I listen to, along with Charisma.com, FAKY, and FEMM.

I'm still into j-pop, not as much as I used to be though. A lot of my favorite artists either fell off the face of the Earth (OLIVIA, Hitomi Shimatani) or switched to a more electronic style (Mika Nakashima, Ai Otsuka, Namie Amuro). I don't mind the shift in style, but it kind of bums me out when I think about how one of the reasons why I loved j-pop so much back then was because each artist had their own unique style. Mika was ballads/jazz/country/gospel/whatever she was doing, Ai was cutesy rock and ballads, Namie was hip-pop, etc... Now everything just kind of blends in together, I guess. There are still a few good new groups but I haven't really found any new solo singers I've really liked yet.

[Toniayu123]

Thanks Zeke for posting REOL's music, didn't know it it sounds great I'll give it a try

I'm on the same boat as chiharo and corvina. It is true that I have felt really bored this year with my favorites but there is a lot of material to discover and re-discover that I don't feel like listening to other things. I like some western artist as well but I don't enjoy them as much as I do with jpop. Hopefully next year gets more interesting with the veterans, I'm looking at you Kumi.

[JackieRos]

I just turned 27, I first started to listen to Jpop in the 90's, I started with Utada Hikaru. I only can name a few that I really listen to: Hikki, ayumi, Koda Kumi, Anna Tsuchiya, Namie Amuro. Even though I love J-Pop I don't follow it religiously like I used to. I used to be excited when they released new material but now is like I'm happy that they're releasing it but I'm not excited to listen to it. I haven't heard Hikki's album yet and it was released in September(?) I do sometimes go back to the J Hip Hop music, just this morning I was listening to Rip Slyme old music but that's a different genre. I mainly listen to K-Pop but if I could learn a language I will first learn Japanese then Korean. J-Pop or Japanese music has a special place in my heart that's the music that I grew up with.

[Kacku]

Originally Posted by Chiharo

I don't have this problem because there's still so many artists, even older ones, that I want to listen to. And I'm actually overwhelmed all the time by how many aritsts' discographies there are to go through. This is not even considering the artists that I already like and who release something new. As for new releases, it's true that lately they've been somewhat dull, but it still all depends. For example Miliyah Kato released a mind blowing album this year.

In general I just ignore the artists whose music I don't like (stuff like idol groups) and focus on interesting artists. Because really, there are so many - some of them with huge discographies. So there is no way I that I (at least for now) feel Jpop "bores" me. After all it's always been 90% of what I listen to and my interest in it never faded somehow through all these 10 years. Because as I said, there are always tons of artists to discover, old or new.

For example just this year I started discovering Jpop oldies likes Miyuki Nakajima, Akina Nakamori and Seiko Matsuda. As well as others, and just those few have huge discographies that I don't even know I'll manage to listen to all. Especially as there are STILL newer artists whose music I've wanted to give a chance to but never could because of just how much Jpop there is to listen to.

So to me - Jpop actually still feels really refreshing to listen to because of all the differences in genres it can have, and really it's just huge. So even if I don't like new releases by my favorite artists - oh well, there's still tons of other stuff I can listen to anyway which I will like.

Originally Posted by Corvina

I have the same sentiments as Chiharo.
JPop is still the genre I listen to most. That never changed.
I mean, the whole Japanese music scene doesn't only consist out of the popular acts, you can still discover so much more, old and new stuff.
The veteran artists I love are still active, there are some interesting new acts worth checking out (even if you maybe have to look a bit closer to find them) and there are still so much older acts I have to check out. The whole JPop scene alone is so huge, how could it get boring for me?

Agreed with both of you so much. The J-Pop scene is huge once you go past Oricon and the big names of the past, and there's a lot of good music out there. And like Chiharo mentioned, there's so much to discover in the past decades as well (I've dabbled in Miyuki Nakashima and Yumi Matsutoya's music, need to try some more Akina Nakamori, and there's still so much more interesting stuff: Toshi Kubota has been on my mind ever since I heard the original LA LA LA LOVE SONG, and I've barely scratched the surface of Shibuya-kei). I'm also constantly overwhelmed by all the stuff I have and want to try, there never seems to be enough time for everything interesting, and new releases and acts just keep on coming.

