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Favorite Japanese Bands

OoTmaster

先輩
23 Oct 2012
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Starting this forum to ask about people's favorite Japanese bands. I have quite a few I listen to but would like to get some suggestions as well as see what other people listen to. The first one that I highly recommend is 和楽器バンド they mix modern rock with traditional Japanese instruments. They are relatively new but worth a listen. LiSA is one of my all time favorites, I enjoy both Crossing Field and Rising Hope the most. Don't know what she's really classified as, maybe J-rock. Baby Metal is another favorite of mine. I love headbanger and doki doki morning. I really love Yui's song Again, heard it first as one of the openings for FMA: Brotherhood. And of course being an anime fan I love a lot of the artists that write music for anime openings. I could keep going but I'll stop for now.
 
Here's my list:
1) X-Japan was probably the first Japanese band that hooked me up enough to buy their recrods.
2) MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS is a less-known band. They broke up some time ago, but recently there are rumors out there about their reunification. Also i started to listen to them about the same i started learning Japanese.
3) Inugami Circus-Dan. It amazes me how Kyouko's voice remains as vigorous as it was 15 years ago.
4) Logic system. It is difficult for me to explain what i like about Hideki Matsutake's music. I guess i just try to imagine how innovative it sounded back in the 70's
5) Rentrer en Soi (also Satsuki's solo albums) There're few good bands out there that one can listen to quite often without getting tired of it. This is definitely one of them.I can't imagine ever getting tired of Rentrer en Soi music and Satsuki's vocal.
6) Touhou stuff. While i'm not really into Touhou games (save for their fighting game) i really like lively IOSYS and Cool N Create's music and mini-doramas on their CD's.
7) OST's. Naturally i enjoy listening to anime OST's and character songs, video-game OST's, movies' OST's
8) Judy & Mary, UVERWorld, ZAQ, BeforU. There's nothing bad about some life-asserting easy-listening pop.
9) Shrapnel Sound. While not related to Touhou, DJ Shrapnel Sound's style has some resemblance to that of IOSYS. Actually it's more of a dance music though. that's right i actually dance to it occasionaly.
10) Linked Horizon. Interesting style of narrating some fantasy-themed stories to music. Altghough they also have some non-fantasy-themed songs. That's a shame
11) Kazuki Tomokawa. Now that's something. Wikipedia refers to him as a "screaming philosopher". I myself refer to him as "japanese Vladimir Vysotsy" due to some resemblance in singing style. Also i'm glad that i discovered his music already having decent knowledge of japanese, since lyrics to his songs are hard (and for some songs outright impossible) to find.
12) Enka music (Hako Yamasaki, Shinichi Mori, Miyuki Nakajima and others). Perhaps the main reason i like enka - is because lyrics are touching and are easy to comprehend.

I guess i'll also stop for now.
 
In America, I'm a freaking hipster, apparently, but in Japan, I would be pop trash.
Not gonna lie; I really happen to like Sekai no Owari, AKB48, Goose House, Mr. Children, Shibasaki Kou, and Gackt. Sadly, these are just the names I can remember off the top of my head. I'm actually pretty terrible with names. (Literally just learned who Bruno Mars was 6 months ago)
 
AKB48, and Gackt.
Oh, AKB48 and Gackt are so obvious that i forgot to mention them. Funny thing is i started to listen to gackt long before considering learning japanese. It goes without saying - i couldn't understand a single phrase of the lyrics back then. But now every once in a while when i put a gackt record on - i experience that feeling of listening to a song for the first time, only that time every single verse is crystal clear to me.
 
Oh, AKB48 and Gackt are so obvious that i forgot to mention them. Funny thing is i started to listen to gackt long before considering learning japanese. It goes without saying - i couldn't understand a single phrase of the lyrics back then. But now every once in a while when i put a gackt record on - i experience that feeling of listening to a song for the first time, only that time every single verse is crystal clear to me.

I started listening to Gackt before I started learning Japanese as well. I get the same feeling when I listen to his stuff again. Although I'm not quite fluent so I've gotten it a few times, just a bit more clarity as I listen each time. It's actually pretty fun.
 
The only artist I have loaded on my iPhone is DABO. But that's more due to circumstances/fate than anything else. Back in the day I learned a couple of trf songs that I liked so I'd have a few karaoke songs to pull out when needed. But generally speaking I don't seek out Japanese music. If some of the streaming music services in the U.S. had more in their catalog or access to Japanese radio, I'd probably listen more.
 
Regarding Japanese radio stations. I've downloaded some radiostations' .asx files from /http://www.simulradio.info/ and whenever i feel like listening to weather broadcasts, traffic congestion, news, chit-chat and occasional music - i just drag those .asx files to my playlist and enjoy.
 
