Visual kei (aka visual rock) is a Japanese musical style that started in the late 1980s. Visual kei was influenced by glam rock. Visual kei artists use striking fashion and theatrical performances to highlight their music.
Early visual kei bands were strongly influenced by glam rock and heavy metal. Over time, visual kei has changed to meet the consumers' taste for music. Today, visual kei music includes goth, industrial, J-pop, and hip hop. Sometimes it is called "neo-visual kei".
Visual kei influenced the gothic lolita fashion trend. Visual kei artists often have wild dress, androgynous looks, jewelry, dyed hair, and thick make-up. Gothic lolita dressers say that they are inspired by their favorite visual kei bands.
X Japan and Buck-Tick are widely seen as the first visual kei bands. Other well-known bands that helped to increase visual kei's popularity include Malice Mizer, Luna Sea, and Dir en grey.
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