J-pop, natively also known simply as pops, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in traditional Japanese music, but significantly in 1960s pop and rock music, such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys, which led to Japanese rock bands such as Happy End fusing rock with Japanese music in the early 1970s. J-pop was further defined by new wave groups in the late 1970s, particularly electronic synth-pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra and pop rock band Southern All Stars.
Joscelyn Eve Stoker, better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist. Her second album, the similarly multi-platinum Mind Body & Soul (2004), topped the UK Albums Chart for one week and spawned the top ten hit "You Had Me", Stone's most successful single on the UK Singles Chart to date. Both the album and single received one nomination at the 2005 Grammy Awards, while Stone herself was nominated for Best New Artist, and in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2004, was ranked fifth as a predicted breakthrough act of 2004. She became the youngest British female singer to top the UK Albums Chart. Stone's third album, Introducing Joss Stone, released in March 2007, achieved gold record status by the RIAA and yielded the second-ever highest debut for a British female solo artist on the Billboard 200, and became Stone's first top five album in the US.
First Love is the debut Japanese-language studio album by Japanese recording artist Utada Hikaru, released on 10 March 1999 on Toshiba-EMI. Born and raised in New York City to music-oriented parents, Utada moved to Tokyo to attend Seisen International School and American School in Japan. From there, she began writing and composing music for her debut effort. Utada, her father Teruzane Utada and producer Akira Miyake produced the album and remain her two main co-producers and composers.
Lisa Ono is a popular Japanese-Brazilian bossa nova singer.
Eliane Elias is a Brazilian jazz pianist, singer, composer and arranger. She has won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album (2016) and the Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album (2017).
Emi Hinouchi is a Japanese urban music singer-songwriter. She was formerly signed under King Records' sub-label Venus-B and Taku Takahashi's Tachytelic Records. She is best known for writing songs for Heartsdales and for her collaborations with M-Flo.
Love & Peace is a catchphrase of pacifism, and may refer to several music-related topics:
Stephanie McKay is an American soul singer and songwriter from the Bronx in New York, whose music includes elements of soul, funk, rock and hip hop. McKay's career has spanned over 20 years, during which time she has collaborated with artists including Anthony Hamilton, DJ Spinna Toshi Reagon and Big lovely, Roy Hargrove, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Katalyst, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Tricky, Carl Hancock Rux and Amp Fiddler and numerous others. She has released two solo albums, McKay (2003) and Tell it Like it Is (2008), a self-titled EP Stephanie McKay (2006) and has toured internationally as a solo artist. She formerly played guitar in Kelis' band and recorded with the Brooklyn Funk Essentials.
Carol Ann Holness, better known by her stage name Nancy Nova, is a singer and songwriter from London, largely active from 1978 to 1983. She is the daughter of former Blockbusters host Bob Holness and sister of Ros Holness, who was a member of 1980s new-wave group Toto Coelo.
∞infinity∞ is the first mini-album from Japanese singer Emi Tawata under the label Techesko. The album managed to reach the #110 spot on the Oricon ranking and charted for 4 weeks. This mini-album includes a reggae cover of Fumido's "Yura Yura." and the song Negai no Sora which managed to get the #1 spot on the Indies chart as a single.
LOVE&PEACE is the second mini-album from Japanese singer Emi Tawata under the label Techesko. The album managed to reach the #204 spot on the Oricon ranking and charted for 2 weeks. The mini-album had a collaboration song with DJ KAWASAKI named INTO YOU. The leading song FLOWER was a theme song for television network series がっちりマンデー!!
Negai no Sora was limited single released by Japanese singer Emi Tawata under stage name タワタエミ and indies label AMUSE. This single charted at the #1 spot on the Indies chart in Okinawa. This success gave Emi the chance to go to major label Techesko. Both songs on this single were included on her debut mini-album ∞infinity∞.
Sings is the first album to be released by Emi Tawata under label Techesko The CD contains several songs she had released before on an EP or a single. The songs "Naturally" and "Into You" have a complete new arrangement thanks to the Soul Infinity band. Also "Can't Reach" has been remixed and has new vocals. The album includes a cover of "Joy To The World" which was used in the Suzuki Splash commercial. The CD+DVD version is limited to 10,000 copies. The DVD track list was released on 1 October. The name of the DVD is Sings: Soulgraphy2006-2009 and includes all her released PVs, several interviews and live performances. The album charted on the weekly Oricon charts at #111 and sold 1,699 copies so far.
"Automatic" is a song recorded by Japanese–American singer Utada Hikaru, taken as the lead single from her debut album First Love (1999). It was released on December 9, 1998 through Toshiba-EMI in three physical formats: mini CD single, standard-size CD single and 12" vinyl. Additionally, the single included the A-side "Time Will Tell", which originally served as the B-side for these versions. The song was written and co-produced by Utada herself, while Akira Miyake and the singer's father Teruzane Utada served as producers. Despite working recording in English under the name Cubic U, "Automatic" is Utada's first Japanese recording, and was released after she enrolled into high school in Japan.
Emi Meyer is a Japanese-born, American-raised jazz pianist and singer-songwriter who is based in Seattle and Tokyo and active in both the Japanese and American markets.
Nier is an action role-playing video game developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix in 2010. The music of Nier was composed by Keiichi Okabe with members of his studio, Monaca, Kakeru Ishihama and Keigo Hoashi, and Takafumi Nishimura of Cavia. The soundtrack has inspired the release of four official albums by Square Enix—an official soundtrack album and three albums of arrangements—along with two mini-albums included as pre-order bonuses for the Japanese versions of the game and two licensed EPs of jazz arrangements.
Sing You is the fourth mini-album from Japanese singer Emi Tawata but the first under the label Sony Music Entertainment. It is the first release after 2 years. There are 2 different version available: A limited CD+DVD version and a CD-only version. In the music video of "Ne", Japanese actress Satomi Ishihara, who was part of the Romeo&Juliet play in Japan 2012, plays the lead role. In the chorus of the third song on the album, "Namida ga Deta", Japanese singer-songwriter Hanah supports the background vocals.
"Time Will Tell" is a song recorded by Japanese–American singer Utada Hikaru, taken as the lead single from her debut album First Love (1999). It was released on December 9, 1998 through Toshiba-EMI in three physical formats: mini CD single, standard CD single and 12" vinyl. Additionally, the single was originally served as a B-side to "Automatic", but was changed into an A-side. The song was written and co-produced by Utada herself, while Akira Miyake and the singer's father Teruzane Utada served as producers. Despite working recording in English under the name Cubic U, "Time Will Tell" is Utada's first Japanese recording, and was released after she enrolled into high school in Japan.
The following is an overview of the year 2008 in Japanese music. It includes notable awards, lists of number-ones, yearly best-sellers, albums released, groups established and disestablished, deaths of notable Japanese music-related people as well as any other relevant Japanese music-related events. For overviews of the year in music from other countries, see 2008 in music.
