Image: Babymetal [Official Press Image]
In recent years, Japanese music has become increasingly popular in the Western world. Metal and rock are no exception. From traditional metal to subgenres like Visual Kei and Kawaii Metal, fans are offered a variety of styles. But why is Japanese Metal becoming so popular and which bands managed an international breakthrough?
Today we're going to explore which factors contribute to the phenomenon of the J-Metal trend and which bands you should definitely check out. Maybe some songs can be added to your metal-playlist today!
Why Are J-Rock And J-Metal Becoming More And More Popular?
Of course, J-Rock and J-Metal haven't just been around since yesterday. Many rock bands from Japan have been established since the 2000s and have long since built up a loyal fan base. This applies both within Japan and internationally. But meanwhile, the genres are really taking off in the West as well. The factor of globalization cannot be ignored in this regard. Streaming platforms like Spotify make it much easier for music fans worldwide to access music from all over the world. Not only that; the platforms also generate music suggestions from one's own listening habits. And in fact, Spotify hasn't been popular in Japan for all that long. Although the provider has been active since 2008, it has only been used in Japan since 2016. Before that, mainly physical media such as CDs were sold, which made it difficult to gain international popularity. Nowadays, listener numbers of J-metal and rock bands on Spotify range from several hundred thousand to several million listeners per month!
Another factor is the eye-catching aesthetic of many Japanese bands. Especially subgenres like Visual Kei and internationally known bands like Babymetal draw attention to Japanese rock music by deliberately using very extravagant or cute aesthetics. Naturally, those who stand out will be remembered by viewers. Music videos on YouTube are more likely to be watched if they look interesting. Japanese pop culture also plays a key role in the visuals of some bands, which is also a top selling point due to the increasing popularity of anime in the Western world.
The fans also play a significant role. They organize an increasing number of conventions and fan meetings, where fans can get to know each other and exchange ideas. This increases the visibility of the bands and makes more people aware of the music.
What Are Kawaii Metal And Visual Kei?
Japan is known not only for its music, but also for its fashion culture. Both are constantly creating new trends, all of which have their own characteristics.
Visual Kei is a movement that arose in Japan at the beginning of the 80s. Rock musicians began to put on makeup and dress theatrically, just as was common at the golden time of glam metal and punk culture in the West. Flashy hairstyles, hair colors and costumes are simply part of the game here. After all, the name of the subgenre says it all: Visual Kei. Musically, this subculture is influenced by rock and metal, but also by pop music and electronic music
Some bands, such as ACME, even work very specifically with their appearance, offering signed Polaroids to fans at every gig. In fact, this is one of the biggest sources of income for the groups!
Image: acmejapan [YouTube]
On the other hand, the Kawaii Metal subgenre emerged much later, in the 2010s. It combines elements of heavy metal with very cute elements that are typical for Japanese Kawaii culture. After all, the Japanese word kawaii simply means 'sweet' or 'cute'. Bands like Babymetal are currently even touring with big acts like Sabaton and Lordi. A visually similar, up-and-coming metal band is Band-Maid. The group also consists solely of female members and is getting more and more recognition.
Another example is the group Ladybaby, whose song "Nippon manju" now has over 36 million views on YouTube. The strong contrast between cute outfits and hard metal riffs and growls is simply fun. No wonder it's getting more and more clicks on the international market!
The Most Famous Metal Bands In The World Of Anime
Every series needs a good intro. And rock songs are very welcome in the world of anime. Some of the most popular anime series have rock songs by Japanese bands as intros. This, of course, contributes enormously to the international popularity of these Japanese rock bands! We'll introduce you to a few of the most popular artists here.
1. LiSA: LiSA is a Japanese rock singer known for her powerful voice and captivating songs. She has sung numerous anime intros, including the famous intro to the first season of Demon Slayer, "Gurenge".
2. Radwimps: This Japanese rock band, which has already appeared in quite a few different animes with its multi-faceted music tracks, has been exciting fans for years. Their best-known works include the soundtrack to the popular animated film "Your Name". On Spotify, the group currently has nearly 6 million monthly listeners!
3. Man With A Mission: With intros from hit series like Dragon Ball and Demon Slayer, this Japanese rock band also made a name for itself. They are known for their masked performances and combine elements of rock, metal and electronic music.
4. SiM: Not only are SiM known for their energetic live performances, but by now especially for the intro "The Rumbling" from Attack On Titan season 4 part 2. They play metalcore, but also take inspiration from punk rock.
Metalcore From Japan
But there are also numerous metal bands in Japan that don't have to do with anime and visual kei, and that are gaining popularity worldwide. Quite a few of them play Metalcore.
Crossfaith offer the perfect example for Japanese metalcore. With their energetic mix of electronic elements, hard guitar riffs and aggressive vocals, they have already established themselves internationally. The group from Osaka, Japan has played several times on the Warped Tour in the US and Europe. As recently as 2022, they were also on the road with their own concerts in Germany!
Other groups have also gained a foothold in the core scene, among them Crystal Lake. The group unfortunately had to cancel their Headliner Tour through Europe in 2022 due to the Corona pandemic, but new dates are sure to come!
Still quite new to the scene are Hanabie. who formed in 2015 and have now released their second studio album in 2023.
Still quite new to the scene are Hanabie. who formed in 2015 and have now released their second studio album in 2023. The record is called Reborn Superstar! and includes the single "Be the GAL", for which a music video has been released as well.
Conclusion
The diversity of Japanese metal, the aesthetics of rock bands, and the current popularity of Japanese pop culture contribute in large part to the growing popularity of J-Metal. Especially with platforms like Spotify and YouTube, international fans are able to access the music more easily, and it also provides more marketing opportunities for the Japanese groups. Not to mention the talent of the musicians, who can win over their fans with their performances for the long run and even get them to organize meetups for like-minded people. We hope you were able to discover a new song or two for yourself, too!
