Japanese idol

An  in the Japanese pop culture is a young media personality (a singer, an actor, a model, etc.). This is usually a teenager, who has a cute and innocent public image. Idols are a separate category of Japanese artists.Fanning the Flames: Fans and Consumer Culture in Contemporary Japan, ed. William W. Kelly (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2004), p. 65

The term is commercialized by Japanese talent agents. The talent agencies hold auditions for cute boys and girls and make them stars. Idols are intended to be an ideal object of love of frenzied fans. There is also a view that the Japanese people see idols as sisters or girls next door.William D. Hoover, Historical Dictionary of Postwar Japan (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2011), p. 202

Japanese idol singers work across genres of the Japanese pop music. This is usually whatever is most popular at the moment. Their songs do not require great singing skills, but the artist must be beautiful, sweet and nice to sing them. In their everyday life, idols must also match the songs they sing. They must have a perfect public image and be good examples to young people.

 History 

The phenomenon appeared in the early 1970s. It was thanks to the popularity of young French actress Sylvie Vartan and the movie she played in called Cherchez l'idole ("Look for the Idol"). The movie came out in Japan in November 1964 under the title Aidoru o Sagase. The term "idol" started being used for girls, mostly between 14 and 16, who were just beginning their path to stardom or for very young new stars.

 Selective list of Japanese idol music groups 

This is a selective list of Japanese idol music groups, divided by projects or talent agencies.
 AKB48
 Stardust Promotion (talent agency)
 Momoiro Clover Z
 Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku
 Takoyaki Rainbow
 Hello! Project (project)
 Morning Musume
 °C-ute
 Berryz Kobo
 S/mileage
 Juice=Juice
 Buono!
 Fairies
 9nine
 Sakura Gakuin

 References 

 Other websites 

 10 Kawaii Japanese Female Idol Groups

Category:Celebrity
Category:Fandom
Idol
Category:Japanese idols
Category:Popular culture
Category:Subculture