Japanese music recommendations?

[wao]

For a change try some classical, relaxing and soothing background music: check out the Juuni Kokki soundtracks [OST, Image Album, Piano Memories, Kokyu Memories] by Kunihiko Ryo. Very nice stuff - even if you think some of them are bland there is some awesome stuff (like Fuushun, Juunikokugenei, Ruika and so on).

The Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal soundtrack is also kinda nice as someone mentioned...

I also really like Akino Arai songs, I like the floating-away feeling I get listening to some of them... her voice is really nice to me.

[kingzapp]

I have some songs, but don't remember those names

[AzureLight]

Originally Posted by sarcasteak

[KOTOKO - Re-sublimity] singles is out...Re-sublimity is okay at best, but agony killed me instantly and sent me directly to heaven!!

YEEEEEEESSSS BOW TO THE MAGNIFICENCE THAT IS I'VE SOUND!!!

[sarcasteak]

Originally Posted by AzureLight

YEEEEEEESSSS BOW TO THE MAGNIFICENCE THAT IS I'VE SOUND!!!

Ya know, I've probably heard and loved more soundtracks done by I've Sound, but most of my mp3s only have artist and title information.

[onizukaPwns]

i think the songs to Aishiterue Baby are really good

nenen saisai (i think that was the titile) sounds very nice

[quanli0000]

Originally Posted by msgpoisoning

i know next to nothing about what's good in japanese music. if anyone has any recommendations i would really appreciate it. If you have a playlist of really good japanese songs, or even if it's just one good song post it. doesn't matter if it's old or new, as long as you think it's good. thanks in advance.

My Faviourite Singers

T.M. Revolution
Tamaki Nami
Ai Otsuka
TOKIO
Orange Range
Aya Ueto
W-inds
Yuri Chika
Fayray
Southen All Star

[MidoriShinobi]

Malice Mizer - Baroque
Kana - Chimame

[Ashi-chan]

Originally Posted by Timeless Enigma

Well, most people start out by expanding from the Anime Openings, Endings and Sountracks. So search around for the artists who did that certain OP or ED and go from there.

I'm not a huge collector of Japanese music, but I did find my favorite singer that way. I really like Aikawa Nanase, although she doesn't seem to be a fan favorite, sadly. Her voice is very cute and unique, and I haven't heard a song by her that I ever hated. I guess she could be considered J-pop, but some of her faster songs have a rock feel to them. She sang the opening themes to Zoids Shinseiki / Zero ("NO FUTURE") and InuYasha ("Owarinai Yume"), both songs which were very good. "NO FUTURE" was actually THE song that got me hooked on Aikawa Nanase.

[Chiaki Nozomi]

I have to go against whoever said Orange Range. They are.. I don't like them, not at all. Asian Kung Fu Generation as well. In fact, I hate all those new wannabe bands that are out right now. Don't flame on this, I wasn't flaming anyone, and I didn't mean this to be a flame. It's for suggestions, and there are likes and dislikes abound.

I'm more of a jpop/rock person rather than anime theme person, so I can't help you with good anime themes.

The apple's new band (Shiina Ringo) Tokyo Jihen (incidents) made up of her formerly backup band members with her is awesome. I adored their debut cd, though it can't hold a candle to Ringo's releases. Sex Machinegun rocks my socks, Thee Michelle Gun Elephant is teh awesome.

ZWEI. I love Zwei. They're my favorite new artists of the year. Their debut was awesomely awesome. The classic 'intro' songs I would recommend are "Movie Star" "Kuchi ~ I love your mouth", "Watashigai no Uta", "Pretty Queen", "Loveland". All except Kuchi were their singles and b-sides, so they seem like good intro songs to me. :lol:

I have to include Takui and Janne da Arc because they're my favorite musicians - for 'harder' rock from JdA get stuff that's pre-Another Story and for their pop stuff get Another Story and Arcadia. Takui is Takui, can't really describe his stuff.

For pop... can't really help you there. Koda Kumi's been releasing some interesting stuff (and if you don't like the songs try and grap the pvs because they kick rear) and umm.. yeah. Halicali is cool, Melt Banana kicks rear (and you can get thier releases domestically too) Lolita 18 (you see a parody of them on Chiba's shirt (Rorita) in the anime Beck)... my guilty pleasure is Hello!Project and its huge mecca of idol pop, for more idol pop the Giza artists are good too....

