Japanese Pop Music or J-Pop

Hey people, it's been long overdue and I'm sorry about that. I've got topics galore coming so don't be disappointed.


This Blog here is an overview of Japanese Pop Music and my honest thoughts about what should be done with the current state of it.

Here in Japan, music is playing practically everywhere. It plays in highly populated areas, and sometimes even on small dense streets. When I first came here 2-3 years ago, I knew something like that would take place so I brought my mp3 player full of heavy metal and stuff.

After spending a year in Japan (yeah it's been a full year!), I've come to know the ropes, and get a feel for what's up.

This is the Japanese pop group AKB48. They are a huge sensation here in Japan. The group consists of 64 girls within the age range of 14-20. EVERYDAY I see at least one advertisement for them, even one day when I stayed in my apartment all day doing homework, I went out to a vending machine to get a canned coffee, and there was a sticker promoting AKB48. As soon as I saw that, I chucked the can down the street. 100 yen well spent. Like I was saying, they are promoted everywhere, the other day, I was taking the train from school, and found myself aboard a train that was dedicated to AKB48.

 There is something very unsettling about this, it's almost as if there's something psychological behind all of the advertisements and such. AKB has many shops, including one in Singapore with merchandise galore.

 I may be digging way too deep into this, but I feel as if the conglomerate behing AKB48 is trying to tell you what to like, and I really don't like that. In America, if you were a full grown man who's obsessed with a pop group like this, then you'd be considered a pervert. Here in Japan it's almost normal.
I have no problems with the music (it's really catchy) or the people who sing the songs in general, but the way they advertised just disgusts me, which is why I am trying to get a job at a concert venue that plays only Japanese underground punk bands. I am almost seeing how the songs J-pop groups lure in fans, and I wanted to be clear of all that.

(RANT OVER)

MORE ON THE WAY I PROMISE!!!!!!