Why do you like Japanese pop/rock music?

XD Yeah....I love watching live J-rock, even if it is on the net. These people actually enjoy what they do. X3 you can tell!

Yeah! I own a few X Japan and Laruku lives. I enjoy it every time i watch it! So guud!

There was this one compliation someone did, all they did was take a bunch of live diru goofs and put them into one video....it was so awesome to watch, even though they kept messing up, it was with a smile.

Hyde_is_my_anti-drug said:

So in short, Western music = bad, Japanese music = good.

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*throws arms in the air*

Ah, I give up. I only wanted to avoid pigeonholing myself with generalizations. Sigh....

lastmagi said:

Important points to consider there. I actually don't prefer Japanese over Western, because as I've said I don't find Japanese music "better" than Western in the aspects you summarized (at least non-mainstream Western, but there are even some mainstream Western bands that are good in my book), although my library is certainly overrepresented by Japanese music (which is to speak more about my habits of the past than current preference). I try to weigh them both equally now, and have been trying to build up my knowledge of Western bands since I've inadvertently deprived myself of that hemisphere's music for some time because of my bias in Japanese music, which I now try to avoid because it is exactly equivalent to a bias in Western music.

So I disagree with what people say that the songs are more interesting, more intricate, better sung, etc. That is not saying that Japanese music is different, as you mentioned, but another roundabout way of saying "better," which I find untrue.


Basically, I tend to find it undesirable to draw generalizations based on merely nationality. I love Japanese music of many types: jazz (Paris Match), some hard rock (some Dir en Grey), rock (L'arc en Ciel, although they can do everything, Luna Sea), R&B (Utada Hikaru), pop, ambient electronic (SUGIZO, Miu Sakamoto), pseudo-classical (Malice Mizer), some indies (Camino, SID), etc. I love Western music of all types, the indescribable (Tori Amos), hard (Tool, NIN, APC), indies (Sufjan Stevens), jazz (Al Di Meola, peter white), new age (loreena mckennitt, mehdi), classical (Debussy, Vivaldi), non-English/American (Kari Rueslatten, Henri Salvador), etc. So I find it hard to say that Japanese vocalists are generally better than Western vocalists. I am by no means trying to demean Japanese music (which is obvious from my posts, but just to clarify further to avoid misunderstanding from those who didn't get it), but I find it wrong to make certain generalizations. I tend instead to confront music from any nationality with the same level of appreciation, as long as the music is good.

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I understand what you're saying, Lastmagi. In fact, I don't see how people can actually say that music from a certain country is intrinsically or averagely "better" than music from other countries. I think what is mostly happening is that Jrock fans from the US and Europe are comparing the Jrock they listen to, with the mainstream music in their country, i.e. that which gets played all the time on the radio and in clubs etc. etc... which let's face it is generally pretty crap (yeah, sorry for the generalisation :sorry: ). When you develop an interest in Jmusic, you tend to go out of your way to search out good bands. Therefore, you find good bands. Of course there's crap out there. There are some Jrock bands that I've listened to once and never want to listen to again (and no matter whether they are pretty as all hell). In the same way, if you search certain music scenes in the UK (as an example), you can find good stuff.

The fact is, I love music. I don't care if it's from Japan, US, Iceland, South Africa or Tierra del Fuego, if it has that certain spark with me, then I will like it. Other people here might also have noticed that there's some pretty good music coming out of Germany and some of the Scandinavian countries at the moment.

Also it depends on the type of music you like: I like rock, metal and goth sorts of music, which is gonna be on the rise in some countries and less popular in others depending on their local cultures and fashions. At the moment it seems (from what I can gather) that the sort of music I enjoy is popular in Japan at the moment.... = more of it.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with anyone who says that Japanese musicians and singers (who seem to have come in for a lot of hammer in the last 24 hours! ) are intrinsically better than Western musicians. I mean, use your head - that's almost bordering on the racist!

No offence meant.

I've already said why I like Japanese music, so I'm not going down that track again. But my second long post was an attempt to summarise the collective opinions, rather than necessarily a reflection of my own opinions. It seems to me that people find something indefinably different about Japanese music compared with Western. Now, regardless of whether or not that is true (i.e. can be proved by means of "musical evidence"), that's the way people feel, and that appears to be what attracts many people to Jmusic.

Where's Average Psycho when you need her? She listens to music in 11 (possibly more? :? ) languages; someone who loves Jmusic but doesn't listen to only that. If you love music, then the nationality/language/whatever doesn't matter.

