The Galapagos Syndrome and the Japanese Music Industry

[Mandilinn]

Please do not repost elsewhere without crediting Mandilinn @ Onehallyu

 

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There is a phrase in business known as "Galapagos Syndrome" which is frequently being used in Japan. This "Galapagos Syndrome" has happened to the Japanese music industry. The music business in Japan has many aspects that are Japan-specific, while also blocking foreigners (specifically new faces) from entering the industry, and it has hindered the overseas success of Japanese companies. Here are several examples:

 

1. Artists as employees

 

In the United States and Europe, musicians have been recognized as creative people who who give inspiration to people through music. They are blessed with talent, but because they have little to no interest for the business side of their activities, they will hire a professional to handle that in many cases. On the other hand, "artists" are treated like regular employees by management companies in Japan, and looks are often emphasised over musical talent. Until artists become more popular and management gains profit, their activities are encouraged to be safe (boring and predictable, in other words).

 

2. Indies bring innovation

 

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that strong new concepts and music are born in the indie scenes in the United States and Europe.  Genres such as electronica, punk, disco, hip-hop, heavy metal, and ambient were born from independent and new labels. Avid music fans and journalists seeking interesting novelties are watching the indie scene at all times. However, Japan has a tendency to avoid innovation. The Japanese media seeks out predicable major music labels that have large promotional budgets and ordinary music. Things that are gaining popularity by performing in many foreign countries like Shonen Knife and Buffalo Daughter, and other indie bands devoted to the problem have gotten little attention from the mainstream media in their own country. On the other hand, a cute girl with no talent can appear on Japanese TV easily with competent management. Even excellent jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara gets her appreciation from the United States rather than Japan.

 

3. CDs are still mainstream

 

Most CD shops have disappeared in Europe and the United States. Major chains such as Tower Records, which has expanded business to worldwide in the past, HMV, and Virgin have closed or been forced to shrink to the size in which they originally opened (Tower Records stores, which have been successful in Japan, went out of business in the United States in 2006). Cities in America that have no music stores exist. On the other hand, CDs account for 80% of overall sales of music in Japan. It's desirable for people who want to buy all the "special" versions of idol CDs and for enthusiastic fans who want to know the liner notes and details of the recording. On the other hand, it's a harsh environment for a new face or indie artist struggling to put out music at a CD shop.

 

4. iTunes isn't king

 

According to Billboard, the iTunes market share in the United States in 2011 was 38.23% of the total. Although iTunes does not publish their sales data, the fact that the market share of iTunes in Japan is much smaller than America's is self-explanitory. iTunes sales are not included in the chart information on the Oricon (Japan's Billboard). Abroad, digital platforms like iTunes or other distribution are an effective method and is welcomed once the appropriate copyright fee is paid to the copyright holders. In Japan, it's something that's seen as an enemy that will affect sales of the CD.

 

5. Streaming

 

It is said  that the heyday of iTunes is only a thing in Europe and the United States and streaming will become more mainstream in the future. Currently Spotify dominates the streaming market, followed by Pandora, Rdio, and Rhapsody as competitors. With video of songs and lyrics that you can listen to for free, some say that Youtube is the leader in streaming. Many young people today don't seem to feel the need to possess music when you can just access your favorite music at any time. However, streaming is hitting a wall with copyright carriers in Japan. The story of Napster being hindered in the acquisition of a major music catalog is famous, and Rdio and Spotify have have a rough going of it with copyright holders when trying to get major content.

 

6. Internationalization

 

Many people in business feel that a present-day business is internationalized. There are no boundry lines in information, and we can access places throughout the world via the internet. Hollywood has been starting to worry about the success of movies in China and British bands are eager to break into the United States market. To get great success in music, an artist needs to earn popularity in more than one market. Japan isn't as successful in producing worldwide stars like Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Korea, and Austrailia for some reason. In fact, there really haven't been any efforts so far to advance Japanese music into the overseas market. Starting with AKB48, the purposed of concerts abroad was not to break into the market, but rather just a photoshoot opportunity for the Japanese media. But from now on I expect Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Perfume, Hotei Tomoyasu, and Momoiro Clover Z to change this trend.

 

7. The difficult situation of acquisition

 

This author living in America is a Japanese music fan. However even if I wanted to buy Carol's "Funky Monkey Baby", SMAP's "Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana", Pink Lady's "UFO", or Yamashita Tatsuro's "Christmas Eve", they aren't available in CD shops in America. It's not on iTunes, and it must be purchased on Amazon for $49 a piece (5 times the price of a new CD in America). Therefore, there's no choice for the consumer but to download from illegal sites or give up. Including American music, music of 119 countries around the world (from South Korean boy bands to 60s British bands) can be found on iTunes, whereas finding Japanese music is extremely difficult.

