You need to hear this
Language shouldn’t be a barrier to good music.
I often find myself listening to the same 10 bands on repeat; I know the type of music that I like and often refuse to deviate from it. However, once a friend recommended this new band to me, I knew I needed to give them a go.
One Ok Rock ticks all my boxes. A mix of emo, rock and pop punk. The thing that makes them slightly different to the music I tend to listen to is that they are a Japanese rock band.
Before you stop reading because you think non-English music isn’t your thing, hear me out.
Before listening to One Ok Rock, I was hesitant. I don’t often like music that isn’t in English as I can’t sing the lyrics from the top of my lungs (sorry to my housemates who have to put up with me singing in the shower!). However, since listening to just one of their songs I instantly became obsessed. Honestly, there isn’t a single song that I dislike. Most of their music is actually in English or has English versions, so it’s a good band to get into if you are wanting to make the transition to Japanese music.
“We are the colours in the dark”
One Ok Rock is an alternative rock band who have been around since 2005, mixing up styles to create something that cannot be defined by a simple description. Since signing to Fueled by Ramen, they have been steadily gaining international recognition in the music scene. Their most recent album was released in 2019, totalling their albums to 9. They have produced songs with multiple artists in the alternative rock scene, including Kellin Quinn from Sleeping with Sirens and Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low.
“Stand out fit in”
Picking a favourite album is completely impossible with this band, but I do often find myself going back to their first album ‘Zeitakubyo’. As this album is mostly in Japanese it truly makes me appreciate the actual music and emotion that they put into their music. Their most recent album ‘Eye of the Storm’ is filled with optimism, which is something we all need after last year! I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite song from this album but I often have the first 5 tracks on repeat.
Give new music a go. You never know what you may discover.
