The Japanese Popstars are an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

electronic group from Northern Ireland consisting of Gary Curran and Gareth Donoghue (with former founding member and keyboardist Declan McLaughlin). Each member has his own alias. The act was nominated for "Best House DJs" at the 2006 World Urban Music Awards, "Best Live Performance" at the 2007 Northern Ireland Music Awards and won "Best Live Act" at the 2008 Irish Music Awards and then every year since (four years in a row). They were also voted "Best Breakthrough Producers" at the

DJ Mag ''DJ Magazine'' (also known as ''DJ Mag'') is a British monthly magazine dedicated to electronic dance music and DJs. Founded in 1991, the magazine is adapted for distribution in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Lat ...

Best of British Awards 2008, awarded "No.1 Dance Album" by '' Hotpress'' magazine, and won " Best Live Act" and "Best Album" at the 2009 Irish Music Awards.

History

Originally a trio with former member Declan McLaughlin (who now fronts Sirkus Sirkuz), they signed to indie label, in 2007 to Gung-Ho Recordings (

Gus Gus GusGus is an electronic music band from Reykjavík, Iceland. Although initially a film and acting collective, the group is mostly known for its electronic music. The group's discography consists of eleven studio albums. History GusGus was ...

Zoo Brazil John Andersson, better known as Zoo Brazil, is a Swedish multiplatinum Grammy-nominated record producer, songwriter and DJ residing in Stockholm, Sweden. Musical career Zoo Brazil first started DJing in 1989. His father was a musician who ...

) in the UK, and Beatink in Japan (home of

Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underwor ...

, Aphex Twin, and Cinematic Orchestra) but in 2010 then moved to

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), Tom Newman. It ...

. They have been referred to by people (particularly in Derry) as The Jappy Pops, Jap Pops, Popstars, the popstars or The Japstars. In 2011 they released their second studio album 'Controlling Your Allegiance' which featured guest vocals from Robert Smith (

The Cure The Cure are an English rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith has remained the only constant member. The band's ...

James Vincent McMorrow James Vincent McMorrow is an Irish singer and songwriter. Career McMorrow's debut album, ''Early in the Morning'', was released in Ireland in February 2010, and in the United States and Europe in 2011, to widespread acclaim. He made his UK te ...

Green Velvet Curtis Alan Jones (born April 26, 1968), better known by his stage name Green Velvet, is an American singer, record producer and DJ. He is also known as Cajmere, Geo Vogt, Half Pint, Curan Stone, and Gino Vittori. Early life Curtis Alan Jones wa ...

Lisa Hannigan Lisa Margaret Hannigan (born 12 February 1981) is an Irish musician, singer, composer, and voice actress. She began her musical career as a member of Damien Rice's band. Since beginning her solo career in 2007 she has released three albums: '' S ...

, Tom Smith (

Editors Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, or ...

), Dot JR,

Morgan Kibby Morgan Grace Kibby (born May 3, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and former actress based in Los Angeles, California. She is best known as a member and collaborator of the French electronic group M83 between 2008 and 201 ...

( M83) and

Jon Spencer Jon Spencer (born February 5, 1965) is an American singer, composer and guitarist. He has been involved in multiple musical acts, such as Pussy Galore, Boss Hog, Heavy Trash and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. History Jon Spencer was bor ...

(Blues Explosion). They have also remixed the likes of Beyoncé, Daft Punk, Depeche Mode, The Ting Tings, Editors and many more, as well as playing the European MTV Music Awards Preparty live with

Kasabian Kasabian ( ) are an English rock band formed in Leicester in 1997 by lead vocalist Tom Meighan, guitarist and occasional vocalist Sergio Pizzorno, guitarist Chris Karloff, and bassist Chris Edwards. Drummer Ian Matthews joined in 2004. Karl ...

in 2011. The band have a reputation for being a great live act and have played many festivals around the world including

Fuji Rock is an annual rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The three-day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan ...

, Japan,

Oxegen Oxegen was a music festival in Ireland, first held from 2004–2011 as a rock and pop festival and again in 2013 with dance and chart acts only. The event was regularly cited as Ireland's biggest music festival, and, by 2009, it was being ci ...

, Ireland,

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, Ireland, Glastonbury Festival, UK,

Electric Picnic Electric Picnic is an annual arts-and-music festival which has been staged since 2004 at Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland. It is organised by Pod Concerts and Festival Republic, who purchased the majority shareholding in ...

, Ireland, Rockness, Scotland, Trans Musicales, France, Benicassim, Spain, Dour Festival, Belgium, Dance.Here.Now, New York,

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, NY,

Bestival Bestival was a four-day music festival held in the south of England. It had been held annually in the late summer since 2004 at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight. In 2017 the festival relocated to the Lulworth Estate in Dorset. The event was organ ...

