Woa, it's been a long time since I visited these forums..
The thing with Japanese music is that there are so many amazing songs that we've never heard and artists we don't know because Japan makes stuff mostly for Japan. Japanese 'pop' culture is actually very isolated, especially when compared to Kpop that is funded by the Korean government to be this global commercial success.
Japanese companies tend not to upload videos on Youtube for example and they are crazy with their strict copyright laws. Kpop is easy to find, Jpop is not.
The people who only know of AKB48 and Johnny groups and complain that Japanese music is too cutesy have really no idea what they're talking about.
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Btw, am I the only one who's been obsessed with Seventeen lately? Watched their reality TV shows and everything.. Their latest single "Pretty U" sucks tbh but I don't even care, I just like seeing them together.