J-pop for the uninformed
This page is more for people who don't listen to Japanese music, so if you're into visual kei, j-pop or j-rock, this stuff won't be new to you.
I don't mind if people don't listen to j pop, I admit its not for everyone, and it can get obnoxious. But one thing that I don't like is how those who are uninformed assume that every Japanese pop singer sounds the same. Americans don't confuse Alicia Keys with Pink or Britney, do they? Japanese singers differ as well.
These singers I like are not all the same at all. I want to clarify, so later people can be like, "You like J music? So do you listen to Ayu, or are you more into Gackt?" Here are some of my favourite Japanese artists. I'm not asking you to download there music if you're not interested, but I think it would be mighty sweet if at least one person I know could associate these names with the artists, and not assume they're all the same person. (also, I'm only covering J pop/K pop right now, not visual kei and J rock, or any of that.)
Ayumi Hamasaki - Probably the most famous pop singer in Japan. Probably the most famous singer in the Eastern Hemisphere, she's definitely a favourite of mine. She's comparable to a young Madonna over there, often being referred to as just "Ayu". She changes her image and sound constantly. I love her. Very very much. Plus she's adorable. If you hear one of her songs, but don't like it, don't judge her on that. Some of her songs sound so different from eachother, listen to like 10, then make a decision.
Koda Kumi - Probably my favourite J-artist, at least currently. She's is known in the US as Koda, and one of her songs actually made it into the top 20 on Billboard's dance chart. She has a wonderful voice, and you might recognize her as the singing voice of Yuna from Final Fantasy X2. She sings the theme to this as well.
Lee Jung Hyun - Lee Jung Hyun is a K-pop singer. Her music is techno/dance electronic. She has a really cool, unique voice and she is full of energy. Some of her songs are features in the arcade game Dance Dance Revolution.
Hikaru Utada - Another hugely popular singer, Hikaru is actually from New York. Several of her songs are in English. She has a beautiful voice, very different from the higher voices that are popular in Japan. She writes her own music and lyrics.
Hitomi - Hitomi is a model turned singer. Her songs are often accompanied with grungy guitar, an almost "rock" sound. She has a very different voice, really distinctive. She can do this thing, almost like a yodel. Anyways, Hitomi is amazing, and really pretty.
BoA - BoA is not Japanese, she's Korean. She sings pop and r&b, she has a beautiful voice. She's very, very popular, and much younger than most of the other idols. Her name is pronounced B-O-A, not like the snake.
Aya Matsuura - Aya's music is sugariest, sweetest pop you can get. Not really my thing, but I used to really like her. Her songs are generally pretty catchy and cutesy, with little substance. She used to be a member of the group Hello! Many people think she's the cutest thing to every come from Japan. Not me.
Shiina Ringo - If you are more into indie or alternative music, you might appreciate Shiina (Sheena). She is a big fan of Fiona Apple, and showed this by choosing the name "Ringo", Japanese for "apple". She has a crazy cool voice, with a really unique style and videos. She's really talented, and photos don't do her justice. Watch one of her music videos to see just how gorgeous she is. If you like really strange stuff, she's for you.
Mai Kuraki - Mai is a cute, and young, Japanese singer. She sings mostly R&B, but has a good ear for pop too. Not my favourite style really, but I like her.
Namie Amuro - Namie is big in Japan. Her music is, in my point of view, very similar to American mainstream. She is beyond gorgeous. If you dig whats popular in the states today, give Namie Amuro a try.
Aikawa Nanase - This is some sweet stuff! Ai has a really unique voice and her style is definitely rock, with a hint of punk. Fun music that anyone can get into.
Masami Okui - Masami is....a goddess to me. She's not really a j-pop singer, as in she mostly does songs for soundtracks and such. And she's 37 years old. She has a terrific voice. At least, I think so. Masami (Makkun, Ma-king) does have some of her own CD's, but she's much more well known for the anime themes she does. She was one of the first J-pop artists that I really got into.
Megumi Hayashibara - Megumi is not really a j pop singer, she only does soundtracks, but makes a fine living from them. Her songs are always memorable, and cute. She's a voice actress by profession, so she has the ability to record songs in different voices, sometimes doing a duet with herself.
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