iTunes Japan in August?

[patto]

Exactly. The Japanese would never let some foreign company dominate something so big. No, Sony and the gang have to get their fingers in it first, along with the government and all that.

Welcome to the Japanese economy. They export everything yet they hardly allow any imports. It's been like that for years (Japanese rice is like 7 times more expensive than foreign rice, yet the Japanese still fork over for it. Worse yet, they believe that American rice sucks even though none of them have even tried it.)



A little OT: here's a good, albeit depressing, read: link

Regarding your link (this will get very OT as well): the linked article makes a lot of very good points, but there is one thing that annoys me when reading articles of this nature: US prices are not a fair baseline to use in calling Japanese prices expensive.

I come from the UK, and a lot of things cost a lot more than they do in the US. CDs, gasoline, computers etc. are all more expensive. Even a lot of food is. For example, in mid-2004 (sorry I couldn't find more recent figures or those for Japan), gasoline cost US$5.44 per US gallon in the UK, and US$2.039 per US gallon in the US. It makes me laugh to see headlines like Gasoline prices going up, up, up: Experts predict $3 per gallon soon -- grim outlook through 2006.

I would say that on a worldwide scale, Japan is certainly at the expensive end, but the US is most certainly at the cheap end. The UK would be somewhere in the middle. Part of the reason for Japan's reputation throughout the West as a super-expensive country, even in those countries whose prices compare somewhat more favourable, may be because as the greater part of its Western visitors are from the United States.

Don't get me wrong, I know the cartels and such are very messed up here, but I think some perspective helps ease the frustration. But I'm no expert by any means, so please don't get too upset with my "analysis", as I know there are many more factors in this.

Anyway, to get back on topic I think 150 yen, despite being more expensive than the US iTMS, is a reasonable price. It's certainly eye-catching, as most 500ml PET bottle drinks cost exactly that out of a vending machine. It would make for a nice marketing slogan: "Have a bottle of tea... or buy your favourite song?" 😀

 

[Eastend]

Regarding your link (this will get very OT as well): the linked article makes a lot of very good points, but there is one thing that annoys me when reading articles of this nature: US prices are not a fair baseline to use in calling Japanese prices expensive.

Anyway, to get back on topic I think 150 yen, despite being more expensive than the US iTMS, is a reasonable price. It's certainly eye-catching, as most 500ml PET bottle drinks cost exactly that out of a vending machine. It would make for a nice marketing slogan: "Have a bottle of tea... or buy your favourite song?" 😀

Thank you, you are correct, but do not get on my man too hard he lives over here in Japan also. Premium gasoline to fill my car cost 121 Yen a liter in Japan (I always find the cheapest place, the average is more like 130 Yen+), that's well over 3 dollars a gallon. One must remember Japan has almost no natural resources as the USA has, they have to wheel and deal for everything they can get, the Japanese are not born business people, they have to learn to be to survive.

Brian

 

[iDrinkKoolAid]

Another news on iTMS Japan:
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20050607-00000003-imp-sci

It says that Apple claimed that they
didn't give any information to the Nikkei newspaper, where this
news of iTMS Japan originated.
Various Japanese labels also said that they have not reached
a firm agreement with Apple, although they admitted they are
in talks with apple.

I've just read that article. It mentioned that SME and Apple have not reached any agreement? I thought from the looks of it, Kunitake Ando and Steve Jobs were chummy at the 2005 MWSF keynote. Oh, that's right, Ando was fired after along with Nobuyuki Idei...

Knowing how slow and indecisive traditional Japanese companies operate (unlike Rakuten and Livedoor), iTMS Japan may be a long way coming.

 

[iAlan]

Har har, yeah but they'll have a 10 for 1500 yen deal.
(sorry, inside joke for life in Japan)

-Wyrm

iTMSJ would be a great thing. The ubiquitous iPod is everywhere (pun intended). And Apple's 2nd largest market is Japan. I am sure it is the labels who are delaying the launch. And at 150 yen a song, it ain't too bad, not great, but not bad. And i do not think Apple will be getting a big share of this anyway - they can leverage iTMSJ to sell more Macs and iPods.

I do hope we get an iTMS Down Under (as I am Australian) but in terms of music markets Japan is a bigger fish.

 

[eva01]

I can't wait until all the anime folk complain about not being able to buy those cheezy jpop songs. That's going to be funny. Maybe I should start complaining because I really want that Katamari Damacy soundtrack for some odd reason.