 

8. TV, Movies, and Anime are a mountain of buried treasure

 

The movie can be a wonderful way to introduce music. There are few TV programs which are made in Japan and are known worldwide, but everyone can admit that there are a lot of excellent Japanese movies and anime that people hold in the highest regard. However, it's difficult for people living abroad to buy these things despite their popularity, and they're limited to services like Crunchyroll and Viz Video that aren't well known in other countries. It's unfortunate that Japan-originated television, movie and anime can't be watched easily overseas. Like with music, a fan has no choice but to give up or depend on download from an illegal site.

 

9. Japan-Only

 

The music industry in Japan has been focused on the idol business. It takes a lot of money to invest in the idol business, but the benefits when successful can be great. It's also pretty obvious that the marketing strategy is more important than the quality of music. This unique Japanese trend is affecting Western interest. Don't Japanese music fans accept Western music anymore? Or is it just that Western music isn't advertised as much? Even established artists such as Britney Spears and Coldplay's new releases aren't on the scale of idols in Japan. Western music sales in Japan have fallen from 30% to 15% in recent years. Japan has the second largest music market in the world, but Japanese music has a very small support base overseas. Japanese musicians with creativity and talent have gone unnoticed and become a shadow of idols and their looks. The idol music industry itself is the leader of the ongoing "Cool Japan" campaign. People abroad wonder if non-idol Japanese music even exists. Would a Japanese idol even be able to gain popularity abroad or would they only be successful in limited circumstances with controlled publicity and media?

 

10. Let's Dance!

 

Currently Electronic Dance Music (or EDM) has become a global music trend. There are no strict definitions in EDM; everything applies if you can dance to the music. EDM festivals are very popular in many parts of the world, and events in places like Las Vegas invite leading artists. According to Forbes Magazine, the annual income of popular DJ Calvin Harris, Tiesto, David Guetta, and Avicii is said to be about $20 million or more. On the other hand, dancing at the club after midnight in Japan is prohibited. A foreigner would do well to understand this law. Is Japan a mysterious police state? What in the world would prohibit dance in Japan? The attitude of Russia to gay visitors from abroad has been a concern during the Sochi Winter Olympics, but will you have to worry about being arrested when you go dancing during the Summer Olympics in Japan in 2020?

 

11. Cool Japan

 

It is a fact that many foreigners have felt the cool pop culture of Japan and have longed for it. So why would japan want to be the closed country that it is? I hope that the "Cool Japan" campaign isn't just major companies throwing funds and hoping for results, but rather that it becomes a bridge between the pop culture of Japan and everyone else.

 

source: http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000100644

[Seultoria]

A lot of these are reasons why I barely listen to Japanese music anymore. I used to listen to it a lot in the early 2000s, but the idols took over soon after that. Couple that with the difficulty of finding any music, and well, I had no fucks left to give and moved on. It's a shame, as Japan has some really great artists.

[sergel]

I'm into it and it's still my main source, but yeah, finding music and purchasing it legally can be difficult or costly.

I mean lately I've been buying off of iTunes which is a fantastic way of getting music. It's how I have so many of MAY's songs right now.

 

I'm not sure if I totally agree with all points in part 8 but i do feel that maybe more options might be a good thing.

 

However, I agree with 6 on many levels.

 

The dance law really surprised me though. Didn't know about that at all.

 

Thanks for the translation btw

[Kuu-sus]

indie does not bring innovation tbh, all the indie acts wallowing around in our festivals are doing the same shit for the last decade since even indie has been commercialized and given a strict aesthetic to adhere to

 

that is why I like Japan, even if the acts are management drones at least they get some respect and sales since here everything has to be "authentic" or presented that way or will be teared apart in 3 seconds or it has be to Disney friendly extremely safe top 40

 

I am here for pop acts on all levels but in the US we only have top ones and then annoying indie shit, without Europe and Japan, I would go crayzy ....I mean you can be a major label act and break ground

 

anyway the rest was super interesting, thanks for posting and translating~!

[sergel]

indie does not bring innovation tbh, all the indie acts wallowing around in our festivals are doing the same shit for the last decade since even indie has been commercialized and given a strict aesthetic to adhere to

 

I noticed this. I mean some are cool, but it's odd when I can say I don't like Indie music, because I figured indie just meant unsigned and thus there were many different styles of music that indie singers sang. However, almost all the ones I've seen or heard of sound around the same.

