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I recently obtained mp3s from some of the older super eurobeat albums, and as much as I thoroughly enjoy the older eurobeat, I realized that some tracks sound almost nothing like the eurobeat we enjoy today.

Since there are those more knowledgeable than myself about the greatest music genre in the world here on these forums, I would just like to know, When Did Eurobeat change??

Was it a gradual shift from old-school to modern, or was it sudden?

Because Big Brother by Aleph sounds nothing like Big Brother by Fastway.

First of all (just for reference), Big Brother by Aleph was from 1988 just in case you didn't know.

For a long time now I've had an understanding of the evolution of eurobeat that I'm not sure many others understand.
I'll break the eras down.

1980-1987: "Italo-Disco"
While disco became "uncool" in the states around here, it still thrived, but rather evolved in europe, and ended up (by around '83 I'd say) becoming a sort of fusion between 80's pop and hi-nrg music.
It has a VERY big following still today, and you would think it's about as far from eurobeat as you could imagine, but it really is eurobeat's forefather.

1988-1990: "The Japanese Transition"
Around this time, Italo-Disco became quite popular in Japan, with songs such as "Give Me Up" by Michael Fortunati being very popular there, the market conformed to their interests. The music became faster, more synthesized.
Asia Records were the first to really make a move on the Japanese market I think. Many other labels such as Time Records (founded in 1983) followed suit.

1991-1995: "The Early Days Of Eurobeat"
It could really be called eurobeat now. Giancarlo Pasquini even founded the label A-Beat C in 1990 with the knowledge that this was becoming quite a success. Some would argue he even founded eurobeat music in 1st person.
Many new artists came along, such as Tomas Marin (Mega NRG Man), Maurizio De Jorio (D. Essex) and Francessca Contini (Norma Sheffield) as well as old ones such as Brian Ice and Elena Ferretti. As much as we may not like them now, you have no idea how crucial Avex was to eurobeat's success around this time. Domino said that Giancarlo had to pull all-nighters sometimes just to keep Avex happy.

1995-2000: "The 'Golden Age'"
Eurobeat was quite popular by now, what with the "ParaPara Boom" of the late 90s, reinforced by hits such as Night Of Fire. Songs were faster still, and many consider it to be the best time for eurobeat.
Even more new labels have been formed now such as Delta, (later) Hi NRG Attack, and Double Records - later to become SCP Music.

2000-2005: "To The Future"
Things were relatively quiet around here. Compilations such as Maharaja Night, Euromach and others cease to exist now, but production quality is improved still, with the usual new instruments and technologies. The feel is very different.

2005-Present: "Eurobeat Now"
Modern eurobeat has changed drastically. The songs seem more "trance-like" and definitely have a "new" sound. Hard to put it into words.

As for the future... who knows. All we know is that it will be slower. It might have the same "sound", just slower. Take notes from "Star Heart" and "Keep Fall In Love", I think those are good examples of what it'll sound like.

What's your favorite period? Mine's... hard to pick. I'd say anything from 1980 to 1995.

PS:
Thanks for making this topic, I've been meaning to post a timeline for a while.

This post has been edited by kyonpalm on Nov 13 2015, 07:12 AM

It's a very subjective thing when you mention THE GOLDEN AGE...some people have mentioned that this era was from 1999-2002 when there was a huge boom in the parapara scene (i.e. the Parapara Allstars).

Here was my rundown of eras with no particular name or phrase to describe them...more of a feeling you get listening to these songs at the time.

Italo Beat <1990
Early Days of Eurobeat 1990-1995
1996-1999 (w/introductions of Delta, Hi-Nrg Attack and Double)

1999-2002 (the regular SEB series had huge hits with A-BEAT C and Delta; Euromach series)

2003-2006 The poppy-era...I noticed a large number of covers and more pop-sounding songs from this generation (add in SCP, Vibration, Saifam, and Hi-Nrg Attack to the reg SEB roster)

2007-2009 present sound...new labels, good hits, and new ways of production
(GGM, Eurogrooves, SS, and Saifam's return added to roster)
Like any other genre of music, there will always be an evolution of sound....
all of this is just IMOHO...

This post has been edited by iheartmiho on Oct 7 2009, 05:07 AM

Ryosuke you had a very good subjective timeline until the current era where you put your opinions in it... And, obviously, I say that this era, 2005 - today, is probably the best. I've never been able to listen to SEB 91's first disc fully because I think it just plain s*cks.

To me, SEB 181 to 196 were the best albums ever conceived. In that, my top 5 albums :
5. SEB 184
4. SEB 182
3. SEB 193
2. SEB 192
1. SEB 195 << BEST SEB EVER!!!!ONE!ELEVEN!!!!

EDIT

The first song considered to be similar to today's eurobeat (speed, sounds, etc) is "Tora Tora Tora" by Domino on SEB 48. Also, the intro used in Tora Tora Tora is the same of the intro of Def Leppard's "Die Hard Hunter".

This post has been edited by Lebon14 on Oct 7 2009, 04:23 PM

^Noted, opinions removed. Feel free to copypasta anywhere you like now.

