Why not in Europe?

[Delirium-Zer0]

Originally Posted by Kingofpop

I'm saying Ayumi should just try the American market and see what happens. If the queen of Euro pop can do it, so can the queen of J-pop

Not necessarily. The language barrier is a BIG one; your typical everyday 12 to 18 year old americans who listen to pop music are pretty closed-minded. They need to be able to relate to just about everything. If the lyrics are in english without a thick accent then americans can relate more. If the lyrics aren't in english, or if they are but with a thick accent like Puffy AmiYumi, it's hard for americans to take it seriously. It becomes a novelty act. (The only exception I can think of is Rammstein, but the techno-rock sound of that plus the vocal style basically makes it the type of music you wouldn't be able to understand too well even if it WAS in english. Ayu, on the other hand, has a very clear voice and the vocals & lyrics are a big part of her music, so it wouldn't do too well here.)

That said, if ayu was promoted ONLY in a niche market (the anime fans, japanese culture fiends, RPGers, etc) she'd do alright. Tokyopop, Tofu Records, etc. have done the right thing in only selling music to people they know will buy it. Their function is only to make the music available here so we don't have to spend 30+ dollars on some of the music we like. SHOULD mainstream radio pick up on any of the music (Heck, my dad LOVES HandMC, anything's possible), then that'd be a really cool bonus, but it shouldn't be expected, and the US labels releasing the music won't spend any money for promotion.

You see, despite the fact that it's technically illegal, the big 5 record labels in the states pay radio stations & MTV to play the music they want us to hear. The number of songs on the radio is very small, because we're literally spoon-fed the songs that the record labels believe will sell most. It's not a gamble since not all of our options are shown to us. Americans are settling for what's very safe but uncreative and not at all groundbreaking music, because they can't tell that there IS anything else. Since they've become more than accustomed to this, only a few real music fans are hearing how music is progressing outside of mainstream radio. THESE fans can handle music that's really different (i.e. genre-crossovers, music in other languages, etc), but most people are used to the same-old thing and would immediately be turned off to anything drastically new.

Which is why ayu wouldn't be a hugely popular artist here.

[Keishi]

What even wonders, common Americans listen to Rap & Metal Rock music, in which their lyrics are mosty gibberish or just simple random screaming throught out the songs.

[..:Hot:Like:Wow:..]

Originally Posted by Keishi

What even wonders, common Americans listen to Rap & Metal Rock music, in which their lyrics are mosty gibberish or just simple random screaming throught out the songs.

I agree but you forgot to include Hip-Hop (e.g 50 cent)

[immel]

Spanish singers have it a bit easier because a large part of the population of the US is Spanish speaking, or at least in contact with Spanish on a daily basis.

I've never heard of Juanes, but I'm from Europe.

[Dustie]

Why not Europe? Becouse she's famous in Asia?...

Originally Posted by immel

I've never heard of Juanes, but I'm from Europe.

And be grateful for that. Another latino soap opera-like music star.

[immel]

Originally Posted by Dustie

Why not Europe? Becouse she's famous in Asia?...

that's like saying Michael Jackson shouldn't be famous in Europe because he's famous in the US .

And be grateful for that. Another latino soap opera-like music star.

Nice to see you back in action Dustie, how's everything?

[ayu1m]

I've heard of Juanes.. NRJ and every commercial radio plays him.

[immel]

Originally Posted by ayu1m

I've heard of Juanes.. NRJ and every commercial radio plays him.

I guess I'm outdated... last time I listened to radio seriously was... 7-8 years ago D:

[criminal]

Juanes' album was #1 for weeks here, but he had commercials and stuff.

Anyway, I'd also love to see Ayu CDs here, but heck, we don't even always get something well-known in the US here, so I guess you and me both are gonna have to stick to the good ol' Interweb.

[FuNsTyLe]

Yeah, Americans are really sceptical to artists not singing in English (not counting Latin)
I think Europeans are more open to this, just look at Dragostea din Tei for instance, which is just one of many songs that has become hits in Europe, despite lyrics being sung in a foreign language. There's also some Indian songs, German ones (Blümchen was a hit), French songs (Kate Ryan comes to mind), Turkey (Tarkan), Spanish ones of course,

[evolution7931]

Originally Posted by FuNsTyLe

Yeah, Americans are really sceptical to artists not singing in English (not counting Latin)
I think Europeans are more open to this, just look at Dragostea din Tei for instance, which is just one of many songs that has become hits in Europe, despite lyrics being sung in a foreign language. There's also some Indian songs, German ones (Blümchen was a hit), French songs (Kate Ryan comes to mind), Turkey (Tarkan), Spanish ones of course,

Alizée and her song "Moi... Lolita" did pretty impressively and got #1 in tons of countries, including Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Hong Kong.. and the song was in French.. her first 2 albums also got #1 in Mexico.. "Moi Lolita" is even the theme song for an American movie that has its trailers in cinemas now, which surprised me, because I almost died when I heard it xD..

Well Ayumi already has HK and Japan covered, so she MIGHT be able to have moderate success as well in some of those other countries..

but avex would never try that..

[Delirium-Zer0]

Juanes isn't that big here. I've never heard anything by this person and the pop radio station is playing all day every day at work. I think Shakira is the closest, since "La Tortura" (and this is historically true) is the first all-spanish song to make it onto pop radio and heavy mtv airplay. I think it was more cuz she was shaking her chest than the music, but whatever.