Best clean singing in Japanese music

[SUBLIMINAL 52]

I think you're defining the word clean too literally; "clean vocals" is a common term in music, particularly (or exclusively?) in rock and metal. It means anything that isn't gritty, screaming, growling, screeching or whatever. Anything "melodic or clear" (see: this reference. It might not be a term widely used enough to have its own wikipedia page, but it is fairly common.

But if I were to use your defintion... I'd still probably list most of the same people but remove any that smoke or drink. I don't know which ones do, but I suspect a lot of them. For "pure and undamaged," Hatis Noit is it for me.

[Champ213 1858]

Well, the clean vocals in metal often aren't even that "clean", they are just... clean-er and more melodic than the growls/harsh vocals. So I don't think it necessitates a non-smoker or whatever...

Either way, I too think it's a common-enough term, and from the description of the OP it was clear enough what was meant.

[Maiku 4]

Takanori Nishikawa (Abingdon Boys School & T.M.Revolution)

YES.

Except when he first started out in Luis-Merry. xD Oh god. LOLOL.

[Mikuto 7]

Takanori Nishikawa (Abingdon Boys School & T.M.Revolution)

YES.

Except when he first started out in Luis-Merry. xD Oh god. LOLOL.

Everyone starts somewhere

Compare Sakurai in Hurry Up Mode (1987) to the way he sounds now on Razzle Dazzle and it's like a totally different person.

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

I think Kaila from Aurora and gencha has a very nice voice. I have a weakness for deep, dramatic, vocals which most people here don't like, so here's the obligatory artistawhatever list: Kamijo, Juka (sometimes), Rita, and Asagi. I also have a fondness for Hakuei's voice as well as Ayame's from Dear Bitch and Misa.

TMR is what got me into J-music, so he's on here as well

[Tokage 5930]

I think Atsushi Sakurai (BUCK-TICK) and Gara (MERRY) have to be my favorites. Oh, and Kaya too.

Ryuutarou from PT

Mako from Deadman

Susumu Hirasawa

the guy from The Birthday / Rosso / Thee Michelle Gun Elephant, mostly because his voice is that perfect 'rock' voice

also, I don't like their music much, but I always thought Asagi was pretty good, even though he overplays everything a little bit too much sometimes

[Guest]

• 
  紺 (NightingeiL, RedCarpet & La'Mule)
  手鞠 (amber gris & Ruvie)
  YUKIYA (JILS, D≒SIRE & Kain)
  The guy from ROUAGE, name escapes me.
  

Yeeees. Love them.

Also:

- Mitsurou (Shizuku...)

- Ken-ichi (Valentine D.C.)

- Hirofumi (Eins:Vier)

- Shige (ENDLESS, Blue)

- Shunsuke Kiyokiba

- Ken Hirai

[evilcoconut 109]

Ryuichi (Kawamura and Ishiyama), Morrie, Tatsurou, Atsushi, the guy from Honey L Days....that's all I can think of rn

[ficsci 50]

Hmm... I guess I just have a different idea of what "clean singing" is. Like, I don't really consider Ryo from 9GOATS as a "clean singer" for example. He often really distort his voice (whispers, snarls, gasps, eerie falsetto, etc.), which is what makes his vocals so interesting to me. And I feel like vocalists who sing with a lot of vibrato aren't really "clean singing" either (.___.) but that's just me.

Anyways, when I think of good vocalist with non-screaming voice, I usually think of Temari (amber gris, Ruvie) and Mao (SID) ^^

LOVE this guy in Spitz

tnf5-qg91B0

Kusano? YES!!!! x 3857293

(omg, they look so old now O__O; ... well I know they're old, but never really really realized it before)

[Licio123 181]

Mao from SID, was really addicted to his clean voice thes past months

[Erin 19]

If I think of the term 'clean vocals', the first person that comes to my mind is Satsuki from RES.

[nitta 175]

yasu (Janne Da Arc)

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

I was going to be clever and post bad vocalist but most of the ones that I do think are great have already been said already.

Kon, Mitsurou, Kamiya, Yuina, blah blah blah.

[Asakusa 95]

I agree 100% about Sakurai.

but everyone forgot about Yuki (ex-Raphael/Rice) ?

i know he wasn't that good in raphael but he has improved a lot now in Rice.

And Ryuichi Kawamura has an awesome voice too (late years) imo.

[fitear1590 2414]

LOVE this guy in Spitz

tnf5-qg91B0

Kusano? YES!!!! x 3857293

(omg, they look so old now O__O; ... well I know they're old, but never really really realized it before)

They may be old, but that performance was flawless! Just as good as the CD recording

[dannemannen 69]

Danchou - nogod

[Guest]

Maria Cross has a beautiful falsetto. And if that metal thread was still alive, his pig squeals are better than Kyo's.

[tosinn 3]

nigu (ex-tosinn, cocklobin)

Ryo (9GBO)

Mako (deadman)

Loki (Sugar, König)

Atsushi Sakurai (BUCK-TICK)

Ryuutaro (Plastic Tree)

Tatsurou (MUCC)

Danchou (NoGoD)

I'd say that those are the best of the best.

[toshii9245 0]

nigu (ex-tosinn, cocklobin)

Ryo (9GBO)

Mako (deadman)

Loki (Sugar, König)

Atsushi Sakurai (BUCK-TICK)

Danchou (NoGoD)

I'd say that those are the best of the best.

Seconded. Also, Kon (ex-La'Mule, NightingeiL) and that guy from 蜂 -biene- are pretty good, as well.

[evilcoconut 109]

And Ryuichi Kawamura has an awesome voice too (late years) imo.

Yeah, he definitely got better in the latter half of LUNA SEA's career, and progressively better since they debuted. He was actually borderline awful at the very start.

[Mikuto 7]

I have one to add: Michi, of Maschera and SQF.

[Des 289]

And Ryuichi Kawamura has an awesome voice too (late years) imo.

Yeah, he definitely got better in the latter half of LUNA SEA's career, and progressively better since they debuted. He was actually borderline awful at the very start.

I wouldn't say he was awful at the start, but he certainly got a LOT better as the years went by.

His voice on the "One Night Dejavu" concert DVD... just wow. If God existed, he would definitely have a similar voice.

And also:

Kyo (D'ERLANGER)

Morrie (DEAD END)

Toshi, at times, not always (X Japan)

Tomiko Van (Do As Infinity)

Sakurai Atsushi (BUCK-TICK)

Wonderful voices, great vocalists.

[evilcoconut 109]

↑ Borderline awful, I said. But I have pretty high standards for what I'm actually going to call good singing too, lol. As far as I'm concerned, he's hands-down the best singer in Jrock. Name another guy who sings in musicals, covers opera songs and can sing without a mic or speakers and still sound amazing. There isn't one, pretty much.

Technique-wise I would say Gackt, no matter what people think about him, he is an amazing singer and has the most powerful vibrato I have ever heard outside operatic music.

Saying this about Gackt is laughable. Now, if you substituted Ryuichi Kawamura's name there, you'd be making sense.

[roninbuddha 0]

for male vocals..

APOGEE has some pretty slick singing, SOUR too, and Lamp. Definitely Lamp.

[gyakutai 12]

I don't remember if I have already written this. Anyway:

ASAGI (D)

Hina (Schwein)

Sono (Matenrou Opera)

Kurosaki Mahiro (Kiryu)

Kaya

RIKU (Lin)