, UK, Les Transardentes, Belgium,

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, Germany,

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, France and many more. Decky Hedrock has since split from the group to form Sirkus Sirkuz and a monthly radio show on

RTÉ 2FM (RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, whil ...

Discography

Singles

*"Rodney Trotter" on

Dozer Dozer is a stoner rock band from Sweden. History Early years Dozer was formed in the great north in 1995 by Tommi Holappa, Fredrik Nordin, Erik Bäckwall and Magnus Larsson, playing local youth centres and supporting any bands that came to ...

Records *"Dirty Popstars on Your Radio" on

Records *"EP1" which includes "Delboy's Revenge" & "Sample Whore" on Gung-Ho! Recordings *

Groove Armada Groove Armada are an English electronic music duo, composed of Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. They achieved chart success with their singles "At the River", " I See You Baby" and " Superstylin'". The duo have released nine studio albums, four of w ...

Vs The Japanese Popstars "Get Down" on Strictly Rhythm *"Rise of Ulysses" on Gung-Ho! Recordings *"Face Melter" on Gung-Ho! Recordings *"We Just Are (Finalizer)" on Gung-Ho! Recordings *"B.C.T.T." on Gung-Ho! Recordings *"Destroy" feat.

on Virgin Recordings *" Let Go" feat.

on Virgin Recordings *"Song For Lisa" feat.

on Virgin Recordings *"Joshua" feat. Tom Smith on Virgin Recordings *"Take Forever" feat. Robert Smith on Virgin Recordings *"Shells of Silver" feat.

on Virgin Recordings

Studio albums

Live albums

Extended plays

Remixes

* Cagedbaby – "16 Lovers" on Southern Fried/KSR *Rob Hawk & MySoul – "So Shockin'" on Gung-Ho! Recordings * Streetlife DJs – "Yo Jay" on Dozer *

vs. The Japanese Popstars – "Get Down" Strictly Rhythm *

Shinichi Osawa , also known by his stage name Mondo Grosso, is a Japanese musician, DJ, record producer and composer currently signed onto Avex Trax's Rhythm Zone label. Previously he was signed to Sony Music Japan's FEARLESS RECORDS division and released alb ...

– "Star Guitar" on Data Records *

The Music The Music are an English alternative rock band, formed in Kippax, Leeds in 1999. Comprising Robert Harvey (vocals, guitar), Adam Nutter (lead guitar), Stuart Coleman (bass) and Phil Jordan (drums), the band came to prominence with the releas ...

– "Drugs" on Yes Please! Recordings *

Tong Tong may refer to: Chinese *Tang Dynasty, a dynasty in Chinese history when transliterated from Cantonese *Tong (organization), a type of social organization found in Chinese immigrant communities *''tong'', pronunciation of several Chinese char ...

& Spoon – "Gas Face" on Television *

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– "Cut by the Brakes" on Sunday Best *

The Ting Tings The Ting Tings are an English indie pop duo from Salford, Greater Manchester formed in 2007. The band consists of Katie White (vocals, guitar, bass drums, bass guitar, cowbells) and Jules De Martino (drums, lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboards ...

– " Be the One" on Sony * Beyoncé – "

If I Were A Boy "If I Were a Boy" is a song written by BC Jean and Toby Gad and originally performed by Jean in 2008. The song gained international attention the same year in a version by the American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album '' I Am... Sa ...

" on RCA * Beyoncé – "

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" on RCA * Depeche Mode – "

Peace Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...

" on EMI * The New Devices – " Everything Good" on Sony *

Benny Benassi Marco "Benny" Benassi (; born 13 July 1967) is an Italian DJ, record producer and remixer. He is widely seen as a pioneer of electro house, a genre brought into the mainstream by his 2002 summer club hit " Satisfaction". He started his career ...

feat. Iggy Pop – " Electro Sixteen" on D:Vision *

– " Papillon" on Columbia * autoKratz – "Kick" on Kitsuné * Gorillaz – "

On Melancholy Hill "On Melancholy Hill" is the third single from British virtual band Gorillaz's third studio album, ''Plastic Beach''. The single was released on 12 June 2010. Background The song was originally written by Damon Albarn during the production of T ...

" on Parlophone *

Thirty Seconds to Mars Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Leto (drums, ...

– "Closer to the Edge" on EMI * Kylie Minogue – "Better than Today" on Parlophone * Daft Punk – '' Tron: Legacy Reconfigured'' – "Arena" on

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* Daft Punk – '' Dconstructed'' – "Fall" Remix for '' Tron: Legacy'' on

Awards

''Controlling Your Allegiance'' was nominated for the Choice Music Prize in January 2012. , - , 2012 , , ''Controlling Your Allegiance'' , , Irish Album of the Year 2011 , , , -

References

External links

Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Japanese Popstars Electronic music groups from Northern Ireland Musical groups from Derry (city) Record production teams Remixers Club DJs Musical duos from Northern Ireland British house music groups