I made this chart about a year and a half ago and I've seen it getting posted around a bit here and there which is pretty rad, makes me happy that it has been of use to seemingly many people. However, I have come to realize there's more than a few issues with the chart, as I'm sure others have noticed as well. I've given it some thought and I think it's about time I rework the chart a bit. However, I don't really want to expand much more, there's already 240 albums here and any more than that would be overkill (as if it isn't already) so I'll unfortunately have to be replacing some albums with more worthy recommendations.
Just a few ideas for changes I jotted down in my phone a long while back: Papaya Paranoia under Punk Satanicpornocultshop under Electronic Change Babymetal to Metal Resistance KOTO under Pop Ruins under Rock eX-Girl under Rock Change Lamp album Mad Capsule Markets under Electronic, Punk, or Metal
I'm obviously willing to take any other recommendations and make this the best damn Japanese Music Recommendations chart I can until I decide it's not good enough again a year later and I end up making a third version.
Most Japanese music is just blatant rip off and jpop garbage Or sOme pretentious pianist.
Aiden Campbell
that's a really nice chart, i especially liked the noise one. i would add dance classics vol 1 and hanenone, but that's subjective.
Camden Cruz
Oh, and I've also considered adding a small "Gaijin" section for other popular artists that aren't from Japan but are definitely noteworthy recommendations for anyone interested in Japanese music (examples would be Kero Kero Bonito/Bo en/Helen Love, etc.) but I'm not exactly sure how well this idea would go over with y'all. Thoughts?
Joseph Taylor
I've used this chart a lot to expand my shoegaze taste thanks a lot man
Henry Green
oh, and I don't have this written down anywhere either so I forgot to mention it at all but I definitely think noise rock can be a bit trick to place under either Noise or Rock, so recommendations on fixes for that would definitely be appreciated!
Glad to hear I could help!
Thanks for the recommendations! I could definitely end up adding those. Glad you dig my chart.
Matthew Gonzalez
Only into city pop here, but I've enjoyed Tatsu's Big Wave soundtrack and Moonglow both more than For You, so I'd replace that one with either suggestion. Also at least swap Hiroshi's Orient with This Boy, Say Goodbye is a fantastic, 9/10 song. Otherwise it's a great chart, hope to see more like it sometime.
Also any love towards Yoshiko Sai or Hako Yamasaki is greatly appreciated, both are fantastic (unless they're already there somewhere since I'm too lazy to read all the names posted).
Noah Ramirez
Dubs of truth
Ayden Phillips
Thanks for the recs. Noted on the Hiroshi change, must have completely missed it while making the chart since it's a compilation. I'll consider changing For You if I see more of a push for such a change. Thanks.
Colton Nguyen
figured I'd post that I've already changed the Lamp album to Koibito He.
also, I might just get rid of the link to the downloads as uploading 240 albums onto MEGA seemed to be a hassle and the link was just hard to get to in the first place. pretty much useless when it's probably just easier to find a download elsewhere.
Jaxon Martinez
edits: KOTO - Platonic Planet added to Pop section Hozan Yamamoto - Silver World added to Jazz section
will of course continue to make changes, starting up kinda slow but still taking recommendations. aware 4 AM isn't exactly primetime to be asking for help on this lmao
heard some requests to add some Enka music from another source but wouldn't know where to put it, so I might make a small section alongside the small Gaijin section I may add for other shit that doesn't exactly fit under any of the genres already listed to account for all of the other important Japanese music that wouldn't fit elsewhere
Jonathan Davis
Where's Boris - New Album?
Gabriel Richardson
I tried keeping this chart down to one album per artist honestly and Boris is one of the only (alongside Capsule) with 2 on the chart. I could add New Album if I see some push for it but iirc last time I made this thread it was a pretty constant battle between Flood, Feedbacker, and Pink.
Eli Gutierrez
Personal recommendations for each category would be nice. I don't have time to sift through all this.
Brandon Rogers
I guess I could highlight a favorite or two from each category that's a personal favorite of mine, I just don't really feel like my opinion is of much worth to anyone viewing the list lmao. But if others think this is a good idea then I'll go for it I guess.
Ryder Butler
I feel like this should be in there somewhere, but it would be a bit odd to have it in rock
Julian Sullivan
remmings would be fine too
Jayden Ward
I'm probably gonna add a section for stuff that doesn't exactly fit into any of the other sections. Although, this is Post-Rock, so it could go under Rock I guess. Thanks for the rec, will definitely consider adding if I see more push for it.
Christian Cruz
Hako Yamasaki is already on there under Folk
James Taylor
edits: added Yoshiko Sai - Mangekyo to Folk added The Mad Capsule Markets - OSC-DIS to Punk added Serani Poji - One-Room Survival to Shibuya-kei
also, if I add the Gaijin section then Asobi Seksu and maybe Cibo Matto would go there since they're both stationed in New York. I might also add artist that aren't Japanese that are in Japan and speak Japanese like Jim O'Rourke and such. If that section just sounds like a bad idea then I might not add it.
