J Pop 2007 in Review ~Part One~
11th December 2007, Tuesday
2007 for the J-pop scene seems to be a carbon copy of the 2 years preceding in terms of the ailing sales of records and few surprises along the way...
The usual suspects are still hogging the charts though a few surprises came coming along the way...
Being an avid supporter of Japanese Pop music for years now especially the sudden surge of interest with regular dosage of J-pop music variety programs like Music Station, I dissect the J pop chart scene (which indirectly reflect popularity) and make a 2 part review
The Hits
It's almost certain that tenor Akikawa Masafumi will clinch the single of the year after staying in the chart for the most of 2007 with "Sen no Kaze ni Natte" which propelled up the singles chart once he performed in the Kohaku last year...Most probably the only million seller of the year...
2nd place most probably will be Utada Hikaru's "Flavor of Life"... The Ballad version was a haunting tune in the dorama, "Hana Yori Dango 2" which itself was perhaps the biggest hit series of 2007. It was no surprise the Japanese fans were downloading the digital single via their PC or handphones, clocking 7.7 million sales, a figure unrivaled in the history of digital single...
The same dorama most probably spawned the 3rd biggest hit of 2007, Arashi's "Love so Sweet"...
The remaining of the Top 10 of the year remained much a myth but the likes of Kobukuro & Ayaka's "Winding Road", Kobukuro's "Tsubomi", Otsuka Ai's "Peach/Heart", GReeeeN's "Ai Uta" should be there somewhere...
The Divas
The ever-gruelling battle between Utada Hikaru & Hamasaki Ayumi had been usurped by the emergence of Koda Kumi in recent years...the matriarch of Avex must be fuming how some of her junior Avex Divas such as Koda, Otsuka Ai, Boa are gaining popularity at such rate that she might be displaced soon just as she had displaced Amuro Namie years back...
2007 seems to be not so much a year for the songstresses even though Utada's success with "Flavor of Life"..Koda's "Freaky", "Ai no Uta" & "Last Angel" were successful but only the former made it into No. 1 on the charts.
Ayu-chan's "glitter/fated" and "Talkin' to Myself" both made into No. 1s but at no strong competitor during her release and her "A Best 2" albums' sales pales in comparison to her "A Best"...
Otsuka Ai's "Peach/Heart" success was due to yet another teen dorama, "Hana-Kimi" (the hit dorama this summer) while her other singles "Pocket" and "Chulip" received moderate success...
BoA continues to go sultry with her songs and image, I especially like the way she tie up her signature long locks as a fine-looking gentleman in "Sweet Impact:..
Nakashima Mika continues to ride on the success of Nana but had a pretty fruitful year in terms of singles release with 4, 3 of which made it into the top ten...Meanwhile Nana alumni, Ito Yuna couldn't follow suit the success of her maiden year
Singer-song writers like aiko, Ayaka, Angela Aki & Kimura Kaela continue to carve their niche in the scene
However the one that surprised us for 2007 has to be YUI...Since her debut last year with the movie "Taiyou no Uta", this young talented singer showed the world she could sing as good as she compose..."Rolling Star", "C.he.R.R.Y", "My Generation" & "Love & Truth" constantly popping up the charts...2008 might be the year for this petite singer as well
The Crooners
Kuwata Keisuke made up for a quiet year of Southern All Stars with 3 chart-topping hits for 2007...
Hirai Ken started the year well with "Elegy" but his "Fake Star", a flip side to 2006 hit, "Pop Star" could not replicate the success of the predecessor.
Gackt was tuned down a lot for a graduation anthem in Spring but returned with his usual rock self in the fittingly-named "The Returner".
Wentz & Teppei of WaT also had pretty good sales in their solo projects perhaps due to their boyish charm more than their songs actually...
Kinki Kids' Dohmoto Tsuyoshi's alter ego ENDLICHERI☆ENDLICHERI also had a hit early in the year, otherwise it was a quiet year for the male solo in the mainstream pop genre...
The Evergreen
With the no-show of "Sazan", the Big 4 of J-pop lies on B'z who in their 20th year in the business hit their 40th consecutive No. 1 hit, "Super Love Song"...
