"&" | ||||
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Single by Ayumi Hamasaki | ||||
from the album Memorial Address | ||||
Released | July 9, 2003 | |||
Genre | J-pop, soft rock | |||
Length | 34:00 | |||
Label | Avex Trax | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ayumi Hamasaki | |||
Producer(s) | Max Matsuura | |||
Ayumi Hamasaki singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Official Music Video | ||||
"Ourselves" on YouTube | ||||
Official Music Video | ||||
"Greatful Days" on YouTube | ||||
Official Music Video | ||||
"Hanabi:Episode II" on YouTube |
& is an extended play by Japanese recording artist and songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on 9 July 2003,by record label Avex Trax. Hamasaki's fourth extended play,& consists of four recordings;"Ourselves","Greatful Days","Hanabi:Episode II",and "Theme of A-Nation 03",with three additional instrumentals of the first three tracks. It was released in two different formats;a stand-alone CD,and a digital EP. The artwork for the EP depicts Hamasaki posing in front of a cloudy backdrop,with the title of the work superimposed over her hair. & contains predominantly J-pop and dance music.
Hamasaki contributed by writing the lyrics to all the tracks,while Japanese production and manager Max Matsuura served as the EP's main producer. & received favourable reviews from music critics who commended the EP's production and commercial appeal. & reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart,and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 500,000 units. "Ourselves","Greatful Days","Hanabi:Episode II",and "Theme of A-Nation 03" served as promotional singles,while all but the latter track receiving music videos respectively. & was awarded the Japan Record Award at the 46th Japan Record Awards for Best Pop/Rock Album.
Ayumi Hamasaki announced that she would release a new extended play,marketed as a single,entitled &. It consists of four recordings –"Ourselves","Greatful Days","Hanabi:Episode II",and "Theme of A-Nation 03" –with additional instrumental versions of the first three tracks. [1] & was released on 9 July 2003 as the first single from Hamasaki's 2003 extended play, Memorial Address . ("Ourselves","Greatful Days",and "Hanabi:Episode II" were included in Memorial Address.) [2] & follows the releases of Hamasaki's previous extended plays; Nothing from Nothing (1995), [3] A (1999), [4] and H (2002). [5] Hamasaki did not release another extended-play single until Five in 2011. [6] & was released in two formats:a stand-alone CD and a digital EP. [1] The artwork for the EP depicts Hamasaki posing in front of a cloudy backdrop,with the title of the work superimposed over her hair. [1]
& opens with the first track,"Ourselves",which is an R&B tune with influences of "exoticism pop". [7] The lyrics describe Hamasaki's "painful" sense of sorrow and love. [7] "Greatful Days" is a "refreshing" pop song that showcases Hamasaki's "festive" nature,her "pastel" vocals,and a "relaxing" positive message of happiness. [7] [8] [9] "Hanabi:Episode II" is an answer song to Hamasaki's 2002 song,"Hanabi". [5] It describes Hamasaki's "miserable" state and "struggle[s]" that is transformed into strength. [9] [7] "Theme of A-Nation 03" was used for the Avex A-Nation concert tour in 2003,and emphasizes traditional Japanese instrumentals,progressing more oriental J-pop sounds. [7] The next three tracks are instrumental versions of "Ourselves","Greatful Days",and "Hanabi:Episode II". [1]
"Ourselves","Greatful Days",and "Hanabi:Episode II" all served as the EP's promotional singles,released on 9 July 2003;the singles did not chart in any Japanese music charts. The singles were promoted through different endorsements deals in Japan;"Ourselves" was used as the televised theme song for Japanese cosmetics brand,Visee,and "Greatful Days" was used as the theme song for Hamasaki's 2004 TV series, Ayuready? . [7] However,by the time the promotion of &,Memorial Address,and her 2003–2004 arena tour was complete,Hamasaki had grown dissatisfied with her position in Avex;she felt that the company was treating her as a product instead of a person. [10] Although Hamasaki initially supported the exploitation of her popularity for commercial purposes,saying that it was "necessary that [she is] viewed as a product",she eventually opposed Avex's decision to market her as a "product rather than a person". [11] [12] All three songs featured an accompanying music video,which were included on several DVD compilations by Hamasaki.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
