will japanese rock bands keep expanding internationally in 2017? [2016 recap]

[kitsuneUP]

i know it's a bit too late but i just can't stop myself from doing this anyway 

 

last year was great for japanese rock bands. many of them gained overseas* exposure by world touring, winning awards, and featured on mainstream rock magazines. let's take a look at some of them!

 

Babymetal surely enjoyed the best year of all. their sophomore album got praised by many rock and metal critics and entered the top 40 of US Billboard and Top 15 in UK. they were on cover of mainstream rock magazines such as Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Rock Sound, Hysteria, Aardshock, etc. not to mention the countless awards they won, festivals they played, and the Rob Halford collab which is beyond amazing. and don't forget that they are the first japanese artist to headline Wembley Arena. with touring dates with legends such as Metallica and Guns n' Roses earlier this year, the coming series, and the Metal Resistance episode V to be announced, they only have an exciting year ahead. move to One Ok Rock. the asian super band clearly aimed to reach US market this year. they just released an album called "Ambitions" under Fueled By Ramen which is doing good sales so far. hell, just look at those collab! 

well, it isn't just the tokyo giant who featured some western artist in their album. Crossfaith also featured british metal powerhouse Skindred and the frontman of Beartooth in their latest album "Xeno". they released the

earlier last year which also included Benji Webbe of Skindred. they also did a UK Tour with 14 stops and headlining a bunch of rock festivals overseas from korean Incheon Pentaport to the huge UK Reading + Leeds festival. they just announced 8 stops for their UK tour in April. 

remember L'arc~en~Ciel? well Hyde's band, Vamps, just did a collab with

. the duo toured the US last november and a new album is rumoured to be released this year.

so are you excited yet? will the trend keep continuing?

 

*by overseas i mean the world OUTSIDE ASIA

 

it is what it is, here's some recap of it (you may add other bands, and sorry i won't include performances at japanese or anime festival, and no anime/animovie theme songs  )

 

starting with BABYMETAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lge4gc1wvT4

 

 

*sorry for my bad english*

[kitsuneUP]

Crossfaith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kitsuneUP]

One Ok Rock

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kitsuneUP]

Coldrain

 

 

 

 

 

 

[loto]

I really hope so, there are so many talented japanese Rock bands out there that deserve the recognition but at the same time i'm afraid of them getting big, i don't want them to change their sound and style to become more mainstream the way OOK did

[kitsuneUP]

yeah but not all band changed their music to fit mainstream listeners

[MightyLongFall]

BM and OOR seemed to have a promising year. Crossfaith have some following in UK now, i hope they can be the next BMTH. I fucking hope so! they better release another big hit like Monolith this year. and you forgot X-Japan, X-Japan'a Yoshiki and Versailles. they have a world tour planned this year

 

 

https://www.jrocknews.com/2016/09/versailles-announce-new-european-tour.html

 

YOSHIKI sold out the Carnegie Hall for a classical concert

 

 

 

http://jrock247.com/2017/01/yoshiki-sells-out-both-shows-at-new-yorks-famous-carnegie-hall/

 

X-japan will also headline Wembley Arena this march

 

http://www.xjapanmusic.com

 

 

p.s.: stick to JaME world,jrocknews, or jrock247 for jrock updates, at least they have some cred not like some people at a particular site who don't even know the shit, only whoring for attention

[DRK]

You're doing Band Maid a dis-service by not mentioning them. They got good press in the UK, too:

 

http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-10-14/5-things-we-learned-at-band-maids-first-ever-uk-show

[DocumentaLy]

BM and OOR seemed to have a promising year. Crossfaith have some following in UK now, i hope they can be the next BMTH. I fucking hope so! they better release another big hit like Monolith this year. and you forgot X-Japan, X-Japan'a Yoshiki and Versailles. they have a world tour planned this year

 

 

https://www.jrocknews.com/2016/09/versailles-announce-new-european-tour.html

 

YOSHIKI sold out the Carnegie Hall for a classical concert

 

 

 

http://jrock247.com/2017/01/yoshiki-sells-out-both-shows-at-new-yorks-famous-carnegie-hall/

 

X-japan will also headline Wembley Arena this march

 

http://www.xjapanmusic.com

 

 

p.s.: stick to JaME world,jrocknews, or jrock247 for jrock updates, at least they have some cred not like some people at a particular site who don't even know the shit, only whoring for attention

 

Yes, please stick to them for updates about acts that fit into the cliched and dated notions of Japanese rock that a lot of international fans have.

[loto]

yeah but not all band changed their music to fit mainstream listeners

Yeah i didn't mean all of them, i'm just afraid it might happen with some of my favorite bands

[kitsuneUP]

You're doing Band Maid a dis-service by not mentioning them. They got good press in the UK, too:

 

http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-10-14/5-things-we-learned-at-band-maids-first-ever-uk-show

 

yeah they're trying but Underworld only has a capacity of 500. but they still are one of my favorite and the new song is gold

[Mudko]

Yes, please stick to them for updates about acts that fit into the cliched and dated notions of Japanese rock that a lot of international fans have.

