We discussed K-Pop not too long ago, and this month we’re celebrating J-Pop as our monthly theme for May.
J-Pop began with a cultural influx from the West, eventually influencing K-pop. (Korea is pretty close to Japan!) It began before World War II, but afterward with many Americans stationed in Japan bringing their own music like rock and roll, pop, and country, J-Pop emerged as Japanese youth were influenced by the artists they heard, and began to mix these sounds with their traditional music styles.
What started as a mix of styles, became perhaps the most versatile musical genre out there. The export of J-pop, along with anime and video games, has influenced music and culture around the world.
While you may not have heard of J-pop, you’re probably been listening to J-pop at some point without knowing what it was. Listen to our playlist. Ask your students what they love about it and where they’ve run into it. Enjoy!
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