Deep River is the fourth studio album by Japanese-American singer Hikaru Utada. It was released via Toshiba EMI on June 19, 2002. The title of the album, as well as its title track, was inspired by the novel Deep River by Shusaku Endo. Utada wrote and co-produced the majority of the record, and unlike her previous album Distance (2001), she worked primarily with Japanese collaborator Akira Miyake and her father Teruzane Utada. Musically, Deep River is widely noted by fans and critics as the transition state from Utada's earlier style, R&B, to ethereal pop.
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 2000s 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 art portray Hamasaki wearing a leopard-print catsuit.
Love Enhanced Single Collection is the second greatest hits album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on March 13, 2002, through Avex Trax. This was Amuro's first greatest hits album in about four years, since 181920. It was also her first greatest hits album since her return to the music scene. Although the album is labeled as a "singles collection," nearly all of the songs on the album have been re-recorded, re-mixed, or re-arranged, all of which remain exclusive to this album's release. In addition, only "Lovin' It" was recorded as a single take. The album also contains the last of the work she created with her longtime creative partner Tetsuya Komuro.
Let's Get Together Now is the official local song of the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in South Korea and Japan. Performed by the Supergroup Voice of Korea/Japan, it was released in three separate versions: a full Japanese version, a full Korean version, and a merged version which combines the lyrics of the two versions. The last of the three was included in the official soundtrack album and was performed in the opening ceremonies in Seoul on May 31, 2002.
"Daybreak" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist and lyricist Ayumi Hamasaki, released on March 6, 2002 as the eighth and final single on her fourth studio album I am.... Influenced by the recent events off the September 11 attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. in North America, Hamasaki sought a new inspiration for her then-forthcoming album; instead of writing songs about confusion, loneliness and love like her previous efforts, she was encouraged to engage in more peaceful and worldly themes. This resulted in several songs on I Am..., including "Daybreak".
The discography of Japanese-American R&B and pop singer Hikaru Utada consists of eleven studio albums, four compilation albums, eleven video albums and numerous singles and promotional singles. Utada began as a musician in the early 1990s as a member of U3, a family unit made up of her, her mother Junko Utada, also known as 1970s enka singer Keiko Fuji, and her father, musical producer Teruzane Utada. U3 released their debut album Star in 1993, with the hope to debut in America. In 1996, the group was rebranded as Cubic U, an R&B project focusing on Hikaru Utada, resulting in the English language album Precious in 1998 with record label Toshiba EMI.
"Final Distance" is a song by Japanese recording artist Hikaru Utada for her third studio album Deep River (2002). Written by Utada herself, the song was produced and composed by long-time collaborators Akira Miyake, Utada's father Teruzane Utada and herself. "Final Distance" was originally recorded as "Distance" which was taken from the album with the same name, despite not being a single. The song was re-recorded, re-arranged, and dedicated to Rena Yamashita, a six-year-old victim of the Ikeda school massacre who had written an essay about being inspired by Utada. Utada had stated that the meaning of the word "final" for the song "Final Distance" is "most important" rather than "last."
The Official Album of the 2002 FIFA World Cup is a compilation album with various artists, released in 2002 by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. This albums is the official music album of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan. The album spawned the single We're on the Ball by Ant & Dec. The album was also released under the name Fever Pitch: The Official Music of The 2002 FIFA World Cup, but without the "We're on the Ball" by Ant & Dec.
"Valenti" is a song by South Korean singer BoA. It was released for her second Japanese studio album of the same name (2003) on August 28, 2002, serving as her sixth Japanese single under Avex Trax. It features "Realize " as a B-side. A Korean version of "Valenti" was released as part of her compilation album Miracle, which was made available by SM Entertainment on September 24, 2002.
This is the complete discography of the Canadian rock band Sum 41. The band has released eight studio albums, three live albums, one compilation album, five video albums, 32 music videos, two EPs, 23 singles, nine B-sides, nine promotional singles, and one demo album.
"Connected" is a song by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki from her fourth studio album I Am... (2002). It was released as a single in Europe under the alias Ayu. The song was written by Hamasaki herself while it was produced by Dutch disc jockey Ferry Corsten. The song was first conceived when Corsten had developed a track in Europe entitled "The Lots of Love". Despite him playing it at several events and shows throughout Europe, he did not release the track. After this, Hamasaki and Corsten had started to collaborate and the pair had changed and used the finishing result to create "Connected".
