Marxy over at Neojaponisme has been kind enough to transcribe for us Rolling Stone Japan's entire list of 100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time, which recently ran in their September issue. Not only that, but he's listed a second "Oh yeah? Well look at this!" list from Snoozer magazine to contrast and compare.
Why all the fuss? Well, in Japan, bands are usually featured on the cover of magazine because they pay to get there. Naturally the publishers don't want to offend their major advertisers, making any attempt at an un-baised listing of "best" bands nearly impossible, so it just doesn't happen at all. Rolling Stone is taking matters into their own hands, with contributing editor Kawasaki Daisuke having this to say:
The Japanese music magazine industry resembles what existed in America before the rise of Rolling Stone. That’s to say, record companies — the main advertisers — see their wishes strongly reflected on every page, and because of this, magazines’ main job is to praise new releases. Is that why we’ve never seen one of these lists? It’s a strange situation, almost like the entire industry is infected with the idea that they should not rank releases because it would “make the record companies angry.” But even with Japanese mystery novels, for example, those chosen by critics in the “Best Ranking” become very popular, and rankings are used as a buyer’s guide. Japanese rock music is an even bigger market than mystery novels, so isn’t it strange that there are no trustworthy “Best Ranking Lists”? We must change this ridiculous situation into something more normal.
Now that the gauntlet has been thrown, it would seem that the floodgates are open and the cows are out of the barn and the cat is out of the bag. Check out the complete listing after the jump. Rolling Stone's list is first, with some of the Snoozer rankings numbered after in parentheses.
Top 10:
1. Happy End 『風街ろまん
』(Kazemachi Roman) / 1971 (#32)
2. RC SUCCESSION『ラプソディ
』(Rhapsody) / 1980 (#52)
3. The Blue Hearts『ザ・ブルーハーツ
』(The Blue Hearts) / 1987 (#20)
4. YMO『Solid State Survivor
』/ 1979
† (#142, 『BGM
』)
5. Yazawa Eikichi『ゴールドラッシュ
』(Gold Rush) / 1978
6. Shoukichi Kina & Champloose『喜納昌吉&チャンプルーズ
』(Shoukichi Kina & Champloose) / 1977
7. Ohtaki Eiichi『ア・ロング・バケーション
』 (A Long Vacation) / 1981
† (#115, 『大瀧詠一
』)
8. Fishmans『空中キャンプ
』( Kuuchuu Camp) / 1996 (#3)
9. Sadistic Mika Band『黒船
』(Kurofune) / 1974 (#104)
10. Cornelius『ファンタズマ
』(Fantasma) / 1997 (#9)
11. Sano Motoharu『SOMEDAY
』/ 1982
† (#16, 『VISITORS
』)
12. Arai Yumi『ひこうき雲
』(Hikouki Kumo) / 1973 (#25)
13. The Jacks『ジャックスの世界
』(Jacks no Sekai) / 1968 (#61)
14. Yamashita Tatsuro『SPACY
』/ 1977 (#39)
15. X『BLUE BLOOD
』/ 1989
16. Anarchy『アナーキー
』(Anarchy) / 1980
17. Carol『燃えつきる～ラスト・ライヴ
』(Moetsukiru -Last Live) / 1975
18. Togawa Jun『玉姫様
』(Tamahime-sama) / 1983 (#50)
19. The Plastics『Welcome Plastics
』/ 1980 (#72)
20. Murahachibu『ライブ
』(Live) / 1973 (#4)
21. Friction『軋轢
』(Atsureki) / 1980 (#12)
22. Ankoku Tairiku Jagatara『南蛮渡来
』(Nanban Torai) / 1982 (#11)
23. BOW WOW『WARNING FROM STARDUST
』/ 1982
24. Gedou『外道
』(Gedou) / 1974
25. Boredoms『Chocolate Synthesizer
』/ 1994
† (#6, 『SUPER ARE
』)
26. Yano Akiko『ジャパニーズ・ガール
』(Japanese Girl) / 1976
† (#130, 『ごはんができたよ
』)
27. The Stalin『STOP JAP
』/ 1982
† (#68, 『TRASH』)
28. The Roosters『Good Dreams
』/ 1984
29. Mute Beat『FLOWER
』/ 1987
30. Endou Kenji『満足できるかな
』(Manzoku Dekiru Kana) / 1971 (#106)
31. Yuukadan『生聞59分
』(Seibun 59 Mins) / 1977
32. Southern All Stars『人気者で行こう
』(Ninkimono de ikou) / 1984
† (#99, 『TINY BUBBLES
』)
33. INU『メシ喰うな
』(Meshi kuu na) / 1981 (#21)
34. Dir en grey『Withering to Death
』/ 2005
35. Flipper’s Guitar『CAMERA TALK
』/ 1990 (#131)
36. Char『PSYCHE
』/ 1988
37. Shonen Knife『LET’S KNIFE
』/ 1992 (#74)
38. Yonin Bayashi『一触即発
』(Isshoku Sokuhatsu) / 1974
39. Carmen Maki＆OZ『カルメン・マキ&OZ
』(Carmen Maki＆OZ) / 1975
40. Loudness『DISILLUSION~撃剣霊化~
』(Disillusion ~ Gekiken Reika) / 1984
41. RC SUCCESSION『カバーズ
』(Covers) / 1988 (#124)
42. Zelda『ゼルダ
』(Zelda) / 1982
† (#96, 『CARNAVAL
』)
43. Rebecca『IV～Maybe Tomorrow
』/ 1985
44. Sheena & Rockets『真空パック
』(Shinkuu Back) / 1979
45. Godaigo『CMソング・グラフィティ・ゴダイゴ・スーパー・ヒッツ
』(CM Song Graffiti Godaigo Super Hits) / 1978
46. Tama『ひるね
』(Hirune) / 1991
† (#148, 『さんだる
』)
47. Merzbow『緊縛の為の音楽
』(Music for Bondage Performance) / 1991
48. Kahimi Karie『MY FIRST KARIE
』/ 1995
49. Fushitsusha『1st
』/ 1989
† (#79, 『不失者』)
50. Elephant Kashimashi『エレファント カシマシ II
』(Elephant Kashimashi II) / 1988
† (#33,『浮世の夢
』)
51. Guitar Wolf『狼惑星
』(Ookami Wakusei) / 1997 (#126)
52. P-MODEL『IN A MODEL ROOM
』/ 1979 (#125)
53. Itou Seikou『MESS/AGE
』/ 1989 (#129)
54. Buffalo Daughter『Captain Vapor Athletes
』/ 1996
55. Aburadako『あぶらだこ
』(Aburadako) / 1985
† (#70, 『あぶらだこ(1986)
』）
56. Zunou Keisatsu『頭脳警察1
』(Zunou Keisatsu 1) / 1972
† (#100, 『頭脳警察セカンド
』)