[Nyokou]

I wish they were more open to people around the world instead of closing themselves off so much all the time.

 

Especially now that we're living in the digital age where people expect to have access to music and other content within just a few clicks and searches. I mean, I'm glad for all the Japanese music that is already available to me (it's not much but it's something) but there should be more.

[DocumentaLy]

I have noticed over the past few years that the mainstream scene is getting safer and safer. Idols, ballads, folk music... A lot of the things that I originally found interesting about Japanese music are no longer there in the mainstream.

 

I do like that cds are still a thing there I personally miss going to record stores here and spending hours looking at what they had. Music isn't really a tangible thing here like it used to be.

 

I don't know if streaming will become a thing in Japan, especially when the digital market itself is falling off.

 

Japan is all about copyright which is why its industry is as protected as it is and also why is doesn't really expand. So do you risk the industry falling more in an effort to expand it?

 

Western music isn't doing as well because Japan has turned more inward. It's still seen a cool thing to listen to but it doesn't get as much attention as it should. A lot of things don't get as much attention as it should. A reason for that is the idols.

 

Only weeaboos and people who buy into the crazy Japan thing would care about idols internationally. Idols aren't cool. They're like the antithesis of cool.

 

EDM is dying out as is and will be a distant memory come 2020.

 

I actually don't like Cool Japan because it's being executed so badly. They got a bunch of old people to try to reach out to the world. Why? How is that cool? I also feel that they should try to do more to reach out to the few of us that are left first instead of trying to get a whole new audience. Work with what you have first. Like we get new people here because they'll be like "It's rare to find a site that talks about what y'all are talking about." I feel as if Cool Japan should have people online looking for the remaining Japanese music fans and asking us what we want. Take some input from those of us who are already here and you'll have a better idea of what you should do.

I wish they were more open to people around the world instead of closing themselves off so much all the time.

 

Especially now that we're living in the digital age where people expect to have access to music and other content within just a few clicks and searches. I mean, I'm glad for all the Japanese music that is already available to me (it's not much but it's something) but there should be more.

 

How much more do you want?

[DocumentaLy]

And let's get over the whole "Let's not put the full pv on YouTube" thing. If people want to see the video in full, there are ways of doing so. I'm glad that some acts and labels are over this train of thought now.

[Nyokou]

How much more do you want?

 

Well.. MomoClo only has their two albums on iTunes and none of their singles. And there is at least one song missing from them. I don't really want to spend money on physical copies of the singles when they don't even include anything special like other idol groups (photo cards, etc.) when I could just purchase digitally instead. Luckily, I just discovered today that Amazon has the Sailor Moon 20th Anniv album in their MP3 section so I was able to get the few songs from that album I liked, including the ones MomoClo did. I don't see why I would want to spend like $25-$30 more to have had the physical copy when I don't even like half the songs.

 

There's also all the 48 groups who have nothing at all on iTunes. The only group who does is NMB48, thank goodness since I like them a lot nowadays. But it's not like I want to spend hundreds of dollars on all of the other group's albums and singles when I don't even like all the songs on every single album or every single. Just maybe one, but should I have to spend like $15+ for just one song? Hell no.

 

And there are a lot more. Can't even find any Pink Lady music at all, even though they were literally the first (and I think only) J-pop idol group to try and make it in the U.S. 30+ yrs ago.

[Midna]

Thanks for translating Mandi <3 ill read this later

[IceHism]

even if they gave akb good music, no one would acknowledge it because they are akb, not because of what they are actually releasing.  People simply turn a blind side to the industry.  That's a bigger problem.

 

 

I have not even seen cool japan even promoting anywhere outside of japan now so it's not like they're making a difference anyways.

[His Majesty Robosexual]

Thanks Mandi for the translation. Very good read and I agree with most of the points given. As much as I would like Japanese music (any genre) to be available on iTunes for cheap, I don't expect Japanese companies to change their train of thought. I'll dig through the Internet for the good stuff, I don't mind.

[DocumentaLy]

even if they gave akb good music, no one would acknowledge it because they are akb, not because of what they are actually releasing.  People simply turn a blind side to the industry.  That's a bigger problem.

 

 

I have not even seen cool japan even promoting anywhere outside of japan now so it's not like they're making a difference anyways.

 

Isn't that why Kyary has been on tour here how many times now?

[Hemlock]

what kinds of stuff is being pushed for Cool Japan? Most people who aren't really into japanese entertainment probably only think of how weird japan is because that's the only stuff they see. And stuff like anime/manga and video games are seen as nerdy, though video games seem to be more mainstream and accepted nowadays. 

 

I've seen some youtube videos of Hiromi Uehara and that girl is badass. 

