New to J-Music! What are your recommendations?

[Davey]

Ayaka, Ai, and Misia

 

[rockerRahul234]

Id say:

Gazette - lots of their songs are awesome, they are very famous
Hyde - hes cool, and has a great voice
L'arc en ciel - hyde used to sing for them, they have good songs
D'espairs ray - i really only like one of their songs and thats squall, its good
SID - theyre awesome, funny sometimes. i like their music a lot

last but not least,
D - they're my favorite band of all. amazing singing, guitarists everything. it might take a while to get used to his singing though. i love their music so much!

 

[Mavrek]

Wow Nice Music.. You have very good singers and a good future in music industry.. Because I'm from asia and love to learn things about japan, A music, Way of living, Food etc.. Anyone tell me about rock music in japan?

 

[mysticgenie]

Hyde is still in Laruku.

 

[Skullcrushergurl]

Miyavi: Fun inspiring music, great vocals, excellent guitar playing
Utada Hikaru: WONDERFUL VOICE! Catchy music, great lyrics and good image over all
Tamaki Nami: Fun music to dance to, great lyrics
Dir en grey: Awesome guitars, music full of emotion, great vocals
Ayumi Hamasaki: Good for the hip-hop lover
Namie Amuro: Fair range of music mostly fun hip-hop
High and Mighty color: Fun rock music
Gazette: Good guitars, lyrics and vocals
~L'arc en ciel~: Good vocals, also fun rock music

 

[Haruspex]

Can somebody please recomend some fairly heavy rock? I'll check out the bands listed so far as rock, but can somebody tell me some heavy stuff? Thanks.

I didn't notice this topic before, so I m answering now... whatever.

My rather short list of heavy stuff consists of these bands... well, unfortunately.
I don't LOVE all of them (note, capitals), but I do listen to them sometimes, ofc there are a few bands I really like.

Atomic Tornado
Anthem
Loudness
Blood Stain Child (screw Mozaiq, its a failure. I wants less trance and more death lolex!)
Serpent (Definitely amazing, its melodeath, but God, those quazi-scream growls humiliate most vocalists in the industry, its really like... howling)

 

[DateMasamune]

It all depends on what sort of music you're into. I'll name a few bands and artists that I like, and I'll list them here from lightest (more dance/mellow-like) to heaviest (metal-like) (in my humble, personal opinion)

DBSK
Miyavi
Ayumi Hamasaki
T.M. Revolution
NIRGILIS
Orange Range
M.O.V.E
The TRAX
MELL
Versailles
Abingdon Boys School (lead singer T.M. Revolution, but much different sound)
UVERworld
Maximum the Hormone
Exist Trace

That's all I can think of at the moment and can't be bothered to look at my collection. That should be enough to get people started. Just Depends what you like.

-hint- My personal favourite of those is UVERworld.

 

[Shalimar_Doyle]

BUCK-TICK is my recomandation: no need for description-allways the greatest...more than 20 years of activity and Atsushi Sakurai is the best vocalist ever
GACKT : singer,composer,actor,he also play many instruments,model; great voice,beautiful songs

 

[Yurga]

I recommend to listen Old groups first
like X Japan, Luna sea and other older then 10 years~
You jus have to know from where J-rock grown~

 

[hayashi_Hime]

I like JROCK alot, both soft and heavy one, but for newbies, i will recommend something softer/ gentle. Find out what kind of genre/ rhythm you like first then go for heavier one. JROCK is always full with surprise.

1) Kagrra,
Lot's of Japanese traditional elements or "wa"(和) in the melody along with Isshi (vocal) gentle but powerful voice, recommend their song "Irodori No Sanka" & "Sai" from their latest album.

2) Plastic Tree
Ryutaro Arimura (vocal) has a very very gentle & soft voice that sounds a bit sad. Try to look for the translation of the lyric (if you don't understand Japanese), most of it wrote by Ryutaro and the way he wrote the lyric is so so beautiful...Recommend "Yuki Hotaru" & "Spica"

3) Glay
Their melodies are great and easy to be accepted by most of the newbies in JROCK, and Teru voice is special! Abit rough but steady. Recommend "Minamigochi" & "Goodbye Bye Sunday"

4) The Gazette
Check out on "Guren", it's cool and you will know why you will like them.

