Op GP Journal 5: 21years of J-pop

06 June 2020

celebrated 20years of J-pop last year.
my love is still the same, but added a few ‘未開封’ rare collectibles & new titles that i bought over the past few months.

this project allows me to know a few J-pop collectible comrades thru ig + dream’s Tachibana Kana liked my post (fanboy mode).

almost finish downloading my entire CD collection (tbh i really lose count on the number & $$$) into my iTunes Library (should be able to complete this way overdue task during my recovery period). cant wait for the convenience of listening to every songs without searching high & low thru my room again. :)
perhaps i should do a review for my K-pop collection’s 20th Anniversary (June 2022) too.

[Original Introduction 2019] 20years of J-pop:
besides maps, music is the other major interests that defines my life. i played a few instruments; wrote lyrics & listens to various genres/languages. Of which, nothing beats J-pop. i like J-pop for its creativity, talent & open-mindedness.
the very first J-pop song i heard was “DANCING JUNK” by SUPER MONKEY (parent group of 安室奈美恵 & MAX) in 1993. “DANCING JUNK” was the ending theme for the ninja cartoon “忍者乱太郎”, which was aired thru Ch8 on Saturday morning.
I was officially introduced to J-pop during my days in concert band. my band played numerous Japanese folk & J-pop pieces, which includes Puffy’s “アジアの純真”, Kinki Kids “硝子の少年”, Le Couple “ひだまりの詩”, “上を向いて歩こう (Sukiyaki)”, “Nippon Minyo” etc. (sometimes we joked that we are a Japanese school band).
We started playing SPEED’s “White Love” in February 1999 and this song completely changed my life. i was addicted to the song and eventually bought my 1st J-pop CD (SPEED’s best album “MOMENT”) on 26 June 1999. in the next few months, i fell in love with all the songs included in “MOMENT”, kickstarting a crazy fandom on SPEED.
shortly later, SPEED disbanded & i started following a list of J-pop artists I like. before the age of iTunes, it is difficult & expensive to purchase J-pop outside Japan. over the years, i witnessed the transformation of J-pop; rise & fall of superstars; and a fair amount of artists i like who choose to retire/hiatus/disband/nosedive/transform/comeback. it has been an exciting 20years. to commemorate the 20th anniversary, i will be rolling out a new series (wanted to do this for a while & started planning since December 2018), featuring the Top 20 J-pop artists i like, over the next 20days.

[Original Ranking 2019 (actually still the same)]
J-pop Artists I Like:
1位: SPEED
2位: 浜崎あゆみ Hamasaki Ayumi
3位: 安室奈美恵 Amuro Namie
4位: dream
5位: 倖田來未 Koda Kumi
6位: MAX
7位: モーニング娘。 morning musume.
8位: Do As Infinity
9位: 宇多田ヒカル Utada Hikaru
10位: globe
11位: 中島美嘉 Nakashima Mika
12位: 相川七瀬 Aikawa Nanase
13位: Every Little Thing
14位: 椎名林檎 Shiina Ringo
15位: hitomi
16位: m-flo
17位: 矢井田瞳 Yaida Hitomi
18位: MISIA
19位: GLAY
20位: 倉木麻衣 Kuraki Mai

#20yearsofJpop #Jpop #BPmusic
#MusicismyLIFE #otaku #collectible

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