Since the Beatles crossed the Atlantic in 1964, success in the United States has been the Holy Grail of foreign artists, no matter how popular they are in their home countries.
Japanese musicians have been no exception. Dreams Come True's Miwa Yoshida has taken up residence in New York's trendy Tribeca while working on the group's second American release. Walking out her door she is apt to see posters for the soul singer Toshi Kubota's new album which seem to be pasted on nearly every available surface in the city
Success for Japanese pop stars has been far from easy, however. Dreams Come True's first English-language album received a huge push only to sink promptly into the bargain bins while Seiko Matsuda's ill-fated attempts at stateside fame are legendary. When success has come, it has been to artists on the musical periphery back home. Both Shonen Knife and the Boredoms, virtually unknown in Japan at the time, achieved cult followings in the late '80s as much for novelty as for musical merit.