In May, Japanese Web site Netallica reported that advance tickets for two of the big rock festivals, Fuji and Summer Sonic, were not moving. Both feature foreign artists, and Netallica implied that the latter added the grand old man of Japanese rock, Eikichi Yazawa, and best-selling J-pop hip-hop group Funky Monkey Babys in a desperate bid to boost sales.
The problem for Summer Sonic, which was held last weekend in Tokyo and Osaka, is that this year it took place on the same weekend as Rock in Japan, the country's biggest summer festival attendance-wise. There wasn't much the organizers could do about it due to venue and artist availability, but whatever factors contributed to the final lineup, it was definitely the oddest roster the festival has ever offered.
Summer Sonic started out as a showcase for foreign rock acts, and over the years has become a Japan debut opportunity for topical indie bands and, increasingly, world-class hip-hop and R&B artists. This year's headliners represented the twin poles of urban music: Jay-Z, the most successful rapper in the world, and Stevie Wonder, the most popular extant link to the golden age of soul.