. The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles, both traditional and modern.

1. Japanese Folk Music Score

Haru no Umi (The Sea in Spring) Joji Hirota, Lina Zaieri Kiyama, Lisa Perrig Yasutaka, Mari Perrig Yasutaka, Czech Philharmonic Collegium • Japanese Folk Songs 9:34 0:30 5.

The word for 'music' in is 音楽 ( ongaku), combining the kanji 音 on (sound) with the kanji 楽 gaku (enjoy). Is the largest market in the world, worth US$2 billion in sales in physical formats in 2014, and, worth a total retail value of 2.6 billion dollars in 2014 – dominated by Japanese artists, with 37 of the top 50 best-selling albums and 49 of the top 50 best-selling singles in 2014. Local music often appears at, which is on lease from the. Traditional Japanese music differs markedly from, as it is often based on the intervals of human breathing rather than on mathematical timing.

Main article: There are two forms of music recognized to be the oldest forms of traditional Japanese music. They are ( 声明 or 聲明) or Buddhist chanting and ( 雅楽) or orchestral court music, both of which date to the.

Is a type of classical music that has been performed at the Imperial court since the Heian period. Kagura-uta (神楽歌), Azuma-asobi (東遊) and Yamato-uta (大和歌) are indigenous repertories. (唐楽) and originated from the Chinese via the. In addition, gagaku is divided into kangen (管弦) (instrumental music) and (舞楽) (dance accompanied by gagaku). Originating as early as the 13th century are (本曲 'original pieces'). These are single (solo) (尺八) pieces played by of. These priests, called ('emptiness monk'), played honkyoku for.

The Fuke sect ceased to exist in the 19th century, but a verbal and written lineage of many honkyoku continues today, though this music is now often practiced in a concert or performance setting. The often listened to and performed in these music activities, in their practices of enriching their lives and understanding. Biwa hōshi, Heike biwa, mōsō and goze. The (琵琶 - Chinese: ), a form of short-necked, was played by a group of itinerant performers (琵琶法師) who used it to accompany stories.

The most famous of these stories is, a 12th-century history of the triumph of the clan over the. Biwa hōshi began organizing themselves into a guild-like association (tōdō) for visually impaired men as early as the thirteenth century. This guild eventually controlled a large portion of the musical culture of Japan. biwa is Japan's traditional instrument. In addition, numerous smaller groups of itinerant blind musicians were formed especially in the Kyushu area.

These musicians, known as mōsō (盲僧 blind monk) toured their local areas and performed a variety of religious and semi-religious texts to purify households and bring about good health and good luck. They also maintained a repertory of secular genres. The biwa that they played was considerably smaller than the Heike biwa (平家琵琶) played by the biwa hōshi. related in his book 'Mimi-nashi Hoichi' (Hoichi the Earless), a Japanese ghost story about a blind biwa hōshi who performs ' Blind women, known as (瞽女), also toured the land since the medieval era, singing songs and playing accompanying music on a lap drum. From the seventeenth century they often played the or the. Goze organizations sprung up throughout the land, and existed until recently in what is today Niigata prefecture.

Taiko. Taiko performing The (太鼓), is a Japanese drum that comes in various sizes and is used to play a variety of musical genres. It has become particularly popular in recent years as the central instrument of percussion ensembles whose repertory is based on a variety of folk and festival music of the past.

Such taiko music is played by large drum ensembles called kumi-daiko. Its origins are uncertain, but can be stretched out as far back as the 7th centuries, when a clay figure of a drummer indicates its existence. Influences followed, but the instrument and its music remained uniquely Japanese. Taiko drums during this period were used during battle to intimidate the enemy and to communicate commands.

Taiko continue to be used in the religious music of. In the past players were holy men, who played only at special occasions and in small groups, but in time secular men (rarely women) also played the taiko in semi-religious festivals such as the bon dance. Modern ensemble taiko is said to have been invented by in 1951. A drummer, Oguchi incorporated his musical background into large ensembles, which he had also designed. His energetic style made his group popular throughout Japan, and made the a center for taiko music.

