J-rock Legend Atsushi Sakurai Dies at 57

Today, the music industry mourns the loss of one of its greatest talents. New reports from Japan have confirmed Atsushi Sakurai, the lead vocalist of Buck-Tick, has passed away. He was 57 years old.

According to reports, Sakurai passed away on October 19 after suffering a brainstorm hemorrhage. His sudden death came shortly after Buck-Tick canceled a concert appearance on that same day. The band is set to perform a fan club concert that evening, but it was canceled as soon as Sakurai's condition became apparent. The singer was rushed to a hospital, but he passed away shortly after arriving.

A private funeral was held for Sakurai by his loved ones, and a public memorial for fans will be held at a yet-named location. As for anime fans and rock lovers, they are taking to social media for now to share their love for Sakurai.

After all, the singer is renowned as one of the genre's first global talents. Sakurai got his big break in 1987 after joining Buck-Tick, and their single "Just One More Kiss" became a hit. Buck-Tick pandemonium spread across Japan and into Asia as J-rock began taking over the airwaves. Sakurai was the genre's face throughout the '80s and '90s, and Buck-Tick has continued to release music since its creation. And of course, the band was given a huge bump of notoriety in America once anime made a full push globally in the early '00s.

From Trinity Blood to Shiki and XxxHolic, Buck-Tick music was found in a number of anime series. The band also became very popular for AMV creators thanks to tracks to "Gessekai". Over the years, Buck-Tick has continued to thrive as a rock band, and Sakurai fronted the group every step of the way with his unmistakable vocals.

Our thoughts are with Sakurai's loved ones during this difficult time.