And one more thing... I'm not trying to catch you out or anything, Lastmagi, I'm really curious... you mention a range of Japanese bands of different genres that you listen to (as well as a bunch of non-Japanese also). Will you answer the question for us, also? What is it that you like about those Japanese bands?

Kinsao said:

I understand what you're saying, Lastmagi. In fact, I don't see how people can actually say that music from a certain country is intrinsically or averagely "better" than music from other countries. I think what is mostly happening is that Jrock fans from the US and Europe are comparing the Jrock they listen to, with the mainstream music in their country, i.e. that which gets played all the time on the radio and in clubs etc. etc... which let's face it is generally pretty crap (yeah, sorry for the generalisation :sorry: ). When you develop an interest in Jmusic, you tend to go out of your way to search out good bands. Therefore, you find good bands. Of course there's crap out there. There are some Jrock bands that I've listened to once and never want to listen to again (and no matter whether they are pretty as all hell). In the same way, if you search certain music scenes in the UK (as an example), you can find good stuff.

The fact is, I love music. I don't care if it's from Japan, US, Iceland, South Africa or Tierra del Fuego, if it has that certain spark with me, then I will like it. Other people here might also have noticed that there's some pretty good music coming out of Germany and some of the Scandinavian countries at the moment.

Also it depends on the type of music you like: I like rock, metal and goth sorts of music, which is gonna be on the rise in some countries and less popular in others depending on their local cultures and fashions. At the moment it seems (from what I can gather) that the sort of music I enjoy is popular in Japan at the moment.... = more of it.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with anyone who says that Japanese musicians and singers (who seem to have come in for a lot of hammer in the last 24 hours! ) are intrinsically better than Western musicians. I mean, use your head - that's almost bordering on the racist!

No offence meant.

I've already said why I like Japanese music, so I'm not going down that track again. But my second long post was an attempt to summarise the collective opinions, rather than necessarily a reflection of my own opinions. It seems to me that people find something indefinably different about Japanese music compared with Western. Now, regardless of whether or not that is true (i.e. can be proved by means of "musical evidence"), that's the way people feel, and that appears to be what attracts many people to Jmusic.

Where's Average Psycho when you need her? She listens to music in 11 (possibly more? :? ) languages; someone who loves Jmusic but doesn't listen to only that. If you love music, then the nationality/language/whatever doesn't matter.

And one more thing... I'm not trying to catch you out or anything, Lastmagi, I'm really curious... you mention a range of Japanese bands of different genres that you listen to (as well as a bunch of non-Japanese also). Will you answer the question for us, also? What is it that you like about those Japanese bands?

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lol, you should be telling me off too!! Generally i will catagorise Japanese music 'better' than Americain/Western Music. It;s what i think tho. But yes, in aspects that is being quite racist, but I suffer the phrase 'Japanese music is weird' everyday.

You were saying about listening to other types of music. I don't know what it is about Japan in general that appeals to me, it's just different and unique I guess. I'm generally very interested in other types of music, from Spain, Asia, Japan, France etc.

Yokan said:

lol, you should be telling me off too!! Generally i will catagorise Japanese music 'better' than Americain/Western Music. It;s what i think tho. But yes, in aspects that is being quite racist, but I suffer the phrase 'Japanese music is weird' everyday.

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Of course, it's equally racist to say that "Japanese music is weird", as it is to say "Japanese music is better than European music".

I think most people would agree that music is a "universal language". When we listen to music, we're not just listening to the lyrics! Music speaks in ways that are beyond the lyrics. Whether music is good or bad depends on the skills of the musicians involved, no matter where they happen to be from.

Why should I be telling you off? ☝ Don't tell me you want to be beaten, too!?

Yeah you are right, vocals and lyrics just don't matter, other parts too.
There are actually quite alot of songs I like based on guitar part(Diru) and Bass(Laruku). and as for the telling me off part, forget I said it lol!

Don't worry; I know you were merely summarizing what others said.

Kinsao said:

The fact is, I love music. I don't care if it's from Japan, US, Iceland, South Africa or Tierra del Fuego, if it has that certain spark with me, then I will like it. Other people here might also have noticed that there's some pretty good music coming out of Germany and some of the Scandinavian countries at the moment.

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Yummy. I still need to expand my horizons further, so I can't say I have much experience with most of those countries you mentioned.

And one more thing... I'm not trying to catch you out or anything, Lastmagi, I'm really curious... you mention a range of Japanese bands of different genres that you listen to (as well as a bunch of non-Japanese also). Will you answer the question for us, also? What is it that you like about those Japanese bands?

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Fair enough, and I guess I haven't really answered the question. Well, those bands I listed were only a sample, so I'll just give some very general preferences I have.