Fishes,
narco.

hey now, what may be cheezy to you, may not be cheezy to others, so it's probably a bad idea to discriminate against a type of music by labeling it "cheezy"


*runs anime based music site* >_> *loves utada hikaru, and the pillows*

 

[prezpat2020]

Who cares?

A Reuters story claims that Apple will launch iTunes for Japan in August.



Apparently Sony Music Entertainment has yet to agree to the terms. According to the article the price per song is going to be about 150 yen ($1.40). Apple had previously planned to release iTunes Japan in 2004 but the service release has seen delays.

Who cares??? What about the new iBook that was supposed to be announced yesterday? I'm running an iBook G3 and anxiously awaiting the update... or, maybe I can just wait a year and a half and buy an Intel-i-Book.

 

[shidoshi]

I can't wait until all the anime folk complain about not being able to buy those cheezy jpop songs. That's going to be funny. Maybe I should start complaining because I really want that Katamari Damacy soundtrack for some odd reason.

Uhm, actually, a lot of us who like "cheezy jpop songs" dislike anime, thanks.

 

[shidoshi]

i wish that i could get jPop songs from iTMS in america -_-

It isn't exactly what you are hoping for, but there is a company that is working with various Japanese music companies to get more J-music onto the US iTMS.

Here is some info about them:

 

[MontyZ]

This will be very good for Apple, there is a HUGE market for this in Japan.

 

[obeygiant]

It's been like that for years (Japanese rice is like 7 times more expensive than foreign rice, yet the Japanese still fork over for it. Worse yet, they believe that American rice sucks even though none of them have even tried it.)

i guess im a rice snob but japanese rice is better (to me) its size and shape are different as well.

i cant wait until iTunes Japan comes online, j-pop is great!

plus tech squeeze box is great.

 

[eva01]

It isn't exactly what you are hoping for, but there is a company that is working with various Japanese music companies to get more J-music onto the US iTMS.

Here is some info about them:

may have to help that site out from advertising it

 

[Xtremehkr]

Kinda pricey isn't it? I guess market studies and price thresholds have been researched. The rest of the world seems to get stuck with a premium though.

 

[kikuchiyo]

A) Yes many Japanese won't buy non-Japanese products, but that's for products the general population doesn't like. Many Japanese people DO like Apple (check out the Cult of Apple book) - nearly everyone I know has an iPod of some kind. iAlan is right, Japan is a bigger fish that Oz (sorry guys 🙂).

B) J-Pop includes Japanese hip-hop so that's a moot point.

C) <i>he Japanese are not born business people, they have to learn to be to survive.</i> is stupid: catergorizing a whole country based on your own experiences? While in Atlanta I meet Japanese business people and they got stuff done. Why do so many foreigners come to the country and think they understand everyone in Japan based on their own experiences? Japanese people are varied in personality as people from any other country.

D) Gasoline is higher in price because Japan has none of its own gas. They have to import from Arab countries. Part of the current tension between China and Japan now, according to the B, is predicated on this lack of local energy.

 

[Tamer Brad]

I can't wait until all the anime folk complain about not being able to buy those cheezy jpop songs. That's going to be funny. Maybe I should start complaining because I really want that Katamari Damacy soundtrack for some odd reason.

Fishes,
narco.

Believe it or not, there's a lot more to Japanese music than "cheesy J-Pop". *listening to Gackt's Rebirth album right now*

 

[kikuchiyo]

Believe it or not, there's a lot more to Japanese music than "cheesy J-Pop". *listening to Gackt's Rebirth album right now*

I could consider Gackt cheesy J-Pop, but your point remains the same.

 

[narco]

Believe it or not, there's a lot more to Japanese music than "cheesy J-Pop". *listening to Gackt's Rebirth album right now*

Well for one, I am allowed to have an opinion. I didn't say "all Japanese music is cheezy J-pop," I just made a joke.

I listen to a lot of Japanese punk and psych, it's great stuff. None of it matters anyway since it won't be offered in America.

Fishes,
narco.

 

[kikuchiyo]

I listen to a lot of Japanese punk and psych, it's great stuff. None of it matters anyway since it won't be offered in America.

Try the D-Seldom compliation albums or B-Dash's best. Good stuff.

 

[tizza]

What about AUSTRALIA? 😡 😡 😡 😡 😡

Oh don't remind us ... 🙁

 

[5300cs]

I like all types of music, including (good) hip hop.

The problem/question is, what is good hip-hop? Right? 😉

I agree with you about anime music though. 🙄

 

[Squire]

Believe it or not, there's a lot more to Japanese music than "cheesy J-Pop". *listening to Gackt's Rebirth album right now*

I assume the situation in the music industry is the same in Japan as it is here-- the emphasis is on physical attractiveness and the ability to dance. I guess that's pop everywhere, though. (On a side note, one of my students is an up-and-coming pop star. It's kind of weird. Sometimes there are little groups of fans hanging out outside my classroom.)

