Editing Music of Japan (section)

===Heavy metal===
{{Main|Japanese metal}}
Japan is a successful market for [[Heavy metal music|metal]] bands. Notable examples are [[Judas Priest]]'s ''[[Unleashed in the East]]'', [[Deep Purple]]'s ''[[Made in Japan (Deep Purple album)|Made in Japan]]'', [[Iron Maiden]]'s ''[[Maiden Japan]]'', [[Michael Schenker Group]]'s ''[[One Night at Budokan]]'' and [[Dream Theater]]'s ''[[Live at Budokan (Dream Theater album)|Live at Budokan]]''.

Japanese metal emerged in the late 1970s, pioneered by bands like [[Bow Wow (band)|Bow Wow]], formed in 1975 by guitarist [[Kyoji Yamamoto]], and [[Loudness (band)|Loudness]], formed in 1981 by guitarist [[Akira Takasaki]]. Contemporary bands like [[Earthshaker (band)|Earthshaker]], [[Anthem (band)|Anthem]] and [[44 Magnum (band)|44 Magnum]] released their debut albums only around the mid eighties. The first overseas live performances were by Bow Wow in 1978 in [[Hong Kong]], the [[Montreux Jazz Festival]], and the [[Reading and Leeds Festivals|Reading Festival]] in [[England]] in 1982.<ref name="japantimes">{{cite web
| title       = Kyoji Yamamoto leaves all inhibitions behind
| work       = japantimes.co.jp
| date       = 2009-04-18
| url       = http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090418a1.html
| access-date       = 2011-09-14
| archive-url       = https://web.archive.org/web/20121018230626/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20090418a1.html
| archive-date       = 2012-10-18
| url-status       = live
}}</ref> In 1983, Loudness toured United States and Europe. In 1985, the first Japanese metal act was signed to a major US label. Their albums ''[[Thunder in the East (album)|Thunder in the East]]'' and ''[[Lightning Strikes (Loudness album)|Lightning Strikes]]'', released in 1985 and 1986, peaked at number 74 (while number 4 in homeland [[Oricon]] chart), and number 64 in the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] charts respectively.<ref name="Ref_">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200#/album/loudness/thunder-in-the-east/10735 |title=Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts |magazine=Billboard.com |access-date=2012-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412150156/http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200#/album/loudness/thunder-in-the-east/10735 |archive-date=2016-04-12 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200#/album/loudness/lightning-strikes/10736 |title=Lightning Strikes - Loudness |access-date=2010-03-14 |year=1991 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412150156/http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200#/album/loudness/lightning-strikes/10736 |archive-date=2016-04-12 |url-status=live }}</ref> Till the end of the eighties only two other bands, [[Ezo (band)|Ezo]] and [[Dead End (band)|Dead End]], released albums in the United States. In the eighties few bands had a female member, like the all-female band [[Show-Ya]] fronted by [[Keiko Terada]], and [[Terra Rosa (band)|Terra Rosa]] with Kazue Akao on vocals. In September 1989, Show-Ya's album ''[[Outerlimits]]'' was released, reaching #3 on the Oricon album chart.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/free_contents/search/ranking_list.asp?itemcd=90557&samecd=1&chart_kbn=11A&linkcd=30010757 | title = Outerlimits Oricon chart | access-date = 12 September 2010 | publisher = [[Oricon]] | language = ja}}</ref> Heavy metal bands reached their peak in the late 1980s and then many disbanded until the mid-1990s.