Musical groups to arise from this wave of popularity included, with. 1969 saw a group called founded by Tagayasu Den; Za Ondekoza gathered together young performers who innovated a new version of taiko, which was used as a way of life in communal lifestyles. During the 1970s, the Japanese government allocated funds to preserve Japanese culture, and many community taiko groups were formed. Later in the century, taiko groups spread across the world, especially to the. The is based around taiko. One example of a modern Taiko band is. Min'yō folk music.

Main article: Japanese folk songs ( min'yō) can be grouped and classified in many ways but it is often convenient to think of four main categories:, religious songs (such as, a form of music), songs used for gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and festivals (, especially ), and children's songs. In, singers are typically accompanied by the three-stringed known as the, drums, and a bamboo flute called. Other instruments that could accompany are a transverse flute known as the, a bell known as, a hand drum called the, and/or a 13-stringed zither known as the.

In, the main instrument is the. These are traditional Japanese instruments, but modern instrumentation, such as and, is also used in this day and age, when singers cover traditional songs ( being a Japanese music genre all its own). Terms often heard when speaking about are ondo, bushi, bon uta,.

An ondo generally describes any folk song with a distinctive swing that may be heard as 2/4 time (though performers usually do not group beats). The typical folk song heard at festival dances will most likely be an ondo. A bushi is a song with a distinctive melody. Its very name, which is pronounced 'bushi' in compounds, means 'melody' or 'rhythm.' The word is rarely used on its own, but is usually prefixed by a term referring to occupation, location, personal name or the like. Bon uta, as the name describes, are songs for, the lantern festival of the dead. Are children's lullabies.

The names of min'yo songs often include descriptive term, usually at the end. For example: Tokyo Ondo, Kushimoto Bushi, Hokkai Bon Uta, and Itsuki no Komoriuta. Many of these songs include extra stress on certain syllables as well as pitched shouts. Kakegoe are generally shouts of cheer but in, they are often included as parts of choruses.

There are many, though they vary from region to region. In, for example, one will hear the common 'ha iya sasa!' In mainland Japan, however, one will be more likely to hear 'a yoisho!,' 'sate!,' or 'a sore!' Others are 'a donto koi!,' and 'dokoisho!' Recently a -based system known as the system has been applied to some forms of min'yō; it is called.

This system was originally developed for transmitting classical genres such as, shakuhachi, or koto music, but since it proved profitable to teachers and was supported by students who wished to obtain certificates of proficiency and artist's names continues to spread to genres such as min'yō, and other forms of music that were traditionally transmitted more informally. Today some min'yō are passed on in such pseudo-family organizations and long are common. See also of north Japan.

Okinawan folk music. Main article:, religious songs, dance songs, and, especially, lively celebratory music, were all popular. Okinawan folk music varies from mainland Japanese folk music in several ways. First, Okinawan folk music is often accompanied by the whereas in mainland Japan, the accompanies instead.

Japanese Folk Music Score

Other Okinawan instruments include the (which produce a clicking sound similar to that of ), and a sharp called yubi-bue ( 指笛). Second, tonality.

A, which coincides with the of Western musical disciplines, is often heard in from the main islands of Japan, see. In this pentatonic scale the and (scale degrees 4 and 7 of the Western ) are omitted, resulting in a musical scale with no between each note. (Do, Re, Mi, So, La in, or scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6) Okinawan min'yō, however, is characterized by scales that include the half-steps omitted in the aforementioned pentatonic scale, when analyzed in the Western discipline of music. In fact, the most common scale used in Okinawan min'yō includes scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Traditional instruments. Main articles:, and After the introduced Western musical instruction, a bureaucrat named compiled songs like ' and commissioned songs using a melody.

