Music

List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

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Updated June 8, 2017 7.3k views 211 items

List of Tokyo bands, listed by their level of fame. This Tokyo musicians list includes both bands and solo artists. All famous Tokyo bands are included, as well as many Tokyo musicians of underground status. This list of Tokyo musical artists includes information like what genre the artist falls under, what albums they've put out and more. If you want to know more about these famous Tokyo bands you can click on their names to learn more about them. Bands from every genre are listed here, including rock, pop, hip-hop/rap, jazz, and more.

This list features Ghost, Sigh and more.

If you're wondering, "What bands are from Tokyo?" or "What is a list of Tokyo bands?" then this list will answer your questions. (211 items)
1
Ghost is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Ghost, In Stormy Nights, Lama Rabi Rabi, Snuffbox Immanence, Hypnotic Underworld, + more

Labels: P.S.F. Records, Drag City

Ghost was an experimental rock group formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 1984.

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#1,602 of 2,211 The Best Rock Bands of All Time #1,024 of 1,039 The Worst Bands & Musicians of All Time #84 of 162 The Best Neo-Psychedelia Bands

2
Sigh is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Hangman's Hymn: Musikalische Exequien, Gallows Gallery, Imaginary Sonicscape, Scorn Defeat, Infidel Art, + more

Labels: The End Records, Candlelight Records, Deathlike Silence Productions, Century Media Records, Cacophonous Records

Sigh is a Japanese extreme metal band from Tokyo, formed in 1989. They are credited as being one of the first Japanese black metal bands, when the majority of black metal in early 1990s came ...more

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#118 of 252 The Best Symphonic Metal Bands #73 of 93 The Best Japanese Rock Bands #31 of 196 The Best Avant Garde Metal Bands

3
Maximum the Hormone is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Kusoban, Rei Rei Rei Rei Rei Rei Rei Rei Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma, Hō, A.S.A. Crew, Bu-ikikaesu, + more

Labels: Mimikajiru, VAP

Maximum the Hormone is a Japanese rock band from Hachiōji, Tokyo. Their lineup has consisted of Daisuke-han, Nao, Maximum the Ryo-kun, and Ue-chan since 1999. Each member alternates singing lead ...more

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#109 of 355 The Best Nu Metal Bands #99 of 177 The Best Deathcore Bands

4
Kagrra, is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: [gozen], irodori, kirameki, Ouka Ranman, Sakura, + more

Labels: Free-Will, Nippon Columbia, King Records

Kagrra, was a Japanese visual kei rock band. They were originally signed to the now defunct Key Party Records under the name "Crow". The group changed its name when they signed to PS
5
Yellow Magic Orchestra ... is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: X ∞ Multiplies, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Technodon, Technodelic, BGM, + more

Labels: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Avex Trax, Restless Records, EMI Music Japan, Alfa Records, + more

Yellow Magic Orchestra is a Japanese electronic music band consisting of principal members Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto. For their early studio albums and live ...more
6
Stephanie is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo
Genre: Pop music and J-pop; Nationality: South Korea

Albums: because of you, 君がいる限り, FUTURE, Colors of my Voice, Changin', + more

Labels: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.

Stephanie Nonoshita Topalian (Armenian: Ստեֆանի Թոփալյան; Western Armenian: Սթեֆանի Թօփալեան; born August 5, 1987), professionally known as Stephanie (ステファニー (Sutefanī)), is an American singer ...more
7
Merzbow is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Rectal Anarchy, Here, Merzbox, Merzbeat, Rock Dream, + more

Labels: Relapse Records, Important Records

Merzbow (メルツバウ, Merutsubau) is a Japanese noise project started in 1979 by Masami Akita (秋田 昌美, Akita Masami). Merzbow is best known for a style of harsh, confrontational noise. Since 1980, ...more
8
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orche... is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Best (1989-1997), World Famous, Full-Tension Beaters, Ska Para Toujou, Stompin' on Down Beat Alley, + more

Labels: Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Avex Trax, Avex Group, Epic/Sony Records

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra (東京スカパラダイスオーケストラ, Tōkyō Suka Paradaisu Ōkesutora), commonly abbreviated by fans as Skapara or TSPO, is a Japanese ska and jazz band formed in 1988 by the ...more
9
Envy is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Envy / Jesu, A Dead Sinking Story, All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead, From Here to Eternity, Insomniac Doze, + more

Labels: Temporary Residence Limited, Rock Action Records, Level Plane Records

Envy is a rock band formed in Tokyo in 1992. They are signed to Rock Action Records in Europe and Temporary Residence Limited in North America, though originally they worked with Level Plane ...more

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#177 of 294 The Greatest Women Rappers of All Time #77 of 125 The Best Screamo Bands of All Time #84 of 186 The Best Post-rock Bands

10
Antic Cafe is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Magnya Carta, Gokutama Rock Cafe, Antic Cafe, BB Parallel World, Amedama ROCK, + more

Labels: Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Loop Ash Records, Gan-Shin

