Before we get into it, the follwing is a basic FAQ that I have prepared for this page:
Q: Why?
A: Because.
Q: What is JPOP?
A: JPOP is basically Japanese Popular music. I.e. contemporary pop music with a target audience of teenagers to mid 20s. In the past, it has also been known as "new music".
Note, many artists in the JPOP industry do not last long, at least in terms of a recording history. You could call some of the artists "flash in the pants." This is esecially true in terms of the Girl groups, which tend to be my favorites. Some, however, are able to branch out into other projects, such as TV, movies or modeling. Some JPOP artists involved with Japanese Anime also have a hard time after the show is cancelled. However, these singers, in what I call Anime Pop, have a following of their own contained in the fans of the anime show itself.
There is the reputation that most of these popular groups are more the product of the producers than any possible talent of the artist. For the more successful groups, I don't think it is as much of a factor, but with the current all girl groups Morning Musume, Coconut Musume and Pachiko [sp?], all produced by Tsunk, the producer's influence is definately a factor. This type of produced pop is incredibly similar to the practices in the 60's that linked the studio musicians for The Monkees with The Archies, and other groups.
For me, it's a guilty pleasure. Good pop is so hard to find these days.
Q: What is going to be on this site?
A: Featured artists from my own collection, past and present. In particular, Akina Nakamori, Shizuka Kudo, Speed, Morning Musume and ZARD. More may be added, depending on whether or not I actually like their music.
Some pictures will be available, but not audio files, at least for now. I need to check out Geocities' audio file policy first.
Q: Where can I purchase JPOP CDs or Videos?
A: This site will feature several links to active JPOP CD retailers. However, unless I note otherwise, I will not have purchased from any site and will not be able to vouch for their pricing and shipping policies.
Let me at least say this: shopping for older JPOP CDs is virtually impossible, unless you special order and the CD is still in print. This is due in part to the short lived nature of many artists.
Q: How did you get interested in JPOP?
A: Back in the late 80's, a couple of friends got me interested in Japanese Anime shows. In particular, Kimagure Orange Road, Bubblegum Crises, Macross and Ranma 1/2. Most of these had song tracks that I liked so I purchased the CD soundtracks. After that, I took a chance and purchased a couple of the featured artists' CDs, and the rest, they say, is history.
Q: How would you recommend introducing JPOP to someone?
A: The best advice for the novice is to visit a few of the links that I have collected. Most of these sites have MP3 audio files that are updated on an almost regular basis. A couple will have Real Audio files for a quicker download, but with only a portion of the whole song.
Q: How much are JPOP CDs?
A: JPOP CDs are expensive in America, averaging about $30.00 per regular CD. While the MP3 file use is still arguably illegal, I would not have heard of most the JPOP artists I will feature here, nor would I have been willing to shell out the $$ to purchase their CDs. It's a mixed bag, and an issue not easily resolved. If you fear legal repurcussions, find out about JPOP the hard way: find someone that has JPOP CDs and see if you like what they have.
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