J-Pop

History

Japanese pop music can be traced to the days of early jazz music. When instrument mainly used in the military was introduced into the music world. And in the end of the world war II the american soldiers who stayed behind deliverd the new diffrent musics of blues & country music to Japan. And so the J-Pop has always lived to wander after the american style in music. But in the 1950's the Rock 'n Roll era started around the 1956 and turned to be most popular around the end of the 50's. And the year where the rock was as is higest tipping point a film was released where all the top icons in the japanese rock world attended. But sadly enough soon after this era the japanese rock died soon after the american rock died out. But in desperation some artist started mixing the Rock 'n Roll with pop music. One of this artist making this possible was Kyu Sakamoto with his song Ue wo Muite Arukō , also known as Sukiyaki. And was the first to reach the first place on top list charts in america.

Kyu Sakamoto

Later during the 1970's and the start of the 1980's the music turned from simple guitar plays to more complex sounds. And instead of the normal society related questions in the song they turned for the words of love & such a likes. Which also came to be called "New Music". Where the names such as Takuro Yoshida & Yosui Inoue where really name to be heard.

Takuro Yoshida

Yosui Inoue

The 1980's the City Pop was cultivated, which was a sort of popular music inspired by the big citys. Specially Tokyo in particular inspired many songs of this form. It was difficult to draw a distinction between City Pop and New Music and many songs fall under both categories. Wasei Pop (lit. Japan-made pop) quickly became a common word to describe both City Pop and New Music. By the 1990s, J-pop became the common term to describe most popular songs.
In the late 1980's the emergence of one of Japan's most famous rock groups of all time, Chage & Aska. A massively popular male singer/songwriter duo consisting of Chage (Shuji Shibata) and Ryo Aska (Shigeaki Miyazaki), they released a string of consecutive monster hits throughout the 1980s and 1990s, establishing themselves as Asia's most popular rock group. Their "Asian Tour II / Mission Impossible" tour was the single largest concert tour ever put on by a Japanese group - the tickets for all 61 concerts in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan sold out on the first day. Ryo Aska is widely considered today to be one of Japan's greatest songwriters. However, with the advent of the Japanese dance-pop music pioneered by Namie Amuro and Tetsuya Komuro in the mid- to late-1990s, the popularity of rock groups like Chage & Aska has declined.

Chage & Aska

When the 90's came the R&B sound was to be the popular sound. It was here the famous singer-songwritter Utada Hikaru debuted with her first single Automatic/time will tell. And her first album First Love sold for over 7 500 000 copies, making it the best selling Japanese album of all time, and the best selling debut album ever in the country. While she sold millions with her R&B sounds, pop music was still popular in Japan. Which solo female singers such as Hamasaki Ayumi, Kuraki Mai and Ami Suzuki, and female pop groups like SPEED and Morning Musume sold millions of records with their pop-techno sounds.

Utada Hikaru

Now in the early 00's, R&B and Hip Hop influences in Japanese music are stronger than ever. J-Hiphop/rock bands such as ORANGE RANGE and Ketsumeishi are at the top of the Oricon charts, with some older pop/rock groups like Mr.Children, B'z and Southern All Stars. The current charts are mainly ruled by male only bands and solo male singers, female pop has declined a lot since the 90's but pop singers like Hamasaki Ayumi and Otsuka Ai still get to #1 with most of their releases.

Ayumi Hamasaki


Orange Range

Nitchi

K-Music

History
The pre-modern Korean popular music first appeared in the 1930s, heavily influenced by Japanese popular songs, Since Japan required the colonial administration in Korea to restrict all forms of artistic expression, Koreans had little opportunity to create their own modern genre. In the 1950s and 1960s, the musical performances organized by U.S. forces in and around the American military bases in South Korea provided South Koreans with examples of modern music. And soon had several genres, which consisted of girl & boy bands which appeal lay mostly in their appearance.

Cho Yong Pil

In 1970s, rock music was introduced into South Korea, mainly popularized by Cho Yong Pil. Which also became a main genre in pop music. But the turning point came with the group Seo Taiji and Boys in the 1992, which changed the popular music, as the group incorporated elements of American popular musical genres such as rap , rock, and techno into its music.

