J-Pop Artist of the Week: Morning Musume. (May 14th-May 20th)

[Mandilinn]

This Week's Artist
Morning Musume.

 

 

Name

 

The group's name can be translated as "Morning Girls" or "Morning Daughters", and as the name suggests, it is a reference to the age of the members, who are all in their late teens to early twenties. The group's name is sometimes shorted to "モー娘。" (MoMusu.).

 

History / Debut

 

Morning Musume began with rock band Sharam Q's auditions to find a female vocalist. Although a winner was initially chosen, band member Tsunku called back five of the finalists--Nakazawa Yuko, Ishiguro Aya, Iida Kaori, Abe Natsumi, and Fukuda Asuka--and presented them with a challenge. If the five of them could sell 50,000 copies of their first song together "Ai no Tane" within 5 promotional events, then they would be given a record deal. The girls managed the feat within four events, and earned their major debut.

 

 

Ai no Tane (Seeds of Love)

Lyrics by: Saeki Kenzo / Composition by: Sakurai Tetsutarou

 

 

 The group released their first official single "Morning Coffee" on January 28th, 1998. The single reached #6 on the weekly chart, selling 200,790 copies overall. Their demo single "Ai no Tane" was included as the b-side.

 

 

Morning Coffee

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

Style / Recommended Songs 

 

Morning Musume is the lead group of Hello! Project and specializes in upbeat, pop-oriented music coupled with dance performances.

 

Souda! We're ALIVE (That's Right! We're ALIVE)

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

Renai Revolution 21 (Love Revolution 21)

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

(Continued in the next post)

[Mandilinn]

(continued from first post)

 

Renai Revolution 21 (Love Revolution 21)

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

Iroppoi Jirettai (Sexy Impatience)

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

Egao YES Nude (Smile YES Nude)

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

Shouganai Yume Oibito (Helpless Dream Chaser)

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

Nanchatte Renai (Fake Love)

Lyrics and Composition by: Tsunku

 

 

These songs are just a small part of Morning Musume's discography. Please suggest more if you're a fan of them! MoMusu members that went solo (like Maki Goto) are also okay!

 

You'll Like This Group If....

 

You're interested in Hello! Project groups.

 

What Are They Doing Now?

 

 

Morning Musume became a group known for it's ever-changing lineups, and as of 2014, the group is on their 12th generation of members. The group also began adding the year after their name as a way to help audiences identify member rosters over their 17-year history. Currently the group is known as "Morning Musume '15".

 

Websites and Social Media

 

Official Website

Official Facebook

Official YouTube Channel

Official Google+

____________________________________

 

Make sure to check out the C-Pop and Other Asian Artists of the Week!

[Mandilinn]

Posting this, too. MoMusu's cover of Pink Lady's "Pepper Keibu" ("Inspector Pepper")!

 

 

[Ron Swanson]

Ugh Im sure people are tired of seeing this everywhere but

 

I miss the old Momosu..... More specifically when it was just up to 8th generation.

 

[Mandilinn]

Ugh Im sure people are tired of seeing this everywhere but

 

I miss the old Momosu..... More specifically when it was just up to 8th generation.

 

 

 

 

Yeah. 8th gen was the last time I really payed attention to MoMusu.

 

 

[DreamSoldier]

I liked Momosu up to the entrance of Reina, Eri and Sayumi.

 

After Sayumi left and my favourites were out I lost interest.

 

Also, I talked to a Japanese friend back when I was in France and he told me that Momosu lost it's real popularity back in 2005/2006.

 

--

 

《OFF topic》

Tsunku is officially mute, does someone know where I can find news about this?

[morningkiwi]

wow! After C-ute it's Morning Musume's turn lol

 

Since less people know them, I'll just post up videos of the current Morning Musume:

 

MM'15 - Love & Peace! Hero ga yattekita:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WL0vGzb3TU

(technically MM'14 since this was for the H!P New Years Countdown concert and they performed it before the 9pm curfew)

 

MM'15 - Seishun Kozo Naiteru

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY1nVV_5G7Q

 

MM'15 - Yuugure wa ameagari

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ihLqd4KNu4

 

MM'15 - One Two Three

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJhlbBghI5A

[morningkiwi]

Also if you haven't watch it yet, I highly suggest watching Morning Musume '14 x S/mileage (now ANGERME) and kenshuusei's musical 'LILIUM'. It's SO good.