[[File:Xjapan hongkong.jpg|thumb|right|Concert of pioneer of [[visual kei]], [[X Japan]] at [[Hong Kong]] in 2009 after their 2007 reunion]]
In 1982, some of the first Japanese [[glam metal]] bands were formed, like [[Seikima-II]] with [[Kabuki]]-inspired makeup, and [[X Japan]] who pioneered the Japanese movement known as [[visual kei]], and became the best-selling metal band.<ref>{{cite web|author=Strauss, Neil|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00EFD7103DF93BA25755C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all|title=The Pop Life: End of a Life, End of an Era|date=1998-06-18|work=The New York Times|access-date=2008-05-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413165821/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/18/arts/the-pop-life-end-of-a-life-end-of-an-era.html|archive-date=2012-04-13|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1985, Seikima-II's album ''Seikima-II - Akuma ga Kitarite Heavy Metal'' was released and although it reached number 48 on the Oricon album chart, it exceeded 100,000 in sales, the first time for any Japanese metal band. Their albums charted regularly in the top ten until the mid-1990s. In April 1989, X Japan's second album ''[[Blue Blood (X Japan album)|Blue Blood]]'' was released and went to number 6, and after 108 weeks on charts sold 712,000 copies.<ref name="BBJeoricon">{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/42172/|title=X、初期のリマスター再発商品2作が好調！|publisher=Oricon|date=2007-02-14|language=ja|access-date=2009-07-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507050228/http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/42172/|archive-date=2010-05-07|url-status=live}}</ref> Their third and best-selling album ''[[Jealousy (X Japan album)|Jealousy]]'' was released in July 1991; it topped the charts and sold 1.11 million copies.<ref name="BBJeoricon"/> Two number one studio albums, ''[[Art of Life]]'' and ''[[Dahlia (album)|Dahlia]]'', a singles compilation ''[[X Singles]]'', all sold more than half a million,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/%257Eyamag/album/al_x.html|title=X JAPAN|work=biglobe.ne.jp|language=ja|access-date=2011-10-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20071111034142/http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/album/al_x.html|archive-date=2007-11-11}}</ref> ending up with thirteen top five singles before disbanding in 1997.<ref name="Oricon singles">{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/26180/ranking/cd_single/|title=X JAPANのシングル売り上げランキング|language=ja|publisher=oricon.co.jp|access-date=2011-08-31|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205051936/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/26180/ranking/cd_single/|archive-date=2012-12-05|url-status=live}}</ref>

Japanese metal came to global attention in 2014 with the success of "[[kawaii metal]]" band [[Babymetal]]. They recorded viral [[YouTube]] hits like "[[Gimme Chocolate!!]]" as well as international performances including at the UK's [[Sonisphere Festival#Sonisphere 2014|Sonisphere Festival 2014]] and Canada's [[Heavy Montréal]] alongside the likes of [[Metallica]] and [[Slayer]]. Babymetal was the opening act to five of [[Lady Gaga]]'s concerts in her [[ArtRave: The Artpop Ball]] 2014 tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/20622|title=BABYMETAL レディー・ガガの米ツアーに大抜擢、LAワンマンも – Daily News – Billboard JAPAN|language=ja|access-date=2016-03-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165246/http://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/20622|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/25403/20140618/lady-gaga-artrave-tour-2014-babymetal-confirmed-opening-act-japanese.htm|title=Lady Gaga Artrave US Tour 2014: Babymetal Confirmed As Opening Act|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2014-06-18|website=KDramaStars.com|access-date=2014-06-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714162414/http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/25403/20140618/lady-gaga-artrave-tour-2014-babymetal-confirmed-opening-act-japanese.htm|archive-date=2014-07-14|url-status=live}}</ref> Babymetal won numerous awards including [[Kerrang!]]'s The Spirit of Independence Award and [[Metal Hammer]]'s Breakthrough Band Award.<ref name="ro69151214">{{Cite news |url= http://ro69.jp/news/detail/135677 |title= BABYMETAL、宙を舞う！ 新曲連打、大発表続々で燃えた横浜アリーナ公演レポート！ |newspaper= [[Rockin'On Japan]] |publisher= 株式会社[[ロッキング・オン]] |author= 高橋智樹 |date= 2015-12-14 |access-date= 2015-12-21 |language= ja |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151222151529/http://ro69.jp/news/detail/135677 |archive-date= 2015-12-22 |url-status= live }}</ref>

====Extreme metal====
Japanese [[extreme metal]] bands formed in the wake of the American and European wave, but did not get any bigger exposure until the 1990s, and the genre took underground form in Japan.{{Citation needed|date = November 2009}} The first [[thrash metal]] bands formed in the early 1980s, like [[United (band)|United]], whose music incorporates [[death metal]] elements, and [[Outrage (band)|Outrage]]. United performed in Los Angeles at the metal festival "Foundations Forum" in September 1995 and released a few albums in North America. Formed in the mid-1980s, [[Doom (Japanese band)|Doom]] played in the United States in October 1988 at [[CBGB]], and was active until 2000 when it disbanded.

The first bands to play [[black metal]] music were [[Sabbat (Japanese band)|Sabbat]], who is still active, and [[Bellzlleb]], who was active until the early 1990s. Other notable acts are [[Sigh (band)|Sigh]], [[Abigail (band)|Abigail]], and [[Gallhammer]].

[[Doom metal]] also gained an audience in Japan. The two best-known Japanese doom metal acts are [[Church of Misery]] and [[Boris (band)|Boris]]: both gained considerable popularity outside the country.

====Metalcore====
In the 2000s, Japanese metalcore bands such as Tokyo's [[Crystal Lake (band)|Crystal Lake]], Nagoya natives [[Coldrain]] and [[Deathgaze]], Kobe's [[Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas]], and Osaka's [[Crossfaith]] formed.