I want to hear how you got into listening Japanese music!
For me, I can barely remember where it started. I knew about the existance of girlgroups like AKB48 and anison since I was a kid due to my sister being into anime but it never clicked much with me.
But somewhere 2017~2018 I somehow started to listen to Chanmina, who I still like. I have no clue how I got there anymore. Around that time, I also started listening to TeddyLoid and a few others.
2021 was the real turning point. I was mainly listening to Kpop at the time and releases where a bit dissapointing lately. Then Koda Kumi’s Doo-Bee-Doo-Bob got recommended on my YT list and I was hooked. 2 years later she’s my 2nd most-listened artist of all time, with only Bruce Springsteen above her. Having a 20 year long discography really gives you a lot of stuff to listen to 😅.
But it also showed me a whole other side of Jpop that was quite clicking with me. Up beat, high attitude, and not-cute. I got into more singers like Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro, Mika Nakashima, Tomomi Itano, Faky, Happiness, and more. Jpop has become a common genre I listen too, and a big part of my CD collection.
How about you guys?!
I’m learning japanese, a friend recommended Ado some time ago, started listening for immersion, and it’s just very good.
For me, it was videogame music mainly, especially the soundtracks of the later Final Fantasy games (12, 13, 13-2). These led me to the discovery of Japanese composers. I think the more famous, like ryuichi sakamoto, are well known elsewhere.
I also like Japanese electronic music that got my attention about 20 years ago with the album Flash by Towa Tei. Then came Mondo Grosso and in 2007 (or so) his alter ego Shinichi Osawa.
Nowadays I cannot really name artists or songs as Apple Music suggests music for me that seems mostly made of Japanese electronica, jazz, and instrumental music - and surprisingly fits my taste quite well.