J-rock

Rock music

Happy End - classic Japanese rock bandHomegrown Japanese country rock had developed by the late 1960s. Artists like Happy End are considered to have virtually developed the genre. During the 1970s, it grew more popular. The Okinawan band Champloose, along with Carol, RC Succession and Shinji Harada were especially famous and helped define the genre's sound. In the 1980s, the Boøwy, Southern All Stars became the biggest band in Japanese rock's history, and inspired alternative rock bands like Shonen Knife & the Boredoms and Tama & Little Creatures. Most influentially, the 1980s spawned Yellow Magic Orchestra, which was inspired by developing electronic music, led by Haruomi Hosono. In the latter period of 80s, rock duo B'z made their debut, they have been getting No. 1 in all their singles and albums since their first No. 1 single "Taiyou no Komachi Angel" in 1990. This is a Japanese record.

In 1980, Huruoma and Ry Cooder, an American musician, collaborated on a rock album with Shoukichi Kina, driving force behind the aforementioned Okinawan band Champloose. They were followed by Sandii & the Sunsetz, who further mixed Japanese and Okinawan influences.

Japan has a vibrant underground rock scene, best known internationally for noise rock bands such as Boredoms and Melt Banana, as well as stoner rock and doom metal bands such as Boris. More conventional indie rock artists such as Eastern Youth and Number Girl have found some mainstream success in Japan, but relatively little recognition outside of their home country.