2013-11-03, 20:20 | Link #1 | |
Augumented Paranoia
Join Date: Nov 2003
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JPOP: Decline and the silence of the fans.
Recently a user by the name of mdo7 have posted an article detailing the decline of JPOP's influence and how it could hurt the industry in the long term, this was the article in question.
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2013-11-04, 06:11 | Link #2 |
今宵の虎徹は血に飢えている
Join Date: Jan 2009
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So your point is? That fans should make more noise?
No one's blind to the fact that Japanese music is for a niche group but what would you do unless you have a couple million to bankroll a major breakout effort The Japanese music industry isn't the only industry in Japan suffering. The real answer to its problems is a general improvement in the national economy as a whole. Would you rather instead a horde of AKB48 clones spreading overseas generating mass-produced works which they themselves don't even make and worse, the singers themselves must suffer because of that "idol behaviour idealism" bullshit instead of being able to produce what they really want to? Because in case you are wondering, that's the way it is with most Korean acts as well. Your source talks of Japan music industry being corrupt and money grubbing....You honestly believe Korean and American ones are not the same? That the industry there isn't a backstabbing jungle as well? The main reason for Korean success isn't because they are artistically superior (as if such thing can even be ranked as superior or inferior) but because of sheer propaganda advertising and acts catered to what the mass audience can easily soak up instead of them actually producing music by heart and soul. Besides advertising, the reason why Japanese music is not as well known outside Japan, is because their music targets specific audiences; the AKB48 style sections don't overshadow them as much as Korean idol groups overshadow other music acts from their own nation. It's still not that bad in Taiwan where idol groups are relatively not as major. More money for artists and creators won't happen if their art is not the type that can rake in a mass audience. It's similar to why S.H.E is more popular than A Mei for example. It doesn't mean one is technically or artistically inferior, it's about which one appeals to the masses more. And if you say, replace the current artists with a new generation of specially bred idols.....What help is there when you effectively kill off an entire generation of creators? Do you actually want the Japan music industry to go down that route? Who wins in the end? Not the performers, not the audiences, but as usual, the bigwigs up at the top, the way it is now, and the way it will continue to be to even greater extent if the industry goes all out "mainstream, mass produce consumer good style." More money for creators in the arts industry has long ceased to be true in almost every capitalist economy since a long time. Japan's industry has survived in good economic times under this model, with it being more conducive for singer/song writers who write or perform what they want as well as for much more diversity in genres as a result. I don't see why if the economy does recover, they won't continue to survive. If the aforementioned happens and the Japanese music scene loses more of it's soul and what people go to it for....well, I'll say it's even more dead from a fan's point of view. If Japan's economy does not pick up? Then really, instead of worrying about the music industry, worry about the bigger economic hurdle first
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Last edited by Cosmic Eagle; 2013-11-04 at 07:21. |
2013-11-04, 13:18 | Link #3 | |
Augumented Paranoia
Join Date: Nov 2003
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Of course, mdo7 felt otherwise, thinking the fame they have found overseas is well worth the cost in the long run since this would in his eyes skew people's opinion of Japanese Music
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2013-11-04, 18:28 | Link #5 | |
今宵の虎徹は血に飢えている
Join Date: Jan 2009
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And it isn't fame per se but mass appeal....they are plenty famous enough already within the international community but only within the community of Japanese music fans
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2013-11-04, 21:50 | Link #6 |
Skwid Fan
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Wifi hotspots? We're always connected on the net here in Tokyo, at least. Thanks to our phone services. Of course you'll be left out if you're a foreigner who isn't subscribed to their services.
And I just want to add, JPOP caters to select audiences here. Audiences that pay money and not commenting bullshit and refreshing their artists new MV pages on Youtube. Music fans in Japan are the most blessed fans because they're being pandered heavily and get what they want in my opinion. |
2013-11-04, 22:49 | Link #7 | |
Augumented Paranoia
Join Date: Nov 2003
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2013-11-05, 06:03 | Link #9 |
絶対領域に嵌り過ぎた。
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Trendy Backwater
Age: 38
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Hah, I can't really seem to take Mdo7's opinion seriously at all. Every time he writes something, it's about K-pop and its global success with the wall of text. Could work as a promoter with that enthusiasm of his. My take of K-pop recent popularity seems to me all about the trend that will die down soon hopefully.