CD Journal | (positive) [7] |
Hot Express | (positive) [9] |
Listen Japan | (positive) [8] |
& received favourable reviews from music critics. A reviewer from CD Journal commended the EP's production,and highlighted all the singles as stand out tracks;the reviewer highlighted its "music quality" as a positive note. [7] Kondo Yang from Listen Japan was positive in his review,stating that & was a sign of growing "maturity" in Hamasaki's music. He also felt that her "charisma" and "personality" was a reason why & became successful. [8] Eri Kato from Hot Express was positive in her review,commending Hamasaki's songwriting and composing skills,particularly with "Hanabi:Episode II",and the music arrangements. She later praised them as "unique masterpieces" and [9] Alexey Eremenko,who wrote the biography for Hamasaki on AllMusic,highlighted "Ourselves" and "Greatful Days" as one of the stand-out tracks of the extended play and Hamasaki's long career. [13]
On the Japanese Oricon Singles Chart,& reached number one on its debut week,her third consecutive EP to have reached number one,and her sixteenth number one single overall. [14] The EP lasted sixteen weeks in the top 100,selling 680,000 units, [15] [upper-alpha 1] and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 600,000 units. [16] & is Hamasaki's final single to sell over 600,000 units,and her only post-single to achieve a close achievement of the limit is "No Way to Say" with 400,000 physical and digital sales. [15] [17] [18]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Ourselves" | Ayumi Hamasaki | Max Matsuura | 4:34 |
2. | "Greatful Days" | Ayumi Hamasaki | Max Matsuura | 4:39 |
3. | "Hanabi:Episode II" | Ayumi Hamasaki | Max Matsuura | 4:56 |
4. | "Theme of A-Nation '03" | Ayumi Hamasaki | Max Matsuura | 6:16 |
5. | "Ourselves" (Instrumental) | Ayumi Hamasaki | Max Matsuura | 4:34 |
6. | "Greatful Days" (Instrumental) | Ayumi Hamasaki | Max Matsuura | 4:39 |
7. | "Hanabi:Episode II" (Instrumental) | Ayumi Hamasaki | Max Matsuura | 4:56 |
Total length: | 34:34 |
Release | Chart | Peak position | First Week Sales | Sales total | Chart run |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 July 2003 | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 1 | |||
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 1 | 287,002 | 680,000 | 16 | |
Oricon Yearly Singles Chart | 8 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Japan (RIAJ) [19] | 2×Platinum | 680,000 [15] |
Loveppears is the second studio album by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released in Japan, Hong Kong and China on November 10, 1999 through Avex Trax and the China Record Corporation, and distributed worldwide on April 10, 2001 by Avex Entertainment Inc. It was entirely written by Hamasaki herself, while the production was handled by Japanese musician Max Matsuura. Musically, Loveppears is a dance album and lyrically focuses on themes of love, frustration of life, loneliness, and individualism.
Duty is the third studio album by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on September 27, 2000 by Avex Trax. Duty is Hamasaki's first studio album inside the 2000 decade, and her third consecutive studio album to be fully produced by Japanese musician and businessman Max Matsuura. The album's composing and arrangement was handled by several music collaborators, such as Ken Harada, Kazuhito Kikuchi, Dai Nagao, HΛL, among many others. Hamasaki contributed to the album as the primary and background vocalist, and songwriter to every song. Three different formats were released to promote the album: a standalone CD, a limited edition Playbutton, and a digital download. The cover sleeve has Hamasaki wearing a leopard-print cat suit.
