The difference between Asian and English pop music

I agree with you completely.

That's why I don't listen to Western Pop anymore. The thing is I listen to music to de-stress/relax myself. How can I relax when I listen to songs on how I banged up another's girlfriend or maybe even how my girlfriend cheated on me? Seriously, why are western pop songs so dark nowadays? I'm also tired of the sound. They all sound the same. The MVs are also too similar to each other. Flashy cars, bars, booze, slutty girls, flashy lights, dance floor, making out, etc. All the videos have these.

I'm just glad that Jpop is not so influenced by these (aside from a few). They are still making a lot of bubbly, cutesy music and not more of that slutty mess. It's weird since I believe Johnny's was supposed to bring Western Music to Japan. Good thing they don't do the things that are so popular in the West now.

I have faith in Tsunku! Never be influenced by the West!

I completely agree with this post.

People don't understand why I don't listen to any English music anymore. seriously, not one song on my iTunes is in English. The songs are just... all the same and usually have bad lyrics. Even the artists that used to have decent lyrics ALL have bad lyrics. Like you said, if just a few songs have suggestive lyrics (Kimagure Princess Although the lyrics in that are just weird) I am not bothered much. But almost all of mainstream western music is like that now and I can't stand it!

In my opinion, the American Music Industry is just becoming trashy and I don't like it.

That's why I love Japanese music. It has so much variety in the lyrics and composing. The Japanese music industry has MORE variety than the American one for a number of reasons.

I like to listen to songs that make me happy once in a while, but there are few western pop songs that have such a positive beat and lyrics like "Seishun Collection" or HAPPY love songs like most H!P songs such as "Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~".

This is what I say to everyone that asks me why I don't listen to Western Pop.

I still enjoy Western music. Some bands I follow (almost) as intently as J-pop groups. I will point out however, that while I still keep up with eight or so bands of Western music- a lot of the Western music on my Itunes is older. I can drive and turn on the radio, and yes, a lot of the songs are catchy. And yes, I have no problem singing along and dancing in my chair, but the music never does anything for me, and I never find any urge to listen to it on my own time.

I feel like the reason Western music is not the same is because "Asian" music is a take FROM Western music, and maybe you don't want to admit it but Jpop is a copy of Western pop. The thing that sets it apart is the "strangeness" of it. The Japanese strive to always have something different from everyone else, so a lot of the time the songs come out sounding weird to Westerners. Western pop groups are looking for that element that all Western pop has, while Japanese pop is looking for something to set them apart from other Japanese pop.

Now let's not forget the gifts that Western music has given us. Rock n' roll, R n' B, etc... It's not productive to BASH Western music since it is the reason the music you listen to today (whether it be Western, Japanese, Korean, etc) is the way it is. For example, Johnny went over to America, studied Western music, came back, and turned Johnny's Enka music into "Johnny's Boys".

Seriously, I agree 100% =)

The most important to remember is that a lot of J-pop is sung by child idols, or those under 18 years. Therefore, there is no reason for Western pop idols to sing about their secret crush or growing up or what do I wear on my first date. Most Western pop songs are adult-centered because they're sung by adults. So instead, we get a lot of songs about sex and break-ups. Britney Spears had that one song she did when she was younger, "Not a girl, not yet a woman", or something like that. That was a nice song just for the reason that it was relevant to her age at the time. I'm taking a wild guess, but the average age of a pop star in the US seems to be about 27 and maybe 17 in Japan. That's a totally wild guess.

Child idols don't exist in America, there is too much taboo surrounding that idea. It's cultural differences, for the most part. Read this as tongue in cheek, but Western folks don't want to hear kids on the radio; in our collective minds the music industry is for hard-working and very talented people that have "put in the hours". Kids belong in school. We don't like the idea of 14-year olds making millions off looking cute and singing like a normal 14-year old. I'm just generalizing, this is not every Westerner's opinion. But look at Justin Bieber, he is vilified by the masses, for one. I won't comment on the Disney girls, but they seem to the closest thing to idols here in the US.

