Who here listens to Japanese music (or any Asian music) and what do you recommend?

Rock:
Mr Children
X Japan
L’arc en Ciel

R&B/pop:
Utada Hikaru
Kuraki Mai

Pop:
Ikimonogakari
Itou Yuna
Tokyo Jihen/ Shiina Ringo

80s-90s
Imai Miki
Takeuchi Mariya

Some of these artists have composed songs for anime, but the songs are not considered exclusively as anime songs.
 
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MistLiigh said:
Lady Baby is a riot (seriously, watch a couple of their videos, it's worth it and the music is pretty good if you can get into the genre mixture).

Finally, I know I'm going to catch hell for mentioning it here, because it's not Japanese but I'm mentioning it because of its connection with an "anime" but I'm also going to catch more hell because it's "not a real anime"... Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams have created some incredible music to go along with RWBY (please don't hurt me for going slightly off-topic).
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Oh, I forgot about Lady Baby. They are quite good. Kind disappointed that he left though, but ah well. Love their videos, so fun to watch.

RWBY has amazing soundtracks!! Jeff Williams is amazing, and Casey's vocals are brilliant. Cant wait for more.
 
Some of my favorite hip-hop tracks were produced by Japanese (Nujabes, Uyama Hiroto, Nomak, etc.). Here's two more songs I make sure to listen to once a week:



For other Japanese songs that aren't hip-hop, I usually take my cue from anime OSTs. So, I have some ZARD and Home Made Kazoku (oh wait, they're hip-hop too lol) in my playlists. Youtube recommendations like Mariya Takeuchi and Ryo Fukui have stuck around to become regular listens too. Some other Japanese favorites in the spoiler here, 'cos I couldn't help myself:




I'm into K-Pop too, but I'm really picky with my favorites. Except for Red Velvet, I tend to go for the groups that aren't very mainstream.
 

xgMD6efugcU


some of my favorites.


 
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I'm posting this just because I need to gush. the GazettE is my favorite band, I've mentioned it quite a few times already. I've been a fan for over ten years. Their 15th anniversary went by a while ago, which they played a celebratory live for. They released the DVD of the live along with their new album this year, and I'm still giddy over it. It's been so amazing watching this band evolve over the years. They're a huge source of inspiration to me.

To see them go from this (the first performance of theirs that got a physical DVD release, back in 2004)

to this (2017, their 15th anniversary)

is purely amazing. They've improved so much, and after all these years, they still have fun. It's a dream of mine to see them live, I truly hope I get there one day.

Their last tour from their previous album had some amazing stuff (the opening to this concert is one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed). I'm excited to see what their new tour will bring.
 
I'm a bit dated but I'm always happy listening to SKY-HI! Kensuke Ushio, Jiyadam, and Mondo Grosso as well...

I LOVE 88rising and all it's artists. (Higher Brothers, Phum, Yaeji, etc)
ofc I'm a stereotypical Ktown-er by saying I like Dumbfoundead. A lot of my friends are in/trying to get into the whole Asian American music scene, so I have some good recs for that area as well ^^

If ever anyone wants some non-pop Korean recommendations, I listen to a lot of hip hop and Indie!

Definitely planning to check some of everyones suggestions out.

If anyone has some favorite rappers (any nationality), I'd love to know!
 
I'll list a few of my favs.

First, I'm really into MAN WITH A MISSION right now. Database (one of the OP of Log Horizon) is a solid song, but I think "Take Me Under," is their best. I'm usually more of a jrock kind of guy, but the current trend over there right now is a bit like the 2008 scene over here, a LOT of seemingly emo/screamo elements that I just do not enjoy anymore. This band is a nice break from that.



My favorite band for good rock music though is Kishida Kyoudan and the Akeboshi Rockets. They've done SEVERAL OPs that you're likely to recognize, but my favorite songs are "GATE" "Strike the Blood," and "LIVE MY LIFE."


You can't go wrong with a little older too. Asian Kung-fu Generation's "Rewrite," and "After Dark," still slap.


Even older than that, Piko's "Kotonoha" never fails to get me amped.


If you're leaning more pop, then Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Perfume are where it's at. Kyary's "Mondai Girl," and "Kira Kira Killer," and then Perfume's "Secret Secret," are good starting points.

A fascinating pop song is MONDO GROSSO's "False Sympathy" (ft. AiNA THE END from "BiSH") It's a cool song, but the music video is highly suggestive dancing, and I don't often see straight-up sensuality like that in most Japanese music videos.


And lastly, you can never go wrong with BABYMETAL or Nujabes, of course. Bands like The Oral Cigarettes and ONE OK ROCK are also talented rock bands, although, again, they carry a little too much of that middle-to-late 2000s Fueled By Ramen U. S. sound for me.

Another great band that I miss is Maximum the Hormone. Most people know their two songs from Death Note ("What's Up People," and "Zetsubou Billy") but they a cool diversity of sound that make for a fun listen. "Koi No Mega Lover," and "Chu Chu Lovely Muni Muni Mura Mura Purin Purin Boron Nururu Rero Rero Slashkatsu," are both absurd and catchy songs that do not hit quite as heavy as the Death Note ones.
 
