#10: GENERATIONS
Male
idol group EXILE has had a huge impact on the J-pop industry, so it
came as no surprise that the members of the group would foster young
talent on their label and use their extensive reach to support the next
generation of idol singers. Seven member dance group GENERATIONS has
received a nice boost from their appearances with EXILE TRIBE, a
supergroup made up of members of the EXILE family including the original
group and J Soul Brothers, and they're already doing a fantastic job
with their start off singles. The group is still new, having only
debuted officially at the end of last year, but their work thus far
shows plenty of potential and a lot to look forward to when they release
their debut album! To get a taste of what GENERATIONS has to offer,
listen to "Love You More," "Brave it Out," and "Animal."
#9: Sexy Zone
Sexy
Zone is one of the newest up-and-coming groups from Johnny's and
Associates, the talent agency responsible for putting together the
majority of Japan's leading male idol groups, and though they only
currently have one studio album out, it's not too early to get really
excited about this group's potential. Their debut album one Sexy Zone and
all four of their singles have easily charted number one on Japan's
Oricon charts, and group leader Nakajima Kento is already a young
veteran in the industry from his work with Johnny's Jr. groups, most
notably B.I. Shadow. The group's name and performance style is inspired
by the smooth moves of Michael Jackson, and time will tell if they'll be
able to live up to the performance standards of their idol. To get in
their zone, try "Sexy Zone," Real Sexy," and "Lady" a listen.
#8: Kanjani8
Before
J-pop became the mainstream music of Japan, music lovers enjoyed
"enka," the genre of ballad music inspired by traditional Japanese
singing dominated postwar Japan. Enka is still a very popular genre with
the older generations in Japan, and also has a presence in modern music
among the bands who bring elements of it into their own style. Idol
group Kanjani8 is known as Japan's prominent modern enka performers due
to how they blend in the old-fashioned sensibility into their
contemporary pop rock sound. The seven member group currently has seven
studio albums out, and all of their single releases have charted within
Oricon's top five. Want some of their greatest numbers to get into?
Check out "Kan Fu Fighting," "Musekinin Hero," and "ER."
#7: NEWS
I
always seem to fall in love the hardest with the groups that lose their
members such as K-pop/J-pop group TVXQ/Tohoshinki which split into two
groups after a major label dispute. It was difficult for us NEWS fans to
watch as several of our favorite members of the group dropped out to
pursue other opportunities, although luckily most still are active in
the industry. On the other hand, NEWS is still as fantastic as ever as a
four-member group, and their subunit Tegomass featuring members Masuda
and Tegoshi has been responsible for several amazing releases over the
past few years. It really does pay to stand by the groups you love, even
if they go through line-up changes; they may surprise you with how well
they carry on! For some of their strongest singles, listen to
"Chankapana," "Hoshi o Mezashite," and "Kibo."
#6: Hey! Say! JUMP
Back
in 2007, fans were thrilled to hear that Johnny's Entertainment was
embarking on their largest idol project to date, named Hey! Say! JUMP in
honor of the members' hometown of Heisei, and the nine member group is
still going strong five years later! The group regularly performs with
all its members, but also has a sub-unit system in place to assist in
their promotions and appearances. The Hey! Say! 7 division is made up of
the group's four youngest members, while Hey! Say! BEST features the
five oldest members, including group leader Kota Yabu. Hey! Say! JUMP
currently has two studio albums out, both of which debuted at number one
with Oricon. For some of their best singles, listen to "Ultra Music
Power," "OVER," and "Hitomi no Screen."
#5: Kis-my-Ft2
Like
GENERATIONS and Sexy Zone, Kis-my-ft2 are still new to the industry,
but they did such a stellar job with their start off releases and
pre-debut work with Johnny's Jr. that they easily became one of my
favorite bands in a short amount of time. They have two full length
albums out, including this year's Good Ikuze!,
and both have gone on to do incredibly well on the charts, launching
Kis-my-ft2 as one of the highest selling male groups of 2012-2013 as
well as the first artist to debut at the Tokyo Dome, one of Japan's most
coveted concert arenas. For some of Kis-my-ft2's best work, listen to
"My Resistance -Tashikana Mono-," "WANNA BEEEE!!!" and "Everybody Go."
#4: SMAP
The
90s were my favorite years for English- language music thanks to the
brief rise of both girl groups and boy groups at that time including my
personal favorites NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, and
Destiny's Child. Japanese boy bands also had a major surge of popularity
in the 90s, especially thanks to the introduction of SMAP, one of
Johnny Entertainment's most celebrated idol groups. After debuting in
1991, the group went on to release a whooping twenty-one studio albums,
and are still producing excellent music to this day if their consistent
string of number one singles is any indication. In fact, many fans point
to the breakout success of SMAP as the reason Johnny's Entertainment
and other similar talent agencies are now staples in the J-pop music
industry. For a sample of SMAP's considerable catalog, try "Sekai ni
Hitotsu Dake no Hana," "Aoi Inazuma," and "This is Love."
#3: KAT-TUN
J-pop
tends to be a little bit on the sugary side, so it's always a nice
change of pace to have a group that embraces a rock edge from time to
time. KAT-TUN (pronounced similarly to the English word "cartoon") has
an excellent balance of pop and rock in their music, and their six
studio albums each make for great listens, even if you're not a big fan
of the pop genre. KAT-TUN also does a lot of promotional and
entertainment work through television and radio appearances and their
very own show KAT-TUN Sekaiichi dame na yoru!, which makes them
one of the easiest J-pop groups to get to know and learn more about.
This year they also gained the special distinction of being the second
artist in Japan to reach the number one position on the Oricon chart for
twenty consecutive singles! For some of their most addictive numbers,
try "Don't U Ever Stop," "Real Face," and "Love Yourself."
#2: EXILE
As
one of the groups that got me into the Japanese male idol genre, EXILE
holds a special place in my heart. I heard them for the first time on
the Street Fighter IV OST singing the English-language theme "The
Next Door (Indestructible)," and the track ended up being so infectious
that I immediately looked EXILE up to hear more of their catalog. I
almost had a heart attack of joy over the fact that they had a grand
total of fourteen members and could still manage to command a stage
without making it look too crowded. They've remained one of my favorite
J-pop/R&B groups over the years, and I, like many of their fans, am
sad that the time has come for founding member Hiro to retire. For some
of EXILE's greatest numbers, look into "EXILE PRIDE,"
"Tada...Aitakute," and "Lovers Again."
#1: Arashi
When
it comes to male idols in Japan, Arashi stands at the top of the pack.
They've been named the most popular artist active in Japan by Oricon for
three consecutive years, and every one of their major releases,
including their eleven studio albums and forty-one singles, have landed
in Oricon's top five. All of their singles since 2004 have charted
number one, even when challenged by the biggest names in the industry.
And putting all of their statistical achievements aside, their sound is
simply infectious, enjoyable, and exemplary of what good pop music is
all about, so if you're new to the male idol genre, Arashi should be
among your first groups to check out. Some of their best singles include
"Monster," Calling," and "Troublemaker," but they've got an extensive
catalog that it's hard to choose favorites!
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