I love J-music. Of course, like a lot of people, a lot of my favorites come from anime. Also, I became a fan of Kaela Kimura via Poupee Girl. She had a guest shop on there, and they promoted her new album so it got stuck in my head LOL.

I also like ON/OFF, Mika Nakashima, ARASHI, Orange Range, Asian Kung Fu Generation, AnCafe, Ai Otsuka, Chieco Kawabe, Rie Kugimiya, Rie Fu, etc.

Hm, Asian Kung-fu Generation seems incredibly popular. I wonder if I just haven't been listening to the right songs because I can't seem to find songs I like from them. =3

I was never too fond of Kimura Kaela's style, somehow. :stare:

Rie Fu has some really amazing songs. She's very...easy listening. XD" In a similar vein, Angela Aki is awesome too. =)

Tommy Heavenly6, Hinoi Team, Asian Kung Fu Generation,L~Arc~En~Ciel and Dir En Grey are all awesome bands.

I quite enjoy J-rock (hence, the username...xD; ) especially visual kei.
Some of my favorites include Matenrou Opera, Versailles, Kaya, and much more

I love TommyHeavenly6 and The Brilliant Green.

Question: Does Kaya still do trance music like he used to as part of Schwarz Stein? Or is his style different now? I'll admit I haven't kept up, but some of the trance music he did in Schwarz Stein was rather interesting.

*is busy raping your thread for new music*

I personally really like Rie Fu, BoA, ALI Project, Kanon Wakeshima, Kotoko, T.M. Revolution, Kalafina and basically anything by Yuki Kajiura. I also like Kinya Kotani and some of Utada and Ayumi Hamasaki's stuff. Basically, most of the J-pop/J-rock artists I listen to I originally heard in a videogame or anime. :o

Is there like, a monster site that keeps track of new music in Japan? Because I would sooo make that my homepage, haha.

Do it. That is the whole point of this thread. XD"

Yuki Kajiura = WIN.

Honestly, I have no idea, but I personally check the Oricon charts every few months and look for what's on there. Some of it is really good, and it's a great way to pick up new songs to listen to because at least you know there are lots of people who like it enough for it to be on Oricon. Unless, of course, you often happen to generally disagree with the mainstream audience about what constitutes good music. Then I'm afraid I don't have an answer. Anyone want to contribute to this discussion?

Haha, I'm really glad I found this thread. ^^

Oricon? Hmmm, must google...

Well, you're welcome to hang out here as long as you stay on topic. XD"

Oricon is -like- the Japanese version of the Billboard Top 100, or something like that. I'm sure there are sites around that post the listing of Top 30 Singles and so on in romaji. I've had generally positive experiences using it as a source of new music to listen to.

Ah! I found a Top 20 listing in English at Top40-charts.com. ^^ I really like the sound of Tanabata Matsuri by Tegomass. It's got a light, silly sound to it. I really wish more of their music was available on Playlist though. T_T

Yes, there're some Japanese songs I like.
My favorite Japanese artist is Boa, she's known to be the most influential Japanese singer here in America. I'm especially a fan of the English version of the song 'Eat you Up'. Here's a Youtube video: (the first :30 is NOT the song) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGnlTcWSFdg&fmt=18

Oh and yes I know it's technically not a Japanese song. I'm just showing off my favorite song from my favorite Japanese artist.

Dir en grey, man, all the way. :heart: I'm heading up to NY to see them for two shows in November. It'll be my fourth and fifth times seeing them.

The GazettE, Miyavi, MUCC, D'espairsRay, DJ SiSeN, The Underneath, D, Gackt, etc. I love it all. :heart:

i really like almost any music from Japan. probably one of my favorite japanese singers is Ayumi Hamasaki. she has such awesome songs like Game, Because of You, and Moments.
i also like Kanon Wakeshima. she's really good and amazing with the cello.

I haven't listen to J-anything as much as I use to when I was younger, buuuuut I do like Gackt. His songs are too catchy and I find myself singing some of his softer stuff sometimes. :B

In relation to my love of rock n' roll, I'm starting to like the Gazette, my current favorite by them being "Filth in the Beauty".

Listing my favorite Japanese bands, and my favorite song by that band:
I like more J-Rock than J-pop.

Chizuru - GazettE
I'll - Dir en Grey
CRIMSON SODA - SuG
Cult - Wizard JAPAN
Owari to Mirai - Girugamesh
Hxmx Crash Trap - Vidoll
Lost it - Tourbillon
KITSUNE - Zoro
Letter - Ruvie
recurrence. - boogieman
Hanauta- DuelJewel
Purple Line - TohoShinKi
Ring A Bell - BONNIE PINK
D-technoLIFE- UVERworld
Graceful World - T.M.Revolution

There are more, I just don't wanna post too big o.o

Originally Posted by Miechan

Dir en grey, man, all the way. :heart: I'm heading up to NY to see them for two shows in November. It'll be my fourth and fifth times seeing them.