You can find it on Hello!Online with eng subs

 

 

Here's a preview of it:

 

Also here's one if it's performance:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x27r96r_%E3%83%AA%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A6%E3%83%A0-eli-eli-lema-sabachthani_music by http://www.dailymotion.com/Eyebrow_Queen

[kittykoo]

If you want to look at more recent songs here are some

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Johnny Guitar]

 

 

This is such a beautiful song and video, kinda majestic.

[Anthropology]

I lost interest in them after Reina left, but I check up on them from time to time. They were my first Jpop group ever.

[kittykoo]

The funny thing is I read how a lot of people lost interest in the group when the platinum era members left, but that was what got me interested in group in the first pace. I was always kind of turned off by the music style at the time (i think its pretty good now, but still not my favourite) and it was 9th gen that got me interested in the group.

[Yuri]

YAAAY my babies~

 

Like most people, I haven't followed them much since the older members left. I think Nanchatte Renai was the last time I was really into them, but I know the latest bunch of members have really regenerated the group and got them more popularity/sales which is awesome! In my era, we had Mikan...the worst selling single

 

Anyway, I have to post my top three singles from the group:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I feel so nostalgic now; need to change my set

[Nocchi]

 

 

 

 

please do Juice=Juice or W next week

[1anyward]

Anyone else miss the sub groups?

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeeGFVyCBCo

 

 

 

[takaminas]

these are my favs from the a-sides:

 

 

(ok.. the center was unexpected buuut..... it's a cute song)

 

 

 

 

(the first song feautred in this has that typical hello project disco style) -SOBS OVER AI AND RISA-

 

 

 

(since people posted joshi kashimashi monogatari, pepper keibu, nanchatte renai, onna no otoko no lullaby game, renai hunter, and some golden era stuff)

 

i also liked

, as for one day,

, suprised no one mentioned

, or

 

from the albums: i really loved

(the playlist is linked), kono ai wo kanasete[duet with ai and risa] (from 12, smart)

 

 

and my biasness for 5th gen is showing so much. D:

[sane]

Momusu! 

 

The group that they are now may be the same in name, but that's about it. The last four generations have managed to completely erase everything that Morning Musume was. What it's turned into is still a good group, but tbh I'm glad they started changing the name, because it really isn't the same group at all.

 

So many fond memories though 

[Misa]

I feel so nostalgic now, Momusu!

 

 

I also love the new songs

 

Anyone else miss the sub groups?

 

Yees!!

 

 

 

[Teru]

yesss thanks for this! I love early Momusu but I don't know much of their recent stuff at all. 1997-2003 is my Momusu era and I love so many of their singles from back then. gotta familiarise myself with their more resent releases

 

my favourite song of theirs: 

 

 

[ScarletWhimsy]

Aww, seems like it's mostly us old Momusu fans here. I agree...Momusu has become a stranger to me in the past few years. I first became a fan back when JunJun and LinLin were still around.

 

Favourites: Naichau Kamo, Nanchatte Renai, Kimagure Princess

 

 

 

 

 

Ahhh~ so nostalgic!!

[wealthyriver]

I really like the newer girls (from 9th gen onwards) & I want to support the group as a whole, but their current music style gives me headaches    I know they use EDM to make Momusu's "formation dance" look cool but it's certainly not my cup of tea   

Also, I find Tsunku's lyrics so weird at times that I can't come to appreciate the songs. Am I the only one? 

[Kanonno]

Listening to old Morning Musume gives me so much nostalgia.

[ScarletWhimsy]

I really like the newer girls (from 9th gen onwards) & I want to support the group as a whole, but their current music style gives me headaches    I know they use EDM to make Momusu's "formation dance" look cool but it's certainly not my cup of tea 

Also, I find Tsunku's lyrics so weird at times that I can't come to appreciate the songs. Am I the only one? 

I like most of the new girls too  They're very cute and refreshing. But definitely, it's just been EDM single after EDM single ever since what, One Two Three?

[acclaim]

YAAAA MORNING MUSUME GOT THAT PROMO STAN!!!!!!

I love all generations, but I feel the newer generation is most my cup of tea.

[Suzy Quatro]

I got into them recently (like one year ago), so until know I've only seen Sayumi leave the group and it's a shame. She blended quite good with the girls despite being older and had a funny character but the current girls are very likeable too.

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kySIpL6fp8