5) Tourbillon
Formed by Luna sea vocal Ryuichi and Rhythm Guitarist Inoran together with Hayama. Great vocal and great melody/ rhythm arragement. Recommend "Heaven" & "Ageha"

6)244 Endlicheri
Tsuyoshi from Kinki kids, a talented guy that always shows improvement in his music. Recommend "Sora ga Naku kara", "Help me,help me" & "haru kurikaesu"

If you don't like JROck but something more gentle
1) Mr. Children
Recommend "Kurumi", touching.....

2) Kobukuro
check out on "Tsubomi" & "Sakura"
The genre is something similar to Mr.Children style but bit more blue.

If anyone need more recommendation, let me know

 

[POLYPOLY]

DEVO-JOCKOHOMO
POLYSICS-CODE4
I love DEVO and POLYSICSﾂ！The new wave band is pretty goodﾂ！
Does everyone know?
It is really a circle when hearing itﾂ！

 

[KamiNeko]

These is my bands list ... One by one great bands.

╔═══╗♫
║███║
║ ( o )║ Music ♥.
╚═══╝
- Versailles (ﾆ停?敞巽ﾆ停?ｹﾆ探ﾆ辰ﾆ停??)
- Malice Mizer (ﾆ筑ﾆ椎?ﾆ湛ﾂ・ﾆ蓄ﾆ端ﾆ停?ｹ)
- Nightmare (ﾆ段ﾆ辰ﾆ暖ﾆ陳?但)
- Moi Dix Mois (ﾆ停?堡陳照断ﾆ達ﾆ湛ﾆ停?堡陳?
- Gazette (ﾆ狸ﾆ端ﾆ鍛ﾆ暖)
- Alice Nine (ﾆ但ﾆ椎?ﾆ湛窶ｹﾃ｣ﾃ･j.)
- Miyavi (窶堙昶?堙｢ﾆ停?敞達)
- Gackt (ﾂ神ﾋ? ﾅ?y窶徑)
- Közi (窶堋ｱ窶堋､窶堋ｶ)
- Klaha (ﾆ畜ﾂーﾆ谷ﾆ停?ｹ)
- Girugämesh (ﾆ樽ﾆ停?ｹﾆ狸ﾆ陳?鍛ﾆ歎ﾆ停?ｦ)
