Downloading Asian Music

[vash23n]

I love Asian rock and roll - The Pillows, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Beat Crusaders, L'arc-En-Ciel - and have been downloading it illegally for the most part for years. So the program I used to use to download this stuff is no more, which sucks! The reason I download this stuff illegally is because it costs so much to get the CDs (up to $30!) and I cannot find much on iTunes or any place like that. It is like they want you to pirate these songs.

Anyway. Does anyone know of any sites or programs where you can buy and download Asian music?

[Hobie-wan]

Every media in Japan is horribly expensive. Albums are just 2500 Yen and up over there. That's also the reason that western music released there usually has extra tracks to dissuade them from importing cheaper copies from us. Games are more expensive. DVDs are more expensive and TV shows have less episodes on them. Unfortunately not much Japanese music has made it this way with domestic releases. I don't have a suggestion for you either.

[hashiriya1]

If you are a fan of Asian rock then you must listen to XJAPAN. Now.

[D.D.D.]

I love Asian rock and roll - The Pillows, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Beat Crusaders, L'arc-En-Ciel - and have been downloading it illegally for the most part for years. So the program I used to use to download this stuff is no more, which sucks! The reason I download this stuff illegally is because it costs so much to get the CDs (up to $30!) and I cannot find much on iTunes or any place like that. It is like they want you to pirate these songs.

Anyway. Does anyone know of any sites or programs where you can buy and download Asian music?

On iTunes Japan they do have some X-Japan, Pillows, L'arc-En-Ciel, etc but not very much (and you'll need a JP iTunes card or JP credit card).
Yeah state side you gotta get lucky with a torrent. If you live near LA, SF, or NY, there are CD/DVD rental shops that you can rent & rip your own stuff but if you're not near there I dunno then.

[Croooow!]

http://www.jbox.com/product/ITUNESCARD

If you're looking to get music from the Japanese iTunes store the easiest way is to buy one of these.

[AppleQueso]

You'd think one of the bigger companies behind localizing anime would've gone into the business of buying up distribution rights to various popular j-pop and j-rock artists. Seems like the market is there...

[fvgazi]

Depending on the type of Japanese music, try to find out what label the artist is on and contact them. Major labels are much harder dealing with because they are in it for profit. If you're trying to get stuff off of indie labels (punk / hardcore, electronic music) it's much easier because they usually do trades with distros all over the world.

I don't know much for J-Pop, but I know a ton of punk bands over there.

[brunoafh]

Err... Bittorrent? That about covers it.

I also highly second X-Japan. Awesome band. I know of some good Japanese metal too if you wanted some suggestions there.

[Czernobog]

Err... Bittorrent? That about covers it.

I also highly second X-Japan. Awesome band. I know of some good Japanese metal too if you wanted some suggestions there.

I don't know about the OP, but I for one would love to hear some suggestions for good Japanese metal.

[AppleQueso]

Err... Bittorrent? That about covers it.

I also highly second X-Japan. Awesome band. I know of some good Japanese metal too if you wanted some suggestions there.

I don't know about the OP, but I for one would love to hear some suggestions for good Japanese metal.

Galneryus
Sabbat
Gargoyle
Sigh
Fastkill
King's Evil
Gonin-Ish
Metalucifer

just off the top of my head personally

EDIT: added youtube links