Nelly Furtado's background is from that Asian country of Portugal. Lol.

oops, shoot me! I have 3 of her albums too

There are, but usually as British-, American- or German-born members of British, American or German bands.

Off my head (from my time, obviously!): Miki Berenyi from Lush, James Iha from The Smashing Pumpkins, Towa Tei from Deee-Lite (Groove in the Heart), Hiro Yamamoto from Soundgarden, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, etc. The most recent I can recall is the one from a girl band. Neon Jungle?

The artists you mention aren't Japanese artists and the members you mention aren't strictly Japanese either. And there's nothing much Japanese about Lush, Soundgarden or Linkin Park in terms of their music although I'm open to persuasion. But yes these are 2nd gen Asian persons and they are in music.

I think the Babymetal example above is a much better one though. They are Japanese and there is a genuine Asian influence in their music, although it's not a brand of metal that I like.

I have records by Shonen Knife, Guitar Wolf, The Stalin , Discocks , Lip cream , Swankies etc as well as a few 60's Group Sounds compilations, Don't get me started on Malaysian Oi

I'm going. 3rd time seeing them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTEYUFgLveY


Also liking Band-Maid at the moment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uds7g3M-4lQ

Amazing production!!


Authentic! really impressed

That's true but at least he looks Asian and has a very Asian sounding name. He hasn't pretended to be completely White British and changed his surname to 'Smith' or something.

One of the members of The Wanted : Siva Kaneswaran is half Asian too?

Freddie Mercury was British Indian

God this is truly awful thread with the person who started it not even aware of the great Asian artists that are out there. I would add to the list Charanjit Singh who is credited as inventing Acid House back in 1982.

If there is a lack of Asian pop stars, have you ever considered that is because Western music and the various Asian countries have totally different systems of music. Western music (that most forms of pop use) has 12 notes and for example (if I remember correctly) Sitar based Indian music has 24 notes, no chords are used and it is all about melodies playing against "drone" notes.

Taking this into account what is racist: A lack of Asian musicians being assimilated into using the 12 note Western system to make pop songs or that they prefer to stick to guns making their countries own styles of music?

Asia has many different systems of music but the modern K Pop and j Pop phenomena is actually mainly based on Western forms of pop music, There are quite a few K Pop and J Pop groups which sell huge amounts of records in Asia but have had little impact on the UK market, I think that is what prompted the OP.

when asians produce music that has broad appeal to the dominant western culture both here and america - it will and has been bought. there have been a host of great asian artists over the years, but most asian music seems to be produced for an asian market and that doesnt resonate with white westerners.

eh?... he was born in zanzibar... tanzania.

20 years old now... still sounds good imho

trick baby - indi yarn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdWLT_Kk_9E

Some Asian and part Asian artists and groups I can think of:

UK:
Apache Indian
Fun-Da-Mental
Asian Dub Foundation
Transglobal Underground
Nitin Sawhney
JC-001
Talvin Singh
State of Bengal (R.I.P.)
Peter Sarstedt
Cornershop
Biddu
Vanessa May
Anoushka Shankar
Norah Jones
M.I.A.
Susheela Raman
Monsoon / Sheila Chandra

JAMAICA:
Supercat
Sean Paul
Tami Chynn / Tessanne Chin
I-Kong

USA:
Amerie
Tamiko Jones
Supar Pie DeSanto
Yvonne Elliman
Cool Calm Pete
Pete Miser
Mountain Brothers
Dan The Automator
Q-Bert

JAPAN:
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Nujabes (R.I.P.)
Yasuko Agawa
Sadao Watanabe
DJ Honda

I'm sure there are loads more!





I think he was of Parsi extraction though.

Oh go away.
If a record company heard an Asian artist and thought they could sell millions they'd soon sign them up. It's nothing to do with racism. God you can't pass wind these days without some idiot shouting RACISM....

If it was racism then you wouldn't see any black artists let alone Asians. Back in the 70s when racism was far worse than it is now you had countless black artists who were successful like the Jackson 5, Hot Chocolate, Billy Ocean, Bob Marley, Detroit Spinners, Lou Rawls etc . I know these artists aren't Asian but the point I'm trying to make is that if it was racism you'd only see white western bands or singers. I know you passionately believe it IS racism but you're just wrong. I think that you WANT to believe it's racism for some strange reason.

Those, who wish to find some -ism, will find it somewhere. Too many blacks in EPL footie, I suppose!

I expect much of it is cultural - music is not considered a "good profession" by many older Asians. Many of their favourite instruments do not transfer well into mainstream, although I seem to remember a DJ Punjabi, who was a dab hand with a sitar.

Stereotypes, eh?

Its not just our music but also our TV & MOVIES what have a monopoly .

That's impressive, I don't carry that stuff around in my head.
Annabella Lwin, Isao Tomita and the Sadistic Mika Band are always the first ones I think of.

Does the list above represent a large number of Asian people in pop music though?

I have albums by Nitin Sawhney, Talvin Singh, Susheela Raman, Sheila Chandra, Supercat, Sean Paul, I-Kong, Amerie, Tamiko Jones, Supar Pie DeSanto, Yvonne Elliman, Cool Calm Pete, Pete Miser, Dan The Automator and DJ Honda...

...so I suppose that helps!

I saw fast-rapper JC-001 live as a support act and I have the 'L.A. Nights' b/w 'New York Afternoon' 12" by Yasuko Agawa.

I should have remembered Annabella Lwin as I liked BowWowWow and several of us at school rather fancied her (!) She had the first ever Minidisc single release I think back in the 90's. Think it was called 'Car Sex'.

I should also have mentioned the Guana Batz. I saw them live as a support act too and one of them was / is an Asian guy. Like I said - the list is probably endless, those are just some I remembered.

I didn't remember them all at once, I made a list in a notepad document while I was doing other things and posted it when I'd remembered all I could.

Just remembered another: the Frank Chickens.


Oh, and The Plastics...

'I Love You Oh No'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVrvI7pGMak

... which was covered by Stereo Total:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqok3-Q_1lk

Someone will probably remember which TV advert used this track.


I'd have to say no, not at all.

I don't know about you guys/gals, but i like KPOP more than western pop. Songs are catchier and there are choreos to every song. The fusion of hip hop, R&B, techo, trap, etc. is just pretty amazing. You just never know how the changeup in the song is going to go within the song. The music vids are just of high quality.

Btw, Ailee is an Asian American who has made it big in Kpop. She has an amazing voice, but we know how tough the American music industry is when it comes to getting the chance.

Not wishing to be overly contrary and having listened to a bit of K-Pop for research purposes what exactly is Eastern about K-Pop music apart from the ethnicity of the performers and the languages they sing in?

All the music forms/genres you mention above are of Western origin.

the fusion of genres in the same song which is really nice to hear in kpop . western pop nowdays is not interesting to me. i loved the 80s pop in uk and america, but not feeling western pop these days. it sounds boring and generic.