Western music, especially military marches, soon became popular in Japan. Two major forms of music that developed during this period were, which was composed to bring western music to schools, and, which are with some Japanese elements. As Japan moved towards representative in the late 19th century, leaders hired singers to sell copies of songs that aired their messages, since the leaders themselves were usually prohibited from speaking in public. The street performers were called enka-shi. Also at the end of the 19th century, an form of streetcorner singing became popular; this was called.

This included the first two Japanese stars,. Main article: From the 1930s on (except during, when it was repressed as music of the enemy) jazz has had a strong presence in Japan. The country is an important market for the music, and it is common that recordings unavailable in the or Europe are available there. A number of Japanese jazz musicians have achieved popularity abroad as well as at home. Musicians such as June (born in Japan) and Dan (third generation American born, of fame), and have a large fan base outside their native country.

Lately, club jazz or has become popular with a growing number of young Japanese. Native DJs such as , the two brothers and of, (former member of the United Future Organization) and creator of the popular monthly DJ event, in, as well as nu-jazz artists, and have brought great change to the traditional notions of jazz in Japan.

Some of the newer bands include and along with more experimental musicians such as Otomo Yoshihide and Keiji Haino. Popular music J-pop. Main article: J-pop, an abbreviation for pop, is a loosely defined musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s and, such as, which led to bands such as fusing rock with Japanese music.

J-pop was further defined by Japanese bands such as and in the late 1970s. Eventually, J-pop replaced ('Lyric Singing Music', a term for Japanese pop music from the 1920s to the 1980s) in the Japanese music scene. The term was coined by the Japanese media to distinguish Japanese music from foreign music. Idol music musical artists are a significant part of the music market, with and regularly topping the. These include boy band, that had the best-selling singles of 2008 and 2009, and girl group, that have had the best-selling singles each year since 2010. Since the end of the 2010s, more and more have emerged. The high number of idol groups in the Japanese entertainment industry is sometimes called 'Idol sengoku jidai' (アイドル戦国時代; lit.

Idol war age). In 2014, about 486,000 people attended 's live concerts, which was the highest record for female musicians in Japan. Was a Japanese boy band, recognized.

The group was created in 1988. Dance and disco music.

Further information: and In 1984, American musician 's album became the first album by a Western artist to sell over one million copies in Japanese charts history. His style is cited as one of the models for Japanese, leading the popularity of. In 1990, began to release the series in Japan. In Japan led the popularity of form. While Avex's artists such as and became popular in the 1990s, new names in the late 1990s included.

Hikaru Utada's debut album, went on to be the highest-selling album in Japan with over 7 million copies sold, whereas became Japan's top selling female and solo artist, and Morning Musume remains one of the most well-known girl groups in the Japanese pop music industry. Sky movie hd download. Main article: In the 1960s, many Japanese bands were influenced by Western rock musicians such as, and the, along with other, and similar genres: a phenomenon that was called (G.S.). Of The Beatles later became one of the most popular Western musicians in Japan.

Is a genre of Japanese rock music that was popular in the mid to late 1960s. After the boom of Group Sounds, there were several influential singer-songwriters. Was the first who became widely recognized. , inspired by, also became popular.

They both were influenced by but wrote Japanese lyrics. Takada used modern as lyrics, while made an album using 's poems., inspired by, wrote critically acclaimed lyrics. was the most popular Group Sounds band in the era. Later, some of the members of, and formed the first Japanese. Homegrown Japanese folk rock had developed by the late 1960s. Artists like are considered to have virtually developed the genre.

During the 1970s, it grew more popular. The band, along with (led by ), and were especially famous and helped define the genre's sound. Sometimes also beginning in the late sixties, but mostly active in the seventies, are musicians mixing rock music with American-style folk and pop elements, usually labelled 'folk' by the Japanese because of their regular use of the acoustic guitar. This includes bands like, (led by ),. Solo artists of the same movement include,. Later groups, like (led by ) and early, are often attached to the same movement.