The Eastern idol industry is all about making money (same as the West), and a lot of that money comes from a certain chunk of the population - single adult males. The music is very youthful and plays to one's subconscious longing to be young. The younger the idol, the better because her innocence and inexperience makes her "safe", for lack of better word. But that idea doesn't work out West. As an example, my now 37-year old husband actually liked and had Berryz Koubou's "Jiriri Kiteru" is his iPod, until he saw the thumbnail art and saw they were all little girls. I noticed the song was gone after that. We won't let ourselves enjoy work done my children because there is a stigma attached to it. I don't like it or agree with it, but that's how it is.

I've been going on too much, but I did want to state that I agree with Tiger Yuri in that we have to give credit to Western pop for influencing the East.

Child idols don't exist in America, there is too much taboo surrounding that idea. It's cultural differences, for the most part. Read this as tongue in cheek, but Western folks don't want to hear kids on the radio; in our collective minds the music industry is for hard-working and very talented people that have "put in the hours". Kids belong in school. We don't like the idea of 14-year olds making millions off looking cute and singing like a normal 14-year old. I'm just generalizing, this is not every Westerner's opinion. But look at Justin Bieber, he is vilified by the masses, for one. I won't comment on the Disney girls, but they seem to the closest thing to idols here in the US.

^ I just have to say here, that I think Justin Beiber is villified because of his rediculously high voice and pure lack of talent, yet all of his fans think he's the greatest thing ever. I'm one of his haters. And before anyone says anything, yes, I HAVE tried to listen to him music. But I can't stand it.

I must say, Aeris, that your points do make sense. And it's not just in music that there are cultural differences. Even food, there's a stark difference (The first thing that popped into my head lol I'm soooooooooo hungry and it's timer for dinner hehe ). My mates would shudder at the thought of eating snake, but I'd enjoy it! I've tried many 'weird' and 'exotic' foods, which to, as an Asian, are perfectly normal.

The cultural differences run deep, I guess.

To me, the style of Asian pop music feels a bit like the pop music of the early 90's in the UK, also I prefer asian pop because I grew up playing early japanese disc based video game consoles like the mega CD. The music for those games were written because now they could, so some of the music was top notch. H!P reminds me of playing my mega cd as a kid. I don't really listen to modern western music as, I'm still listening to the stuff I enjoyed when I was younger.

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i put the above in a spoiler cuz it's way too long to be a comment only LOL

i think i gave up western music when i realized most songs were either dirty, emo, or clingy. lol
the only ones that i randomly listen to is taylor swift, lily allen (her lyrics are soo awesome.) and sometimes M.I.A.
can't stand ke$ha. at all. her lyrics, presence, everything. i just ignore her. lady gaga is alright sometimes.

and well, yea, i think miley cyrus is the closest thing to an asian idol.
i remember her talking on a show about how some of her fans are old men
and it creeps her out lol
iunno, ppl around me make it seem like it's a "sin" to watch young teens (or people who look younger than their age) dancing/singing
or like, it's weird to listen to high-pitched voices
or pretty boys....
it's okay for a 16 yr old girl to like a mid-40 yr old male celebrity
but it's almost sin for a 19 yr old girl to like a 16 yr old male celebrity.

weird.

Most Western pop songs are adult-centered because they're sung by adults. So instead, we get a lot of songs about sex and break-ups.

But there are plenty of adult J-Pop singers. You only seem to be focusing on idol music. But look at acclaimed artists such as Ayumi Hamasaki. She is known for her stirringly honest lyrics, and I haven't read one translation of her lyrics involving sex or drugs. Same goes for others.

Western pop groups are looking for that element that all Western pop has, while Japanese pop is looking for something to set them apart from other Japanese pop.

That's why I love J-Pop so much and is why there is so much variety! I also think that in some artists' songs they have some traditional elements to it. I can't think of any immediate H!P songs (besides... Kimagure Princess?) but songs like many of alan's have erhus and other traditional asian instruments. Also a song that comes to mind is Green by Ayumi Hamasaki.

