What is the appeal of J-Rock/Pop?

[DeadSeraphim]

[COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]Excuse me if I sound rude, but I've been wondering this for a long while and as noone I know actually listens to the music, I figured this would be the best way to get some opinions on the matter. Personally, I'm not generally a fan of music where I can't understand the lyrics (and lyrics are about 60% of the experience for me), but perhaps it appeals to you for different reasons?

I ask because it's rare to see such a large fanbase for foreign music concentrated on the efforts of [i]one country[/i]. I mean, there has been large fanbases for a single band or performer from a foreign country over the years (Rammstein [Germany], Bjork [Iceland]), but never a large target placed over the music of an [i]entire country[/i]. Especially when the general response I got from non-fans was along the lines of 'Thinks 80s but worse'.

Anyway, yeah. Why does it appeal to you?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Pumpkin]

[SIZE=1][COLOR="#FF6699"][b]Sadly I think most fans of Jrock and Jpop like it simply because, well it's a part of anime. They start off liking anime soundtracks and next thing you know they become interested in Japanese Artists. Honestly I don't like pop music, but when its Jpop for some reason, I can take it. Maybe because I can't understand what they are saying? lol?

But anyways, people like listening to something thats new. When everything starts to sound the same over here, thats usually when I turn to Jrock, it's always changing and I usually like the beats. There are certain artists that I like such as Ayami Hamasaki, Megumi Hayashibara, and other such artist that make music AND also do anime series music. It's great to reach out and get something different. And yes I like that creepy german rammstein guy XD shhh don't tell no one.
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[James]

[color=#332E1D][font=franklin gothic medium]It's interesting that you mention wanting something "new", especially when I think about Alan's "80's but worse" comment. lol

I think it's obvious that a lot of Jpop/rock fans get into the music via anime. I suppose that is somewhat true of the west as well (for example, I've discovered some groups and songs from films that I enjoy). So I guess it works both ways.

In terms of Japanese music, I have very little interest in Jpop/rock. From the stuff I've heard of various bands, it's either by suited to being in some kind of TV show (which probably means I won't have a great deal of interest), or it sounds like a mediocre attempt to replicate something western bands were doing fifteen years ago.

But having said that, there are some great contemporary Japanese artists who are experimenting with music as much as western musicians. One of my favourite Japanese groups in recent times has been Denki Groove - they produce electronic music and some of their stuff is quite good. Some of my favourite tracks from them combine more traditional Japanese instruments with very modern electronic riffs and such.

In terms of lyrics...I don't require lyrics to enjoy a song. Music is music, I mean, a particular beat or melody can lift me up out of my seat and carry me away. It's like classical music; these pieces can tell a story without uttering a word. I like the non-literal aspect of such music - it doesn't [i]need[/i] to say anything in particular, it can just provide you with a feeling/emotion. Or, it can just encourage you to dance or tap your fingers. ~_^

Still, I think it depends on the kind of music. A large part of the reason I like Marilyn Manson is for the lyrics. But if I didn't like Manson's voice or if I hated the music, the lyrics would be largely irrelevant to me. What matters to me is not only the content of the lyrics, but how they sound. If the sound attracts me, then that's all I really care about in the end - what the lyrics actually say are just a nice bonus on top.[/color][/font]

[Dagger]

[quote name='Aiyisha][COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]Especially when the general response I got from non-fans was along the lines of 'Thinks 80s but worse'.[/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote]
Now it all makes sense! I love 80s music, too. :animesmil

As per the lyrics question--well, I have trouble understanding most English lyrics, to be honest. Half the time they're way too fast or muddled-sounding for me to make anything of them. After reading through a good translation a couple of times, I pick up about as much from your average J-pop or J-rock piece as I would from a similar English-language song. I'm not really sure what that says about my hearing, haha. As long as I can more or less sing along, I'm happy--in general the melody is much more important to me than the lyrics.