In 2008 Several Japanese musicians began experimenting with in the early 1970s. The most notable was the internationally renowned, whose 1972 album Electric Samurai: Switched on Rock featured electronic renditions of contemporary rock. Other early examples of electronic rock records include 's and album Ice World (1973) and 's album (1974), both of which involved contributions from Haruomi Hosono, who later started the electronic music group 'Yellow Magic Band' (later known as Yellow Magic Orchestra) in 1977. Most influentially, the 1970s spawned the band, led. In the 1980s, inspired bands like, and as well as more experimental bands such as and mainstream bands such as. In 1980, Huruoma and, an American musician, collaborated on a rock album with, driving force behind the aforementioned Okinawan band Champloose.

They were followed by, who further mixed Japanese and Okinawan influences. Also during the 1980s, Japanese metal and rock bands gave birth to the movement known as, represented during its history by bands like, and many others, some of which experienced national, and international success in the latest years. In the 1990s, Japanese rock musicians such as, and achieved great commercial success.

B'z is the #1 best selling act in Japanese music since started to count. , followed by Mr. In the 1990s, pop songs were often used in, and, becoming some of the best-selling forms of music in Japan.

The rise of disposable pop has been linked with the popularity of, leading to criticism that it is: of said 'I hate that buy, listen, and throw away and sing at a karaoke bar mentality.' Of the visual kei bands, whose members toned down their on-stage attire with on-going success, was very successful, while, and also achieved commercial success in the late 1990s. Green Stage of the Fuji Rock Festival The first opened in 1997. Opened in 1999. And opened in 2000. Though the rock scene in the 2000s is not as strong, newer bands such as, and, which are considered rock bands, have achieved success.

Orange Range also adopts hip hop. Established bands as B'z, Mr. Children, Glay, and L'Arc-en-Ciel also continue to top charts, though B'z and Mr. Children are the only bands to maintain a high standards of their sales along the years. Japanese rock has a vibrant underground rock scenebest known internationally for bands such as and, as well as bands such as, psychedelic rock bands such as, and alternative acts such as (who were championed in the West by ), and (who gained international attention in 1999 for the soundtrack). More conventional artists such as, and have found some success in Japan , but little recognition outside of their home country. Other notable international touring indie rock acts are.

Punk rock / alternative. Further information: Early examples of punk rock in Japan include, , , Lizard (who were produced by ) and (whose guitarist Reck had previously played with before returning to Tokyo). The early punk scene was immortalized on film by, who directed the 1982 film featuring a cast of punk bands/musicians and also filmed videos for The Stalin. In the 1980s, hardcore bands such as, Confuse, Lip Cream and Systematic Death began appearing, some incorporating elements. The independent scene also included a diverse number of alternative/post-punk/new wave artists such as, and (both of which featured ), G-Schmitt, Totsuzen Danball and, along with noise/industrial bands such as. Ska-punk bands of the late nineties extending in the years 2000 include Shakalabbits and (pronounced 'inago rider').

Heavy metal. Main article: Japan is known for being a successful area for metal bands touring around the world and many live albums are recorded in Japan. Notable examples are 's, 's, 's, 's and 's. Japanese heavy metal bands started emerging in the late 1970s, pioneered by bands like, formed in 1975 by guitarist, and, formed in 1981 by guitarist.

Although there existed other contemporary bands, like, and, their debut albums were released only around the mid eighties when metal bands started getting a major exposure. First oversease live performances were by Bow Wow in 1978 in and at the in, as well played at the in in 1982. In 1983, Loudness toured United States and Europe, and started focusing more on an international career. In 1985, the first Japanese metal act was signed to a major label in the United States. Their albums and, released in 1985 and 1986, peaked at number 74 (while number 4 in homeland chart), and number 64 in the charts respectively. Till the end of the eighties only two other bands, and, got their albums released in the United States.