Brandon Carter
Seeing that you seem to specialize in Japanese music, I think your opinion is worth more than you think.
Robert Davis
I guess so. Again, I'll consider the idea for sure if more people seem to think it's a good idea.
Jack Jackson
edits: added Roly Poly Rag Bear to Shibuya-kei added FACT to Punk added Satanicpornocultshop to Electronic changed BABYMETAL to Metal Resistance
should I change Pink to Feedbacker?
Aiden Jackson
>changed BABYMETAL to Metal Resistance
Oh god, why would you do that? Their debut is so much more enjoyable and quirky than MR. MR doesn't sound as 'japanese' anymore.
Oliver Ward
Had the change requested a bit over the last year or however long. I can always change it back, none of the changes I'm making are permanent, my guy. I'll change it back if people want me to.
Julian Brown
Metal Resistance might be the better metal album but their debut is a more enjoyable mix of idol/jpop/metal and some other things. The variety makes it more fun.
Joshua Morales
I guess that makes sense, I never really thought Metal Resistance was exactly lacking in variety, but I guess the songs where they do try to vary things a bit are the weakest tracks on the album like Meta Taro or whatever, as where on self-titled the more varied tracks were some of the most fun like iine! or whatever. Again, I'll consider changing it back. Want more opinions on this.
Jackson Nguyen
Would you consider adding a field recording/sound art section? Japan has quite a few renowned people in this area: Toshiya Tsunoda, Hiroki Sasajima, Aki Onda, Kiyoshi Mizutani, etc.
Grayson Bailey
I don't see any Hiroshi Yoshimura Green. That album is a classic. Japan has a lot of quality new age/ambient.
Jack Phillips
If I add anymore sections it'll be one for other shit that doesn't fit in the sections I already have and a section for artists that aren't Japanese but would fit snuggly into the chart anyways. So field recording/sound art stuff is definitely a possibility in the section for other shit. I'll probably add that right now. I thought I might just make those both mini sections but I think I'm gonna have to add lots to both so I might just make them 2 new fully fledged sections.
I'll look into this, thanks. Will consider adding if this gets some backing.
Jordan Myers
Jacks' Vacant World and Sadistic Mika Band's Kurofune are two of my favorite albums of all time man! Also Happy End's albums...they are all fairly good!
Adrian Martin
Add that, there's also a lot more jazz than this list shows. I think it'd be nice if you added a classical section too...
Liam Perry
edits: Added 2 new sections- first for other shit that doesn't go elsewhere, second for shit that isn't actually Japanese. I'll add the labels at the top of their sections later. I guess it's time to get to work on filling those up.
Easton Sullivan
I'll definitely consider adding these if others agree that they are definitely worth adding. Thanks for the recs! Yeah there's so much fucking Jazz and iirc when I made this chart initially I kinda rushed the Jazz section. So any recs for what Jazz to add would be greatly appreciated.
Carson Brooks
For the hole in suoegaze, She Her Her Hers - stereochrome would be my pick; it leans heavily on the Pavement/Modest Mouse style of indie rock, while adding heavy shoegaze elements to give it a great sense of dynamics - kinda like Mass of the Fermenting Dregs.
Nolan Robinson
for right now I have a Shojoskip album there (as seen in this update) but that can always be changed for this album if people want. Thanks for the rec.
also added some shit to the not actually Japanese stuff section and Three Berry Icecream to shibuya-kei where Cibo Matto used to be
Nathaniel Rivera
Where's LITE reeee.
Christopher Howard
Should I move Ling Tosite Sigure to Punk instead of having them in Rock? I actually had plans to add one of their albums (Phantasia) to the Rock section but it must've slipped through the cracks. I'll def add if more people give this the thumbs up. There's a few albums in the Rock section that could probably go anyways.
Gavin Robinson
toe is 4th from top under rock.
Connor Evans
edits: added Helen Love to the not Japanese stuff moved Ling Tosite Sigure to Punk replaced Pink with Feedbacker added LITE to rock
Joseph Allen
>Essential Japanese Music It's so westernized that this chart becomes redundant.
Levi Collins
there's plenty of music on here that's unique to Japan, if that's what your complaint is. there's entire sections for Shibuya-kei and City Pop. A lot of music from other countries is pretty westernized because that's just the way things are. You could always leave recommendations if there's anything missing that you think would make this chart stand out as more uniquely Japanese.
Levi Gray
Where the FUCK is Kid A?
David Kelly
Some classical recommendations could be used for a new section that has been added.
Leo Mitchell
AKFG - Fanclub
Wyatt Gutierrez
I'd put Tentenko under electronic if she's not already there, personally. Chart is good though.
Liam Allen
Fanclub over Sol-fa?
I'll consider this if there's others who think this is a good idea. Electronic is full currently but this could be added over something else if there's a push for it.
Jackson Collins
Where is Fishmans?