Dream Comes True, although missed out on No. 1 spot on the Oricon charts with their efforts this year; their popularity could never be doubted and in "Osaka Lover", they have one of my favorite song of 2007
Mr Children had another wonderful year kicking start with "Fake" for the movie "Dororo" and ending with "Tabidachi no Uta"
Even one of my all time favorite band, Spitz also had a couple singles this year and even made rare TV appearances for their last single "Gunjyou"
Other evergreens that made their mark this year include Kazumasa Oda, Bonnie Pink, Okuda Tamio & Makihara Noriyuki.
The Teen Idols
For a while the various groups of the Johnny's Jimusho were trading No. 1 spots on the chart
While SMAP, the Dai-Senpai of the brood having a relative quiet year without a single released thus far due to other work commitments, a group of young upstarts by the name of "Hey! Say! Jump" hit No. 1 with the theme song for the Volleyball World Cup hosted in Japan..
Arashi as I have mentioned had a great turn out in the charts with "Love so Sweet", "We can make it" & "Happiness" all theme songs fo dorama starring their members...
Kinki Kids, celebrating their 10th anniversary continue their consecutive No. 1s this year while Tokio couldn't followed up their success with "Sorafune" last year despite continued collaboration with well-known songwriters like Nakashima Miyuki & Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi,
V6 & Tackey & Tsubasa had rather forgetful year while Kanjani 8 continue spreading their Kansai warmth with 2 No. 1 hits this year.
But the attention was very much on 2 groups with great success in 2005 & 2006 respectively...
NEWS reunited after troubles with 2 members and delivered 2 No. 1 singles and a chart-topping albums while KAT-TUN with Akanishi Jin returning from his hiatus was stronger than ever,,,
While the Johnny's was hogging the limelight, other boy bands like w-inds and Korean act, Tohoshinki also had their showing in the scene for 2007
The female Johnny's, Hello! Project saw Morning Musume having the last of the 4th generation, Yoshizawa Hitomi graduating and their singles sales hit record low with "Mikan"... Meanwhile a Hello! Kid project, C-ute gaining unexpected popularity instead with a No. 1 hit.
AAA, an Avex Eurobeat group also had another good showing in 2007 especially singing the title track from Kamen Rider Den-O
To be concluded...
2007 for the J-pop scene seems to be a carbon copy of the 2 years preceding in terms of the ailing sales of records and few surprises along the way...
The usual suspects are still hogging the charts though a few surprises came coming along the way...
Being an avid supporter of Japanese Pop music for years now especially the sudden surge of interest with regular dosage of J-pop music variety programs like Music Station, I dissect the J pop chart scene (which indirectly reflect popularity) and make a 2 part review
The Hits
It's almost certain that tenor Akikawa Masafumi will clinch the single of the year after staying in the chart for the most of 2007 with "Sen no Kaze ni Natte" which propelled up the singles chart once he performed in the Kohaku last year...Most probably the only million seller of the year...
2nd place most probably will be Utada Hikaru's "Flavor of Life"... The Ballad version was a haunting tune in the dorama, "Hana Yori Dango 2" which itself was perhaps the biggest hit series of 2007. It was no surprise the Japanese fans were downloading the digital single via their PC or handphones, clocking 7.7 million sales, a figure unrivaled in the history of digital single...
The same dorama most probably spawned the 3rd biggest hit of 2007, Arashi's "Love so Sweet"...
The remaining of the Top 10 of the year remained much a myth but the likes of Kobukuro & Ayaka's "Winding Road", Kobukuro's "Tsubomi", Otsuka Ai's "Peach/Heart", GReeeeN's "Ai Uta" should be there somewhere...
The Divas
The ever-gruelling battle between Utada Hikaru & Hamasaki Ayumi had been usurped by the emergence of Koda Kumi in recent years...the matriarch of Avex must be fuming how some of her junior Avex Divas such as Koda, Otsuka Ai, Boa are gaining popularity at such rate that she might be displaced soon just as she had displaced Amuro Namie years back...
2007 seems to be not so much a year for the songstresses even though Utada's success with "Flavor of Life"..Koda's "Freaky", "Ai no Uta" & "Last Angel" were successful but only the former made it into No. 1 on the charts.
Ayu-chan's "glitter/fated" and "Talkin' to Myself" both made into No. 1s but at no strong competitor during her release and her "A Best 2" albums' sales pales in comparison to her "A Best"...
