Why I listen to Japanese Music
 

I listen to Japanese music because, honestly, I think it sounds better than American music today. Japanese music actually uses instruments, not just punching some stuff into a computer.

Plus, Japanese culture today is so interesting. Especially Visual Kei. Such amazing-looking outfits and makeup and hair~

I really love Super Fly and オレンジレンジ and 9mm Parabellum Bullet
:)

I'm not sure why I'm into Japanese music. In many cases I notice there are different melodies and vocal patterns when compared to US/European music, which has become very predictable. Instrumentally, Japanese bands aren't afraid to experiment and do their own thing, even within popular genres, where in the USA, popular bands are built from the same mold.

I got into J-Rock about 7 years ago through bands like Dir En Grey and Malice Mizer, finding their music online through music message boards and such. This was before YouTube and many J-Rock websites started being built, so it was difficult to find other bands. I latched onto the bands that I got limited exposure to, and didn't really discover a larger world of Japanese music until the past couple of years.

I wouldn't say that I openly tell people that I'm into Japanese music, but most of my close friends realize that I'm a bit of a Japanophile or have talked about/listened to Japanese bands around them. I'm not goign out of my way to hide it, but it's not something people can immediately tell about me. I'm a musician involved in death metal and other very inaccessible forms of music, and it's very uncharacteristic for someone involved with death metal to be into this music, much less anime and other aspects of Japanese culture. I definitely don't look the part of the typical J-Rock fan, either.

I think it's some kind of hypnotism. I can't go into any conbini or walk down the street without hearing "Gee" or "Heavy Rotation" playing. You just kind of get used to it. Not that it makes me like Japanese music any more, but I sure have built up a tolerance for it.

[quote=Bobbiedot12;844033]I listen to Japanese music because, honestly, I think it sounds better than American music today. Japanese music actually uses instruments, not just punching some stuff into a computer.
[quote]

That is why it continues to hold my attention, though most of what I listen to is probably not on most playlists of this group. Keisho Ono's CDs are a permanent fixture in my car along with several taiko recordings by Japanese and local artists. And one of my favorite DVDs is one of Versailles.

In contrast, I nearly abandoned JRock entirely after an anime convention where I was supposed to work as a DJ. Instead of a play list or being given free reign to play my selections, I was forced to play a poor quality videos of a Dire En Grey concert and D'espairs Ray. Worst of all, this was with Versailles in the house to perform live the next night!!! To this day I cannot stand Dire En Grey, and especially D'espair Ray. When the vocals aren't clear you will discover just how limited and repetitive their instrumentation is.

I think it depends on what your preference for music is.

The instruments are rarely a concern of mine with vocal quality and lyrics taking center stage, so dir en grey are a favourite of mine, purely because of the emotion that comes through in the singers voice. It's something that's rare and hard to capture, and I think it's the main thing that really saves the band and makes them worth listening to, even if it's just for that.

Well for me, it was watching anime and listening to all those OPs and EDs that got me into J-Pop in the first place. Since then I've loved the genre :D
What I hate though is when I play it for friends and they just laugh because they can't understand the lyrics.

I couldn't decide which of the first 2 options in the poll to select.

I am not ashamed of it and will tell anyone, but really do only tell friends because it doesn't often come up in conversation with say co-workers or other randomers.

Other than at forced ice breakers where you have to stand up and say something about yourself, I do feel I shoot myself in the foot and look a social outcast when I say my hobby is studying Japanese, and I listen to Japanese music and watch Japanese TV shows for fun as well as study aids.

I used to hide this, but these days I am more of a take-me-as-I-am kind of person and don't go to lengths to disguise it anymore.

Then again I also see it as a way to test if there are any other people with similar interests in the room, or at the very least the people around aren't the sort to judge and make-fun. If they are I find out straight away that there would be little to no point trying to make friends with them as they would not be the sort of people I want to talk to anyway :mtongue:

On the flip side of that, if anyone in an ice breaker ever says anything vaguely interesting or unusual I will use it to go talk to them and try be friends. Even if it is something I am not into myself I appreciate the fact they are not afraid to admit it and like something other than "football, shopping and going to the cinema/gym" and all the other corporate standard answers.