Michael Rogers
under pop, but it's the live album instead of Long Season
Colton Richardson
personally i liked Fanclub more, but Sol-fa is a good option too. Also SFP - School food is good food
Blake Morris
I think I had a School Food Punishment album or EP on the chart before I finalized it but I must've taken it off for something else. Will consider this.
Ethan Fisher
bump
Luke Baker
>should I change Pink to Feedbacker? No. Pink is a great album, and is likeable to many who cant get into boris's more out there stuff.
Leo Brooks
tsumanne is definitely hard to put, but for some reason i feel it fits to shoegaze and or noise more
Chase Williams
>replaced Pink with Feedbacker Pink needs to be there
Josiah Fisher
Okay noted, I'll change it back to Pink ASAP.
Cooper Perez
fixed
Benjamin Turner
honestly i think your holding yourself to too silly genres, just make an asortment with genre lists underneath each album
Isaac Hill
Yeah I've been told this before. Honestly I can't really argue, but I don't think there's any reason to not do it either. I think pretty much every album on here is worth having on here. I don't see the format as a huge negative and I guess it just makes it easier to navigate IDK.
Cameron Nelson
Its useful having the shoegaze column because people often look for that specifically, but a lot of the ones in punk, rock, pop, jazz, are a lot more loosely categorised.
Logan Jones
obvious recommendations for the new 'new age / ambient' column:
Toshifumi Hinata - Reality in Love or anything of his on alfa. Midori Takada - Through the Looking Glass Aragon - S/T could go in there or where mariah is
This has always been one of the better charts to come from Sup Forums because anything people know that isn't on it is easily found when you look into the shit listed on it.
You should really have Kashiwa Daisuke in there. Not my favorite release of his but April #02 gets mentioned tooo much in and outside of Sup Forums to not be in that chart.
Luke Harris
Also forgot to mentioned Worlds End Girlfriend. Starry Starry Night Soundtrack is a top-tier essential you left out as well. I would play them on electronic even though I would ideally make some sort of classical/modern classical column since the latter is really prominent in Japan right now.
Evan Bennett
Kinniku shoujo-tai should be somewhere on the list. They're a legend.
dude holy shit thank you, i love a ton of these albums, theres so much listening for me. its so hard to find the good japanese shit sometimes
Eli Harris
what album do you think is most similar to Orient by Hiroshi Sato? by far my favorite album on this chart
Elijah White
Should add a hentai soundtrack
Charles Howard
>Removing Yuzo Kako Por que?
Cooper Johnson
City pop is the only thing that matters desu
Liam Reyes
This is OP, just wanted to stop by and say that I'll get back to work on the chart very soon, but I just woke up so that's why I haven't been responding and updating. Thanks to everyone for all of the help and kind words, y'all are wonderful.
Elijah Davis
>No mention of Acid Mothers Temple
Benjamin Rogers
5th under rock
Landon Powell
well fuck me
Jordan Phillips
no gross
Jayden Bailey
Well, unfortunately I must've lost the font I had initially used when making this chart so I replaced the genre headers with Tahoma for now until I can find what I used to be using. Finally filled in the genre headers for the 2 new sections, time to get to work I suppose.
Jonathan Reed
it's already under electronic
Jason Gonzalez
there's already a Wednesday Campanella album under Hip-Hop, but I could change it to Superman if y'all want. already have Kashiwa Daisuke under Electronic already have Worlds End Girlfriend under Rock, could change the Worlds End Girlfriend album tho if people want, I remember there was a bit difficulty deciding on the album to add
Robert Parker
Through the Looking Glass is under electronic! Thank you for the recommendations tho
Colton Torres
Bumpu
Gavin Nguyen
>Japanese music >every single genre is derivative of western music
why even bother if you're not going to include traditional
Jaxson Rodriguez
Most people listen to music that is derivative of western music, IDK. Give me recs for traditional shit if you want to see more of it on here, I'm certainly not against that.
Andrew Bell
THIS
Colton Mitchell
noted
quick updated chart
Adam Hughes
Because Japan is in large a heavily westernized culture, and the reason why ultranationalist right-wing groups are still given light today. You don't really see music released there strictly in traditional roots anymore, it's derivative of western music in one way or another. And as said, people here don't care to actually listen to classical Japanese.
Anthony Anderson
No Takeshi Hosomi stuff? I personally think some of his album are classic:
the Hiatus - A World of Pandemonium Ellegarden - Eleven Firecracker.
Wyatt Gonzalez
Good album, but might be to 'Western'-feel.
Chase Nguyen
which album are you even talking about? there's no rules against something being too "western" thanks for the recommendations, I could definitely add an album of his if there seems to be any interest from others in doing so
Nolan Walker
A lot of these rock/pop artists incorporate traditional japanese music elements, even unconsciously. Also, when it comes to electronic music, Japan is at least as important as Germany.
Julian Ortiz
All of it, since Hosomi Takeshi always sing all his song in english. But i still recommend the Hiatus tho. Fun fact: the drummer is from band 'toe'.