I first started listening in the early 140s, and worked my way back, so my opinion may differ, but I feel like it was somewhere in the late 70s where things started to take shape towards where they ultimately ended up (ie : the sorts of songs most people became familiar with through Initial D and such...), gradually becoming something that would appeal more and more to the Japanese audience... I feel like the 'disconnect' shift, for me, came somewhere in the 160s or early 170s. There were still some good songs, but I felt like the J-Pop button had been pushed (although with some singers (Domino), it had always been there) and I just didn't like the music near as much as I used to.

I liked the older Eurobeat. Especially when Claudio Accantino was onboard with Asia and Radiorama. The Eurobeat sound of the mid 90's was the best. It's when Live Music Studio was writing for Time records. Finally everything is all right as long as HRG Attack still make Eurobeat.

I love hi-nrg as well. But even hi-nrg has shifted style over time. If you listen to "Bad Illusion" compared to "Intercooler", they are very different songs yet both done by Cy-Ro.

I still say the greatest set of eurobeat albums occurred from the seb 050 to approx seb 100, as well as seb 160 to now.

I can so agree with you about that SEB195...
Woah I did really enjoy EVERY song on that album, even Asia and HRG!

I wish they could produce more of such albums

I really started to notice a change around album 100 and then in 160, when I really started to listen. All of my favourites have been 158 and up. The 180's were definitely the best and some of my favourites have been produced in the 190's. When it was announced that 200 would be slower I was nearly crushed. Eurobeat was finally hitting its full potential and they want to change it.

Still, we'll see in January.

I noticed, that Eurobeat world interest resurrected again about year 2005, together with internet development, and that almost all fans were new, they tried to guess everything, discover like from since the very beginning. That's my only explanation for such comments about Aleph.

The fact of new technology in studios, easier and faster possibilities to create music, isn't tantamount to better music. The next certain fact, in 2005 when no matter how many people like modern Eurobeat, it was less popular than in 2000 or especially in 90s.

What is for me an obvious, the worth has a talent, an idea and desires of artists and feelings put into a song, no their devices. New synthesizers had different sound and if someone thinks, that something was changed, is wrong. Now, after next 10 years we can clearly hear the same monotonous sounds, like some people called old-school Euobeat.

We should remember very rare series by Flea Records, in Japan on Alabianca Records license and released by Toshiba EMI Ltd. The period 1990 - 1995 as the one is more correct. Future A.Beat-C. team worked in 1990 and 1991 for two another labels, still yet for Time Records as in 80s, and for Flea Records. The sound was already identical like A.Beat-C. style. Something what I only suggest to separate was still continuing That's Eurobeat. Avex Trax today call Asia Records and this first well known CD compilations series as not typical Eurobeat, but new wave, trend, the period of changes in Italo Disco and I agree with that.

Probably golden, but more than in 1990 - 1995? More limited A.Beat-C. and Time Records discography because of appearing Delta, finally finished Maharaja Night series releasing. New very short series like Eurobeat Flash rather hadn't a huge position like SEB, however the second part of 90s was too still the best time ever.

2009 me is an idiot, you're right about Flea and the period being more like 1990-1995. More than that, I would make the previous period 1987-1990 (mostly because of Flea).

I said "golden age" because of Delta. The big three labels on SEB were running ahead into what were the most popular years of eurobeat (the last '90s into the early '00s).

I'm also stupid for saying production "quality" increased. More like the gear used was always changing. And to be honest, it changed almost on a yearly basis for a long time. It's fairly easy to tell a '91-'92 A-Beat C song from a '93-'94 one.

(Since this post is 6 years old we sort of need a refresher on "modern Eurobeat") 2005-Present is Modern with Trance, Electronic, and other genres but 2010-Present is where we have Fandoms (American & Japanese) that like Eurobeat before and decide to use it for their songs like how MLP fan music is engulfed with Eurobeat from the 90s and 05. Eurobeat is the longest Music genre in the world but it still adapts and changes, but only so much, to survive to this day. Now any Anime, American cartoons, and even games have Eurobeat fans that would do covers and remixes. (in my opinion its great)

Flea had very interesting division like someone planned it.

1987 - 1990 was the period of Mauro Farina, Giuliano Crivellente

1990 - 1991 was the period of Giancarlo Pasquini, Marco Gulinelli and Fabrizio Rizzolo

1991 - 1992 was the period of Sergio Dall'Ora and Stefano Castagna

But... Only the period of 1990 - 1991 we can treat as the same like Avex Trax music. The rest even later had yet its own life and sound, very different, what we call Eurobeat since Avex Trax activity.

Until 1994 we could get a head ache. One started and developed like A.Beat-C. and Time, another labels like Flea was a great however small supplement, and meanwhile Asia Records slowly ceasing productions.

Since 1996 we got again more labels, more different sounds, again more compilations, on the other hand with some consequences for these very first.

1. Two labels on Avex Trax CDs

2. Three labels on Avex Trax CDs

3. Four - six labels on Avex Trax CDs

Each of these divisions means many changes and different era.