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2013-11-07, 14:22 | Link #11 | |
Augumented Paranoia
Join Date: Nov 2003
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2013-11-09, 08:46 | Link #13 |
seiyuu maniac
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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I just want to add that using iTunes as a measuring stick of how much Japan don't embrace the internet and mp3 revolution is stupid and ignorant (as Answerman is always prone to show how narrow of a view of the country/industry he has, and anyone using him as a source for argument can't be very knowledgeable either). Anyone whom had spent some time studying the Japanese and how they like to work will know that they love to build their own little system that is not connected to the rest of the world. For example we know that Japanese people had been downloading songs onto their cellphones way before iTunes even existed (which gave birth to the mega company that is dwango), Youtube don't get J songs voted is because Japanese and fans of Japanese music are probably watching on Nicodouga, Yahoo JP or Gyao instead etc. You don't find anime songs on iTunes store is because they prefer working with Dwango/Animelomix (huge sponsers of any, if not ALL, anime related concerts) over working with Apple/iTunes, not because they hate digital. Also there's another handful of music distribution services in Japan, Sony, obviously, has one which spans their PlayStation and phone product lines, there's a site call Listen Japan which offers up to date DRM free music (and true to Japan style - only usable by Japanese residents) etc etc.
The real issues - to me - really just seems to boil down to money and market - Western countries has the money but also a much richer pick of local music artists such that they have no real need for exotic music from the East, whereas the East, outside of Japan, has little spending power to afford bringing these exotic music from their neighbors. So Japan's caught in this weird situation where they want to expand outwards to the West where the money is but is a place where J music aren't really appreciated, but they don't consider the East market big enough (money wise) to worth taking note and spending effort cultivating.
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2013-11-09, 14:41 | Link #14 | |
Augumented Paranoia
Join Date: Nov 2003
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The fact that recently SNSD won by pure voting power at YT Awards says a lot of about Korea's popularity vs Japan.
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Last edited by asaqe; 2013-11-09 at 15:11. |
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2013-11-09, 23:51 | Link #15 | |
Senior Member
Author
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philippines
Age: 47
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At the moment the boom, despite being confined domestically, is still much at its apex, it's never constant, which means the producers and management have to keep coming up with new ideas. There will be the case of "no export" because the Japanese record companies feel that there will be a small audience outside Japan who care to buy their singles, apparently drawing lessons from the debacle in the attempt to export Pink Lady to an uninformed American audience, and of course the language and cultural barrier. --------------- I'm not surprised that there are those self-proclaimed expert/writers who are actually k-pop shills or outright Japanophile elitists. And of course, Japanophobes. Also, I find SNSD's extremely high vote count rather disturbing than genuine.
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Last edited by sa547; 2013-11-10 at 23:50. |
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2013-11-10, 03:59 | Link #16 |
Skwid Fan
Join Date: Jun 2012
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The only vocaloid producers who made it big are ryo (Supercell) and jin (Kagerou days). Even those two are using real people in their recent projects. Other producers are too indie/hipster and have day jobs other than producing vocaloid songs. Utaite are exploiting free vocaloid songs to make it big. Only nagi (Supercell), chouchou and ClariS made it big.
Sega, however, are swimming in money due to vocaloid concerts and merchandise. I can't say vocaloid is big but they're helping a lot. Specifically to young JP people to be interested in music. |
2013-11-10, 04:47 | Link #17 |
Banned
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JPOP is often associated with anime. So I think the foreign audiences are more concern on the song which represents the anime and the anime that is associated with the song than the singers themselves (at least their name). KPOP is more of the song and the good looking people that sings them.^^
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2013-11-10, 11:04 | Link #18 | |
Senior Member
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2013-11-10, 11:29 | Link #19 | |
seiyuu maniac
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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