Instrumentation - I love compositions that are rich, unless the piece is supposed to be minimalistic or simplistic, like some of the pastoral songs of Yae. It's like listening to classical music; I enjoy listening to how each instrument interacts with another instrument to form a lush whole. This allows me to weave in and out of the songs, lingering on a guitar part here, the bass there, some electronic effects there, and out to the whole.

Aversion to stagnation - Try something new! Don't stick to one format! Paris Match (at least, the little I've heard from them) and FAKE? and Spitz are all completely different, but they manage to try to grow new levels of their music, whether a new music style or a development of some new sensitivity. Of course, there are bands that do vary their direction and don't do it well, or bands that don't and still pull it off, so this I don't know how to enhance this point.

Seriousness to their music - I don't exactly like bands that bang on pots. Their seriousness is usually evident through the above point. I also tend to like musicians that present themselves as serious. This is a superficial preference, true, but grant me at least that I tried listening to Polysics and while they have gotten some good reviews, the uber-fun-loving nature of the vocalist and the messing-around-ness of the electronics turned me off. I'm sure they are fine musicians in reality, but my superficial preference didn't let them win me over. Meanwhile, FAKE? specifically don't want their music to be heavily promoted, instead wanting it to be passed on by word of mouth. They want their music to do the work, and that is something I have a huge amount of respect for.

Vocals - Vocals are of course important. From the clear vocals of Maynard James Keenan to the swells of Miu Sakamoto to the vibrato of Gackt to the perfect (if sometimes offkey) vocals of Hyde to the lazy regalness of Mari Mizuno, the vocalist must know how to fit his or her vocals to the song, and he or she must do it well. What is "well-done" is up for argument (I usually like "strong" vocals), but if I like it, I like it.

I guess there are more, but I've got hw to do, and am kind of brain dead now ;-)

None of these, you'll notice, are in any way limited to Japanese bands. I like bands of all types and nationalities, and many bands outside of Japan exhibit these traits too. Nor are some of the things listed always what I like, because each band has their own take on how to make music. Many bands have so many differing traits that the question was a lot harder to answer than I expected. Try to compare Buck Tick with, oh, Yoko Kanno's works. Or SUGIZO with Utada Hikaru. Both different, but both good, and I like all equally. I guess I ask myself "do these bands do what they do well?" "Are these compositions emotionally and intellectually engaging?" "What did the artists do to make me like this?" "Did they try hard to make me go 'hm!' and engage me emotionally?" etc


I like music on a band-to-band basis, I guess. The Japanese music are just part of a whole. If the question was "What is so unique about Japanese music that you like to listen to it?" I would have to say I wouldn't be able to answer.

Kinsao said:

Of course, it's equally racist to say that "Japanese music is weird", as it is to say "Japanese music is better than European music".

I think most people would agree that music is a "universal language". When we listen to music, we're not just listening to the lyrics! Music speaks in ways that are beyond the lyrics. Whether music is good or bad depends on the skills of the musicians involved, no matter where they happen to be from.

Why should I be telling you off? ☝ Don't tell me you want to be beaten, too!?

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That makes sense.

XD of course, everyone has their likes and dislikes. I think anyone can practice enough to become an amazing musician, but part of it is really how you use your skills. It's all gotta flow together in a song when you've got more than one person playing. I think that's the big challenge in any kind of music.

I don't listen to anything selectively, but some things are just more appealing to some things than nothers....that's opinion, I suppose. No matter where you go there's probably good music somewhere to be heard.

If the above didn't make any sense....X.x sorry. I'm tired.

I have a habit of clicking any jrock song, and just listening to it lol. I mostly do that with The Pillows and Dir en Grey(I have their discographies). Yeah anyone can be an amazing musician if they work hard and believe in themselves enough, but don't forget, Bands like X Japan, Malice Mizer, Dir en Grey, The Pillows, Miyavi. All have AMAZING musicians!! I take back some of the stuff I said about not liking Western music. I actually like Nine Inch Nails and Black Sabbath.

Actually, the title of this thread is kinda interesting, "why do you like Japanese pop/rock music?"... sometimes people do a double-take if I say I'm listening to Japanese rock music, and look surprised... but I rather say, why not to like Japanese pop/rock music? The title is a bit misleading because it implies "why do you like Japanese pop/rock music [as opposed to pop/rock music from other countries]?" Whereas maybe the title should simply be "why do you like pop/rock music?" Because it seems to me that when you explain what are the things you like and admire in pop/rock music, and consider good musicianship (such as those many things well mentioned in Lastmagi's last post), you can quite easily take those aspects, apply them to Japanese music, and say that, yeah, if the music meets those criteria, you like it.

