J-pop Recommendations

[nakimushi]

I have added links to the US iTunes store for those artists that are listed there on both my original list and the addendum.


Obviously the selection is not nearly as good as CDJapan, but it might be enough for people who are only interested in a few songs.

[Skywise]

Official Ayumi Hamasaki Youtube channel just opened today:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ayu

[Orihimes_Boyfriend]

Originally Posted by Skywise

Official Ayumi Hamasaki Youtube channel just opened today:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ayu

Cool, Thanks for the link. She is amazing.

[Damius]

Well, I must say that I really like the voice of Utada Hikaru! I will probably go on CDJapan to buy her discs. Thank to this thread. If you have any comments to add about her please feel free, it would be appreciated.

[Glamrgrl104]

I second this artist Tommy february6
D=out
LM.C
L'arc-en-ciel
Juned
On/off
An Cafe
Irokui
Pigstar
Redballoon
Perfume
Ayumi Hamasaki- Most recently heard some stuff from her and its pretty good.

[Orihimes_Boyfriend]

I have found myself listening to the songs from the hip hop group Soul'd Out lately. I love there seamless back and forth between English and Japanese

[tenton]

I forgot about this thread.

Ever since I saw Chatmonchy live in my neck of the woods (actually, saw them twice), I've been a fan. It's such a clean sound; pretty simple setup (3 girl rock band). Eriko's voice is reminiscent of YUKI.

[kijakusai]

Originally Posted by Damius

Well, I must say that I really like the voice of Utada Hikaru! I will probably go on CDJapan to buy her discs. Thank to this thread. If you have any comments to add about her please feel free, it would be appreciated.

　
For your information. Utada Hikaru will release Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol.2 this autumn. New songs, too, will be included in the album.
She also said she would stop her activities as an artist for the time being from the next year.
　
http://news.music.biglobe.ne.jp/201008/article_28.html
http://www.asahi.com/business/pressr...008100005.html
http://www.emimusic.jp/hikki/news/news_j.php
http://www.emimusic.jp/hikki/release/
http://www.u3music.com/message/index...080920001j.xml
　

[Hayate Kurogane]

I didn't feel like this was worth a new thread, so an additional post here will do.

For about a week prior to the time of this posting, going to CD Japan's main page pulls up a top "Special Pick Up" listing for SCANDAL's upcoming single "Pride", the ED to Bones' currently-airing Star Driver anime. I know very little about SCANDAL, other than that they also provided the kind of thin and unremarkable 4th ED to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, that they started as a band a few years ago when they were in high school, and that they're from Osaka (I think).

What I also know right now is that CD Japan's front page, until they change to a new "Special Pick Up" item, is briefly distracting when I click through to it, because the "Pride" single's cover features the girls in black schoolgirly photoshoot outfits, shot from a slightly low angle, designed to show off their legs. And you know, I'm just an honest guy who is interested in such things and can't be bothered with trying to pretend I'm not for the sake of appearances. That cover fascinates me. I may order the single just to have it.

The less-prurient question, though, is that now that successful marketing has gotten my attention, and acknowledging that a lukewarm opinion of one song is an insufficient sample size for passing judgment, should I really care about their other music so far? (Which, admittedly, isn't a very long list.) Should I start to pay more attention? Should I buy one of their two actual released albums, or a DVD, or something? Or is there nothing to see here except, well, something to look at briefly, and I should move on?

[Fencedude]

Originally Posted by Hayate Kurogane

I know very little about SCANDAL, other than that they also provided the kind of thin and unremarkable 4th ED to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood,

I liked that song ;_;

Anyway, I know nothing about them other than that FMA song. I couldn't keep up interest in Star Driver, so I know nothing about this song or their other stuff that wasn't on the Shunkan Sentimental Single