The GazettE, Miyavi, MUCC, D'espairsRay, DJ SiSeN, The Underneath, D, Gackt, etc. I love it all. :heart:

Yays!!!

I'm going to see them on the sunset strip! I've only seen them once before.

And I'm sooo excited to be seeing Miyavi in Texas!!!

These two are why my phone is maxed out on Japanese music right now.
(although there's a good deal of Hyde on there too.)

*cough*

Enough of my fangirlishness.

Originally Posted by Miechan

Dir en grey, man, all the way. :heart: I'm heading up to NY to see them for two shows in November. It'll be my fourth and fifth times seeing them.

I can't say I want to go. I used to like them but they all went downhill since the Marrow of a Bone. I wish they would go back from being all americanized screamo to their original music.

Kyo can sing very well. He made a change for the worse but I still loves him <3

I love japanese music, I mostly listen to Jrock and sometimes Jpop, my favorite bands are Alice Nine., the GazettE, Miyavi, Gackt, Hyde and more :)

i have to say i adore

Nightmare
F.T. island
Asian Kung Fu Generation
UVERworld
Flow

D'espairs Ray
Dir en grey
Going Under Ground
hide
Kagrra
L'arc en ciel
Mucc
Nightmare
Plastic Tree
Psycho le cemu
Triceratops
Aliene Ma'riage
Onmyouza
and
X Japan

Voila. Those are my favorites out of the Rock and Metal acts out of Japan.

Originally Posted by rainbow_in_the_dark

D'espairs Ray
Dir en grey
Going Under Ground
hide
Kagrra
L'arc en ciel
Mucc
Nightmare
Plastic Tree
Psycho le cemu
Triceratops
Aliene Ma'riage
Onmyouza
and
X Japan

Voila. Those are my favorites out of the Rock and Metal acts out of Japan.

sadly i only heard nightmare out of that list i should listen to more groups

Originally Posted by Miechan

Dir en grey, man, all the way. :heart: I'm heading up to NY to see them for two shows in November. It'll be my fourth and fifth times seeing them.

The GazettE, Miyavi, MUCC, D'espairsRay, DJ SiSeN, The Underneath, D, Gackt, etc. I love it all. :heart:

There are a lot of bands I like but not enough to go watch a concert by, lol. However, I REALLY want to go to a Gackt, TM Revolution or Abingdon Boys School concert. =D

Originally Posted by Iishii

I haven't listen to J-anything as much as I use to when I was younger, buuuuut I do like Gackt. His songs are too catchy and I find myself singing some of his softer stuff sometimes. :B

In relation to my love of rock n' roll, I'm starting to like the Gazette, my current favorite by them being "Filth in the Beauty".

A lot of Gackt's songs are lovely, mainly because I like his voice. Then he has a few that make me wince... XD"

I'll check that song out. Everything I've heard from the Gazette has only been so-so, but it seems they've been in the Oricon top ten a couple of times..? I probably just have yet to find something I really like from them.

Originally Posted by rainbow_in_the_dark

D'espairs Ray
Dir en grey
Going Under Ground
hide
Kagrra
L'arc en ciel
Mucc
Nightmare
Plastic Tree
Psycho le cemu
Triceratops
Aliene Ma'riage
Onmyouza
and
X Japan

Voila. Those are my favorites out of the Rock and Metal acts out of Japan.

Heard of most of them. Any songs you recommend from each? Currently, I'm listening to Phastasmagoria (just got a whole lot more of their discography), and I really like their style, especially in their Requiem ~Floral Edition~ album. ;)

Originally Posted by Masharu

sadly i only heard nightmare out of that list i should listen to more groups

I recomment Dir en Grey, Psycho le Cemu, L'arc~en~Ciel, and X-Japan. I'm not a fan of the others.

I also recommend GazettE, SuG, Zoro, and boogieman.

Originally Posted by Tsukipon

I recomment Dir en Grey, Psycho le Cemu, L'arc~en~Ciel, and X-Japan. I'm not a fan of the others.

I also recommend GazettE, SuG, Zoro, and boogieman.

I personally like Kagrra, and Plastic Tree as well. XD"

I just got some of boogieman's songs. I'll listen to it soon. =)

I'm a Gackt fan. I mean, I fangirl over him and know stupid obscure facts about him. xD; I'm not one of those stupid fangirls though. I admire him for who he is.

Aside from Gackt, I mostly listen L'arc~en~Ciel and Miyavi. I occasionally listen to TMR, Nightmare and UVERworld. I've listen to a few Dir en Grey songs, the GazettE I really need to listen to. X-Japan I need to get around to too. I listen to a lot of non rock bands/singers as well, but I love rock more. <3

I'm dying to go to a S.K.I.N concert, and a Gackt one. Why must I live in Canada?