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Well, I live in America, too, but I can't be biased when it comes to pleasuring my ears... I don't think there's anything here that isn't PROBABLY being done better in Japan. I mean, there's no band here who sounds like Boredoms or Blam Honey or Plus-Tech Squeezebox or Aki Tsuyoko or Space Streakings or any of those other crazy bands. And even stuff like Zazen Boys is better than any of the so-called "math rock" stuff we have here... But since I dont' live there, so I don't know if it has better jazz, rap, and other genres other folks might be more knowledgable of..
And whoever said that "great music is everywhere", yeah that's true, but that's kind of a crappy and easy answer... It always sucks when someone answers like that in a thread; to me, the facts are pretty clear: Japan has a MUCH larger population, so it kinda wins by default.. but, really, it is just filled to the brim with SO MANY amazing and innovative musicians!
Yes, there still is innovation out there; I'm not sure if any genre has been completely sapped of innovative ideas, though certainly I haven't heard any bands recently where I've just been blown away to the point of going, 'Wow, I've never heard ANYTHING like this.' For the record, music that HAS just blown me away when I first heard it because of how innovative it was, I think of stuff like White Noise, The Residents, Harry Partch, Captain Beefheart, Boredoms, Omoide Hatoba, Melt Banana (I heard them when I was 14 so it was pretty nuts back then), Thinking Fellers Union Local # 282, and Silver Apples... I'm sure other musicians, when I first heard them, amazed me, but the artists I just listed made my jaw drop..
So yeah, I dunno. Most of my favorite artists are American, but that's only because I'm more knowledable of America (so, I guess in a way, I do have an unintended bias). But from what I can tell, Japanese artists seem a bit more focused on innovating. And that's very important to me. So yeah.
Actually, forget what I just replied with, I think pbradley's response is better. Ahem..
So the answer is "I don't know" followed quickly with "I don't really care."
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