I'm sure Mycernius wasn't trying to stir up some kind of debate about "why is Japanese music better than Western music?"!! It seems more like he was wondering (a) why do some people listen to Japanese music only, and not similar type of music from other countries? and (b) is there something that makes Japanese music sound distinctive from music of other countries, and if so, what?

As far as (a) goes, I can only say that it's probably many factors, including possibly a fascination with Japan, but largely simply the fact that there's so much music out there that it's impossible to delve deeply into all music from around the world, and it does become seductively fun to concentrate on music from one country and increase your knowledge in that - albeit limited, of course - field, especially given that that field is very diverse even within its limits.

As far as (b) goes, I'll go as far as to say that I think there is something different about Japanese music, but I'm not intelligent or articulate enough to pick out exactly what it is. I think there must be something, because so many people used the word "different" to describe it, although not able to specify exactly what was different. In some songs it's obvious, such as Murakumo (Kagrra) has a very distinctive "Japanese" sound in the melody and use of the instruments. But... (settle yourself down for an anecdote......!) in the car once I was playing what I thought was a pretty "ordinary"-sounding Japanese song (Prism by Psycho le Cemu) that to me sounds like quite regular, normal pop-ish/dance-ish music (other than having Japanese lyrics). My mom was in the car at the time, and she asked me who was the band and stuff, and I made some comment about how I don't usually listen to much dance music... and she said "I can tell it's Japanese, though... apart from the words... I can't put my finger on it, but there's something different about it... maybe it's the intervals or something?" Now, in Prism I can't hear what she means at all! But obviously there was something about it that made someone not used to Jmusic notice a difference. I'm as puzzled as anyone as to what that difference is!

Also, it depends to some (and probably larger than I realise) extent on the record companies themselves in any particular country, what kind of music they promote, encourage, sell... Now if only all the British music which is as good as Diru, D'espa, MUCC and Kagerou was played on our radio, piped through the shops and used in our adverts...... that'd be the life....

Well i had a fascination with japan even before the music. Took me quite a while to hear the name 'Ayumi Hamasaki' lol. www.sushicam.com I heard my first ever jrock song on this site, a blog by a man in Japan. On one of his videos going up to a shrine, he uses the song 'Forever Love' by X Japan. Later on accidently on limewire I downloaded the song, to find the name of it and so on. Then I downloaded alot of others of X Japans. I was a X Japan geek lol, I only listened to their music, had no idea about hide and their solo careers. Then I found alot of sites on different kinds and downloaded Malice Mizer, and Miyavi songs likeing them equally as good. And from this site, i started to download alot varied music from pop and rock. So basically that's how I got into it lol. But before the music, I loved the culture and Zen/Shinto ways. i do listen to alot of songs basically for the reason it's from japan, making myself like it. Now I just listen to songs i like or don't like, ie - all Japanese songs.
Maybe people call it ''different'' because of the Visual Kei style, or perhaps that it is in a Japanese language. Alot of the Japanese use their own ideas alone, not steal it from other songs. Actually maybe people call it different cause they can't think of Western Songs which sound the same. I also think the singers/instrumentalists themselves are intertaining, which might add to the excitment of listening/watching the music. Your very right tho kinsao, this thread has actually puzzled me as to why I like Jrock/pop myself. But then I ask myself why not like Japanese music, this is confusing. =S lol.
Well alot of Western bands don't have good singers(going just on the topic of singers here). Kyo, Toshi, Hyde, Kana(i think that is the new singer of MM), Hyde, Gackt, pillows singer, Do as infinity singer, in my opinion, all have voices that make my heartbeat skip 5 seconds. They also put the feel into the music, emotionally, and make people WANT to listen. Okay, has anyone SEEN pop idol, x factor? etc. alot of the people actually can't sing. Well i suppose that is pop. But alot of Japanese pop singers have the same feel, gackt - Vanilla made me want to get up and sing with Gackt!
Ayumi hamasaki - Dearest, fly high, they make me want to cry. XD
Utada Hikaru - First love
Kinki Kids, BOA(Korean), and others also made me feel like this.
Even morning Musume want me want to dance in the street *ahem*

I'm now listening to my first Gazette song and already like them!

Hey, I'm glad you like Gazette! They are good!

Slightly offtopic here, but do you listen to MUCC? I think you would like them - they're awesome. Try their new song Saishuu Ressha! It KILLS me!!!

hehe yes, i downloaded a few songs and still downloading some, but I've paused them so as I can download Princess Mononoke, The Cat returns and Howl's moving castle for my girlfriend. I also downloading miyavi atm since i restored my comp about 2 months ago. do you have any MUCC songs or Nightmare Songs you can send me?

