X Japan

X Japan is one of the most influential rock bands in Japanese history. Formed as a speed metal band in the early '80s, the group attracted attention not only for its music, but also its popularization of visual kei, a cultural/musical/fashion movement whose emphasis on outrageous hairstyles and androgynous makeup was similar to glam rock. By the early '90s, X had also woven power ballads, pop, and classical music into the band's catalog, creating a sound that helped the group enter -- and, for several years, dominate -- the Japanese mainstream. Before signing with a major lab...