I've been following J-Pop for about 7-8 years now and I think nowadays I'm consuming even more J-Pop than I used to in the past. Some artists I've followed have dropped off the face of Earth (MiChi, JASMINE, alan, Angela Aki, practically every act under I've Sound...) and others have become so uninteresting to me that I can barely bother to check their new releases (Ikimonogakari, Maon Kurosaki, miwa is getting dangerously close), but there's always something new out there to fill the void. Even this past year, I've discovered many new and old acts I've liked a lot (Kou Shibasaki, KIRA, NakamuraEmi, CICADA), reconnected with some I didn't pay much attention to in the past (Galileo Galilei, CLAZZIQUAI PROJECT, Shishido Kavka), and kept loving my old favourites. My lists of favourite albums, singles and songs from the past year look very different than the ones from 2015, so J-Pop definitely hasn't gone stale for me.

Sorry, this became needlessly detailed, haha. But the bottom line is, as Corvina put it: The whole JPop scene alone is so huge, how could it get boring for me? I still feel like J-Pop has a lot to offer and am always looking forward to trying new artists.

All of this said, I do also have some frustrations with the scene, especially with the charts and what gets mainstream attention and sells (I'm so bitter about Crystal Kay having to churn out one boring ballad after the other to stay safe and pander to the mainstream; more VIVID, less mid-tempo string ballads, pleeeeease). But every scene has its problems, and I still get lots of enjoyable music out of Japan, so I'm a pretty happy fan most of the time.

[Yoake]

I agree with Chiharo, Corvina and Kachu. The Jpop world is very huge and diversified.
There are a lot of old singers we don't know because they were hidden by the popularity of some singers.
And it's the same with this era. Drop Oricon chart and try to search elsewhere. There are a lot of little music labels who produce interesting artists with different styles and even experimental styles. Those will never be included in the official and big charts or will never perform at a big TV show.
There are also singers who made mainstream songs to earn some money to create more experimental songs by themselves. Annabel is one of them. Her anisongs are very generic but her self-produce singles are unique.
And if you don't have time to search on Internet don't hesitate to check the new artist thread or the old school Jpop thread.

[Corvina]

Something fitting to the topic:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/.../#.WGDsihx95E4

[Yooku]

I started listen to jpop in 2004 and I'm still into japanese music but it's not "my everything" like it used to be when jpop as a genre was still new to me.

I think it's normal that people's taste in music is changing and there might be some big changes in life that might affect as well (like getting job or having a baby for example).

Also some jpop stars that I used to listen are now middle-aged and they don't release new material very often.

My personal experience is that if you have such a feeling try to stay open-minded and give a chance to some new artists. Don't listen something compulsively: you're not a bad fan if you don't like every release. Let's remember that music is supposed to bring joy and comfort.

And speaking of AHS or any other forum I think this kind of discussion platform is getting old, when people are able to communicate more quickly and easily using apps like WhatsApp and facebook. In agreement with members of one finnish forum, we decided to set up a group on facebook. In that way, we are trying to revive the discussion.

[_dandy_]

For me, it's Ayu or nothing. I've listened to music from other JPop artists, including some of the supposedly bigger names--and (IMO) I've given them more than a fair chance, but I'm just "not feeling it".

Maybe that's because Ayu has "her own" type of music...I keep hearing that "she's not really JPop in the traditional JPop sense" - whatever that means...my interpretation of this is that she's not really JPop in the same sense, perhaps, that there's some Shania Twain haters who say she's not really country.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

Jpop hasn't been focusing on new endeavors recently. It's still very group oriented, and solo artists past and present are rarely pushed by the media. So in the sense I've fallen out of new jpop acts.

They're not doing anything particularly deep or exciting, and budgets have certainly gone down all around. The variety in top selling acts has also decreased. Since 2008 all the best selling albums and artists are exile tribe, arashi/johnnys, and akb groups. So that has been extremely tiring. Luckily Utada was able to achieve such great success with her new album. But unfortunately I don't see that as a sign for other solo acts.

Youth aren't really looking to music for expression as they used to, so deep lyrics and imagery would be lost on them. Nishino Kana sings about the same topic seemingly every single time, with the same approachable (imo boring) image and safe/simple/basic imagery. And her demographic is very specific and obvious haha. Because really that's what's selling. Now certainly there's nothing wrong with that, in fact i'd liken her to the Taylor Swift of jpop. It's just not my taste.

Kpop influence is still strong for male groups, though female groups have reverted towards the typical jpop idol style.

Japanese media and culture in general has become extremely conservative. Just watching TV shows from the 90s and now it's like...there are no topical issues being touched upon as they used to. Teenage prostitution, gangs, drugs and alcohol, anti-school imagery...things that made 90s and early 2000's tv and music so deep are now very rare to see.

