Actually, make that top 5.

This post is going to be about my top singers/groups of 2007. I had my initial ten, but as mentioned a few posts ago, I have little to no knowledge of these singers/groups that are supposedly my "top" singers/groups. This would naturally result in me bullshitting my way through, which I can most definitely tell you, will show.

Also, as a point of note, Tamaki Hiroshi and Shirota Yu are both not on this list for simple reasons. Hirotama has not released ANYTHING (unless you count that boring digital song) this year, which doesn't really make him a singer, but mostly an actor. Shirota Yu.... well, doesn't sing (unless you count his one-shot in Prince of Tennis). I love them two to bits, but I'm not about to try to justify (read: crap) my way through as to how they are "singers" and how well they have done musically for 2007. I'm just not that kind of guy.

Oh my, I sound so self-righteous. ROFL.

So anyways, onto the list! Not too snarky (duh) but I hope it will still be of some entertainment value somehow.

[Number 5: EXILE]

Best selling release this year: EXILE LOVE
My personal favorite release this year: EXILE LOVE


The first EVER song I've heard from EXILE was either Carry on or YES!, both of which are very typical Japanese-poppy. I downloaded the song off a J-music rotation site (those were the days) and decided that I like the songs. Being the casual listener I was (WAS!), I didn't bother to check EXILE up to see how they look like or what other songs they had. What I downloaded was enough for me.

Fast forward slightly more than a year into 2007, the year I was doomed to become a money-spending freak of Jpop. I had found much easier ways to get my hands on Jpop (Jpopsuki is my savior), which needless to say, results in me taking more notice in various groups. One of these groups was EXILE.

(This is getting storytelling-y.)

The first release that I bothered to check out from them this year is Michi. I downloaded the PV and my first reactions were along the lines of:

1. OMGAH WTF WHY ARE THEY SO OLD AND YAKUZA-LOOKING?!
2. This sounds like a Kpop song. Meh.

I was none too interested in the release which resulted in me not even considering to buy it (big regret now).

EXILE EVOLUTION came out and had a few songs on it that I liked (especially WON'T BE LONG) and then and there I decided to buy their next release NO MATTER WHAT.

... And that didn't happen either. SUMMER TIME LOVE was released and I didn't like it much. Add on to the fact that I was broke (really broke) at the time, the order was cancelled.

My love for WON'T BE LONG didn't cease though, and a few months later I got my hands on a copy of WON'T BE LONG's single. This version pleased me much more (due to Kuu being on it too) so I was a happy fan. I subsequently went on to buy EXILE LOVE, which is doing really incredibly well on the charts right now (one million plus copies apparently?).

I can't say I have been a HUGE fan of EXILE, but I can at least name every single member in EXILE, and know how every single one of the releases this year sound like. This is already much better than many of my other so-called "fandoms". (*cough* heysayjump *cough cough*).

I highly expect myself to be more into them next year though and hopefully they stick to their signature pop sound that I fell in love with, 2 years ago.

[Number 4: mihimaru GT]

Best selling release this year: THE BEST of mihimaru GT
My personal favorite release this year: I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY


I don't recall too clearly as to how I got into them, but I think it was because of an episode of MUSIC FIGHTER that had a Palty commercial with them in it. The song featured at the time was PUNKISH☆ and I remember falling in love with the good-looking duo.

My first impression of them was not a good one though. I first saw them live on Music Station Super Live 2006, which I got from my friend mostly because I was so crazy about Tackey & Tsubasa at the time. They performed Kibun Jojo ↑↑, and if I were feeling especially nice, I would call it a mild flop. Hiroko's costume was goodnessgraciousme and her singing was blah. They had too little dancers filling that HUGE stage, which of course, was none too impressive. I sure wouldn't have guessed that I would be THIS into them a few months later.

The first release I got from them would be THE BEST of mihimaru GT, which was mostly on impulse but partially due to the fact that those HMV SG idiots priced the album wrongly, resulting in me getting an awesome deal for an authentic Japanese version of the release.

(Note: I hate overseas versions and I personally think people who show off their overseas versions on forums are just plain pathetic. I stay far FAR away from buying "OS versions", but that's just me. Urgh, even the abbreviation sounds horrid, "oh ass".)

My love for them grew much due to the fact that I was looking for a "backup" group to fanboy over (speculations of my favorite group at the time breaking up was crazy). Few months later, said group did not break up, but my love for mihimaru GT still remained.

mihimaru GT has had a nice flow of singles this year, amongst which Gazen YEAH! and I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY has sat well with me. Their interesting genre (hip-pop) appeals to me, and should continue to appeal to me next year.

[Number 3: Koda Kumi]

Best selling release this year: Black Cherry
My personal favorite release this year: Ai no Uta


I suppose like many others, my first contact with Kuu's music is when REAL EMOTION was named the theme of Final Fantasy a few years ago. Back then, I didn't notice much of her and honestly didn't bother to until the middle of this year.