57. Murasaki『紫
』(Murasaki) / 1976
58. Ippudou『LUNATIC MENU
』/ 1982
59. Tei Towa『Future Listening!
』/ 1994
60. Rankin Taxi『ワイルドで行くぞ
』(Wild de iku zo) / 1991
61. Ken Ishii『JELLY TONES
』/ 1995
† (#71, 『ガーデン・オン・ザ・パーム
』)
62. Creation『ピュア・エレクトリック・ソウル
』(Pure Electric Soul) / 1977
63. Violent Onsen Geisha『NATION OF RHYTHM SLAVES
』/ 1996
† (#83, 『OTIS
』)
64. Pizzicato Five『HAPPY END OF THE WORLD
』/ 1997
† (#91, 『女性上位時代
』)
65. Moon Riders『青空百景
』(Aozora Hyakkei) / 1982
† (#144, 『カメラ=万年筆
』)
66. S.O.B.『WHAT’S THE TRUTH?
』/ 1990
† (#140, 『LEAVE ME ALONE + DON’T BE SWINDLE
』)
67. The Fantastic Plastic Machine『The Fantastic Plastic Machine
』/ 1997
68. Takagi Kan『グラス・ルーツ
』(Grass Roots) / 1992
69. Ozawa Kenji『LIFE
』/ 1994 (#53)
70. Rosa Luxemburg『ぷりぷり
』(Puripuri) / 1986 (#8)
71. Flower Traveling Band『Satori
』/ 1971 (#76)
72. Denki Groove『A (エース)
』/ 1997 (#101)
73. Salon Music『La Paloma Show
』/ 1984
74. Scha Dara Parr『5TH Wheel 2 the coach
』/ 1995 (#86)
75. BOOWY『JUST A HERO
』/ 1986
76. Puffy 『JET CD
』/ 1998
77. Izumiya Shigeru『’80のバラッド
』(‘80 no Ballad) / 1978
† (#90,『黄金狂時代
』)
78. Rino Latina II 『Carnival of Rino
』/ 2001
79. Blankey Jet City『BANG!
』/ 1991
† (#80, 『C.B.Jim
』)
80. Fujiwara Hiroshi『Nothing Much Better to Do
』/ 1994
81. Sandii & the Sunsets『IMMIGRANTS
』/ 1982
82. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra『TOKYO SKA PARADISE
』/ 1989
83. Mr. Children『Atomic Heart
』/ 1994
84. The Street Sliders『SLIDER JOINT
』/ 1983
85. Sunny Day Service『東京
』(Tokyo) / 1996
† (#40, 『サニーデイ・サービス
』)
86. Supercar『HIGHVISION
』/ 2002
† (#30, 『JUMP UP
』)
87. Thee Michelle Gun Elephant『High Time
』/ 1996
† (#19, 『ギヤ・ブルーズ
』)
88. Newest Model『PRETTY RADIATION
』/ 1988
† (#77,『クロスブリード・パーク
』)
89. Shiina Ringo『勝訴ストリップ
』(Shouso Strip) / 2000 (#116)
90. Rip Slyme『FIVE
』/ 2001
91. Hi-Standard『ANGRY FIST
』/ 1997
† (#128, 『メイキング・ザ・ロード
』)
92. Number Girl『シブヤROCKTRANSFORMED状態
』(Shibuya Rock Transformed Joutai) / 1999
† (#37, 『SAPPUKEI
』)
93. Okuda Tamio『股旅
』(Matatabi) / 1998 (#143)
94. Spitz『スピッツ
』(Spitz) / 1991 (#105)
95. V.A. 『GO-GO KING RECORDERS ORIGINAL RECORDINGS vol.1
』/ 2006
96. Quruli『TEAM ROCK
』/ 2001 (#49)
97. Theatre Brook『TALISMAN
』/ 1996
98. Maximum the Hormone『ぶっ生き返す
』(Bu-Ikikaesu) / 2007
99. Utada Hikaru『First Love
』/ 1999
100. Kaji Hideki『TEA
』/ 1998
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