Antic Cafe is a Japanese pop rock band formed in 2003 and signed to Sony Music Japan. Their visual image is oshare kei, and they describe their music as "Harajuku Dance Rock". The ...more
11
Velvet Eden is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Ningyou Shoukan, Street of Alice, Witch on flames, Sute-neko

Labels: Castle Communications

12
Moon Kana is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Doubutsu-teki Ningen, Hebi Ichigo, 月の兎, Spade, 動物的人間, + more

13
DJ Krush is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: 寂 -jaku, Ki-Oku, Kakusei, Krush, Meiso, + more

Labels: Shadow Records, FFRR Records, Mo Wax

Hideaki Ishi (石 英明, Ishi Hideaki, born July 29, 1962), better known by his stage name DJ Krush, is a record producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which ...more

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The Best DJ Krush Songs #20 of 42 The Best Trip Hop Bands/Artists #12 of 49 The Best Turntablists

14
Arashi is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Arashic, Here We Go!, Arashi Number One: The Storm Calls The Storm, Popcorn, One, + more

Labels: Pony Canyon, J Storm

Arashi is a popular Japanese idol group consisting of five members formed under the Johnny's Entertainment talent agency. The group was officially formed on September 15, 1999, in Honolulu, ...more

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#154 of 221 The Greatest R&B Artists of All Time #17 of 186 The Best Japanese Music Artists

15
Teriyaki Boyz is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Beef or Chicken, Serious Japanese, Zock On! (feat. Pharrell & Busta Rhymes), I Still Love H.E.R. (feat. Kanye West), Work That!

Labels: Def Jam Recordings, Universal Music Group, Star Trak Entertainment

Teriyaki Boyz is a Japanese hip hop group from Tokyo, Japan.
16
Flower Travellin' Band ... is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Made in Japan, Make Up, We Are Here, Anywhere, Satori, + more

Labels: Pony Canyon, Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records

Flower Travellin' Band were a rock band from Japan that was formed in 1968. In Japan they often go by the moniker FTB. They were connected to Japan's counterculture movement and noted for their ...more
17
Alice Nine is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Alice in Wonderland, Alpha, WHITE PRAYER, JEWELS, Zekkeishoku, + more

Labels: Free-Will, King Records, Universal Music Group, Tokuma Shoten

A9, previously known as Alice Nine, is a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in Tokyo in 2004. Originally signed to PS Company, they signed to King Records until 2010 when the joined Tokuma ...more
18
Anthem is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Eternal Warrior, Seven Hills, Black Empire, Prologue Live Boxx, HERALDIC DEVICE, + more

Labels: JVC, Victor Entertainment, Universal Music Group

Anthem is a Japanese heavy metal band that was formed during the early 1980s in Tokyo. They are among the handful of heavy metal bands founded in Japan during that time and are considered to be ...more
19
Melt-Banana is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Animali In Calore Surriscaldati Con Ipertermia Genitale/Cat in Red, Psycho-Acoustic, "Cactuses Come in Flocks", Cell-Scape, "Teeny Shiny", + more

Labels: Gold Standard Laboratories, Skin Graft Records

Melt-Banana is a Japanese noise rock band that is known for playing extremely fast grindcore styled music and noise music mixed with experimental, electronica and pop-based song structures. The ...more
20
Ryo Kawakita is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Labels: VAP

Ryo Kawakita (川北 亮, Kawakita Ryō, born December 13, 1978), also known as Maximum the Ryo (マキシマムザ亮君 Makishimamu Za Ryō-kun), is the guitarist, songwriter and singer of Japanese metal band Maximum ...more
21
Saki Shimizu is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo
Genre: J-pop; Nationality: Japan

Labels: Piccolo Town

Saki Shimizu (清水 佐紀, Shimizu Saki, born November 22, 1991) is a J-pop singer. Her career began in 2002 when she passed the audition for Hello! Project Kids, an all-female teen pop group within ...more
22
KAT-TUN is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Best of KAT-TUN, No More Pain, KAT-TUN III: Queen of Pirates, cartoon KAT-TUN II You, Chain, + more

Labels: J Storm

KAT-TUN is a Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates in 2001. The group's name was originally an acronym based on the first letter of each member's family name: Kazuya Kamenashi, Jin ...more
23
Mr. Children is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Shifuku no Oto, Bolero, Atomic Heart, Everything, Kind of Love, + more

Labels: Toy's Factory

Mr. Children is a Japanese pop rock band formed in 1988 by Kazutoshi Sakurai, Kenichi Tahara, Keisuke Nakagawa, and Hideya Suzuki. As a group, they are one of the most successful Japanese rock ...more
24
King Giddra is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: UNSTOPPABLE, 911 (Remix), 空からの力, 最新兵器

Labels: P-Vine Records, DefStar Records

King Giddra was a Japanese hip hop group that started in 1993. They were signed to the indie label P-Vine Records. After a six-year hiatus, they would go on to sign with DefStar Records, a ...more
25
Last Alliance is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list List of Famous Bands from Tokyo

Albums: Seventh Sense, KAWASAKI RELAX, the sum, for staying real BLUE., TEARS LIBRARY, + more

Labels: VAP

Last Alliance is a Japanese rock band based in Machida, Tokyo.