In the eighties few bands had a female members, like all-female band fronted by, and with Kazue Akao on vocals. In September 1989, Show-Ya's album was released, it reached number 3 in the Oricon album chart. Heavy metal bands reached their peak in the late 1980s and many disbanded until the mid-1990s. Concert of pioneer of, at in 2009 after their 2007 reunion. In 1982, some of the first Japanese bands were formed, like with -inspired makeup, and who pioneered the Japanese movement known as, and became the best-selling metal band. In 1985, Seikima-II's album Seikima-II - Akuma ga Kitarite Heavy Metal was released and although it reached number 48 on the Oricon album chart, it exceeded 100,000 in sales, the first time for any Japanese metal band.

Their albums charted regularly in the top ten until the mid 1990s. In April 1989, X Japan's second album was released and went to number 6, and after 108 weeks on charts sold 712,000 copies. Their third and best-selling album was released in July 1991; it topped the charts and sold 1.11 million copies. There were released more two number one studio albums, and, a singles compilation, all selling more than half a million, and since the formation had thirteenth top five singles, disbanding in 1997. Japanese metal came to global attention in 2014 with the international success of ' band. This was brought about through viral hits like ' as well as successful international live shows including the UK's and Canada's alongside the likes of. Babymetal was also the opening act to five of 's concerts in her 2014 tour.

Babymetal won numerous awards including 's The Spirit of Independence Award and 's Breakthrough Band Award. In 2016 they are due to begin a world tour at London's before concluding in Japan with the band's debut performance in the.

Extreme metal Japanese bands formed in the wake of American and European wave, but didn't get any bigger exposure until the 1990s, and like overseas the genre is usually treated as an underground form of music in Japan. First bands formed in the early 1980s, like, whose music also incorporates elements,. United's first international performance took place in Los Angeles at the metal festival 'Foundations Forum' in September 1995 and had few albums released in North America. Formed in the mid 1980s, played a gig in the United States in October 1988 at CBGB, and was active until 2000 when disbanded. The first bands to play music were, who is still active, and, who was active until the early 1990s.

Another notable acts are,. Has also gained an audience in Japan. The two best-known Japanese doom metal acts are and, both of whom have gained considerable popularity outside the country. Main article: Hip-hop is a newer form of music on the Japanese music scene. Many felt it was a trend that would immediately pass. However, the genre has lasted for many years and is still thriving. In fact, rappers in Japan did not achieve the success of hip-hop artists in other countries until the late 1980s.

This was mainly due to the music world's belief that 'Japanese sentences were not capable of forming the rhyming effect that was contained in American rappers' songs.' There is a certain, well-defined structure to the music industry called 'The Pyramid Structure of a Music Scene'. As notes, 'viewing a music scene in terms of a pyramid provides a more nuanced understanding of how to interpret the significance of different levels and kinds of success.' The levels are as follows (from lowest to highest): fans and potential artists, performing artists, recording artists (indies), major label artists, and mega-hit stars. These different levels can be clearly seen at a, or nightclub. Different 'families' of rappers perform on stage.

A family is essentially a collection of rap groups that are usually headed by one of the more famous Tokyo acts, which also include a number of proteges. They are important because they are 'the key to understanding stylistic differences between groups.' Hip-hop fans in the audience are the ones in control of the night club. They are the judges who determine the winners in rap battles on stage. An example of this can be seen with the battle between rap artists (a major label artist) and (an indie artist).

Kan challenged Dabo to a battle on stage while Dabo was mid-performance. Another important part of night clubs was displayed at this time. It showed 'the openness of the scene and the fluidity of boundaries in clubs.' Electropop and club music. See also:, and Electronic pop music in Japan became a successful commodity with the ' craze of the late 1970s and 1980s. , beginning with and solo albums of and in 1978 before hitting popularity in 1979 and 1980.

