Therefore, I will put my feelings about Jrock and other genres on this blog (which is public)
Before I start just to tell everyone, I am not an expert just very passionate so my knowledge may be lacking.
How to get this music:
Download it (free) from the Internet, or buy it. Downloading is easier, and since the music is not released in
Here are some bands I’ve come across over the years. If you are new to this, consider these as suggestions. Try them out, and comment and if you not new but is reading this anyway your comments and suggestions (like bands you like) are also welcomed
Artists (by genre):
Jrock (non-visual kei)
~Asian Kung-fu Generation (AKFG/Ajikan) 
AKFG happens to be one of my favorite bands. It is a weird story on how I found them. I downloaded an episode of an anime called Full Metal Alchemist a few years ago. I started at ep 38 and did not care for it, but when I came back to the site I got it from, it mentioned that episode 40 had a new theme song and it was “Rewrite”. Once I heard the song I became an instant fan of AKFG, and I actually continued to watch the anime and became a fan of that as well (ah…the power of music). I really suck at comparing bands to others, but some say they sound like Weezer, I guess that’s kinda close. However, I think they are have a more unique sound, the lead Masafumi Gotoh does not have the best voice, but he carries it in a way that makes it works (confusing?). Some suggestions: listen to the album Solfa, I not saying it is the best, but it is a good introductory album. Sol-fa was also the only AKFG CD to be released in
AKFG Links:
~Coaltar of the Deepers
If there were a band that I felt the need to advertise, it would be this one. Coaltar of the Deepers is a shoe gaze band (I don’t quite understand the genre, but it’s on wikipedia), there sound ranges from calm to thrash metal (sometimes in the same song). I have been into this band for as long as AKFG (that’s a very long time) and they are finally getting some recognition. I was very happy to find livejournal communities, YouTube videos and an actual fansite of there’s. I suggest the album Newwave, or Come Over The Deepend, but most Asian import sites (like cdJapan) might list some of their albums as “out of print”, but they are available on their official website, sadly it’s in Japanese. Make sure to check them out on youtube.
Links:
Evil line video (their latest)
COTD fan (fansite)
~L'arc~en~ciel
Though I don’t like this band as much, I feel that I should mention them, because they were one of the first Jrock bands I listen to. The singer has a powerful voice; I just can’t get into most of their songs. I do suggest this band if you’re new to Jrock, but I can’t really give much advice on them. Their album Smile was released in
Ready, Steady, Go!
Fansite
Some other bands that I like:
Sparta Locals
Art-School
Sambomaster
Beat Crusaders
The Blue Hearts (80’s punk band)
Go!Go!7188
Maximum the Hormone
FujiFabric
Visual Kei
Visual Kei is a subgenre of Jrock, but visual is just as important as the music. I think more girls tend to listen to visual kei artists because the guys are so pretty (^_^). Visual Kei was what I stumble upon when I started looking into Jrock and though I later branched off, I still love it.
~Onmyou-Za
This I the main visual kei band I listen to now. They are still a mystery to me for I have not done much research. I love the lead singer’s voice (who happens to be female, which is rare in vk bands) and their still makes me think, “This band is so beautiful”. Some of my favorite songs are Kouga Ninpocho, Nemuri, and Mezame.
~Malice Mizer
I simply love them, the mixture of goth and classical just work so well. What attracted me to the band was definitely the visual (I saw pictures of them before I listened), Mana (the guitarist/leader) caught my attention instantly, I was so shocked that Mana was a male. Though I’m not physically attracted to him, the ability to look better than most girls including myself makes him worthy of my loyalty. I’m sorry to sound creepy or weird, but that just how it is. Unfortunately, they disbanded and the members went to do solo projects. Also, despite my weird liking of Mana, I also think they have musical talent. Most separate Malice Mizer in to three eras based on singers, Tetsu, Gackt, and Klaha. Though I don’t like Gackt’s solo music, his era was the best and the Merveilles album shows this. Klaha is okay, but I refuse to listen to anything with Tetsu in it.
Scape (section on Malice Mizer)
~X-Japan
They are considered to be the pioneers of visual kei. X-Japan was around during the 80’s, so they have the hair metal thing going, but I still good in my book. I disappoint myself in not having as much as they music as I think I should. I can’t really suggest album, but a few songs I like are: Weekend, Rusty Nail, Silent Jealousy and my absolute favorite Art of Life, which is 28 mins long but totally worth listening to. Recently they started a reunion tour minus the guitarist Hide (RIP)
Links:
FansiteOther Bands:
Blam Honey
Kagrra, (I love them to but I don’t have much to say about them at the moment)
Nightmare
Hip-Hop/R&B
If rock is not your style there is also Japanese Hip-Hop, I grew up with rap music, then I abandon it when I got into high school because I realized I could not relate to it at all (I don’t have ho’s and money). It also was getting repetitive, which annoyed me and I like to listen to music based on my mood and I’m never in a crunk mood, because I’m a nerd and nerds don’t get crunk. Anyway Japanese hip-hop offered me lots of benefits, I can still listen to the style that was embedded in me before I was born and since I don’t understand the language, I don’t have to hear repetitive messages about things I don’t care for. I would also like to think that each song is not about the same thing as the previous songs, but has different meanings. Like old school rap use to have, but I would not know because I do not read the translations of the songs (maybe because of the fear that it’s all the same. Anyway, I wish I could go in depth with these groups, but I don’t know what to say… (maybe later after more research)
Most of these groups have videos on YouTube
Orange Range- One of the more popular groups, their sound is kind of rock-ish.
Links:
Rip Slyme
Wise
Kick the Can Crew (I heard they are no longer together which is sad)
Flow
nobodyknows+
UVERworld
Homemade Kazoku
Techno
I have not heard many techno groups, but these are the ones that stand out to me
Polysics
Globe
Aural Vampire
And as for Jpop, I don’t think I’ll be much help on that because I don’t really listen to it, but it’s a lot easier to find.
Last, I would like to mention that I just started listening to Korean music, but so far I’ve gotten to Bi(rain) and TVXQ. I’m hoping that this would expand sometime in the future so if you are reading this and have suggestions please comment.
I hope I can do more with this and clean it up a little. Comments are welcome and music suggestions are definitely welcomed because I’m will to give it a try as long as it is not country… (^_^)v