Rainbow is the fifth studio album by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, released on 18 December 2002 by Avex Trax. Production of Rainbow had commenced after the release of Hamasaki's fourth studio album I Am... that January; All lyrics were written by Hamasaki, and Japanese producer Max Matsuura returned to produce the album. The album was Hamasaki's first to feature conversational English lyrics, where in her previous works she had only used single words.
Memorial Address is the first extended play (EP) by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on December 17, 2003 by Avex Trax. Memorial Address is Hamasaki's longest extended play with a total of eight tracks. The album's composition and arrangement was handled by several musicians, such as Tetsuya Yukumi, Bounceback, CMJK, Dai Nagao, among others. Hamasaki contributed to the album as the primary and background vocalist, composer, and songwriter to every song. Three different formats were released to promote the album: a standalone CD, a CD and DVD bundle, and a digital release. It was Hamasaki's first album to be released as a CD+DVD package, a marketing strategy her label would often employ throughout her career.
A Ballads is the second greatest hits compilation by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released physically on March 12, 2003 through Avex Trax, and digitally distributed worldwide on September 14, 2006 by Avex Entertainment Inc. It is her first compilation release in two years since A Best; it premiered three months after her sixth studio album Rainbow. The compilation compiles ballad-inspired singles released by Hamasaki between 1998 and 2003, while the material is divided into new-arrangement remixes and the original versions. With all the tracks written by Hamasaki, it includes two new songs— "Rainbow", which served as the album's promotional single, and a cover version of Japanese singer Yumi Matsutoya's 1975 track "Sotsugyō Shashin".
"Surreal" is a song by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, taken from her third studio album Duty (2000). It was written by Hamasaki and produced by Max Matsuura. The song is a rock with elements of alternative rock. "Surreal" describes Hamasaki's madness and sense of confusion, while the themes of "Surreal" are based on Hamasaki's concept of loneliness, chaos, confusion, and the burden of her responsibilities, aimed mostly toward her public image as a recording artist. It was released as the fourth single from the album on 27 September 2000 by Avex Trax and Avex Taiwan.
"Whatever" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki for her second studio album, Loveppears (1999). It was written by Hamasaki, while production was handled by Max Matsuura. The track is Hamasaki's sixth single with Matsuura since her debut single in April 1998, "Poker Face". "Whatever" premiered on February 10, 1999 as the lead single from the album. It was re-released on February 28, 2001 as a CD single.
"To Be" is a song by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It served as the third single from Hamasaki's second studio album Loveppears (1999). The track was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Taiwan on May 12, 1999, and through Avex Entertainment Inc. worldwide in September 2008. It was Hamasaki's final single to be distributed as a Mini-CD, a format that debuted at the start of her career in April 1998. "To Be" was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Musically, it is a J-Pop that was written in third person perspective, much like the content from the parent album.
"Boys & Girls" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, serving as the fourth single for her second studio album, Loveppears (1999). It was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Hong Kong on July 14, 1999, and through Avex USA in North America in early 2001, while being re-distributed in 2003. "Boys & Girls" marks Hamasaki's first single to be made available for purchase as a maxi single with additional remixes. The track was written by the singer herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Musically, the song is a dance recording, a genre that heavily influences Loveppears. The single's lyrical content is written in third-person perspective.
A is an extended play (EP) by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Hong Kong on August 11, 1999, in 10 different editions, and through Avex Entertainment Inc. worldwide in September 2008. It additionally served as a single from her second studio album Loveppears (1999), and is her first single marketed as an EP. The 12-track EP contains four new original songs: "Monochrome", "Too Late", "Trauma", and "End Roll", and eight remixes. All songs were written by Hamasaki, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura.