- Schwarz Stein (窶堙ｰ窶｢ﾃ陳集窶吮??)
- ﾂ?康TI FEMINISM
- Nobuo Uematsu (ﾂ植ﾂ渉ｼ ﾂ伸窶｢v)
- Shiina Ringo (窶凖??督ｼ窶氾打津ｧ)
- SHAKA LABBITS (ﾆ歎ﾆ槌槌谷ﾆ停?ｰﾆ池ﾆ鍛ﾆ団)
- P'UNK~EN~CIEL
- POLYSICS (ﾆ竹ﾆ椎?ﾆ歎ﾆ鍛ﾆ誰ﾆ湛)
- Plastic Tree (ﾆ致ﾆ停?ｰﾆ湛ﾆ弾ﾆ達ﾆ鍛ﾆ誰 ﾆ暖ﾆ奪ﾆ椎?ﾂー)
- Pierrot (ﾆ痴ﾆ竪ﾆ陳?
- LAREINEﾂ（ﾆ停?ｰﾆ椎陳ーﾆ談ﾂ）
- Phantasmagoria (ﾆ稚ﾆ叩ﾆ停?愴耽ﾆ湛ﾆ筑ﾆ担ﾆ椎?ﾆ但)
- Otsuka Ai (窶佚･窶凖 ﾋ?､)
- Oblivion Dust (ﾆ棚ﾆ置ﾆ椎?ﾆ停?敞達ﾆ棚ﾆ停?慊・ﾆ胆ﾆ湛ﾆ暖)
- Noir Fleurir
- 窶ｰﾃｫ-Miyavi-
- Luna Sea (ﾆ停?ｹﾆ段ﾆ歎ﾂー)
- LAST ALLIANCE (ﾆ停?ｰﾆ湛ﾆ暖 ﾆ但ﾆ停?ｰﾆ辰ﾆ但ﾆ停?愴湛)
- L'Arc〜en〜Ciel ﾂ（ﾆ停?ｰﾆ停?ｹﾆ誰 ﾆ但ﾆ停? ﾆ歎ﾆ竪ﾆ停?ｹﾂ）
- Kuroyume (ﾂ坂?｢窶督ｲ)
- Kagrra, (ﾆ谷ﾆ丹ﾆ停?ｰ)
- Kagerou (ﾃ･ﾅ?ﾃ･ﾂ?)
- Hyde (ﾆ地ﾆ辰ﾆ檀ﾂ、)
- Hideto Matsumoto (Hide) (ﾂ渉ｼ窶怒 ﾂ秀ﾂ人)
- Glay (ﾆ丹ﾆ椎槌辰)
- Existﾂ?ｵtrace
- Eve of Destiny
- Do As Infinity (ﾆ檀ﾆ奪ﾂ・ﾆ但ﾆ炭ﾂ・ﾆ辰ﾆ停?愴稚ﾆ達ﾆ男ﾆ弾ﾆ達- )
- Dir en grey (ﾆ断ﾆ達ﾆ停?ｹﾂ・ﾆ但ﾆ停?慊・ﾆ丹ﾆ椎槌辰)
- DEViL KiTTY
- D'espairsRay (ﾆ断ﾆ達ﾆ湛ﾆ恥ﾂーﾆ炭ﾆ椎槌辰)
- Deathgaze (ﾆ断ﾆ湛ﾆ嘆ﾆ辰ﾆ炭)
- COALTAR OF THE DEEPERS (ﾆ坦ﾂーﾆ停?ｹﾆ耽ﾂーﾂ・ﾆ棚ﾆ置ﾂ・ﾆ旦ﾂ・ﾆ断ﾆ達- ﾂーﾆ恥ﾂーﾆ炭ﾂ）
- Blood
- Baroque (ﾆ弛ﾆ陳哉鍛ﾆ誰)
- Asian Kung-Fu Generation (ﾆ但ﾆ淡ﾆ但ﾆ停?慊・ﾆ谷ﾆ停?愴稚ﾂーﾂ・ﾆ淡ﾆ巽ﾆ値- ﾆ椎陳ーﾆ歎ﾆ停?｡ﾆ停??
- ARASHI (ﾆ淡ﾆ槌槌男ﾂーﾆ炭)
- Aural Vampire (ﾆ棚ﾂーﾆ停?ｰﾆ停?ｹﾆ停?敞叩ﾆ停?愴恥ﾆ辰ﾆ但)
- Antique Cafe (ﾆ但ﾆ停?愴弾ﾆ達ﾆ鍛ﾆ誰-ﾃ?ﾃ崚?ﾃｨ窶弭-) [LOVE]
- Animetal (ﾆ但ﾆ男ﾆ陳?耽ﾆ停?ｹ)
- Angeloﾂ（ﾆ但ﾆ停?愴淡ﾆ巽ﾆ陳債）