Otsuka Ai's "Peach/Heart" success was due to yet another teen dorama, "Hana-Kimi" (the hit dorama this summer) while her other singles "Pocket" and "Chulip" received moderate success...
BoA continues to go sultry with her songs and image, I especially like the way she tie up her signature long locks as a fine-looking gentleman in "Sweet Impact:..
Nakashima Mika continues to ride on the success of Nana but had a pretty fruitful year in terms of singles release with 4, 3 of which made it into the top ten...Meanwhile Nana alumni, Ito Yuna couldn't follow suit the success of her maiden year
Singer-song writers like aiko, Ayaka, Angela Aki & Kimura Kaela continue to carve their niche in the scene
However the one that surprised us for 2007 has to be YUI...Since her debut last year with the movie "Taiyou no Uta", this young talented singer showed the world she could sing as good as she compose..."Rolling Star", "C.he.R.R.Y", "My Generation" & "Love & Truth" constantly popping up the charts...2008 might be the year for this petite singer as well
The Crooners
Kuwata Keisuke made up for a quiet year of Southern All Stars with 3 chart-topping hits for 2007...
Hirai Ken started the year well with "Elegy" but his "Fake Star", a flip side to 2006 hit, "Pop Star" could not replicate the success of the predecessor.
Gackt was tuned down a lot for a graduation anthem in Spring but returned with his usual rock self in the fittingly-named "The Returner".
Wentz & Teppei of WaT also had pretty good sales in their solo projects perhaps due to their boyish charm more than their songs actually...
Kinki Kids' Dohmoto Tsuyoshi's alter ego ENDLICHERI☆ENDLICHERI also had a hit early in the year, otherwise it was a quiet year for the male solo in the mainstream pop genre...
The Evergreen
With the no-show of "Sazan", the Big 4 of J-pop lies on B'z who in their 20th year in the business hit their 40th consecutive No. 1 hit, "Super Love Song"...
Dream Comes True, although missed out on No. 1 spot on the Oricon charts with their efforts this year; their popularity could never be doubted and in "Osaka Lover", they have one of my favorite song of 2007
Mr Children had another wonderful year kicking start with "Fake" for the movie "Dororo" and ending with "Tabidachi no Uta"
Even one of my all time favorite band, Spitz also had a couple singles this year and even made rare TV appearances for their last single "Gunjyou"
Other evergreens that made their mark this year include Kazumasa Oda, Bonnie Pink, Okuda Tamio & Makihara Noriyuki.
The Teen Idols
For a while the various groups of the Johnny's Jimusho were trading No. 1 spots on the chart
While SMAP, the Dai-Senpai of the brood having a relative quiet year without a single released thus far due to other work commitments, a group of young upstarts by the name of "Hey! Say! Jump" hit No. 1 with the theme song for the Volleyball World Cup hosted in Japan..
Arashi as I have mentioned had a great turn out in the charts with "Love so Sweet", "We can make it" & "Happiness" all theme songs fo dorama starring their members...
Kinki Kids, celebrating their 10th anniversary continue their consecutive No. 1s this year while Tokio couldn't followed up their success with "Sorafune" last year despite continued collaboration with well-known songwriters like Nakashima Miyuki & Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi,
V6 & Tackey & Tsubasa had rather forgetful year while Kanjani 8 continue spreading their Kansai warmth with 2 No. 1 hits this year.
But the attention was very much on 2 groups with great success in 2005 & 2006 respectively...
NEWS reunited after troubles with 2 members and delivered 2 No. 1 singles and a chart-topping albums while KAT-TUN with Akanishi Jin returning from his hiatus was stronger than ever,,,
While the Johnny's was hogging the limelight, other boy bands like w-inds and Korean act, Tohoshinki also had their showing in the scene for 2007
The female Johnny's, Hello! Project saw Morning Musume having the last of the 4th generation, Yoshizawa Hitomi graduating and their singles sales hit record low with "Mikan"... Meanwhile a Hello! Kid project, C-ute gaining unexpected popularity instead with a No. 1 hit.
AAA, an Avex Eurobeat group also had another good showing in 2007 especially singing the title track from Kamen Rider Den-O
To be concluded...
Labels: music
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