Influenced by disco, impressionistic and 20th century classical composition, jazz/fusion pop, new wave and technopop artists such as and, these artists were commercial yet uncompromising. Ryuichi Sakamoto claims that 'to me, making pop music is not a compromise because I enjoy doing it'. The artists that fall under the banner of technopop in Japan are as loose as those that do so in the West, thus new wave bands such as and fall under the category alongside the symphonic techno arrangements of. The popularity of this music meant that many popular artists of the 1970s that previously were known for acoustic music turned to techno production, such as and, and idol producers began employing electronic arrangements for new singers in the 1980s. In the 1990s, and formed and have been mainstays of the Japanese electronica scene. Today, newer artists such as pay explicit homage to this era of Japanese popular (and in some cases underground or difficult to obtain) music. 's has also been involved behind the scenes of popular electropop acts and, both of which have had success domestically and internationally; Kyary in particular has been dubbed the 'Kawaii Harajuku Ambassador' for her visibility internationally.

Roots music In the late 1980s, like and became popular. Okinawan roots bands like and were also commercially and critically successful. This led to the second wave of Okinawan music, led by the sudden success of. A new wave of bands followed, including the comebacks of Champluse and Kina, as led by; very similar to is 's.

Latin, reggae and ska music. See also: composed for films, (anison ( アニソン)), and are considered a separate music genre. While musicians and bands from all genres of Japanese popular music have recorded songs and scores for Japanese television and film, there are several prominent musical artists and groups who have spent most of their musical careers performing theme songs and composing for visual media. Such artists include (current holder of the world record for most successful single in Japan for '), all of the members of,. Notable composers of Japanese theme music include,.

Game music. See also:, and When the first electronic games were sold, they only had rudimentary with which to produce music. As the technology advanced, the quality of sound and music these game machines could produce increased dramatically. The first game to take credit for its music was, also noteworthy for its deeply (at that time) constructed stories. Though many games have had beautiful music to accompany their gameplay, one of the most important games in the history of the video game music is., a composer who was known for his music for various anime and TV shows, including and a feature film of, got involved in the project out of pure curiosity and proved that games can have serious soundtracks.

Until his involvement, music and sounds were often neglected in the development of video games and programmers with little musical knowledge were forced to write the soundtracks as well. Undaunted by technological limits, Sugiyama worked with only 8 part polyphony to create a soundtrack that would not tire the player despite hours and hours of gameplay. Another well-known author of video game music is. Uematsu's earlier compositions for the game series, on (Nintendo Entertainment System in America), are being arranged for full orchestral score. In 2003, he took his rock-based tunes from their original MIDI format and created.

Is the composer of music for such games as, and., the sound manager for, is also prominent on the Japanese game music scene. He is best known for his and themes. Is well known for composing music for. He also is the main guitarist of, who is known for creating the theme songs to, and, as well as providing music to other games. Is another well-known video game composer.

He is known for composing the, and the games, as well as numerous. Is also noted for his work with games, having composed electronic music-influenced soundtracks for games like and the series. The / production group has made a name for themselves first by making themes for computer games, and then by breaking into the scene by composing themes for them.

Unlike others, this group was able to find fans in other parts of the world through their eroge and anime themes. Today, game soundtracks are sold on CD, as well on digitally on websites such as. Famous singers like, and sometimes sing songs for games as well, and this is also seen as a way for singers to make a names for themselves. See also.

Further reading. (1959), Japanese Music and Musical Instruments (1st ed.), Tokyo & Rutland, Vt.: C. (1963), Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press References.

Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary,. Retrieved April 22, 2015. 6Theory Media, LLC. Retrieved 2015-04-22. 6Theory Media, LLC. Retrieved 2015-04-22.

Facts and Details. Archived from on October 4, 2013.

Retrieved 2012-08-17. Malm, William P. Japanese Music and Musical Instruments (1st ed.).

Tokyo & Rutland, Vt.: C. History of Taiko '鼓と太鼓のながれ' - 中国の唐からわが国に入ってきたいろんな太鼓が、時代と共にどのように変遷してきたかを各種の資料からまとめると、次のようになる。. Malm, William P. (1963), Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.

Hughes, David W. Traditional folk song in modern Japan: sources, sentiment and society.

Folkestone, UK: Global Oriental Ltd. Holderer, Michael J.