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meowsayo said:
If anyone has some favorite rappers (any nationality), I'd love to know!
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They're DEFINITELY not everyone's cup of tea, but I fucks with Death Grips, and think that what MC Ride lacks in traditional measurements of flow he more than makes up for with rawness, emotion, and intriguing lyricism.
 
Kagerou is my all time favorite band it ripped my heart out when I found out Daisuke died.
Daisuke to Kuro no Injatachi would have topped Kagerou it was Daisuke's solo band but he died shortly after he was in the middle of making their first cd. His friends in music completed it playaing the songs and singing the finishd vocals he didn't get a chance to do.
DADAAROMA is my current favorite active band
Scapegoat for their crazy lyrics and deep songs
Dezert
Dimlim
D.I.D (Day I Died)
Deviloof
Nega wish they didn't disband
UnsraW same case as Nega
Ladybaby
Pikarin
Undead Corporation
Foreground Eclipse
Broken By the Scream great death metal and pop female group. All vocals are from the girls in the band. Had to watch them do songs on Twitter

I'll just leave it at that before I open iTunes or get my iPod out and list too many
 
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UniversalParanoia1 said:
And SuperCell. Ugh. I miss their old singer. (゜´Д｀゜)
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Supercell is a really important band to me (well, as much as a band can be). I found their album Today is a Beautiful Day in a fairly depressing time in my life and idk something about it perked me up. It's one of my top favorite albums of all time and I even paid a ton of money to import a physical copy. I love it so much.
 
femcore said:
Supercell is a really important band to me (well, as much as a band can be). I found their album Today is a Beautiful Day in a fairly depressing time in my life and idk something about it perked me up. It's one of my top favorite albums of all time and I even paid a ton of money to import a physical copy. I love it so much.
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Fun fact, that album was released only a few days after the 2011 earthquake in Japan, so in a way, it was a ray of hope for a lot of people.
 
femcore said:
My favorites are Urbangarde


Mass of the Fermenting Dregs


Midori


And School Food Punishment

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Oh my goodness, I didn't expect anyone here to actually post Midori. Now that is some real underground music. Have you per chance listened to anything from Melt Banana? Because they sit pretty firmly on that crazier noisy side of the spectrum in Japan that Midori sits on.
 
HissatsuShoujo said:
Oh my goodness, I didn't expect anyone here to actually post Midori. Now that is some real underground music. Have you per chance listened to anything from Melt Banana? Because they sit pretty firmly on that crazier noisy side of the spectrum in Japan that Midori sits on.
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Yeah, but they aren't one of my favorites like midori is. Have you ever listened to Mariko Gotō's solo stuff? It' like a poppier Midori and it' really good. Or even Usagi which was her band before Midori. Not quite the same, but I absolutely love the band Boris.
 
femcore said:
Yeah, but they aren't one of my favorites like midori is. Have you ever listened to Mariko Gotō's solo stuff? It' like a poppier Midori and it' really good. Or even Usagi which was her band before Midori. Not quite the same, but I absolutely love the band Boris.
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I tend to always tend to seek out any solo material and side projects any of my favorite artists have done so I indeed have. Gotta love those jazzy punk influences. And Boris was honestly probably my first exposure to the really much heavier abrasive side of Japan with their stoner/doom/drone music. That's definitely the gold standard for me and I still listen to their music quite a bit to this day.
 
HissatsuShoujo said:
I tend to always tend to seek out any solo material and side projects any of my favorite artists have done so I indeed have. Gotta love those jazzy punk influences. And Boris was honestly probably my first exposure to the really much heavier abrasive side of Japan with their stoner/doom/drone music. That's definitely the gold standard for me and I still listen to their music quite a bit to this day.
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Honestly, I'm just trying to think of bands to mention. Have you checked out Sheena Ringo and by extension her band Tokyo Jihen? They're super rad. Also, more on the side of Midori style sounds, have you listened to Shinsei Kamattechan (god I hope I spelled that right). Very similar. Oh, very big recommendation, check out 0.8Syooogeki (0.8秒と衝撃。) Also, I mentioned them in my first post I think, but check out Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, you might like them. Oh, I haven't listened to a lot of their stuff, but the two Mutyumu albums I've heard were outrageously good.

Here's a random ass 0.8秒と衝撃。song. Easiest one to find but not their best.

 
femcore said:
Honestly, I'm just trying to think of bands to mention. Have you checked out Sheena Ringo and by extension her band Tokyo Jihen? They're super rad. Also, more on the side of Midori style sounds, have you listened to Shinsei Kamattechan (god I hope I spelled that right). Very similar. Oh, very big recommendation, check out 0.8Syooogeki (0.8秒と衝撃。) Also, I mentioned them in my first post I think, but check out Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, you might like them. Oh, I haven't listened to a lot of their stuff, but the two Mutyumu albums I've heard were outrageously good.

Here's a random ass 0.8秒と衝撃。song. Easiest one to find but not their best.

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All preeeeeeeeeetty excellent choices again, I've heard of.

Ringo is a really interesting musician to me, all about the bombastic orchestration and playfully experimenting a lot with different styles of music. She straddles that line, where her stuff can sound experimental yet accessibly catchy and poppy at the same time. It strikes a really good balance and has always been impressive to me with that kind of song writing ability and range. Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana is probably her career defining album, that's blown me away every time.

Seems like we have similar taste in music. :drinking:
 
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