Hey guys,
We live in a time where Visual Kei and other Japanese Music is more available and visible (to those already looking for it) than ever, and where the number of bands we can choose from seems absolutely enormous. Now, there still may be a shortage of bands that suit certain fans, but in general, we see huge numbers of bands in all levels of lower popularity, up to what may seem like a lower number of new `Monster`bands.
My Rough Scheme of Band Levels:
Struggling Indie
Small attendance and sales, sometimes fighting to survive as a band.
Indie
Anywhere from sustainable sales, to potentially breaking through.
I didn`t know these guys were `major`
Bands that you would easily beieve (or did believe) were Indie, but apparently aren`t.
I can see why they are major
Bands that can pack buildings. and ship units, you dont have to look for fellow fans, they are in your face.
Monsters
The bands that roll with the big boys of pretty much any other genre, they dont have to always top charts, but they get up there and fill big venures whenever.
Market Size and Shares?
To me, it seems like there are the top dogs in the Major and Monster categories, who take the biggest piece of the pie, and everyone else that may share their demographic will have to work with what is left, and there is usually many bands to fill that area of what is left.
I see it as only natural that fans with broad tastes within a certain field would have to settle for buying only their top favorites, or picking and choosing, then downloading the rest that they cant afford. To me, there are many many bands that I like, and dont see it as possible that all fans who adore as many acts as me would be able to satisfy their appetite through purchasing.
Naturally, the big bands are going to be the most visible, and the ones getting first share of attention spans and wallets.
Distance Between Levels, and a Glass Ceiling?
Some artists have this kind of distance between them and bands lower in popularity, like certain huge bands left the stratosphere, and are considered something different altogether to fans and the general public, though there are a few great bands that work with lower bands, and put them over constantly.
Then there seems to be a glass-ceiling that stops many bands, like there are only so many fans that some great bands can have, and some account this to a limited potential fanbase, and others think that the band should change, through either their sonic, or visual values [and I find both of these often fail, oft times I see a band try to look more mainstream for example, and they drop off].
So sometimes it seems like a band can only go so far based off of who they are alone.
Are Too Many Bands Doing the Same Thing?
Either visually, or sonically, does it sometimes feel as if certain acts could gain more traction or become even larger if they didn`t have so many other bands who are now comparative to them?
Some styles really leave an impact at first, and then other acts adopt that style, and it becomes sort of familiar, and less of an attraction. Sometimes it may even feel overdone, or give audiences that `been-there-done`that` feeling. Every genre, scene, etc... is getting older, so some may move on, or others may feel that this is a superficial issue.
What do you think?
Feel free to discuss any kind of Japanese music, and go in-depth with your opinions.
Thanks for reading.