I don't really get into J-pop/J-rock outside of anime... I mean, I like L'Arc~en~Ciel and all that, but I'm not hugely passionate about it. Then again, this also applies to my attitude toward music as a whole. In recent memory, I've only become really excited about one J-pop band, [b]angela[/b]. They [i]do[/i] sound somewhat different from the norm, thanks mainly to the singer's voice. Otherwise, though, I'm satisfied with theme songs and insert songs and the like. I mean, pretty much everything angela touches turns to gold (by my standards at least), but with most J-pop/J-rock groups, as with most groups in any language, memorable singles are dominated by mediocre stuff. And what's memorable for me is often what I can make some kind of emotional connection with--and that's easy when the song is related to a scene or show I found especially notweworthy.

Of course, when something is genuinely good, there doesn't have to be that pre-established emotional link. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'll listen to forgettable, generic J-pop/J-rock stuff if it has some kind of nostalgic or sentimental value for me. So I guess it gets an extra boost from anime or games or whatnot that other types of music aren't able to benefit from as much (I suppose the opposite would hold true if I watched tons of English-language TV shows or films, no?). To sum things up, I have no taste when it comes to music. But that's not to say there isn't quality music to be found in the midst of all the 80s-esque material. Go give angela a listen.

~Dagger~

[Bloodseeker]

I'm just going to restate the obvious and say that with something like music, you'll aprecciate it or you won't, and no amount of explaining is going to change your tastes. I hate classical orchestra music. I've given it a chance,listened to the best of the genre, and decided that I hated it. When it was explained to me that one of my favorite music genres, heavy metal, is deeply rooted in classical orchestra music, it still didn't change the fact that classical music never fails to give me a headache.

Likewise, I'm sure that if I explained Rammstein's talent to a hater of hard rock, it wouldn't change a thing.

It'll be the same with J-Pop, or J-Rock. If you really hate the stuff, people aren't going to be able to talk you into liking it. The only thing that I can say is that if you [i]really[/i] want to bring yourself to like it, stop paying so much attention to the lyrics and start paying more attention to the sound.

[wrist cutter]

I like Japanese music because the Japanese are the coolest race in the world and their music is therefore superior to that from any other country.

[Hevn]

[COLOR=Purple][SIZE=1]I sometimes listen to J-Rock/Pop, mainly because of anime. There's this one anime channel where they show random Japanese music videos. They're supposed to be from animes but I've never heard of them before. I'm not partial to J-Pop but J-Rock sounds really good sometimes.

Acually, I listen to a lot of music in foreign languages. Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish. I think Bloodseeker said it. I like the songs for the sound, lyrics second. If I really like to know the lyrics then I look for it. Some song are better in their original language, though, so I don't really go for translated versions of songs.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Semjaza]

[quote name='wrist cutter']I like Japanese music because the Japanese are the coolest race in the world and their music is therefore superior to that from any other country.[/quote]

:animesmil

I like some of it. I prefer the more progressive groups I've come across such as The Pillows or Melt Banana. I just don't really have a thing for groups singing what generally amounts to 80s hair rock in another language. I'm not saying it's all like that at all, but a lot of what I've heard certainly has been. I also find the continually and randomly changing images of the lot of the groups I see somewhat distressing. It makes you feel like the image is just for attention and they'll shed it as soon as something else gets more popular.

If people love the stuff, that's cool. I've always been bothered by the fact that many people will hunt out something as obscure as a random Japanese rock band but then turn around and say all music from Western countries suck just makes no sense to me. Why can't you bother to look beyond the radio in your own country? I'm generalizing here (I wouldn't even say a majority of people do that), but it still has bothered me. There's so much stuff that people don't even attempt to listen to before dismissing the entire area as a whole.

People like wrist cutter are another story in general. I'm not into the things he is into, but he is genuinely into what he listens to and knows a good deal about it. It's not a "I heard this in an anime thing and I want to be connected to all things Japan!!" like you see sometimes. I respect that sort of thing.