I feel the music to be most important, when you know about a band. But still, interesting looks can get you to be interested in a band. Normally I hear things first (because a band is recommended or I see a lot of people mention it), and then see pictures. Some bands, I still don't know what they look like! But there are a few bands where I listened to the music because I was admiring their looks first. It felt pretty stupid to comment: "oh, he's so hot!" or something, but not know their music. If I did that, I felt very immature or something!
So I'd go and look for their music. And I discovered some good bands like that, too!
I am glad someone else apart from me doesn't like Alice Nine's music. It doesn't do anything for me, but it seems everyone loves them. (They do look pretty, though!)
I don't mind looking at pictures even if I don't like the band, but I don't make a big deal about it. It's like looking at pictures of models or film stars, right? Most people will do it. (Especially blokes... they'll look for ever at pictures of pin up girls and porn stars... and then have the cheek to diss fangirls...
)
Kaoru has something to say on 'image'...
"Songs are something we make for ourselves, when we hear them we judge the song based on that. But it's getting vital that others hear it, others see it, in our image, in the photos. Then we're not just saying, it's enough that we're doing the band, we've got to appeal to them. Like the song we want them to hear, isn't getting through. Or like we want them to hear our image, all of it."