The thing about western music is that the most successful artists get that way by exposure, and only artists that reflect popular society (not actual society, but popular society) get exposure. Today, in western culture, it's sex, drugs and rock'n'roll all day, every day. That, and everyone wants to be a pop star. I, actually, follow a great deal of western music. The only catch is, the western artists I listen to, never get played on the radio, never get invited to the VMAs and never top the charts. I follow the artists that don't reflect popular western culture at all.

In the US, nowadays, everyone wants to be famous. No one wants to work hard for what they deserve, they just wanna get handed what they want. No one wants to fall in love, everyone just wants to satisy their lust. No one even seems to care too much about the country's economic distress, because they're only worried about their own impossible selfish dreams of becomming the next Miley Cyrus or Lady Gaga. Celebrities (I don't even wanna call them artists, or even singers) live in a bit of a sifted reality. A good chunk of the pop stars in the US have been in and out of Disney shows/musicals/movies, so regular childhood or even normal everyday life is something foreign to them. Anyone else has had rich parents and were able to write one song about "I wanna be a billionare so frickin bad," had their moms and dads pay for a demo and hollywood decided their faces were useful and decided to market them. Then, of course, there are a few rappers that grew up in the ghetto and decided to tell the world how sweet it is carrying a gun in your pocket and smokin weed all day while your dad waits for you in jail. The songs make it seem more like a game while reality is actually quite dangerous. My point is that celebrities in western culture really don't relate to the audience, as much they do as replace actuality with a twisted Hollywood version of reality and basically try to turn us all into dreamers.

Japanese Idols, on the other hand, try more to relate to their audiences, just not with their music or lyrics. The fans of our H!P girls are usually 35-45 year old men who want nothing more from them, honestly, than a nearly-nude photobook. It's the variety shows like H!M and such that help idols relate to audiences other than their wotas. Girls in the US watch celebrities on TV and see a person living in a totally different world where bad things just don't happen and when they do, all you have to do is write a song about it and it disappears. Girls in Japan watch celebrities on TV and relize that they're just like the average Joe. Ai-chan and Gaki-chan seem to be on a totally different level than us, but at the end of the day, Ai-chan is still terrified of haunted houses and Gaki-chan's eyebrows are really kinda weird. lol. They have insecurities and fears and likes and dislikes just like everyone else, and, contrary to western culture, they don't try to hide it. They want us to see that they're just the girls next door.

So, to sum up all this random rambling, what I'm really trying to say is this: those of us that are drawn to Eastern culture are the ones that are craving a sense of down-to-earth normality. We realize that there is more to life than getting rich and famous, and we know that there just has to me more feelings and emotion inside the human body besides "You'll know my name one day," or "Hey, let's ######." (Sorry for the explicitives) I find more depth in simple Japanese lyrics than in the most serious of English lyrics, and I think a good chunk of the other users here, too, know what I mean by that. Of course we come across "western wotas" who would rather jizz on their posters than listen to the singles. But overall, I think the westerners that get pulled here, are looking to be related to, rather than to be told how to live.

I really feel like I was rambling forever, so I'm sorry for it being so long and I really hope all that made sense. Good topic, Ganny.

may be i should agreee? coz western never been so... interesting to me.

I agree completely. I wish Western Music would go back to the old days where it was all about either the actual talent of the artist or the band and the songs were written by the band members. I mean, I'm a huge fan of the Beatles, the Doors, The Who, and many other bands from the 60's and 70's and I loved the 80's; but as the 90's came to a close and everything was then about who sounded like who and how can we make "so-and-so" sound like this to make more money.

I think the music industry here (the States) is very lazy. It is all about, if it sounds good and it's making money, let's keep doing the same exact thing for everyone. The will use the EXACT same beat (just change the tempo a bit and throw in a sound here and there that's different), give it to a different artist, and have them sing it with slightly changed lyrics and BAM!!! It's on the top of the charts, pushing down the song that they got their idea from. Now, I know I'm over-generalizing; but when I turn on the radio nowadays, that's exactly what it sounds like to me.

