Japanese popular culture has never failed to amaze, particularly in the better part of the last half a century. This is never more so than in their local popular music scene, which is not only strong in the country, but has been lapped up by fans all over the world. Their influence can no longer be denied, and should be readily embraced and studied.
Today, from manga to fashion, there is little that is untouched by Japanese popular culture. In music, one of the fastest global trends is that of the Japanese Visual Kei niche. Visual Kei originated from Japanese heavy metal, even though its origins emanated from western goth culture.
While heavy metal music is a staple of Visual Kei, fans of the genre are also known for their outlandish dressing. This is in accordance to what their favorite bands or artistes promote through their own getup. Imagine cosplay and heavy metal leather in an eclectic mix, and you will get what Visual Kei is all about.
Major wester music styles have not been spared. Rhythm and blues have seen a growing number of Japanese popular artistes who have adopted it as their own. Many of them have scored award winning singles and albums, while branching out into other fields like acting. There are also increasing collaboration between both Asian and Western artistes within the genre.
One of the most famous Japanese pop artistes has been Ayumi Hamasaki. Known more for her chameleon-like abilities in reinventing herself, Ayumi continues to hog the music charts with every new release. Her stage presence and elaborate concerts have been compared to Madonna's, but some critics point to the opposite.
Fans have also provided a boost to the growth of Japanese pop music culture. Their devotion is simply, in one word, amazing. Their passion is reflected in the time and money spent digesting every morsel about the artistes' lives and music. Many fans also aspire to become just like the singers they idolise, which only keeps the scene growing continuously.
Japanese pop artistes do not just rely on their fans to keep their careers moving. There is constant experimentation with new ideas. Japanese are also known for their spontaniety, which is reflected in the fascinating evolution that exists in their pop music culture.
Japanese popular music culture will continue to grow from strength to strength. Change is always a byword of their scene, with much stress on being unique and contributing to artistic tendencies. With equal attention paid to mass consumerism, it will continue to generate favor at the same time, ensuring longevity. - 16036
Today, from manga to fashion, there is little that is untouched by Japanese popular culture. In music, one of the fastest global trends is that of the Japanese Visual Kei niche. Visual Kei originated from Japanese heavy metal, even though its origins emanated from western goth culture.
While heavy metal music is a staple of Visual Kei, fans of the genre are also known for their outlandish dressing. This is in accordance to what their favorite bands or artistes promote through their own getup. Imagine cosplay and heavy metal leather in an eclectic mix, and you will get what Visual Kei is all about.
Major wester music styles have not been spared. Rhythm and blues have seen a growing number of Japanese popular artistes who have adopted it as their own. Many of them have scored award winning singles and albums, while branching out into other fields like acting. There are also increasing collaboration between both Asian and Western artistes within the genre.
One of the most famous Japanese pop artistes has been Ayumi Hamasaki. Known more for her chameleon-like abilities in reinventing herself, Ayumi continues to hog the music charts with every new release. Her stage presence and elaborate concerts have been compared to Madonna's, but some critics point to the opposite.
Fans have also provided a boost to the growth of Japanese pop music culture. Their devotion is simply, in one word, amazing. Their passion is reflected in the time and money spent digesting every morsel about the artistes' lives and music. Many fans also aspire to become just like the singers they idolise, which only keeps the scene growing continuously.
Japanese pop artistes do not just rely on their fans to keep their careers moving. There is constant experimentation with new ideas. Japanese are also known for their spontaniety, which is reflected in the fascinating evolution that exists in their pop music culture.
Japanese popular music culture will continue to grow from strength to strength. Change is always a byword of their scene, with much stress on being unique and contributing to artistic tendencies. With equal attention paid to mass consumerism, it will continue to generate favor at the same time, ensuring longevity. - 16036
About the Author:
Ken Oiishi is a music critic specializing in Japanese pop culture. His latest playlists have Hidemi Uematsu as his artist of the year in Japan, with Hidemi's new single Trauma topping the charts.
