JMusic

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I thought I'd just make a quick entry about japanese music because in America we really don't hear Asian music at all. American music is pretty big over here and even in the book store of my college one can hear the likes of gwen stefani and fergi. So here is a quick...very quick...overview of whats hot in music in Japan right now. I know most of you probably won't watch any of these but I think that many Americans have a narrow image of Japan so if you ask yourself 'what do i know about Japanese music?' and the answer is 'not much' then stop being lame and check out the links. peace.

This band's name is Orange Range or オレンジ　レンジ. This song is really popular and is sometimes heard blaring from the Center Street mega-tv over all of Shinjuku (where that scary intersection i took a video of before is). It is also the theme for the most popular JDrama called Hanazaki no Kimitachi e. Orange Range was also responsible for the theme song for Japan's broadcast of the World Cup last summer.

I like this one. Its kind of hip hop/kind of wholesome/and maybe a little bit of a reggae ring to it. MTV, yes Japan has MTV, has it as #4 in the charts for Japan.

This next one is by Utada Hikaru who is a pretty big deal apparently. I picked this video of the song cos you'll not only get to hear her most popular song right now but also be able to see the rediculously sappy pictures and subtitles that most likely appear everytime someone chooses this song in a karaoke room. Flavor of Life

Next I'd like to introduce the backstreet boys of Japan, Arashi. For some reason in East Asia if you are in a popular band you are automatically pretty much secured as a teen Drama actor as well. Matsumoto Jun..or MatsuJun for short..is one of the most popular actors in Japan and is one of the lead singers of Arashi. Arashi

So there's a bit of Japan for you.

Here's a bit from some of the other East Asian Counties that are making the charts...check 'em out - cultivate yourself with worldly knowledge

South Korea : Many many popular Dramas and singers in Asia come from South Korea. Two of the most popular are Bi Rain and Lee Jun Ki, both of who can dance amazingly

Bi Rain - i'm coming
Lee Junki dancing - take that Justin Timberlake

Taiwan : Fahrenheit is another group where the members are big in Taiwanese drama as well as on the radio. Like Japan's Arashi, these guys are pretty much the Backstreet boys of Taiwan.

Fahrenheit

China: K so I don't know how to write the Chinese names in English for you but here a three popular Chinese artists.

張惠妹愛是唯一
Leehom 王力宏 - Kiss Goodbye
Rainie is a popular actress, i think she originally came from Taiwan actually


Ok so now the test...can you distinguish how different the languages sound? cos they are very different...except for maybe Taiwanese and Chinese which is pretty similar. I'll test you when I come back in December so I hope you can tell the difference when someone is speaking Japanese, Chinese/Taiwanese, or Korean by then. Good Luck! its not so bad.

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Comments

[krissy]

ok meg- just checkd out this blog..havent chekd music out yet but promise ill check @ least one..luv u!

[lee jun ki]

languages
first of all, i refuse to be tested when you come home, but the only way i would even consider it is if you spoke to me only in japanese for one day, then in chinese or taiwanese another day (you can choose, or even switch off), then korean another day. k? i was just watching lee jun ki (in spanish i think that would say, 'the junky') and my roommates were like, dude, what the crap are you listening to, but i didnt care, i just kept listening. but there are 2 kids in my kindergarten class from korea, so i learned how to say mom today in korea and i'll be fluent by december so we can converse.

[Hannah]

dude the breaking it down part towards the end of the Bi Rain video is awesome! Thanks for educating us meg :)

[megnash]

yeah he's off the chains.