[Article] "Why Japanese pop matters"

[Bad Wolf]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

Usually, I think Shiina fans (even Hikki fans) like to put down the very "pop" female soloists because they've "sold out" or something. It's really weird and I don't understand why they'd do that... blah.

I'm so glad all the Shiina fans I've met (myself included XD) are both Shiina AND Ayu lovers.

What bothers me about this article is as others have said -- strangely worded, sarcastic, misinformation printed as fact, etc. And yet, this is very sadly commonplace in Western journalism (perhaps globally, too?). I also take issue with the title "Why Japanese Pop Matters" -- as if the West needs to validate Japanese musicians? O_o As if their pop music needs Westerners to endorse and promote it? I don't think the author intended to suggest such a thing with the title, but regardless of her intentions that's what I'm getting from the syntax.

Also, ever since idiots like Perez or the jackals at ONTD, journalism/pop cultured-based articles ALL have this wry, snarky, bitter tone to them, as if they're mocking the very people they're attempting to credit and praise. It's a very, very strange combination of building someone up and tearing them down which I can neither understand nor endorse: it's one thing to write objectively, showing flaws and positive aspects. It's another to be an unnecessary ****.

[Neko★munication]

Idk guys, I think the article was pretty fair. I mean, it wasn't someone from AHS writing it, it obviously wasn't a hardcore Ayu fan, it seemed to be just a casual listener, and taking that into consideration, that's a pretty positive light that she put Ayu in. Like, come on, she's not bashing her. Plus she gets bonus points for liking Ladies Night

[truehappiness]

They had some positive stuff in there, but there were also some backhanded compliments not found in any of the other artists' descriptions... -facepalm-

[Embleu]

What I really liked was the nod to Ayu's "high-concept music videos". The depth and subtly overt symbolism of Ayu's videos is usually passed over in mainstream media reviews (in fact, her music videos rarely get much mention at all), except by Chinese papers every now and then like the Epoch Times who just give write blurbs about the themes of her music videos.

[y_nathz]

Oh well, at least she said that Ayu is already weird before Gaga

[asmAyumi1992]

Cosmetic surgery

[Coelacanth]

Idk, the fact that Nana Kitade is even mentioned made me not take the article seriously, lol...

[rakeru]

Ayu's section of this was unnecessarily snarky. Way to dedicate the smallest paragraphs to the biggest artist.
And for an article titled "Why Japanese Pop Matters", the author could have mentioned artists other than solo females. I know she tried to be diverse within that group, but there are other bands that could have been represented.

[Aditmi Krisnasaki ~II~]

LOL. cosmetic surgery?

Lady Gaga, Halle Berry, Mariah Carey => they all did cosmetic/plastic surgery too!

[AyUmIXx]

yeah how could she 100% sure that Ayu had plastic surgery bfore?
no one ever knows bout that yet~

[love in music]

lol this is so bad. I've read worse articles but this one is just really bad.

[Tony G]

The artists chosen are just weird. Nana Kitade had some good songs, but she's pretty much underground and unknown. Having her on the same page as Ayumi Hamasaki is kind of an insult.

[kiseki89]

Originally Posted by Tony G

The artists chosen are just weird. Nana Kitade had some good songs, but she's pretty much underground and unknown. Having her on the same page as Ayumi Hamasaki is kind of an insult.

I had to wiki her... look through her list of release until I saw the word 'first ending for the anime series Fullmetal Alchemist' then go to youtube to find 'Kesenai Tsumi' then I realise I knew that song

Overall I can just say that the write sure gave her fair shot of positive and negative opinions... It really makes me wonder if these 'female stars of the orient's hippest country deserve to be seen and heard in the west' and if ' Japanese pop matters'?

[jessy]

i think the opinion in this article is a little bit different from that in asia.
some famous singers are not mentioned in this articale

[Midori-chan]

"...she's often used cosmetic surgery..." --> Everytime I read things like this about Ayu, it really, really (!!) pisses me off!

[hidekirby]

Cosmetic surgery = ayu... That's so boring!
And yeay for Tomoko!!!! <3

[Delirium-Zer0]

Nana Kitade isn't very obscure in the west at all thanks to her loligoth fashion and anime themes... as far as the "gothic" rocker chick stereotype, something often thought of when westerners think of Japan, she was the obvious choice to represent that group.

[JackieRos]

Queen of J-Pop, and it will be a long while before anyone can surpass her.

take that blank fans

what bothered me is the surgery comment

[lumieregrl]

It seemed like the author managed to insult each of the artists in some way. But the article is poorly written, at any rate. :\

[zellyx]

I love the Gaga comment, but I really don't like the first sentence...
& some of it seems... sarcastic?