Added by Aira on 26 Sep 2010 07:02

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J-Pop: I love you, I love you not 2014 ed.

Actually I don't like pop music very much but j-pop is an exception, a "guilty pleasure" I listen to try learning lyrics and - bit after bit - a little more of this fascinating language.

Note: I decided to remove all videos due to all that embed codes that made the page load too slow. You can still find the videos by clicking the song titles.

See also:
Aira's 30 Days Song Meme
Asian Actors -catalog-
Asian Actresses -catalog-

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Guilty Pleasures

Angela Aki

Classic pop-piano songs, but enjoyable to listen to and try learning new words.

Name: アンジェラ・アキ

Favorite album: Answer

Favorite songs:
- Tsugaru-Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki 津軽海峡・冬景色 [cover of a classic folk song]
- Tegami ~Haikei Juugo no Kimi e ~手紙～拝啓十五の君へ～
- In my blood

Arashi

The classic j-pop band, a culture phenomenon in Japan. I can't say I love all their songs, but I like many of them.

Name: 嵐

Favorite album: All the best 1999-2009

Favorite songs:
- P.A.R.A.D.O.X.
- Hatenai Sora 果てない空
- Monster
- Face down

Crazy Ken Band

It's a flamboyant mix of pop, funk, ska, and Yokoyama Ken looks like an old yakuza with a particular voice tone. Flashy but I like it.

Favorite album: Mint Condition

Favorite songs:
- Tiger & Dragon タイガー＆ドラゴン
- 1107
- Otoko no Kassouro 男の滑走路
- ta·su·ke·te た・す・け・て

Miyavi

He plays J-Rock so maybe I shouldn't put him here. But since it's j-music anyway, and since I do love him, here he is. I first heard him as a guest on an Italian radio. He made a little live show and thought it was like two guitars playing. Simply great!

Name: 雅

Favorite album: What's My Name World Tour live in London

Favorite songs:
- Ahead of the light
- We Love You ~Sekai wa Kimi wo Aishiteru~　世界わ君を愛してる
- Secret

Masaharu Fukuyama

I think it's a quite good pop-rock. Fukuyama Masaharu has a good voice, better in lower notes, but I still don't understand why all that falsetto. I also enojoyed some soundtracks he wrote.

Name: 福山雅治

Favorite album: 残響 (Zankyou)

Favorite songs:
- Saiai 最愛
- VS. ~Chikaku to Kairaku no Neji~ 知覚と快楽の螺旋
- KISS Shite [KISSして]
- Keshin 化身

Umekichi

Another non-pop artist. She plays folk music that brings me back straight to the old Japan, with some flashes of jazz.

Name: うめ吉

Favorite album: Kuradashi Meikyokushuu ～Reloaded～

Favorite songs:
- Ie e Oide yo 家においでよ -Come On A House-
- Samisen Boogie-Woogie 三味線ブギウギ
- Kirigirisu きりぎりす

Tokio

Okay, I confess: I listen to the Tokio mostly because Nagase Tomoya (lead voice) is one of my favorite singer/actor/guy (shame on me! I'm such a shallow girl :P). But I think that among the Johnnys' they're the only real band and their music is quite good.

Favorite album: Harvest

Favorite songs:
- Sorafune 宙船
- Boku no Renai Jijou to Daidokoro Jijou 僕の恋愛事情と台所事情
- Honjitsu, Mijukumono 本日、未熟者
- Taiyou to Sabaku no Bara 太陽と砂漠のバラ

Kanjani 8

Another Johnny's band but they can play instruments and some songs are pretty good. I also enjoy collaboration between Subaru Band and other artists (especially with Tokio).
Subaru Band: Subaru Shibutani (vo), Ryuhei Maruyama (ba), Shota Yasuda (g), Tadayoshi Okura (dr)

Name: 関ジャニ∞

Favorite album: Fight

Favorite songs:
- Naniwa Iroha Bushi 浪花いろは節
- Tsubusa ni Koi ツブサニコイ
- My Home マイホーム

Mika Nakashima

Good voice and fine music that sometimes gets a little "oriental flavor".