__

 

@Mandi. This is what the translation team uses when they post lyrics and maybe you could use it too if you want. 

[Twin<3333LovesMango]

And this is why I'm fucking glad I listen to Japanese Hip-Hop, because they actually give a fuck.

 

Allot of the Japanese rappers I listen to wether they are underground or mainstream have their shit on US iTunes. I've saved an ass tone of money and time getting their music online. I'm willing to pay the moment and album comes out (Bought GAGLE's VG+ the day it dropped).

 

AK-69 was next to nothing a few years ago then blew the fuck up in Japan. Now he's getting international exposure and you know what his label did? They put every one of his album since the beginning of his solo career on US iTunes and he even started a US site for international fans. 

 

I swear Japan could learn far more from their indie scene.

[DocumentaLy]

what kinds of stuff is being pushed for Cool Japan? Most people who aren't really into japanese entertainment probably only think of how weird japan is because that's the only stuff they see. And stuff like anime/manga and video games are seen as nerdy, though video games seem to be more mainstream and accepted nowadays. 

 

I've seen some youtube videos of Hiromi Uehara and that girl is badass. 

__

 

@Mandi. This is what the translation team uses when they post lyrics and maybe you could use it too if you want. 

 

Well Aki-P is on the board for Cool Japan and a lot of the things being pushed are the stereotypical things that people think of when they think of Japan.

[Mandilinn]

Well Aki-P is on the board for Cool Japan and a lot of the things being pushed are the stereotypical things that people think of when they think of Japan.

Unfortunately I heard he got himself on the board for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, too. =/

[DocumentaLy]

Unfortunately I heard he got himself on the board for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, too. =/

 

Will his acts even be relevant by then? I doubt it. 

[kinjiki]

Fuck idols, send them all to hell!

[avanpiper]

^ not all idols are bad. Although it's still sad to see them dominating the charts and leaving the more talented artists behind. But this is also an issue where the general public who don't understand how the idol industry works and Japan's culture, they'll end up thinking that's all Jpop has to offer.

[Lissandra]

Japanese idols won't appeal to people overseas because the sexualization of children and young teenagers puts people off.  I've always seen idols as the equivalent of all fanservice-laden anime you get every season. Casual fans of anime are apt to enjoy stuff like Attack on Titan, while it's only the more invested that know what they're looking for stick around for moe or otome series 1923.

[Timmeon]

Thanks for the translation, Mandi!

 

I generally agree with all points except #2. The Japanese indie scene seems to be much healthier and more productive than the one in the US or in Europe at the moment. Many western bands and artist I listened to a few years ago are now gone or became totally mainstream. The western music scene is in a terrible state at the moment, while the Japanese at least tries to preserve its diversity. Sure development is slow and real innovation rare but it is there. And it doesn't just have to happen in the indie scene. Even the idol scene has innovation with stuff like BIS, and Babymetal.

 

 

I don't want to see the Japanese music scene opening up only to be swollowed whole by what stupid music trend is sweeping through the US charts at the moment. No thanks. If I want that I can go and listen to K-Pop.  

[DocumentaLy]

^ not all idols are bad. Although it's still sad to see them dominating the charts and leaving the more talented artists behind. But this is also an issue where the general public who don't understand how the idol industry works and Japan's culture, they'll end up thinking that's all Jpop has to offer.

 

Some Japanese people think that idols are all the scene has to offer now because that's what the media is pushing time and time again.

[gyrobot]

While I agree with you, some of the JPOP fans disagrees (although I may show them the article from here some time.

 

http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=4902404#post4902404

 

That said, most of the JPOP acts on the Oricon charts are a disgrace to Japan, only making them look like a bunch of internet pariahs by alienating male fans who don't like their girls acting like 14 year olds at the age of 24 to talent driven fans who finds their dancing to be...lacking.

 

Still Japan's hip hop industry is healthier and proof that if JPOP really wanted to. It could throw out a sexy concept group and not be scared of being censored by netizens with their hyperbolic responses.

[DocumentaLy]

While I agree with you, some of the JPOP fans disagrees (although I may show them the article from here some time.

 

http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=4902404#post4902404

 

That said, most of the JPOP acts on the Oricon charts are a disgrace to Japan, only making them look like a bunch of internet pariahs by alienating male fans who don't like their girls acting like 14 year olds at the age of 24 to talent driven fans who finds their dancing to be...lacking.

 

Still Japan's hip hop industry is healthier and proof that if JPOP really wanted to. It could throw out a sexy concept group and not be scared of being censored by netizens with their hyperbolic responses.

 

That's a very long thread.