Recommend some Japanese Music

[RogueYaris]

I'm trying to expand my musical horizons and am looking for some Japanese music. I've heard some really good stuff in the past but have no names and can't recall any specific song. I'm open to all types of music minus country. I'm sure there are Japanese country singers but I can't even stand the english stuff.

Artists would be good, albums and specific songs would be even plusser (I know).

[jambo101]

http://gendou.com/amusic/
Its not country and ,my daughter listens to this kind of stuff.

[PaidTimeOff]

X-Japan (rock), Glay (rock), Speed (Pop), Hide w/Spread Beaver (Rock), Mr. Children (Rock), Move (Dance/Pop), Namie Amuro (Pop), Utada Hikaru (Pop), Every Little Thing (Pop), Ayumi Hamasaki (Dance/Pop), My Little Lover (Pop)

Just a small list. Most of these were most popular in the late 90s because that was when I was into Jpop. My Jpop phase passed after high school but I still go back and listen to these artists once in a while and I still enjoy them.

[ddongbap]

Maximum the Hormone - Zetsobou Billy

[IllusionX]

rie fu (pop), yui (pop), mary j.(R&B), m-flo(R&B), Crystal kay (R&B)


http://www.j-pop.cn

[Darb]

If you want some metal influences, Dir En Grey - Marrow of a Bone Album

[SIPNGAS]

A group named "Brunch". They're Japanese rock and can be heard on my myspace page doing the sound track for a Japananime series called "There She Is". In the last clip they do a follow-up song to John Lennon's Imagine. LOVE it.

(www.myspace.com/snln4)

[Kioshi]

What genre are you looking for? :)
Underground, R&B, Pop, Urban, etc....

[Shroomster]

If you want some metal influences, Dir En Grey - Marrow of a Bone Album

damn you and your beating me to things....

[Kenshin]

MUCC is a pretty sweet metal but crazy japanese band, awesome, gackt too :D haha

[detroiter]

Only one band you are seeking...


GUITAR WOLF...


Look up Guitar Wolf "Jet Generation". I warn you now though, make sure you start out with the audio on very low setting :)

[BailOut]

Lots of good ones have been listed but I can add a few more.

Dreams Come True (pop). My favorite song from them is "Snow Dance": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcKq1nU0Wro

Yuko Sasaki (Anime/Pop). My favorite from her is "Pure Snow" from the Himiko Den anime, though the video is somewhat boring: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hS8_thQWg6Q

Origa (Anime/Pop). She's Japanese but of Russian descent and sings in Japanese, Russian, English and Latin. My favorite from her is "Inner Universe" from the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex soundtrack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gZTwltDXhs

[Thirty-Nine]

Anything by Towa Tei. He was the former DJ for Deee-Lite back in the 1990s, but is a fantastic artist.

[Darb]

damn you and your beating me to things....

Sorries!

[Kioshi]

Here's a small list:

UVERworld 99/100 damashi no tetsu, latest...
Yui - I'll be and many more~
Kitade Nana
Kumi Koda
Perfume - love the world, dream fighter, one room disco
Soulja (no not soulja boy) - various
Chatmonchy - various, latest album is good and Cat Walk...

HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR - 1st 3 albums
SOUL'D OUT
DJ PMX

Just found this - Yui's latest song ~ again PV - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkyJDTeRS-o&feature=player_embedded

[GeneW]

If you're looking for classical Japanese music then this one is good...

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Koto-1-Nanae-Yoshimura/dp/B00004X0T4/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi

I have it and recommend it highly.

The following is not quite a polished but is still quite pleasant..

http://www.amazon.com/Koto-Music-Japan-Various-Artists/dp/B000001V42/ref=pd_sim_m_17

Run like a cat with a samurai on its trail if you encounter any Koto music that incorporates synthesizers. To me, at least, it's really an awful mixture. The magic of the Koto to me is its austerity, timing and microtones. A synthesizer destroys this magic.

Gene

[Yar Is Word]

From Wikipedia:

"Masakazu Yoshizawa (吉沢 政和 ?, September 10, 1950 – October 24, 2007) was a Japanese American flautist and musician, known for his mastery of the bamboo flute, specifically the shakuhachi. Yoshizawa also mastered several other traditional Japanese flutes, in addition to other Japanese and Western musical instruments.[1] He was also considered a scholar of ancient and modern Japanese traditional music.[1] Yoshizawa's work and music were featured in a number of major Hollywood studio films and soundtracks, including The Joy Luck Club and Memoirs of a Geisha.[2]"


Samples:

http://www.amazon.com/Masakazu-Yoshizawa/e/B000APTLG4

[Rain]

Oreska Band ~ if you want to try Ska

Shoko Nakagawa ~ anime covers... idk why i like her X]

Utada Hikaru

[RogueYaris]

Thanks all. This is a huge list. It'll take some time for me to sort through everything and find stuff I like. Once I do, I'll post back up.

[detroiter]

Hi-Standard....they were a mid 90's japanese punk band along the likes of less than jake, strung out, etc...that kind of punk-wave music.

Also I'm with the other guy who mentioned Towa Tei. His stuff is class!

If your into that stuff, wouldn't hurt to check out DJ Krush. Reminds me a little of Dj Shadow but different flavor.

Now if your looking for Neo-Soul...you MUST check out Toshi Kubota. The guy was amongst the first to take Neo-Soul music to Japan and play/sing the style of music. VERY smooth stuff. Check out the song "Funk It Up".

[Red Horse]

Voltes Five theme song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpm6uSsviic

[slothman86]

The Pillows, The Brilliant Green, Guitar Vader...