Frequently Asked Questions
The J-POP Genre
What is J-POP?
J-POP is an acronym for Japanese Popular Music. The term is universal as there are many subgenres
of the format including the normal pop, R&B, hard rock and rap.
Is J-POP popular outside of Japan?
With the exception of some very hardcore fans in America and Europe, the genre's popularity is
pretty much limited to east Asia. In countries such as South Korea, J-POP is so popular that the
government has actually placed "cultural" controls on the flow of Japanese music into the country.
What is "Enka?"
Enka is a more traditional sounding ballad. Enka is sometimes called your grandparent's music.
However, just like J-POP, there are new Enka music releases therefore the genre is alive and
well. Personally, I think it's a beautiful genre, especially some of the female artists.
We may we consider playing some Enka at times on the weekend.
Oricon Weekly Enka Chart
Hardcore J
How do I listen to Hardcore J?
Hardcore J is available as a broadcast on Live365. Our broadcaster name is rec4.
What kind of a connection do I need to near the broadcast?
Hardcore J is encoded at 56K. This is too fast for a dial-up connection but for those with
broadband connections, especially low bandwidth connections like 256K DSL can successfully
hear the broadcast while leaving a good portion of their connection available for other
purposes.
How about a user with satellite internet service (DIRECWAY or Starband)?
The very few reports we have received from users is that the satellite services are not able to
reliably support a streaming audio service. We stongly suggest against using these services.
When I am away and I only have dial-up access, is there any other way to hear Hardcore J?
Unfortunately not. Hardcore J is only available at 56K. Some JPOP can be heard on our sister
station Anime Hardcore Radio which can be heard via dial-up.
Is Hardcore J available from any source other than Live365?
Listeners in Macomb, IL can hear 4 hours of Hardcore J programming on Sunday nights over
WTND-LP on 106.3FM. For more information see the timetable.
Hardcore J can also be heard over the telephone via
REC Dial-A-Stream on option #2.
What is the "REC-2" ID I hear every hour?
REC2 represents option #2 on the phone service
REC Dial-A-Stream.
Why the name "Hardcore"? Some may think this is a porn site.
Unfortunately, some people do. We have been working for years on "clearing our name" over
various site filters that judge domains by their cover. There is nothing pornographic about
this site. The term "Hardcore" comes from our original station "Powerpuff-FM" which played
cartoon music. We launched a broadband stream with the cartoon themes that Powerpuff-FM had
but also had more of the hard anime music because it sounded good in stereo. We decided to
call the stream "Powerpuff Hardcore" inspired by the character Bubbles exclaming "I'm Hardcore Now!"
(from the episode "Bubblevicious"). Actually, our "Powerpuff past" is still evident throughout the broadcast day. We eventually
removed the cartoon music from "Powerpuff Hardcore" and then repositioned the stream as
"Anime Hardcore Radio". Over the years, AHR added streams including Hardcore 2, which played
"the lighter side of anime" and Hardcore 3 which played anime background music. When the
decision was made to launch a Japanese Pop format, we could have taken the next number in
succession. However, the number four symbolizes "death" in Japanese culture. Instead, we
opted out of the numbering scheme and decided to call the station "Hardcore J" (or Hardcore
Japan). The name has stuck for almost 5 years now. Later on, we went back to the numbering
system to create Hardcore 5 with J-Rock and Hardcore 6 with the novelty, cute and girlpop
songs. We almost opened a Hardcore 7 for Enka. This project never surfaced.
There's a professional reggae dancer in Japan who uses the name "Hardcore J",
any relation to the station?
No. We have only been made aware of this performer very recently.
For more information on the other "Hardcore J", visit:
http://hardcorej.fc2web.com
Hardcore J Top 40 Countdown
How are chart statistics determined?
We survey various radio station and national radio show charts and compile the results into a single
national chart. Each track showing on each chart is assigned a score. The top 40 tracks with the
highest scores will be ranked.
Can I carry the Hardcore J Top 40 Countdown on my radio station?
No. Unfortunately, we can not clear the Countdown Show for terrestrial broadcast.
Can I use the chart on my website?
Yes you can as long as you credit Hardcore J and hardcorej.com.
Do you have a version of the chart in XML?
Yes. We have an API for the most current chart. You can find it at
http://www.hardcorej.com/database/chartapi.php.
The chart API is only available at this time in English (romaji).
Is the "Hardcore J" chart at YesAsia.com this Hardcore J?
Yes it is.
The Japanese Invasion
Can I get "The Japanese Invasion" for my terrestrial radio station?
We have not made this broadcast available to other terrestrial stations yet. To add more broadcasters
to the existing broadcast would involve issues around bandwidth and other issues. We will limit
the show to LPFM stations. If you are interested, please contact us at
hardcorej@japan.com.
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