J-pop artist recommondations?

Question:

I listen to arashi, koda kumi, utada hikaru, namie amuro, yui horie, akb48

I don't listen to jpop that much I listen to jrock, kpop and cpop more so thats why I don't know much groups or artists

btw whats with akb48's graduation concept? why do they do that? and what are their other groups SKE48

Answer:

@People correcting OP: Foreign fans tend to classify Japanese music (and Korean too infact) under 3 genres rock (being real bands that make ROCK music, not pop bands), hip-hop (rappers and all) and pop (everything else).


Solo-Singers
Nishino Kana
Ayumi Hamasaki
YUI
Maki Goto
BENI
Crystal Kay

Groups
SMAP
NEWS
Perfume
EXILE
Hey! Say! JUMP
KAT-TUN
°C-ute
S/mileage
W-inds

Bands
ikimonogakari
B'z
SID (edging on rock and pop)
WaT


AKB48's graduation concept is like that so that the group can stay for a long time (for example Morning Musume who also follows the graduation concept debuted in 1997 and is still here today, with a whole new set of members from the original). You don't have to worry though, most of the members that graduate are the undergirls, and I doubt any of the top 12 will graduate any time soon... except maybe Marikosama. She's hitting 25. :<

Besides AKB48, there's also SKE48 and NMB48 the localized versions of AKB. SDN48 on the other hand is the adult-version. Recently there's new group coming out called HKT48 which is aimed to become "rivals" to AKB.

.... There's also OJS48 which I find pretty funny.