And I am tired of the overly dark/sexed/glorified riches/glorified violence/nonsensical lyrics that are coming out of the radio these days. Yes, it is a cultural thing where in the States it's good for kids to look more grown up while in Japan it's okay to still be cute; but I think we take it a bit too far over here. That it's okay for a 3-5 year old to dance to a song where the lyrics are talking about looking a girl up and down and shaking her butt to get some money from the singer and we, as adults laugh at it thinking "ah, that's so cute and funny, look at the way she's dancing (imitating the girl on the video)". Meanwhile, they would think it's sick that so many people would want to watch Cuca-chan dancing and singing on youtube.

I guess you can say that I miss the cute/fun/silly songs that used to grace our charts as well as indie singer/songwriters who got the chance to sound different and weren't penalized for it by the critics. There was once a time where there was more variety and choices and groups that were in the same genre but sounded different. And that's why I like Japanese music (yes, even some enka) because, to me, they are still looking at music as music and not just a voice put to a background beat which I think that's what is happening here. I mean, J-Rock still has guitar solos!!!! I'm not sure if the musicians here would know how to improvise and play a 5 minute solo. That's a shame!!

In a sense I agree with you.

J-pop music is influenced by Western music but has created its own identity through the years. There are still western elements in some of the songs and some of the dance routines are based on existing western sets. However, in typical Japanese style, it was adapted and made into a very Japanese thing.

As someone who grew up following western music legends such as the Beatles (I used to go to sleep as a child listening to 'Something') and Michael Jackson (been one since the '80s and not just after he died like most people I meet nowadays), I say that the current western music scene is getting diluted and over-commercialized. Gone were the days when the artist performs in a high level during concerts (like MJ once did), now I see are concerts full of stage effects and a breathless and out of shape artist trying to sing his own songs. Take away the pizazz and all you get is a guy looking like an idiot onstage. Also, people nowadays buy music because this guy is popular or this group is big and such even if their music sounds like some whiny schoolgirl singing songs in the shower (I am looking at you Justin Bieber).

I agree with what someone else has said here, that Western Music is all about becoming "the next big thing". The next Madonna (who I actually do not like) or the next Michael Jackson or the next whoever. That and anyone who's got the right connections or the right amount of money can make an "indie" album contributes to the sorry state Western Music is in.

On the other hand, I listen to J-pop because:
a. I like the melodies of the song.
b. I like it when the song is sung with emotion or feeling. Never mind if it is off-key.
c. The songs, once translated, evokes emotion and establishes a connection in me. I loved Bye Bye Mata Ne long before Maiha graduated. Enough to pester an old friend to download the song and burn it into a CD for me for my CD player (it would be 2007 when I first got my MP3 player).
d. Because Japanese Idols are cool (well they are paid to be....)

That said, currently my Ipod is comprised mainly of the entire Beatles Catalog, the entire Michael Jackson Catalog, oldies, love songs (the old ones...circa 70 - 90s), 3 Berryz Koubo albums and a host of J-Pop songs that are themes from anime or video games. I wouldn't mind making more space for more J-pop as long as mainstream western music continues to make sub-par material. With the way things are going, looks like I'd be listening to J-pop much more.

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That's what my iTunes catalog looks like..............I mean, the only Western (or English) songs are from bands from the 90's like New Found Glory, No Doubt, Weezer, and Christian worship songs but other than that it's full with H!P, Utada, Gackt, anime and game songs.

And the reason being is just as you said....."as long as mainstream western music continues to make sub-par material...looks like I'll be listening to J-pop much more!"

I want the entire Beatles Catalog; but I can't afford it right now . Hopefully after Christmas!! I just hope that they bring Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band out on DVD again......yeah, it was corny; but I loved that movie!!

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Yeah, the catalog was pricey. The Michael Jackson one was easier to put together because a lot of material is available. I liked the unedited version of Strawberry Fields Forever. That was classic.

I'm not bashing western music though. It's just that the songs are not as good.

Since I love playing the devil's advocate in everything, I'm going to voice some different opinions and views as always.

I'd like to point out that I think a lot of people like Jpop because it's in a language they can't understand. Since you can't understand what is being said in a direct way, more emphasis is placed on rhythm and melody, rather than what is actually being said. Sure, you can look up the lyrics later, and know what it means, but if you aren't fluent in Japanese when you mouth the words they are going to have no meaning to you at all. Contrast this when you hear a song in English, you ACTUALLY know what you are saying. While you are listening to the song you think about the words that are being said a lot of times, rather than just losing yourself in the feel or emotion of the song(the way you would with a song in a language you aren't fluent in).

