I wonder why kind of J-Pop I hate the most. Is it obnoxiously (not) "cute" girls bands, or obnoxiously (not) "cool" boys bands. The music of both kinds is inane, and I wonder if I was as obnoxious as my daughter when I was her age and I used to listen to the hits of the day in my living room in front of my annoyed parents.

She'll grow out of it any day now, right? Right?

⤵️

#JPop #Puberty #teenagers

Iconic musician Yumi Matsutoya sat down with The Japan Times for a rare conversation about AI, memory and her role in creating city pop. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/12/01/music/yumi-matsutoya-ai-music/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #yumimatsutoya #citypop #jpop #yumiarai

For this year’s New Year’s Eve “Kohaku” broadcast, Okinawan rockers Orange Range are back after 19 years, while new-kawaii J-Pop group Fruits Zipper are set to make their debut. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/11/14/entertainment-news/kohaku2025-masaaki-sakai-j-pop/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #entertainmentnews #kohakuutagassen #nhk #idols #jpop #japanesetv #newyear #oshogatsu #chanmina

Everyone in Japan is streaming the same song again: Kenshi Yonezu and “Chainsaw Man” have brought back the monoculture. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/10/31/music/chainsaw-man-anime-kenshi-yonezu/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #anime #kenshiyonezu #chainsawman #jpop

More than a decade after first performing in Tokyo as part of boy band Exo, Chanyeol is back in Japan, this time for his solo tour and Japanese-language EP. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/10/23/music/chanyeol-k-pop-j-pop-album/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #kpop #jpop #chanyeol

Tokyo’s skyline is changing — and it’s not just office towers. A new wave of arenas is redefining Japan’s entertainment landscape. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/13/japan/society/kanto-arena-boom-basketball/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #tokyo #yokohama #bleague #livemusic #jpop #urbanredevelopment

From “Dragon Ball Z” to Fuji Rock — saxophonist Patrick Bartley finds jazz in J-pop, blending anime, Vocaloid and bebop into a second language. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/09/25/music/patrick-bartley-jazz-j-pop/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #jpop #jazz #jmusicensemble #patrickbartley

Forget the late-night headliners — Summer Sonic 2025 belonged to J-pop. Mrs. Green Apple, Hikaru Utada and Hana ruled the weekend. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/08/22/music/summer-sonic-jpop/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #summerfestivals #summersonic #hikaruutada #mrsgreenapple #hana#officialhigedandism #aliciakeys #jpop

J-pop artist Kenshin Kamimura has been found guilty of indecent assault by a Hong Kong court after he harassed a woman who worked as his interpreter at a restaurant earlier this year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/08/14/japan/crime-legal/star-assault-hong-kong/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #kenshinkamimura #hongkong #jpop #idols #sexcrimes

Rise, shine and rave. Summer Sonic 2025 is putting its biggest J-pop and K-pop stars in early slots — with Babymetal, Mrs. Green Apple, aespa and more turning the weekend into an all-day sprint. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/08/13/music/summer-sonic-festival-preview/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #musicfestivals #summersonic #kpop #jpop #sonicmania

Takeru Satoh looks gorgeous playing a tortured genius in “Glass Heart” — a show that sounds great but rings hollow. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/08/07/tv-streaming/glass-heart/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #tvstreaming #netflix #jpop #takerusatoh #yumiyazaki#keitamachida #junshison

The crowds at this year’s Fuji Rock Festival? Massive. Lines? Seemingly endless. But unexpected guest appearances and only-in-Naeba moments made it all worth it. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/08/04/music/fuji-rock-festival-report/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #fujirockfestival #musicfestivals #jpop #kpop #rap #electronica #smash

With younger fans, more diverse acts and rising interest from abroad, Fuji Rock is seeing its strongest turnout in years. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/07/24/music/fuji-rock-lineup-turnout/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #fujirockfestival #musicfestivals #jpop #kpop #rap #electronica #smashcorporation

Need a festival game plan? From Mdou Moctar and Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso to Radwimps and mei ehara, here’s who The Japan Times crew is racing between stages to catch. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/07/22/music/fuji-rock-festival-preview/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #fujirockfestival #musicfestivals #jpop #kpop #rap #electronica

At Kawaii Lab, former idol-turned-producer Misa Kimura is putting power in her performers’ hands by giving them more control over their image and sound. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/07/17/kawaii-lab-j-pop-idol-misa-kimura/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #jpop #idols #asobisystem #misakimura #kawaiilab

Cheering for your favorite idol at a concert often involves items such as customized fans with messages on them and identical glow sticks in the colors of the celebrity act. Companies are rushing to offer that and more. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/07/12/music/oshikatsu-merch-expo/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #idols #jpop #oshikatsu #tokyolifestyleweek

The bilingual singer-songwriter delivers her artful blend of jazz and indie pop with quiet confidence. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/06/26/music/mei-semones-animaru-fuji-rock/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #fujirockfestival #meisemones #jpop #musicfestivals

A moment of idol mania or a fandom gone too far? A recent Fruits Zipper fan frenzy stirred online criticism, raising questions about the line between passion and obsession in J-pop idol culture. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2025/06/26/music/idol-fans/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #culture #music #fruitszipper #jpop #idols