The discography of Japanese R&B singer Misia consists of nine studio albums, three compilation albums, one extended play (EP), one live album, six remix albums, twenty-six singles, twelve promotional singles, eighteen video albums and thirty-seven music videos. In 1997, Misia signed a recording contract with BMG Japan and joined the then up-and-coming talent agency, Rhythmedia. Under the sub-label Arista Japan, Misia released her first single, "Tsutsumikomu Yō ni..." in February 1998, followed by "Hi no Ataru Basho" in May. In June, her debut album, Mother Father Brother Sister, opened at number three on the Oricon chart. The album peaked at number one three weeks later and stayed in the top five for eleven consecutive weeks. Mother Father Brother Sister was certified double million and won a Japan Record Award for Best Album, as well as a Japan Gold Disc Award for Pop Album of the Year. In 2000, Misia's second studio album, Love Is the Message, debuted at number one and was certified double million. It won a Japan Record Award for Best Album and a Japan Gold Disc Award for Pop Album of the Year. The album spawned three top ten hits: "Believe," "Wasurenai Hibi" and "Sweetness." Misia's first remix album, Misia Remix 2000 Little Tokyo, was released three months later and shot to number one. It sold over 800,000 copies and is the second best-selling remix album of all time in Japan.
"A Question of Honour" is a 1995 single by soprano Sarah Brightman, from her album Fly. It peaked at No. 15 on the German Singles Chart in the last week of 1995, even though it was released over five months earlier. "A Question of Honour" was also the official song of the championship boxing match between Henry Maske and Graciano Rocchigiani in Germany. In Japan, TV Asahi adopted the song as the theme music of FIFA World Cup broadcasting since 2002 and plays it in related television programs. The Sisters of Mercy front man, Andrew Eldritch provides backing vocals in the song.
The discography of Japanese singer Mai Kuraki consists of fifteen studio albums, six compilation albums, twenty-three video albums, three remix albums, fifty-six singles, and sixteen promotional singles. Kuraki debuted in 1999, while she was still in high school, through Giza Studio. The label initially marketed Kuraki in the United States under the name Mai K, and released the single "Baby I Like" (1999). However, the single was a commercial failure which prompted the label to send her back to Japan. There, they released her single "Love, Day After Tomorrow", which peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). The second single, "Stay by My Side" became her first number one single on the chart. Kuraki's debut album, Delicious Way, topped the Oricon Albums Chart and was certified triple million by the RIAJ.
A Complete: All Singles is a greatest hits album by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax released it on September 10, 2008 in a variety of formats, and was created to commemorate the singer's tenth anniversary since the release of her 1998 single "Poker Face". The album is divided into three sections, each highlighting a single released by Hamasaki from her debut in 1998 to her most recent single, "Talkin' 2 Myself" in 2007. Additionally, the compilation includes two new songs: the stand-alone single "Mirrorcle World" and a re-recorded version of "Who...".
Vangelis was a Greek musician, composer, and producer. He began his music career in the 1960s with the Greek progressive rock band Aphrodite's Child and in the 1970s began composing electronic music. He gained wide mainstream popularity after composing soundtracks to the films Chariots of Fire (1981) and Blade Runner (1982). His solo career discography consists of 23 studio albums, 26 compilation albums, 12 soundtrack albums, and roughly 29 singles. The majority of his film, documentary, theatre, and ballet & dance scores were not released or officially released. He also collaborated with Jon Anderson and as a duo, Jon and Vangelis, released 4 studio albums, 2 compilations, and 13 singles, and with Irene Papas released two studio albums.
"Straight Through My Heart" is a song performed by American band Backstreet Boys. It was released by Jive Records as the lead single from the group's seventh studio album, This is Us. On July 23, 2009 the single received its world premier on the group's official website, since then it was sent to radio on July 28, 2009, before its digital release on August 19, 2009. It was later released as a CD single at the end of September 2009. "Straight Through My Heart" was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in 2014.
The discography of Japanese group KinKi Kids consists of 17 studio albums, 6 compilation albums, 25 video albums and 44 singles. All of KinKi Kids' singles have reached number one in Japan on Oricon charts. All of their music has been released by Johnny's Entertainment in Japan. In Taiwan, Kinki Kids' music has been released under Forward Music from 1997 to 2000, Skyhigh Entertainment and What's Music in 2001, and Avex Taiwan from 2002 to the present.
"Jumping" is a song performed by South Korean girl group Kara from their debut Japanese album, Girl's Talk (2010) and their fourth EP, Jumping (2010). It was released on November 10, 2010, as the second Japanese single.
The discography of Chihiro Onitsuka consists of six studio albums, one cover album, five compilation albums, 20 singles and seven video albums. These were released under Toshiba EMI between 2000 and 2003, Universal Music Japan from 2004 to 2010, For Life Music Entertainment from 2011 to 2012, and on her personal record label, Napoleon Records, from 2013.
