Happy New Year 2010!

2010 is now here and we at JaME hope that you had a happy and safe holiday! 2009 was a year where we saw a lot happening within the Japanese music industry. The industry has been far from quiet– it has been a year of accomplishments, from bands switching to major labels and more US and European tours, to the delight of overseas fans. 2009 was also a year of sadness, where we mourned the passing of a well-loved artist as well as band disbandments. My, it has been quite a year, hasn’t it?

This year, just like the previous year, we’ve accumulated everyone’s Best Top 3 happenings in the Japanese music industry. Please feel free to comment on this post with your own top 3’s or comments on the selected ones by the JaME team members — We’d love to hear from you too!

Cynthia’s Choices:

Artists of the year (in no significant order)
1. miyavi
2. usagi
3. girugamesh

Albums of the year
1. usagi – yume
2. Plastic Tree – Donna Donna
3. quaff – SHAKE YOUR BOOTY!

Singles of the year
1. girugamesh – ALIVE
2. BACK-ON – flyaway
3. Sel’m – Creature

Concerts of the year
1. miyavi at Anime Matsuri
2. Japan Nite at SXSW
3. Shonen Knife in San Antonio, Texas

Disappointments of the year
1. The many deaths of musicians
2. miyavi cancelling USA leg of world tour
3. ROACH breaking their contract and being without a label

Surprises of the year
1. HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR getting a new vocalist
2. Yuta (ex-LA VIE EN ROSE) starting his solo project
3. Inugami Circus-dan being announced as one of A-Kon’s 2010 musical guests

Best newcomers/discoveries
1. ytartworks
2. usagi
3. Kitaro

Kay’s Choices:

Artists of the year
1. PUSHIM
2. OGRE YOU ASSHOLE
3. lecca

Albums of the year
1. Asai Kenichi – Sphinx Rose
2. MUNEHIRO – Neo
3. MINMI – Ashita moshi mo kimi ga inai…

Singles of the year
1. Lecca – My Measure
2. Naotaro Moriyama – Namida
3. OGRE YOU ASSHOLE – Pinhole

Concerts of the year
1. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra in Amsterdam
2. D=OUT in Utrecht
3. I did not attend more concerts this year

Disappointments of the year
1. Everyone that passed away.
2. Jinkaku Radio still not releasing that new album!
3. Myself for not regularly updating the weblog!

Surprises of the year
1. All the reunions this year, such as Cali=Gari and DEAD END
2. miyavi
3. Utada announcing a US and UK tour

Best newcomers/artist discoveries of the year
1. Naotaro Moriyama
2. Yazima Beauty Clinic
3. Kalafina

Farah’s Choices

Artists of the year
1. Ryuichi Sakamoto
2. SUGIZO
3. GLAY

Albums of the year
1. GREAT VACATION VOL. 1 and 2 – GLAY
2. FLASH BEST – capsule
3. Ryuichi Sakamoto – Playing The Piano

Singles of the year
1. GLAY – I am XXX
2. Girugämesh – crying rain
3. Dir en grey – Hageshisa to, Kono Mune no Naka de Karamitsuita Shakunetsu no Yami

Concerts of the year
1.
2.
3.
(I didn’t go to any concerts, or watched any ._.)

Disappointments of the year
1. Gackt’s latest releases
2. X JAPAN
3. Ryuichi Kawamura

Surprises of the year
1. SUGIZO touring with JUNO REACTOR
2. Announcement of An Cafe’s hiatus
3. More J-bands finally performing Europe and US! Now I wish they’d come to Australia…

Best newcomers/artist discoveries of the year
1. INZARGI
2. VAMPS
3. capsule

Andrea’s Choices:

Artists of the year
1. Miyavi (He had some major accomplishments!)
2. SuG (Going major already?!)
3. GPKism (For their almost complete world tour and still managing to have releases)

Albums of the year
1. Matenrou Opera – Anomie
2. Koda Kumi -Trick
3.

Singles of the year
1. GLAY – I am xxx
2. Versailles – Acendead Master
3. Satsuki – Awake

Concerts of the year
1. V-Fes
2. GLAY at House of Blues in Hollywood
3. An Cafe at the Avalon in Los Angeles

Disappointments of the year
1. Deaths of talented musicians
2. Disbandment of great bands
3. Cancellation of Tours/Events

Surprises of the year
1. Miyavi doing his own thing
2. Karasu…A group of random individuals
3. That favorite/important band member(s) leaving

Best newcomers/artist discoveries of the year
1. NinjamanJapan-I hope to see more of this PLC-like band.
2. Golden Bomber-Bands that can make me laugh(and that are good) are awesome.
3. Satsuki- Great New Solo Artist

Cage’s Choices:

Artists of the year
1. ayaka
2. MUCC
3. GLAY

Albums of the year
1. cocklobin – DARK DESIGN CATALOG
2. 9GOATS BLACK OUT – Black rain
3. Merry – under-world

Singles of the year
1. Dir en grey – Hageshisa to, kono mune no naka de karamitsuita shakunetsu no yami
2. JASMINE – sad to say
3. -

Concerts of the year
1. lynch. at Nagoya Bottom Line
2. 9GOATS BLACK OUT at Nagoya ell.FITS ALL
3. Merry at Nagoya Bottom Line

Disappointments of the year
1. The death of so many influential individuals within the music industry.
2. The cancellation of Merry’s European Tour.
3. -

Surprises of the year
1. The hysteria surrounding miyavi’s marriage to melody.
2. La’cryma Christi’s announcement regarding their one year reunion.
3. The formation of new bands from experienced persons within the music industry.

Best newcomers/artist discoveries of the year
1. THE BAWDIES
2. C4
3. matryoshka

Meg’s Choices

Artists of the year
1. GReeeeN
2. Flumpool
3. BACK-ON

Albums of the year
1. GReeeeN – Ima made no A-men, B-men DEST!?
2. Girugamesh – NOW
3. Utada Hikaru – This is the one

Singles of the year
1. Flumpool – Hoshi ni negai wo
2. B’z – Ichibu to zenbu/DIVE
3. BACK-ON – Flyaway

Concerts of the year
1. Dir en Grey in NYC 11/09
2. Girugamesh at Sakuracon 4/09
3. Hangry & Angry at Sakuracon 4/09

Disappointments of the year
1. Death of Jasmine You
2. The studs’ permanent hiatus
3. Miyavi’s tour cancellation

Surprises of the year
1. Miyavi’s baby! I love her!
2. Deadman’s rereleases
3. Aie’s consistent solo activity

Best newcomers/artist discoveries of the year
1. Namie Amuro
2. Seamo
3. Mr. Children

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