Seo Taiji and Boys

The tremendous success of Seo Taiji and Boys in South Korea and other experimental groups, such as Panic, set the trend for the present generation of K-pop groups and artists. Following Seo Taiji and Boys, dance-oriented acts became dominant in the South Korean popular music scene of the early 90s including the legendary hip hop duo Deux (듀스). By the mid-90s, Seo Taiji and Boys retired from South Korea's pop music scene.

After that, teen idol groups that are now often considered "legendary groups" due to their strong popularity during their era, such as Baby V.O.X., Fin.K.L., g.o.d, H.O.T., Shinhwa, Sechs Kies, S.E.S., Solid, and R.ef were very popular, having strong fanbases and high-selling albums (with some groups having a "million seller", an album selling over one million copies). Starting with the break-up of Sechs Kies, however, most of these groups have since disbanded. Although some artists have continued their successes in the following decade, new groups (most notably TVXQ, Super Junior, Big Bang, Epik High, SHINee, SS501, Girls' Generation) have since taken their places. Currently, in the 2000s, pop groups are still very popular although there has been an emergence of South Korean R&B and Hip-Hop. Artists such as MC Mong, 1TYM, Rain, Big Bang and Epik High have proven successful.

Drunken Tiger

Underground artists such as Drunken Tiger, Tasha (Yoon Mi Rae), and Dynamic Duo have also helped Hip-Hop become mainstream. Recently, rock music has become noticed by the public, with acts such as the Yoon Do Hyun Band and Seo Taiji gaining national recognition. In addition, there are also popular techno/dance artists such as Lee Jung Hyun and Kim Hyun Jung, who both have had very long careers while remaining firmly entrenched in their genre of music. Just as well, ballads and R&B have remained popular, as singers such as Baek Ji Young and KCM, in addition to SG Wannabe, have continued their success for many years.

BoA

But adding to last are the more famous international band such as BoA which became the higest selling international artist thanks to the blooming J-pop culture from South Korea. But also artists such as Rain, Rain has also had his international RAINY DAY 2005 Tour, having tour dates at Madison Square Garden, the first South Korean star to do so. He has been also recently featured in Hollywood films.

Rain

Nitchi

Visual Kei, Oshare Kei, Angura Kei the types of J-rock.

Visual Kei

Is a fashion who was created back in the early 80's, which mainly was brought by the well known band X-Japan. Which was created back in the middle of the 80's, but diden't get it's major notice till the 90's when bands such as Glay , L'Arc-en-ciel and Kuroyume took up is style.

This style mainly concepts on the visual effect of the theme they pick. Which can be some what a feminine side(which is really popular in male Visual kei perspectiv), and many famous bands are in this perspectives. Mana from Malice Mizer is one known figure, which now days plays in Moi dix mois.

Tough most bands in this usally are males, but later years there to has been female bands such as Exist†trace. But to this most fans in this music is mainly girls. Best way to define this look is probly mostley by is make-up, hairstyles and there gothic cloths, pretty much filling up there naughty or bad characters.

Another thing whichs is quite common in this, is that if a group changes is record company they usally change style to fit in for the larger audience to.

Example bands to this: Miyavi, Versailles , X-japan & Glay.

Oshare Kei

Is the more happy version to the Visual Kei, much of it is pretty much cute subjects. It also contains alot of the most cutting edge fashion today as is main perspectiv and also by so is seen to be the most fashionable of the three.

Example bands to this: An Cafe, Panic Channel, SuG, LM.C & Ayabie.

Angura Kei

Is pretty close to the visual kei and usally referred to it as is easier. But is basicly the metal version of rock. Is a bit more ruff in is ways and dark concepts. And the main concepts are pretty much black cloths, spikes, modern hairstyles and alot of dark make-up. Many compare them to goths of daily standards.

Example bands to this: MUCC, Sadie, Girugamesh & Dir en grey.

Well here was a little info about the diffrent kei's, But hope you like it even if is not much it should giva a little better understanding!

(And don't wanna bore you with to much with long facts and schematics.)

Nitchi

Welcome! to JaRock, where here I will present you with the world of Asian Music, Anime, J-rock, J-Pop & K-Pop or whatever you can find in this little loving tune filled world.

Also Check out the link on the side, Jap-On.com is a really nice forum in the lines of anime music & J-music, I spend alot of time there to, so if you can't find me here you will for sure find me there. ^^

So Stay tuned, for the Journey is about to begin!

Nitchi