Regarding Japanese radio stations. I've downloaded some radiostations' .asx files from /http://www.simulradio.info/ and whenever i feel like listening to weather broadcasts, traffic congestion, news, chit-chat and occasional music - i just drag those .asx files to my playlist and enjoy.
Good to know. I wish InterFM 89.7 was on there, there's a program I want to listen to.
 
I really like Radwimps / One ok Rock / Gesu no Kiwami Otome :D

I also like Nujabes if you've ever watched Samurai Champloo (it's on Netflix).
 
I enjoy P-model, The Plastics, Polysics, Midori, Akiakane, Charisma.com and Halcali.
I sometimes listen to Asian kung fu generation, Kana-boon and Keytalk
 
I've heard very little Japanese music that I've liked and a lot that I've loathed while living here.
However, last weekend I was wandering around a new part of Tokyo (Nogata in Nakano-ku) and I heard some really good punk-influenced rock blasting out from a ground-floor bar. It was enough for me to go in and have a couple of beers. I spent about an hour there with music from the same band playing during the entire hour, and every single track was good.
The band were The Bluehearts.
 
There's a heck of a lot of great music coming out of Japan. I like the techno artists mostly but there's great jazz and even modern classical to be had. Check out Motohiro Nakashima and the late Susumu Yokota. Fox Capture Plan caught my attention recently too, I really must catch them live someday - jazz is better live than on record. My absolute favourite is Midori Takada; she's a superb classical and techno percussionist and all round great person.
 
I don't listen to Japanese vocalists a lot, but I really like the hiphop/jazz producers:

Nujabes
Nomak
Uyama Hiroto
DJ Okawari
Kenichiro Nishihara
Kenmochi Hidefumi
Michita

and probably there are a lot more..
 
My favorite bands would be
ONE OK ROCK,
Galileo Galilei,
flumpool,
MAN WITH A MISSION,
Gackt

I do have more, but these are the ones I can spontaneously think of. :)
 
Passepied and Frederic are also really good bands! I feel like they're underrated.
Oddloop and Owarase Night by Frederic
Brain War, Tokinowa and Onomimono by Passepied
The artwork is also really pretty for both of these bands too.
 
Back when I was a lot younger, I think the first Japanese band I liked a lot was Mad Capsule Markets. Unfortunately, they broke up a while ago. Fortunately, their members went on to form a couple neat bands called AA= and Wagdug Futuristic Unity.
More recently, I got really into electronic music from Japan. Various producers and DJ's in the "doujin hardcore" and "Japanoise" communities, like CDR and t+pazolite.
Even more recently, however, I've gotten really into Japanese hip-hop. Long ago I'd gotten into Rip Slyme and Halcali, but that was about the extent of it. In the past couple years, however, I've found very many fantastic artists and labels/collectives. Some of my favorites are the Seminishukei record label (especially Bushmind, DJ High School and Starrburst), Cenju, JJJ, Budamunk, Ill.Sugi, Bun (Fumitake Tamura), and Arμ-2.

I'd really love learning about the history of hip-hop music in Japan. I know DJ Krush and DJ Honda were very influential internationally, and Zeebra & Kick The Can Crew, within Japan. Although, I've yet to listen to the latter three.

I'd ALSO welcome with open arms, recommendations of Japanese jazz musicians.
 
Even more recently, however, I've gotten really into Japanese hip-hop.
What are your thoughts about Dabo? Every now and then I get an irrational urge to put on Lexus Gucchi or other tracks with the volume up.
 
What are your thoughts about Dabo?
I've actually never heard of Dabo, to be honest. That song doesn't sound too bad, though! The video, on the other hand... Ahahah. Could you recommend me an album or a couple songs to check out? If you dig that, you might enjoy Down North Camp. I haven't dived too deeply into their music, but that's what the Dabo song reminded me of.
 
I've actually never heard of Dabo, to be honest. That song doesn't sound too bad, though! The video, on the other hand... Ahahah. Could you recommend me an album or a couple songs to check out? If you dig that, you might enjoy Down North Camp. I haven't dived too deeply into their music, but that's what the Dabo song reminded me of.
Thanks for the tip.
His most catchy tune is probably Pinky~dakara, sono te o hanashite ~ Feat. Tyler but that's mainly due to the female vocalist.
 
actually i prefer bands that not only sells their looks and dancing like ONE OK ROCK, Λucifer, AKG, and Orange Range (not always updating with their latest songs though but their songs always catch my ears), and i really really love AAA which only sells their looks and dancing *this one an exception :p
 
SCANDAL, an all girl band, the first time i heard of them is when my friend from here recommended me Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and when i first heard Shunkan Sentimental I've became their fan ever since then.
 
My apologies, I am new at this and accidentally posted in the wrong forum

I don't think we have an appropriate section for people to promote their bands which have nothing whatsoever to do with Japan. You might try the Classifieds or "Chit-Chat & Miscellaneous".
 
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