Ok, I am completely obsessed with JPop and Hello! Project acts in particular. If anyone else is into them, there is one guy: Tsunku who manages them and writes almost all their songs. He produces and has his hand in every aspect of their conception from song to video to performance.

I LOVE this concept and music, but the more I learn about him the more he reminds me of Prince, albeit his genius is in writng and producing PURE POP for very young girl groups as opposed to music for himself, although he does that too...but his prolific output!!! Some say up towards 100 songs a year! (That actually come out and are played on the radio and are hits! Not kept in a vault!) and he writes his name with the male symbol! He is a pop genius! Anyone out there know of what I speak????

Had to add this incase anyone was interested in hearing some of this pure pop fabulousness: YouTube:
Aya Matsuura: Love namida Iro, Doki Doki Love Mail, kiseki no kaori dance and more....
Morning Musume: The Peace!, Love Machine, Aruiteru, Mikan and Resonant Blue.etc
Hello! Project All Stars: All For One
C-ute:Sakura Chirari,etc
Berryz Koubou: Very Beauty, etc

I never had atraction for those "Idol" (to the orgers who are reading this...this has got NOTHING to do with American idol) groups. But he's a great musician and producers.

I know that Tsunku did a song with Ayumi Hamasaki called "LOVE~since1999". It was a first number single she had if i am not mistaken.

Well...the closest prince connection to j-pop is by Namie Amuro. Sheila E. co-wrote LOVE 2000 (together with Linn Mabry) for namie.

Also Kahoru Kohiruimaki did 2 Prince songs (Bliss and Mind Bells)
[Edited 3/16/08 3:48am]
[Edited 3/16/08 3:53am]

Nice to see a J-pop thread here. I'm a fanatic for Hikaru Utada, Ayumi Hamasaki, Bonnie Pink, Ami Suzuki (early trance stuff). J-Rock I dig L'arc~en~ciel, MALICE MIZER, Gackt, HYDE...

I also love the slutty Kumi Koda...

TSUNKU was in a popular 80's/90's. I remember listenint to some songs once. Some where very funky. The also had a very extreme way of dressing. But not in a classy Visual Kei style.

OMG!

I forgot to mention my worship for hitomi! she makes the sweetest pop/rock tunes

love love love love her!





LOVE ANGEL = masterpiece

COOL!

Looks like just u and me Mantronik! lol. I love ayumi and bonnie pink also! I kinda only listen to Jpop now...with a few exceptions.

I didnt mean direct connections w/ Tsunku just the prolificy and being a svengali and amazing pop songwriter with a symbol in his name! I gotta checki the Namie song! Thanks!!

Um...
thanks for the Hitomi clip, she rocks! I just checked ur lastfm link and man, do u and i have a lot in common musically! Kate Bush, Tori, prince, Bowie, Goldfrapp, the Jpop thing...we should hang out! lol...
peace

Dude, have u checked Ken Hirai's cover album called Ken's Bar? It's excellent. Together with Bonnie Pink's Reminiscence, it one of my favorite cover albums ever!

joshmos said:

True. The only other japanese fanatic here is Baroque, but he's more into Visual Kei.

Also the kidsgirl love Hikki.

But...there 2 or 3 orgers that dig Crystal Kay...she sucks imo.

The idols in Japan work their asses off They do concerts, TV shows, movies, radio shows(where they host), appear in commercials for basically anything.....they do alot more than US Pop stars

Here's a picture of classic Japanese pop group Oyanko Club

And here's a complete guide to most of Japan's idol pop stars from the 60s to the early 90s

http://www.idollica.com/

you cannot talk about j pop without, shibuya pop popping out

PIZZICATO FIVE





my sister loves this two singers:

KOTANI KINYA



YOUSUKE SAKANOUE






i personally love more like visual kei, euro-guro(only velvet eden). j-goth. j-punk. but mostly visual kei.

bboy87, nice to see you are one of japanese music fans!

I GOT HOOKED ON PIZZICATO FIVE!

It was 1995, then CIbo Matto (East Village NYC I know, but they are Japanese!) and then PUFFY! It wasn't until 2005 and I heard and saw Aya Matsuura thatthe whole H!P JPop thing sunk it's teeth into me.It will not let go and I am obsessed! Thanks for the suggestions! What's Pizzicato up to these days...anything?

I just started a blog (Mozenator's JPOP Blog) on Hello!Online, starting just giving a lil history of how i got into it...