Namie Amuro is a Japanese retired recording artist, producer, songwriter, dancer, model, actress and entrepreneur who was active between 1992 and 2018. A leading figure of the Japanese entertainment industry since the early 1990s, Amuro is known for breaking the youthful idol stereotype of J-Pop, changing the fashion trends and lifestyle of women in Japan, her experimentation across music styles, and for her visual imagery in music videos and live performances. Due to her career longevity, resilience, professionalism, efforts behind-the-scenes in the music industry, and her way of life, she is a pop culture icon in Japan and Asia. She has been referred to as "Diva of Heisei Era" and the "Queen of Japanese Pop", and has been recognized as having the influence and career impact domestically equivalent to artists such as Janet Jackson and Madonna in Western music and pop culture.
A Best is the first greatest hits album by Japanese singer-songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on March 28, 2001, by Avex Trax and Avex Music Creative Inc.. Hamasaki had originally planned to release the greatest hits album after her 2002 studio album I Am..., but the idea was denied by Avex head staff. Instead, Avex released the album in 2001, which caused conflict between the label and Hamasaki. The compilation was released in two different formats including a physical and a digital release. Seven different artworks were released in several editions of the album. The album includes one new track, three re-recorded tracks, and the rest of previously released singles.
Meiso is the third studio album by Japanese hip hop producer DJ Krush. It was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan by Sony Music Entertainment.
The Yellow Monkey, sometimes abbreviated as Yemon, is a Japanese rock band originally active from 1988 to 2001, before officially disbanding in 2004. They announced their reformation in 2016.
Sweet 19 Blues is the second studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. The album was released in four different slipcases, with the first three cases limited to 1,000,000 copies each—were put on sale on July 20, 1996 throughout Japan, and were distributed two days later to the rest of Asia by Avex Trax. The album was primarily handled by Japanese producer Tetsuya Komuro, with the assistance of Cozy Kubo, Akio Togashi, Takahiro Maeda, M.C.A.T. and Randy Waldman.
Ki-Oku is a collaborative studio album by Japanese jazz trumpeter Toshinori Kondo and Japanese hip hop producer DJ Krush. It was released on August 8, 1996 in Japan by Sony Music Entertainment. The album was issued in Europe by the R&S Records imprint Apollo on January 26, 1998, and in the United States by Instinct Records on March 23, 1999.
"All Night Long" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Ami Suzuki for her debut studio album, SA (1999). It was written and produced by Japanese producer and songwriter Tetsuya Komuro. The track was released following Suzuki's two collaborative efforts with Komuro. "All Night Long" premiered on November 5, 1998 as the third single from the album.
Kahimi Karie is a compilation album by Japanese musician Kahimi Karie. It was released on September 8, 1998 by Minty Fresh in the United States, serving as her debut album in the country. Kahimi Karie primarily consists of tracks from Karie's previous EPs and singles, excepting one track taken from her 1997 debut album Larme de Crocodile. It utilizes the cover art from Karie's 1995 EP My First Karie.
Sensuous is the fifth studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released on October 25, 2006 by Warner Music Japan. In the United States, the album was released on August 24, 2007 by Everloving Records. Sensuous peaked at number eight on the Oricon Albums Chart.
Holidays in the Sun is the debut EP by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released on September 10, 1993 by Trattoria Records. The EP peaked at number 13 on the Oricon Albums Chart.
Maxi On is an EP by Japanese musician Takako Minekawa. It was released on July 12, 2000 by Trattoria Records. In the United States, it was released on November 14, 2000 by Emperor Norton Records. The EP is a collaboration with American indie rock band Dymaxion.
69/96 is the second studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released on November 1, 1995 by Trattoria Records. The album peaked at number three on the Oricon Albums Chart. A remix album titled 96/69 was released the following year.
Point is the fourth studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released in Japan on October 24, 2001 by Trattoria Records, and in the United States on January 22, 2002 by Matador Records. Point peaked at number four on the Oricon Albums Chart. The album was reissued on CD by Warner Music Japan in 2019 with a second disc containing the Five Point One music video collection.
Fantasma is the third studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius, released on August 6, 1997 on his label Trattoria. Cornelius envisioned the album as "a one-on-one experience between the music and the listener. ... It starts with you entering into the journey and ends with you returning back to reality." It peaked at number six on the Oricon Albums Chart and number 37 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. Three singles were issued from the album: "Star Fruits Surf Rider", "Free Fall", and "Chapter 8 – Seashore and Horizon –".
The First Question Award (ザ・ファースト・クエスチョン・アワード) is the debut solo studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released on February 25, 1994 by Trattoria Records.
Babymetal is the debut studio album by Japanese heavy metal idol group Babymetal. It was first released on February 26, 2014, in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and was re-released on May 29, 2015, in Europe through earMusic, and June 16, 2015, in the United States through RED Associated Labels (RAL) and Sony Music Entertainment. Music from the album dates back to the origins of the band in 2010, and incorporates tracks from their earliest released singles, back when the band was a sub-unit of the Japanese idol group Sakura Gakuin.
Cosmic Explorer is the fifth studio album by Japanese girl group Perfume. It was released on April 6, 2016 by Universal Music Japan, Universal J, and Perfume Records. It is Perfume's fifth consecutive album to be fully produced, written, composed, and arranged by Japanese musician and Capsule band member Yasutaka Nakata. Five different formats were released to promote the album: a standalone CD, a double CD and DVD/Blu-ray box set, a digital release and a double disc vinyl, where the first disc is blue and the second disc could be orange, pink or yellow. The vinyls were available for purchase at Perfume: A Gallery Experience Supported by Rhizomatiks in London and NY.
"Red Carpet" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on December 2, 2015 via Avex Trax and her label Dimension Point as the singer's third consecutive non-album single, being supported by B-side track "Black Make-Up". "Red Carpet" was distributed in two physical formats—a standard CD, and a CD and DVD bundle—and was made available for digital consumption. The recording was written and composed by Matthew Tishler, Paula Winger, Stephanie Lewis and Tiger, whilst production was handled by Tishler. Musically, the track features guitars, synthesizers, keyboards and drums as instrumentation. Lyrically, the songwriting focuses on themes of self-confidence, empowerment and narcissism, and uses the title as a metaphor for life experiences.
Mellow Waves is the sixth studio album by Japanese musician Cornelius. It was released on June 28, 2017 by Warner Music Japan. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, and it reached the top ten of the Oricon Albums Chart in Japan and the Billboard World Albums chart in the United States.
Japanese idol group Sakura Gakuin has released ten studio albums, one compilation album, thirteen video albums, thirty-three music videos, and thirteen singles. Seven more singles and nine more music videos have been released by sub-units, including those by the band Babymetal released prior to March 2013. Studio albums are released annually, under the supertitle Sakura Gakuin [Year] Nendo.