Sure I will!

Nightmare... I call them my guilty pleasure, lol. They're kind of... weird, in that there are a lot of their songs I don't like... Yomi's voice annoys me... and yet, there are some songs that are really good. So I'm like --> ... don't know whether I like them or not! Anyway, I'll send you some of their songs and you can judge for yourself.

Thanks, I can't fidn any Nightmare songs on Limewire lol. Do you have msn? I added you ^^

Yup yup - I added you, too.
You could try slsk as well as Limewire (soulseek, file sharing programme), I used to use WinMX but it cause my computer to get viruses >.< Tonberry Torrents is another good site for finding albums, PVs and discographies, but you need to download something called Azureus before you can use torrents. And I can send you songs via YouSendIt, of course.

Thanks. I've used Soulseek, Emule, Kazaa, Imesh, etc all before before I relaised Limewire was the best in my opinion, will check that torrent site.

Not to re-hash or anything but I'd like to state my point more clearly on Western vs. Eastern music.
Music or rather Art in gen. reflects the culture that it stems from. America, as a culture, is like the teenaged boy who's always trying to be naughty and sneek a peek and so American Art Forms reflect that. If you look at cultures as people America would, if you counted it up, only be MAYBE a teenager compared with other, older, cultures. Not to say that maturity comes with age however in this case it definitly doesn't come with youth. As a culture America makes me sick, I'm not attacking indevidual Americans so don't get all offended and high and mighty about it. The culture itself does not appeal to me. And as I said before Art reflects culture so for the most part American music makes me ill. And I'm not saying that I don't like SOME American bands (Evanescence, Nickleback [even though they're from Canada], Amy Corea, Rush just to name a few) but for the most part I don't like American music and I feel no guilt in saying that. If a cultur or way of life sickens you then I see no problem in saying so and I don't think it's biased. The only time it's biased is when, like my 21-year-old brother, you've never REALLY listened to the music but trash it anyway and all music that comes from that nation thereafter. That is bias. But see if a friend wants me to hear an American band I don't say, "I don't like Western music, I don't wanna hear it" no, I listen to it and don't judge it on where it's from. But 9 times outta 10 I don't like it and it just so happens that most of the bands I don't like are from America. So in gen, yes I do hate Western music but am I biased AGAINST it? No, not really.
And I also feel no guilt in saying that the Eastern, not only Japanese but Eastern in gen, music scene is a good 10 years ahead of ours. Like German music, Russian music, Chinese music, and of course Japanese music. But it's not just Japanese music. Their cultures are more refined, steady, grounded, and yes, mature and that is reflected in the music they make. And sure even Japan has it's equalivient to Britany Spears and yeah they do have some shite bands but for the most part their music is good, really good.
And a good way to show this is that Japan, before rock music, had beautiful classical music (and still does) but America on the other hand didn't. Sure England did, France and all them did but before rock music we had sittin-around-the-camp-fire-hill-billy-trange. You don't hear of great old AMERICAN classical composers, do you? No, didn't think so. Of course CURRENTLY we have some good classic composers (Philip Glass, John Williams etc) but none from the 'old days.' So really if you think about it, it would make sense that other cultures' music would be ahead since it has firmer roots.
So in the end it comes back down to culture. Art reflects culture and I don't like American culture, not one bit.

That's an interesting point you make there, Hyde, especially to me as a non-American. I didn't think about the "age" of the culture and the subsequent depth of grounding/background that it provides. I suppose I'm used to Europe, which does have an "older" culture than the States. In fact, one of the things that appealed to me when I first heard Malice Mizer (my first Japanese band I listened to) was the influences from European classical music, and of course they are far from the only Japanese band to take that influence. (and other European - Haruhiko Ash from Eve of Destiny hated the music scene in Japan and was heavily influenced by European punk and goth music.) I like the way Japanese bands cherry-pick from the European musical culture and add their own particular twist to it. And I suppose in time, it will work the other way, too.

Good bands start off small, too, so it's harder to find them. There could be a whole crop of really excellent and innovative little local bands in the States that only play in one small livehouse, can't afford to market themself, and basically have to be patient and persevere and work hard to hit the big time.

Well, I will say that my fav American bands are actually unknown local bands in my area.
And I too love that Japan is a melting pot for inspiration, and musical influence.

Hyde_is_my_anti-drug said:

And I too love that Japan is a melting pot for inspiration, and musical influence.

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They are inspired alot. Thanks for that tonberrytorrents thing Kinsao, I'm already downloading off it with bitcomet. ^^