Ayumi's new album has just been released, and it has converted me back to a somewhat fan. Yes, she still has that weird vibrato, but at least she's not screeching her songs anymore. People say it reminds them of 'Duty' and 'I am...' but since I've only heard select tracks from the two, I can't comment. I liked most of the tracks on there, so... yeah.

Eh, this is off the top of my head. I'll post more later if I remember any cuz I've been listening to allot of french pop lately and it's all I can think of right now. x.x

[phoenixfire92983]

I have to include Takui and Janne da Arc because they're my favorite musicians - for 'harder' rock from JdA get stuff that's pre-Another Story and for their pop stuff get Another Story and Arcadia. Takui is Takui, can't really describe his stuff.

haha, I though Arcadia was way harder than some of Janne's other stuff, but either way they still rock I also agree, you gotta check out Takui! Chiaki suggested him in another thread long ago, and I've been in love with his stuff ever since. imo Takui has one of the best voices out there.

[SladeCraven]

Hey, if you're looking for Japanese music with some muscle, try Sex Machineguns. Japanese metal is always good!

[~Shin~]

Chou By Tsukiko amano..

Once you heard this you'll start liking all of her songs.

[Ashi-chan]

Originally Posted by SladeCraven

Hey, if you're looking for Japanese music with some muscle, try Sex Machineguns. Japanese metal is always good!

Japanese metal confuses me. But Japanese rap is just funny, for some reason.

I'll stick to my Aikawa Nanase and Puffy for now. And if you think my taste is lame, I never really had any to begin with, so whoo.

[TheSuicider]

I'm not a huge Japanese-music collector, but some music blows me away...

Yoko Kanno project with various songs from Ghost in the shell: Stand alone complex OST, Wolf's Rain OST and more.
Luna Sea as an brilliant J-rock band.
Mono as an experimental but very relaxing no-vocals band.
Kazafumi Kodama with chillout-hiphop or what I shall call it...
Envy as a plain hardcore band.
Hi-Standard with their punkmusic.
The Black Mages, rocked versions of Final Fantasy songs.
Various J-pop as Ayu, Do as Infinity, Hitomi Yaida and such...

Think that recaps it

[Spineshanked]

Best thing I can recommend for the moment is Bloodthirsty Butchers, they're more of a post-punk outfit, but they fit the genre they occupy. Definitely more intelligent then Asian Kung-fu Generation, but not as hard as Zazen Boys/Number Girl.

[Summer Soldier]

Originally Posted by AndrewLB

Almost all the good [Japanese] music is without lyrics. The second lyrics enter the picture, the Japanese tend to lose it.

Complete and utter bullshit. There are plenty of creative and inspired music being made in Japan that features lyrics, and the best of them can easily hold their own against anything that the rest of the world offers.

However, this dreadful display of idiocy and ignorance is more than offset by the following statement:

Good Japanese music exists, but you aren't going to find any of it by talking to people on this forum.

So fucking true.

EDIT: Bah, it looks like I replied to someone who was banned. My apologies.

[Zephronite]

I've Sound is (`-')b

[myrriden]

I guess I'll list some of the stuff I've been listening to... I'm in Japanese 4 right now so I listen to a lot of jpop/jrock to constantly refresh myself.

Do as Infinity
Day After Tommorow
Every Little Thing
Orange Range
Aikawa Nanase
Angela
Miyu Nagase
Nana Kitade
Nami Tamaki
The Pillows
Rie Fu
T.M. Revolution
Utada Hikaru (Don't like her... just listed her because... well... yeah)
Ayumi Hamasaki (Don't like either)
BoA (Though I think she sounds a lot better in korean)
B'z

There's a lot more out there, don't limit yourself only to pieces from anime.

edit: I guess someone would shoot me if I didn't mention X-Japan

[Chiaki Nozomi]

Originally Posted by Ashi-chan

Japanese metal confuses me. But Japanese rap is just funny, for some reason.

Japanese rap should not be allowed to exist (in fact, if it's not in english, don't do it. :P). But I have to admit I adore m-flo and his make no sense, silly rhymes. Esp. m-flo loves singles. What kind of rapper releases duets with loves in the title? I still bought all the singles though... Reminds me of the days when rap was about eating out a buffet line. *misses old school rap*

[Alkora]

Oh my gosh.... You guys are forgetting real non JPop music. Like:
Chemistry
ケツメイシ　- Ketsumeishi
山風- Yamakaze

And some J-Pop thats not typical girly J-pop.
Do as Infinity
Hirai Ken
Gackt
Orange Range
porno graffiti
Onitsuka Chihiro