Truthfully, my fandom for Koda Kumi started when I wanted to defend her. A friend of mine repeatedly told me "Koda Kumi is a fat slut, Ayumi is so much better! She writes her own songs.... *buzz buzzz*", which of course made me plain irritated. I didn't find Ayumi all that amazing back then (and even recently) so I started to force myself to know Kuu better to defend her better, which would lead to me feeling better at having thwarted my friend's sense of pride over Queen Hamasaki.

Needless to say, I seem to have fallen too deep into this defending-trip.

The one that nailed the last nail on the coffin of non-kuu-ness was Ai no Uta. That single wowed me in every possible way, and had an upbeat B-side to lift the otherwise slightly depressing release.

She continued to impress me with LAST ANGEL and I received Black Cherry as a present from my dear friend Angelia. That album was quite amazing in itself and my fandom for her just continued to grow and grow...

Koda Kumi, popular and successful as she is, still seems genuinely happy (sometimes slightly TOO happy) to go on TV, with little-to-no airs about her. This warm personality further adds to my love for Kuu, which results in her being my number 3 for this year.

With an album already announced for January, I believe my fandom for Kuu will continue to grow in 2008. Let's hope she doesn't walk the path of a certain avex trax artist and turn all diva-ish on us.

[Number 2: Hirai Ken]

Best selling release this year: Elegy
My personal favorite release this year: fake star


Seeing as how this is a list for 2007, and my insane fandom for Ken only started to grow like mad in September, I think it is slightly inappropriate to be my number 1 artist for the year, although he IS my number 1 artist as of now.

I remember a time long ago, when I was still a little boy. Jpop was at its peak during the time, and Hirai Ken's KISS OF LIFE constantly invaded my TV screen and radio. I took not much notice of him (I had much more important things to care about at the time, like catching Articuno and crying over how I killed Moltres accidentally), until he released Strawberry Sex. As a 12 year old, I immediately thought "Oh. My.".

Few years later, he once again caught my attention with POP STAR. Once again, my reaction was "Oh. My.", although admittedly, the song was quite catchy and addictive.

Then came September of 2007, fake star's PV was released and my "Oh. My." promptly turned to "OH BOY~!", if you know what I mean. *wink wink* *In Ellen Degeneres voice* Am I right ladies? *smirk*

fake star appealed to me on a very visual level immediately in the PV. The song too had a very strangely addictive tune that was both smooth and sexy. My reborn interest in Hirai Ken led me to re-listen to all his music and I found myself delighted in his brand of music.

Most people will find his music odd and even "gay". I personally find them easy listening, which is more than one could ask for of today's Jpop scene (if Ayumi's album was any indication).

2008 will definitely be an AWESOME year with Hirai Ken around.

[Number 1: AAA]

Best selling release this year: Climax Jump
My personal favorite release this year: Kuchibiru Kara Romantica/That's Right


AAA dominated most of my Jpop fandom (29 out of my 90 Jpop purchases this year was of AAA) for 2007, which has sadly died down slightly after their Natsumono release.

The first ever song I've heard from AAA was Q (from a J-music rotation site, STOP GIGGLING), and I practically LOL-ed at the song. Just how many times can one repeat the title of the song in the timespan of the song itself? Quite a lot apparently (though not as much as Otsuka Ai's PON PON, now that's just legendary). It got slightly grating after a while though, but thankfully for me, I found another song soon after titled Hurricane Riri, Boston Mari (when it came out in ALL/2, hence my earlier mistake as noted by icy in the comments). Later on in my fandom for AAA, this proved to be an interesting song. Upon first few plays of the song (and not watching the PV), I pictured this song to be immensely depressing, or at least slightly emotional.

Well, the PV said otherwise. This was actually supposed to be a happy summery song.

My fandom for them grew exponentially due to my friend Ottidax pestering me about them. Being the nice guy I am (*cough cough*), I obliged and listened to my third ever AAA song - Winter Lander!!.

From then on, this group has constantly fulfilled my need for good old Jpop just the way it should be, happy and preppy and high on crack.

However, I foresee my fandom for them in 2008 to be much less dramatic than it is this year, due to many contributing factors. Factors such as avex giving too much limelight to Nissy (they're just going to find themselves with another HINOI TEAM situation I'm telling you) (plus, it's irritating, that whore) and many many MANY pigheaded fans (Nissy is so cute, Nissy is so nice, I want to give birth to Nissy's babies, Nissy needs to be with Misako, Nissy needs to be with Hidaka, Nissy needs to be with Chiaki... FACE IT, NISSY NEEDS TO GET OUT OF AAA AND LEAVE US ALL ALONE. He would be so much better as a solo artist for all you silly fangirls to drool over, URGH).

I guess fundamentally, you could say I don't like AAA as much as I did before because of Nissy. It's sad but true.

That's my favorite artists of 2007 for you. I'm guessing 2008 will have a slightly different list. We'll see whether I survive the madness of the world long enough for that blog post to come. xD

Labels: AAA, EXILE, Hirai Ken, Koda Kumi, mihimaru GT