 

Please enlighten us plebs to what "modern" Japanese rock sounds like. 

[DRK]

What about love for Wagakki Band, people??? They're brilliant!

[DRK]

yeah they're trying but Underworld only has a capacity of 500. but they still are one of my favorite and the new song is gold

 

Well, everyone has to start somewhere.

[MightyLongFall]

Please enlighten us plebs to what "modern" Japanese rock sounds like.

yeah we're waiting

[DocumentaLy]

Please enlighten us plebs to what "modern" Japanese rock sounds like. 

 

 

yeah we're waiting

 

It's more of an indie sound, not something hard. And visual kei is dead and has been for ages.

[Mudko]

It's more of an indie sound, not something hard. And visual kei is dead and has been for ages.

 

So modern Japanese rock is not actually rock but Indie pop? Got it!

 

I look forward to the future article on Arama called "Modern Japanese rock does not rock because it is not actually rock but Indie pop".

[DocumentaLy]

So modern Japanese rock is not actually rock but Indie pop? Got it!

 

I look forward to the future article on Arama called "Modern Japanese rock does not rock because it is not actually rock but Indie pop".

 

No. All you have to do is look at who is getting the hits, who is getting the major label deals, who is getting the promo to see that what is largely thought of as JRock internationally is out of step with reality in Japan.

[Mudko]

No. All you have to do is look at who is getting the hits, who is getting the major label deals, who is getting the promo to see that what is largely thought of as JRock internationally is out of step with reality in Japan.

 

If those bands are Indie pop and not actually rock bands it's not weird that international J-rock fans are not interested in them since they are, you know, ROCK fans not indie pop fans.

[DocumentaLy]

If those bands are Indie pop and not actually rock bands it's not weird that international J-rock fans are not interested in them since they are, you know, ROCK fans not indie pop fans.

 

They're not though... It's just that a lot of international JRock fans think that all Japanese rock is is harder stuff and visual kei when that's a very dated concept. Acts like ONE OK ROCK and Crossfaith are outside of the norm rather than the norm. A band like [Alexandros] or RADWIMPS would be more representative of the scene's current state.

[Mudko]

They're not though... It's just that a lot of international JRock fans think that all Japanese rock is is harder stuff and visual kei when that's a very dated concept. Acts like ONE OK ROCK and Crossfaith are outside of the norm rather than the norm. A band like [Alexandros] or RADWIMPS would be more representative of the scene's current state.

 

Hey, here is a thought: Maybe the reason international J-rock fans don't care about those bands is actually because they don't like their music? 

Maybe they would rather listen to what they actually like than something they don't like just because it's popular in Japan? And maybe it actually has nothing to do with what they think "all Japanese rock" is like at all?

Just a thought.

 

Also i am unconvinced, to say the least, by your examples of what the "norm" of modern Japanese rock is.

[Kami Nana]

Hey, here is a thought: Maybe the reason international J-rock don't care about those bands is actually because they don't like their music? 

Maybe they would rather listen to what they actually like than something they don't like just because it's popular in Japan? And maybe it actually has nothing to do with what they think "all Japaneses rock" is like at all?

Just a thought.

 

Also i am unconvinced, to say the least, by your examples of what the "norm" of modern Japanese rock is.

Not to mention rock is already a niche thing. It's not pop(sure it may have a bit of influence sometimes with pop-rock bands, but it's not pop). Also, love how someone else ignores this is about international fame and not domestic... :/

 

Rock/Metal scene =/= Mainstream/Pop scene

[MightyLongFall]

It's more of an indie sound, NOT SOMETHING HARD. And visual kei is dead and has been for ages.

1. i read in the latest arama's clickbait "review" that one ok rock does not rock because they AREN'T HARD ENOUGH. wtf

 

2. yes, visual kei is not as big as it used to. they are not mainstream anymore, noone denied that. for me, the last rockstars of the era was L'arc~en~Ciel and Dir En Grey. and that was years ago. but they still have a niche following. Aren't they counted as indie because they are not mainstream and mostly independent?

 

3. don't forget that this thread is about international fame, specifically outside asia as OP stated. so whatever your answer is, those bands are known only to WEEBS outside Asia. not like the rock bands OP mentioned. well, are you asian, ronnie?

[MightyLongFall]

http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-04-25/8-japanese-bands-you-need-in-your-life-right-now

[Kami Nana]

1. i read in the latest arama's clickbait "review" that one ok rock does not rock because they AREN'T HARD ENOUGH. wtf

lol I know right. Talk about inconsistency. XD Anyway, the international rock/metal scene wants to actually ROCK...not whatever that "rock" that's popular in Japan right now does.