I’ve started listening to Mamamoo, a Korean girl (woman) group. I think they’re great, I’ll listen to pop music if they’re the ones making it. And the thing is, is that I can! Korean pop music, as far as I can tell is more marketed, and more available to the West than Japanese music is. I can buy K-Pop music from FYE. I had to import the last couple of Japanese albums I got last month–couldn’t even use iTunes. And don’t get me started on Thai music! If I can’t pay for it digitally, I will never have it… Unless I’m lucky enough to find it on one of those… other sites…
Two things: Piracy is often a better deal; If Americans made the internet, we should be able to easily purchase digital music files via the internet. Get your act together Japan. And thank you Korea Mamamoo.