Anyway, I'm sure they'll try to get a deal done as soon as possible.

Squire

 

[shidoshi]

Kinda pricey isn't it? I guess market studies and price thresholds have been researched. The rest of the world seems to get stuck with a premium though.

Not really, when you pay $10 for a CD single and $30 for a full album over there.

 

[shidoshi]

A) Yes many Japanese won't buy non-Japanese products, but that's for products the general population doesn't like. Many Japanese people DO like Apple (check out the Cult of Apple book) - nearly everyone I know has an iPod of some kind. iAlan is right, Japan is a bigger fish that Oz (sorry guys 🙂).

That all really depends on what you're talking about. American music is pretty big over there, as is American fashion. Hollywood has no problem making sales over in Japan. So, I'd say American culture/entertainment has a pretty big market over there. Obviously, though, the Japanese iTMS is going to have to have an equal amount of Japanese music, or it won't be taken as seriously as it otherwise would.

 

[shidoshi]

I assume the situation in the music industry is the same in Japan as it is here-- the emphasis is on physical attractiveness and the ability to dance. I guess that's pop everywhere, though. (On a side note, one of my students is an up-and-coming pop star. It's kind of weird. Sometimes there are little groups of fans hanging out outside my classroom.)

I'd argue that it is far worse in Japan than over here. I mean, if you look at big groups like Morning Musume or SMAP, they're pretty huge, and their singing talent is wihtout question questionable. If you take the equal over here, like say compare SMAP to n'Sync, I'm not a huge n'Sync fan, but I'd absolutely say that they are far better singers. I think over here, the groups have to have at least a certain level of singing ability before they can get anywhere. Over there, there are many examples of female singers whose only talent is being cute, and they still sell albums.

That's not to say that I'm trashing the Japanese music scene, don't misunderstand. I sort of like how I can just like a singer or group for being fun and cute or whatnot and not care if their music is the best stuff in the world or not. Over there, their fluff seems to be more accepted as fluff, where as over here, we seem to want everybody and everything to be "legit." Everything doesn't have to be serious and legit - sometimes it's nice to have music that is just catchy.

 

[kikuchiyo]

I'd argue that it is far worse in Japan than over here. I mean, if you look at big groups like Morning Musume or SMAP, they're pretty huge, and their singing talent is wihtout question questionable. If you take the equal over here, like say compare SMAP to n'Sync, I'm not a huge n'Sync fan, but I'd absolutely say that they are far better singers. I think over here, the groups have to have at least a certain level of singing ability before they can get anywhere. Over there, there are many examples of female singers whose only talent is being cute, and they still sell albums.

That's not to say that I'm trashing the Japanese music scene, don't misunderstand. I sort of like how I can just like a singer or group for being fun and cute or whatnot and not care if their music is the best stuff in the world or not. Over there, their fluff seems to be more accepted as fluff, where as over here, we seem to want everybody and everything to be "legit." Everything doesn't have to be serious and legit - sometimes it's nice to have music that is just catchy.

A) I love it when non-Japanese say this: American Idol is one of the most popular programs on TV. It's televised manufacturing.

B) Japan is a smaller country so smaller bands can become popular quickly. Take the Japanese hi-hop group Kick the Can Crew. They have stret cred: Kreva (who now has is own solo album) won a number of best MC battles in Shibuya before the band became big. Ditto an indie/emo band called Art-school. They're also a Shibuya band and while not as popular as Kick the Can Crew they have a following. I'm not sure about Asian Kung-Fu Generation but I would say they that did the same thing.

C) Morning Musume - only weird older guys and middle/elementary school girls (and one of my American Japanese professors...) likes them, for the most part. SMAP is more cross cultural popular but that has at least as much to do these days with their variety TV program and their interest in Korea.

 

[kikuchiyo]

The problem/question is, what is good hip-hop? Right? 😉

Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Dizee Rascal, Hieroglyphics, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Brother Ali, Atmosphere, Madlib (who also does a one man jazz group, Yesterday's New Quintet), Dan the Automator Nakamura, Kid Koala, Dr. Octagon, Jurassic 5, Dangermouse, MF Doom, Atlanta's own Mars Ill...shall I go on?

As for Japan, Kick the Can Crew, Maboroshi, Suika, Suiken, Loop Junktion, Kreva, Shing02, K-dub shine, DJ Masterkey, Rip Slyme