So I think this overall safeness in tv and culture and music has really eaten away at interesting things being created.

I mean, sex appeal in Japan has changed so much since even I got there in 2008. Of course styles change, but girls have largely abandoned sexier fashion for a girlier aesthetic. Which means artists and media are following suit. *i only mention this because if an artist were to be on the sexier side, the public's reaction is more prudish.

The Koda Kumi effect is loooooong gone as well as the LA celeb look that Ayu popularized (casual but still with a hint of sex appeal).



Maybe I went a bit off topic, but for me image and music are very much linked haha.

[Katsuyuki012]

So, I have to be honest that I feel a bit out of place, considering that I'm still a part of the youth and I didn't have the chance to really experience the old J-pop era. But as the most here, I got introduced into JPop by the Empress of J-Pop: Ayumi Hamasaki. It all started last year and at first I just knew that she's a legend and others are Hikaru Utada etc.. But then I started to get interested in J-Pop in a whole and since then I'm having a very different view of our artists but especially J-Pop in general. Since a long time all the young people seem to be only liking new pop music, much dancing and such things but they seem not to care about good lyrics etc.. I have to admit that I also like a good pop song without the best lyrics BUT it never could reach the level, a good, emotional song has. And I think that the most people just don't care for that anymore which makes me kinda sad. I've got a few people at my school who are all listening to J-Pop. Nearly no one of them could tell me a solo-singer and if they know one it was e.g. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu... When I asked them if they know Ayu, Hikki or Namie they're mostly like "um no" or "I heard of them". When they ask me about them (age, good songs etc.) they often just say that they're old or that their music is boring. When I once said "i really love the lyrics in this song" they asked me why I care for that since "it's all about listening". And beside the J-Pop-listeners I'm talking about, it's mostly the same with music in general... When I once had a presentation about Ayu, I had to show my class some of her songs and the most were like "aww that sounds good/she looks good but she's so old :/" or when I showed them a bit of Dearest they were like "who cares for the text?"(But when an american star sings a song which they haven't written it's lyrically and emotionally a masterpiece or what? Sorry off-topic). But I think seeing how people don't care made me caring more... In general I don't have too much interest in J-Pop talking about all the big acts that are "in". I only care for Ayu and Hikki to be honest. I mean I gave all those new artists/artists that are popular (mostly groups) a chance but I just don't feel it... When I for e.g. listen to some special Ayu songs I feel as if those lyrics could be from me, especially her A Song For ×× time but also some of the new songs give me thid feeling...

Wow, this post is kinda weird... Welp, I'm also just a boy fighting with confusion...

[XFER]

I haven't listened to jpop regularly, in like 8 years. OLIVIA is gone, Ai Otsuka returned with shitty music (LOVE FANTASTIC) and then an acclaimed album (LOVE TRICKY) that sounded all the same to me. Leah Dizon is gone as well. alan releases random simple songs and no albums... and if she does, they're barely promoted so I never hear about them. I mean, I only follow one jpop artist faithfully: Morning Musume. They're the best thing ever! <3

I feel too many of female japanese voices considered good for singing, sound all the same. With males is similar. I am a jack of all trades, master of none. I listen a little from here, a little from there, but do not investigate further is the surface doesn't appeal to me. It's a bit tough to find the music I want, especially if it's not on jpopsuki.

[Luck16]

I lost almost completely the interest in Jpop and so have my friends who used to love it.

I think it's a mixture of getting old and how boring Jpop is now. Like others have stated, pretty much all of my favorites are now gone (MiChi, alan, JASMINE, Yuna Ito, Meisa Kuroki, OLIVIA) and I just don't have the time or interest to look for new singers.

My top 4 faves are BoA, Ayu, Kuu and Namie.
They all aren't as active as they used to be as well (except Namie I guess)
I haven't really liked any of Ayu's music for the past 4 or 5 years (just a song here and there).
As for Kuu, Bon Voyage and WOML didn't have as much replay value as some of her older albums but she still is my all time favorite
BoA is probably eating cheetos now
Namie has been topping herself on releasing generic music
I also don't check ORICON daily like I used to back in the day (when Jpop was at its prime era). It was really exciting to see how my faves would rank lol

When AKB and those other groups started to dominate was the time I really started to get bored with the Jpop scene.

As I stated before, I believe in my case it's also an age thing. We and our faves all have other priorities now. I can't stay in my room all night watching concerts and PVs.

Jpop to me, now, is synonym to nostalgia.