(Spring 2009). Retrieved September 15, 2017. Lo, Patrick (2016). Conversations with the World's Leading Orchestra and Opera Librarians. Rowman & Littlefield. (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-01-09.

(in Japanese). Archived from on June 3, 2009. Retrieved 2011-06-13. (in Japanese). Archived from on 2009-03-12. Retrieved 2009-10-30. (in Japanese).

4 December 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2015.

(in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. Retrieved 2009-06-27. (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun.

Archived from on June 29, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-03-10. (2007), pp. 133–4, retrieved 2011-05-27. at. at. at.

Martin, Ian (October 4, 2017),. Retrieved 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2012-08-17. Retrieved 2010-03-14. (in Japanese). Retrieved 12 September 2010.

Strauss, Neil (1998-06-18). The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-09. ^ (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-07-23. Biglobe.ne.jp (in Japanese).

Archived from on 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2011-10-21. (in Japanese). Retrieved 2011-08-31. (in Japanese). Retrieved 2014-06-18.

高橋智樹 (2015-12-14). (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-12-21. Kinney, Caleb.

'Hip-hop influences Japanese Culture. Condry, Ian. 'Hip-Hop Japan'. Durham and London, Duke University Press, 102. ^ Condry, Ian. 'A History of Japanese Hip-Hop: Street Dance, Club Scene, Pop Market.' In Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the USA, 237, Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2001.

Condry, Ian. 'Hip-Hop Japan'. Durham and London, Duke University Press, 144. Retrieved 2008-12-16.

External links. (in French). Accessed November 25, 2010. Accessed November 25, 2010. Accessed November 25, 2010. (international group of scholars who research Japanese music and performing arts).

Japanese Pop Music Think about it - Music Entertainment is one of the biggest record companies in the world; is the largest manufacturer of musical instruments in the world; Japan has the sixth-largest population in the world; the music industry generates billions and billions of dollars worldwide every year. Yet how many Japanese artists have had a No. 1 hit in the US or European charts? Yes, one - and that was way back in 1963 (Sukiyaki by Sakamoto Kyu). Related content: check out our many.

So what's the problem with Japan? Several things - record companies are happy with the huge domestic sales racked up by the bands under their control (literally); the language barrier is a problem, with few Japanese feeling comfortable speaking or singing in English; and the fact that there is no market for the vast majority of Japanese pop music outside of Asia (other Asian countries have a strange admiration for all things Japanese, including the music). There have been a few bright spots over the years but they're few and far between. Bands with musical talent, like Southern All Stars, Chage and Aska or turn out records with some songs that stay with you but nothing that would break them in the US or Europe. In the, other bands, like Shonen Knife, Pizzicato Five, Cibo Matto and Buffalo Daughter have a cult following abroad but little commercial success.

The Japanese music scene 1958-1990 The pop/rock music scene has gone through a few different stages over the years. The rockabilly sounds of the late 50's became popular in the cities of Japan just after they revolutionised the US music scene. Young guys and gals flocked to see the stars of the day do their best impersonations of Elvis and Gene Vincent at the Western Festival in Tokyo in Februaury 1958. In the 60's, it was the Beatles and the Rolling Stones who inspired the imitation of local groups.

Ereki (electric) guitar music was the in sound of what became known as the Group Sounds phenomenon. The best known local bands of the decade include the Tigers and the Spiders.

The Tigers were the first band to play the Budokan, then the biggest indoor arena in the country. 1965 saw the first successful tour by US surf-sound band the Ventures, who have retained their huge popularity to this day. Record industry overkill finished off the Group Sounds era and the seventies saw the arrival of New Rock and the Idols. Pizzicato Five Aidoru (idol) was the word used to describe cute, girl-next-door singers who were designed, controlled and marketed just like any other product. In fact, for the talent agencies, having these starlets chosen to be the face of a candy bar or instant noodles in a TV commercial was as much part of the plan as selling records.