Aly B said: "Today, in western culture, it's sex, drugs and rock'n'roll all day, every day." I don't agree with this at all. Take modern rock, I read an article recently(can't remember where unfortunately) that was talking about the differences of rock today and from the past. Nowadays rock is really just whiny crap, and has lost that "edge" or sense of "danger" that made it exciting in the past. Just listen to a number of the popular rock artists in the last 5 years or so and it's not hard to see that this is true. Maybe in the 80s or 90s that statement would have been true, but today I don't think so.

Aly B also said(I'm not trying to single you out or anything, sorry): "In the US, nowadays, everyone wants to be famous. No one wants to work hard for what they deserve, they just wanna get handed what they want. No one wants to fall in love, everyone just wants to satisy their lust. No one even seems to care too much about the country's economic distress, because they're only worried about their own impossible selfish dreams of becomming the next Miley Cyrus or Lady Gaga. Celebrities (I don't even wanna call them artists, or even singers) live in a bit of a sifted reality. A good chunk of the pop stars in the US have been in and out of Disney shows/musicals/movies, so regular childhood or even normal everyday life is something foreign to them. Anyone else has had rich parents and were able to write one song about "I wanna be a billionare so frickin bad," had their moms and dads pay for a demo and hollywood decided their faces were useful and decided to market them. Then, of course, there are a few rappers that grew up in the ghetto and decided to tell the world how sweet it is carrying a gun in your pocket and smokin weed all day while your dad waits for you in jail. The songs make it seem more like a game while reality is actually quite dangerous. My point is that celebrities in western culture really don't relate to the audience, as much they do as replace actuality with a twisted Hollywood version of reality and basically try to turn us all into dreamers."

First of all I'd like to point out that a lot of J Idols are no different than what you just said. Take C-ute or Berryz for example, they were basically raised from birth to be an idol. You think they had a "regular" child hood? Next, I'd argue that our cultures are just different. I think when Rappers write a song it is targeted at a certain market or demographic. There will be plenty of people who buy into it, and can relate to it. I think there is a lot of truth in their songs, and I don't think there is a ton of unrealistic things being said. Most western pop songs are targeted for people in their 20s or late teens. Take the song "Like a G6" that's gotten popular recently, this is a perfect club song. What do people do at clubs? They dance, they drink, they party, right? Contrast this to some popular Jpop. It's a lot of pre-teen / early teen stuff right? There is obviously a market for that as well. I'd actually argue that a lot of Jpop songs are less realistic than western ones, I just think you have it backwards. Jpop seems more about things based in fantasy, I don't know how many times I've heard "yume", maybe in every H!P song. But again, I think a lot of this has a lot to do with culture, the way we talk and express ourselves is completely different from how the japanese do. I know I've noticed from watching a lot of japanese TV now, that we are more to the point, while they prefer to beat around the bush so to speak.

One last thing I'd like to point out before making this so long, is that I think the most succesful artists in Japan are the ones that are similar to Western style. The mega stars like Ayumi Hamasaki, Utada, B'z, TM Revolution, Namie are what i'm talking about I suppose. They all have more realistic music, not the fluffy idol stuff. Sure some of the fluffy idol stuff can be catchy, but it never lasts or has the hold. I'd like to use MM as an example here. They were the most popular in their early years. What was their most popular song? Love Machine, right? I think this song is quite suggestive, comparably speaking to a lot of their later ones, it has a more risque theme, yet it's their most popular song. Their early image was more serious, and a lot of their songs reflected this, and they were more successful then. It's no secret they've lost a lot of popularity over the years. I think part of it is a direct result of their image change. I mean, the image change was almost overnight when the 4th gen arrived.

I think a lot of people who posted something bad about western music in this thread here are basically saying the exact same things that are happening in Japan as well. Jpop has a lot of regurgitated "this worked before" type music. Most of their idols follow the formula that the ones in the 80s did, they are just riding their coat tails.