Were them market needs or artists needs to be more independent after years work in big groups? I don't know certainly. But as we know, more chances for smaller, new, younger artists resulted dying Eurobeat culture, lower sale, everything.

This post has been edited by Crockett on Dec 4 2015, 08:46 AM

Several months after I met Avex Trax compilations and started the passion of A.Beat-C. music, the earliest era of the king Mauro Farina and That's Eurobeat became to me quite boring transformed Italo Disco. For some songs I think they will be, but of course not entirely, too much classics for a sentimental person like me. Maybe it was natural feeling, hearing the news, just I needed refreshment. Every now and then we back to all, that is good.

Later, limited releases since 1992 of That's Eurobeat were a calm return to european dance style, FCF guys and new co-workers had the new studio and devices, and I'm still crazy about those strong sounds as well.

The break was insignificant. Just first original That's Eurobeat series finished with one CD in 1994 and already in 1995 was created Boom Boom Beat.

In 1996 Alfa International released like again the series That's Eurobeat Classics, with very much of these last old Asia Records beats, appeared That's Eurobeat Now etc.

Maybe are on the internet some people remember, what meaning had Mauro Farina and team as label 3B in the second half of 90s in Japan?... Whether popularity of Avex Trax covered this talented man and his totally different new Eurobeat, wild, fast and parallel enjoyable for fans accustomed to style, always connecting with the heart, source of Italo Disco?...

In retrospect, actually That's Eurobeat times were forgotten and probably they aren't considered as real Eurobeat, for addition nowhere we can't read about Boom Boom Beat sale and position on the japanese market. What I only know, they couldn't participate in Avex Trax series, because they were contracted with Victor company.

Farina is pure sexy times~ ♪

I always thought that Dave Rodgers & Franz Tornado were the two progenical results of Mauro splitting in half like a chromosome bubble. Even to this day, his penultimate release Fire in The Night is 1000% phonic~intercourse, and those sliding riffs in Hero... oh my gosh, brilliance! The man, the myth, the... richass bastard, I need to work for him!1 xD

His trax are nothing but everlasting non-stop fun~

My favourite Farina song... Gunfire - My god, I wish he'd do a 2016 version. ♥

http://www.junodownload.com/products/mark-...ire/1362012-02/

*whistles away*

Listen to his (even) earlier stuff. Much as I similarly appreciate Gunfire, a fair amount of his older work had a better sound.

Danny Keith - Keep on Music
Radiorama - Chance to Desire
Mark Farina - So Long

Just a few examples. I'm sure Kyon, a fellow Farina guy, has better shit to add to the cauldron.

Noice noice~!

I hadn't head this one, although I was thinking of a remix with more of a rocky feel to it... I'm a filthy rock & roll emulator~ and when I heard Hero a couple of days ago, I was in Sinclaire glee~ so an edgier Gunfire popped in my head.

Oh my god bro! What have you done, my head, it has exploded! ♪ I'm gonna go worship Farina's bifocals~ now I want a 2016 Keep on Music revision, if only because you can barely hear Mauro's amazing voice in this track... didn't they have those pre-amp thingies back 30 years ago? XD Bloody entrancing melody man!! I wish his vocals could be heard clearer with a bit more echo and some of that glitchy/robotronic effect sprinkled here and there... just something to make his legend of a voice more pronounced~

Another song I really wanna hear Farina sing is... Black UFO. I mean he produced it... might as well go for the win and kill it completely with his vocals~

Glad to be of service. Mauro is God.

Two more:

Joe Yellow - I'm Your Lover 1986
Max Coveri - Guy Guy 1989

BTW on Danny Keith - Keep on Music:
The original unmolested version was released on I Love Disco Diamonds Volume 1 which is imo one of two series (in Europe) that best showcases the Italo-Disco and early Eurobeat era (the second series being I Love ZYX Italo Disco).

This post has been edited by takumi333 on Dec 5 2015, 05:39 PM

Any of the shit he sung during his time with Time Records.

He also sung Love At First as Joe Yellow, and that's about as good. Slightly related note, I picked up pretty much every Joe Yellow 12" late last month, stoked to finally have them.

You can check out most of his vocal work by searching for it on Discogs:
http://www.discogs.com/artist/154973-Mauro...ls&type=Credits

Not everything is credited there, but a lot of it is. One thing that isn't is the first record he ever appeared on, "You And Me Tonight" by Caravan (his old band-turned-one-off-italo-project), 1983.

If Mauro did an English version of Konya wa Hurricane I would die the happiest man on earth~ <3

Excluding Radiorama example, here it's not Mauro Farina, only in this first song.

About Boom Boom Beat, until 2007, label had a quite big discography on vinyls, unfortunalety almost only there in extended versions.

Before Super Eurobeat, Eurobeat Flash by Cutting Edge and Dance Panic! Presents Euro Panic! by Victor were the CD series in Japan, included the biggest number of tracks by 3B.

Any sources brotha~man? Just wondering cause the vocalist in Keep On Music sounds 99.99% like Mauro~