 

[Kuroyume]

My current top 5 is:
1. Kaya
2. Dir en grey
3. D'espairs Ray
4. An Cafe
5. NoGoD

That's a quite colorful mix I guess..^^

 

[Amigo]

To me, ZARD for ever.

By the way,

Has anybody ever listened to "Escaflowne's soundtrack" by Yoko Kanno?
I just recomend it.
That's an example what I call a masterpiece from Japan.

 

[Shiroi na Tenshi]

My advice:go with the classical artists who know how to do real ballads. Check out Shunichi Miyamoto. He's not only good-sounding, but good-looking, for all who it counts for.

 

[molestthyguitarists]

Miyavi
Dir En Grey
Duel Jewel
Kiyoharu
Gackt

 

[yinfire]

J-Rock

I would recommend SCREW, Buck-Tick, and ONE OK ROCK.

 

[ceneash]

heh, everyone recommends their favorite bands and artists and many of them repeats. :} but oh well. I also can recommend several popular j-rock/visual kei bands, because I think some of them really deserves at least some attention from someone,who wants to get acquainted with j-rock. but I don't see any purpose to do so. so I would rather recommend....
for electronical music fans I can offer a dreamy music maker - Akira Kosemura. very similar artist - Haruka Nakamura. also gentle woman vocal in band of two people - Matryoshka. aaaaand one more in this place - Kashiwa Daisuke. these are my favorites mostly ambient makers.
Wagdug Futuristic Unity - digital hardcore. anime lovers probably know this project - his song "Systematic People" was used in Kurozuka's opening.
Nujabes - awesome hip-hop and trip-hop music producer, he also contributed music to the soundtrack of anime "Samurai Champloo".
great funk music from Kei Kobayashi.
nobodyknows+ - hehe, j-rap band i guess, their sound is a mix of funk, jazz, dance, and especially hip-hop.

well, there still are many bands and artists that I can possibly recommend, but for now it's enough, i think.~

 

[Reea]

LM.C Really energetic and catchy music. JaME info
Kitaro Composes really beautiful pieces. I recommend Mizu ni Inori te album. Info
Lucy Rock. They absolutely rock! Hisashi's vocals are just so great. JaME info
AMADEUS Classical, visual kei. Beethoven and Mozart influenced. JaME info
Janne Da Arc Rock, pop-ish, heavy rock. JaME info
DJ OZMA Pop. xD So good, and his videos. x) Spiderman cracked me up (watch it!) JaME info
globe Various, pop, dance. JaME info
The Pillows Rock. They have also made music for the anime FLCL. JaME info
KAT-TUN Pop, rock, rap. Great vocals and upbeat songs. JaME info
Kotani Kinya Pop. Has made music for Gravitation anime. JaME info
w-inds Pop. Haven't listened them much but their song Super Lover is really catchy. ) JaME info

 

[XpHoBiaX]

DJ OZMA lol yeah he's a trip.

I sort of started out with d'espairsray
Then I toddled over to Nightmare. I found them on my own. After that I found Girugamesh.
The 3 bands I mentioned, in my opinion, are similar sound type of music I prefer. Kind of heavy and dark.

Then I looked over An Cafe becuase someone recommend that I listen to them, then Gazette and Alice Nine.
They're pretty catchy bands, and mostly upbeat in comparison. (Also just my opinion)

 

[Jstalker]

D'espairsRay
The GazettE
Dir en Grey
L'Arc en Ciel
Hyde
Vamps
D
ScReW
9Goats Black Out
SID
SuG
Luna Sea
Versailles
Hide
X Japan
DAIZYSTRIPPER
Frantic EMIRY
THE KIDDIE
BORN
D'Lore
B'z
Glay
Malice Mizer
Gackt
Ansinomy
Sel'm
Mello
Plastic Tree
Hi:BRiD
Duel Jewel
Deluhi
Nega
ViViD
Miyavi
Gackt
Lareine
Shoujo Lolita 23Q
Acid Black Cherry
Janne Da Arc
Kagrra
Ayabie
Vidoll
Skull
Alsdead
12012
Rentrer en Soi
Alice Nine
As.Milk
Juka
KAT-TUN
NEWS
Mika Nakashima
Mr. Children
Remioromen
Greeeen
Skoop on Somebody

They're all the Japanese artists/bands I listen to =)

 

[syndy]

I' m also a newbie in Jmusic,
but I know some japanese acts.

Ars Nova, a keyboard orientated prog- rock band with female vocals.
Lite a very unknown japanese post-rock band (instrumental)
and of course the Art-Pop legend Ryuichi Sakamoto.

 

[Dogen Z]

Road to Chopin

For those who appreciate jazz as much as classical music, Makoto Ozone's album, Road to Chopin, is immensely enjoyable. Here's a sample.



Btw, Makoto speaks fluent English and has a jazz program on a radio station.

 

[camellia89]

hi, i am a new, i am a fan of Japanese music from Vietnam. Hope i have a lot of friends here and have more information about japanese music

 

[chiakaiyuki]

@camellia89 im also new here. theres loads of intresting stuff being talked about, if you have time to read it all.

Gazette
Malice Mizer
D - the best ever band
An Cafe
Alice Nine
Nightmare
MUCC
X - japan
VAMPS
Dir En Grey