Name: 中島美嘉

Favorite album: Star

Favorite songs:
- Ichiban Kirei na Watashi wo 一番綺麗な私を
- Candy Girl
- Superwoman
- Ai Kotoba 愛詞

Ikimono-Gakari

Because there's a child in all of us :)
Seriously, they make lovely songs easy to sing.

Name: いきものがかり

Favorite album: Ikimonobakari~Member`s Best Selection~ いきものばかり～メンバーズBESTセレクション～

Favorite songs:
- Kimi ga Iru キミがいる
- Kaze ga Fuite Iru 風が吹いている
- Aruite Ikou 歩いていこう

Pizzicato Five

The only band that has been famous in Italy and the first Japanese musicians I ever heard. They played a cross-over genre called "Shibuya-kei", a mix of pop, punk, disco, bossa nova and funk. I soon loved them (maybe because I always loved Japan). Unfortunately, they broke up in 2001. The lead singer Maki Nomiya started a solo career.

Name: ピチカート・ファイヴ

Favorite album: Pizzicato Five JPN: Big Hits And Jet Lags

Favorite song:
- It's a beautiful day

Smap

The most famous Johnnys' group. Their music it's classic nice j-pop.

Favorite album: Super Modern Artistic Performance

Favorite songs:
- Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana 世界に一つだけの花
- Orange オレンジ
- Hoshizora no Shita de 星空の下で

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Catch me if you can

Artists I amdmit they're good but still don't catch my attention

8.1

Ayumi Hamasaki

I read in Japan she's a star. As for Koda Kumi, there are some catchy songs but problem is they both play something too "western" for my taste. I mean, I can listen to this kind of pop here in Italy whenever I turn on the radio, if I wanted to.

Name: 浜崎あゆみ

Humming humming...
Love song

Aira's rating:

7.8

Yuu Shirota

Shirota makes his solo singing debut as "U" in May 2011. Its music is very j-pop, but since he's half Spanish, he sings both in Japanese and Spanish, and that's make him a little interesting.

Name: 城田優

Humming humming...
Heart of glass

Aira's rating:

7.6

Kumi Koda

J-pop/urban artist. Some songs are catchy but not enough for me to be a (guilty) pleasure.

Name: 倖田來未

Humming humming...
Suki de, suki de, suki de. 好きで、好きで、好きで。

Aira's rating:

8.3

Namie Amuro

If I loved urban music I'd surely love her. But I don't.
Anyway, I must tell that I heard her new album and thought she's better than some western "pop princesses".

Name: 安室奈美恵

Humming humming...
Unusual feat. Tomohisa Yamashita

Aira's rating:

7.6

Exile

Exile play a "j-pophiphopsoul" music. Not really good, not really bad, enough to make me put them in this category.

Humming humming...
Futatsu no Kuchibiru ふたつの唇

Aira's rating:

Kou Shibasaki

Also known as Koh+. Kittenish voice, but some songs (well, just the two songs written by Fukuyama, "Saiai" and "Kiss Shite") are nice.

Name: 柴咲コウ

Humming humming...
KISS Shite [KISSして]

Aira's rating:

7.8

Utada Hikaru

She's very famous but never find something special. I think I'll plan to give a more careful listen someday.

Name: 宇多田ヒカル

Humming humming...
Flavor of life

Aira's rating:

Golden Bomber

I'm not very into visual-kei and I haven't listened enough of their music to make a judgement. So that's why they're here. I don't know about the future.

Humming humming...
Memeshikute 女々しくて

Aira's rating:

Yuzu

Pop. Pop. Pop. But I find some melting lightness in their music that I could start liking them.

Name: (ゆず

Humming humming...
Niji 虹

Aira's rating:

Kobukuro

I just listened to a few songs. Not bad not good. "Ryuusei" reminds me some old song, but since I can't remember I listen to it sometimes :)

Name: コブクロ

Humming humming...
Ryuusei 流星

Aira's rating:

Bennie K

Relaxing pop. Nothing more. But "Monochrome" was part of a j-drama soundtrack ("Tokyo Dogs") and - maybe because I heard it 10 times in a few days - It stays on my mind.

Humming humming...
Monochrome モノクローム

Aira's rating:

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