The 70's and 80's saw hundreds of these idols come and go, such as, Yamaguchi Momoe, Tanokin Trio and The Candies. Pink Lady had nine No.1 hits in a row between 1976 and 1978 before disappearing without trace. The 80's saw a degree of international success for the techno-pop of YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra). Band member Sakamoto Ryuichi went on to become the best known Japanese musician in the world but with little commercial success outside of movie soundtracks.

The decade also saw the peak of so-called New Music, a fusion of folk, rock and pop typified by singer/songwriter Matsutoya Yumi, or Yuming. The top rock bands of the 80's included, Kome Kome Club, Checkers and Princess Princess. The 1990's and beyond Although the heyday of the idols was in the 80's, the musical artists of the talent agency such as, V6 and Kinki Kids have ruled the airwaves for the best part of the decade. Having their own TV shows keeps them in the public eye even when they're between singles or tours. Together with artists 'created' by producer, they have ensured that bland pop music by youngsters who can't sing or play has been the hallmark of the genre known as J-pop. The mid-90's saw Komuro make it as an artist with the groups TM Network and globe.

He then moved up a gear to exploit aspiring singers and fans alike to become one of the richest men in Japan. In his breakthrough year, 1995, Komuro's music made some 27 billion yen and the following year he had 5 of the top ten singles. His many creations include the Avex Trax label and artists trf, and Kahala Tomomi. Another former musician turned producer is Tsunku. He 'temporarily' retired from his position as frontman for the group Sharan-Q to become an 'idol-maker'. Few expected the huge success he pulled off with.

This ever-evolving girl group literally took the J-Pop scene by storm following their TV creation in 1997. The 'Tsunku family' has continued to grow into a financial and promotional monster, with the Musumes and gaggles of other young starlets in what is called the Hello! Project constantly changing places, forming new offshoot groups and advertising everything under the sun. The sheer money-making capacity of this operation ensures that it will be with us for some time to come. Was something of a new breed in the late 1990s - a young female singer with drive and ambition. And a good nose for marketing.

This reputed ego-centric diva caught the fancy of the all-important high-school girl market, and became their unofficial fashion leader. This coupled with the income from her royalties - she writes her own material - helped her establish her position of power in the industry.

In recent years, that position has been largely usurped by Koda Kumi, ironically also on Ayu's Avex label. She made good use of her sexy image and bubbly Kansai personality and rose from being a club singer to the country's biggest selling artist in 2006 and 2007.

Because she was so popular Koda inspired many fans to seek singing lessons from institutions such as. Utada Hikaru Lest you think that Japanese popular music is all commercialism and void of any artistic merit, I should mention that there are some the more talented artists who have made the big time. 1999 saw the group play to a crowd of 200,000, surely some kind of record.

The 4-man group from Hokkaido play fairly standard J-Rock but they've built their succes through hard work and a solid 'rock n roll' image. The late 90's also saw some more western-style artists, such as and explode onto the scene. Dragon Ash play a mixture of rap and rock and show that - at least when they manage to turn out a good single - Japanese can rap with the best of them. Born in New York, the 16-year old Utada debuted in 1999 and though she looked just like another idol, she was clearly something completely new. She wrote and sang her own songs with a soulfulness beyond her years. Her good looks didn't do any harm and ' First Love' became the best-selling Japanese debut album, with almost 8 million copies sold. Like other artists, there were immediate tie-ins with commercials and TV appearances but Utada's experience of life outside the Japanese music scene helped her to rise above it.

At the age of just 18, she became the youngest artist to appear on MTV's Unplugged show. Utada's success plus the growing power wielded by Hamasaki Ayumi paved the way for other independent-minded young women, such as Koyanagi Yuki and Shiina Ringo to get their break into the big time. I'm not too au-fait with what's going on in current Japanese alternative, indie and club music. But some of the artists that I've been impressed with are: Thee Michelle Gun Elephant (a kind of Japanese Ramones), The Mad Capsule Markets, Buffalo Daughter, Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her, Boom Boom Satellites and Captain Funk.