"Appears" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released by Avex Trax on November 10, 1999 as the sixth single from her second studio album Loveppears (1999), which was released on the same day. Alongside this, it has been released in several other territories with different release dates under her Western alias Ayu. It also served as Hamasaki's first limited edition single, limiting physical sales to 300,000 copies. The track was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Musically, "Appears" is a dance song written in third person perspective, and is about the third person watching what appears to be a happy and loving relationship. Upon its release, "Appears" received positive reviews from music critics. Alexey Eremenko, writing for AllMusic, selected the track as the best song from the album and her career. However, an editor from CD Journal criticized the amount of remixes on the CD single.
"Kanariya" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki for her second studio album, Loveppears (1999). It was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Hong Kong on December 8, 1999, and through Avex USA in North America in early 2000. The recording also served as Hamasaki's second limited edition single, with limited physical units of 300,000 copies. The track was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Two versions of "Kanariya" were made available for consumption—a radio edit produced by American disc jockey Jonathan Peters, and the album version composed by Yasuhiko Hoshino. Lyrically, the song was written in third person perspective.
"Fly High" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released by Avex Trax in Japan on February 9, 2000, and through Avex Entertainment Inc. worldwide in September 2008. The recording served as Hamasaki's third and final limited edition single from her second studio album, Loveppears (1999), limiting physical units to 300,000 copies. The track was written by the singer herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Two versions of "Fly High" were made available for consumption—a radio edit composed by HΛL, and the album version produced by Dai Nagao. Lyrically, the song was written in third person perspective.
"Vogue" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki for her third studio album, Duty (2000). It was written by Hamasaki, while production was handled by Max Matsuura. It premiered on April 26, 2000 as the lead single from the album. Her third consecutive lead single to be produced by Matsuura, the song is part of a trilogy from Duty; the other two singles being "Far Away" and "Seasons".
"Far Away" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki for her third studio album, Duty (2000). It was written by Hamasaki, while production was handled by Max Matsuura. It premiered on May 17, 2000, as the second single from the album. The song is part of a trilogy from Duty; the other two singles being "Vogue" and "Seasons".
"Seasons" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki for her third studio album, Duty (2000). It was written by Hamasaki, while production was handled by Max Matsuura. It premiered on June 7, 2000 as the third single from the album. The song is the final part of a trilogy from Duty; the other two singles being "Vogue" and "Far Away".
"Audience" is a song by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki from her third studio album Duty (2000). It was released as the album's fifth and final single on 1 November 2000 by Avex Trax. Hamasaki wrote the track and Max Matsuura Lewis produced it. Dai Nagao and HΛL composed both the single and album version. The single artwork was shot by Japanese photographer Toru Kumazawa and features duplicate clones of Hamasaki, resembling an audience. Musically, "Audience" is a dance–pop and disco song.
H is an EP by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, featuring songs later included on her fifth studio album Rainbow (2002). The EP contains the songs "Independent", "July 1st" and "Hanabi", all written and co-composed by Hamasaki, alongside composer Dai Nagao and producer Max Matsuura. Hamasaki had written and recorded the three songs when she was still hurt and influenced by the events of the September 11 attacks and the completion of her fourth studio album I Am... (2002).
Next Level is the tenth studio album by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released through Avex Trax on March 25, 2009 in five physical formats, and for digital consumption. The album was solely produced by Avex Trax owner Max Matsuura, whereas the album's content was written by Hamasaki herself. Additionally, it marks a return for several composers that helped construct her previous records, including Dai Nagao, CMJK, Kazuhiro Hara, HΛL, amongst others. Stylistically, Next Level is a departure from her previous albums, focusing on electronic music with elements of rock and dance.
"You Were..." is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, taken from her tenth studio album, Rock 'n' Roll Circus (2010). It was written by Hamasaki with production being done by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. The song premiered on December 29, 2009 as the album's second a-side single with the album track, "Ballad". Four formats were released for the single; a CD format, a CD and DVD bundle, a limited edition box set, and a digital download. The first three artworks feature Hamasaki laying in snow, whilst the limited edition box set has a long-shot of Hamasaki in a dress.