Namie Amuro is a retired Japanese singer. She rose to prominence as a teen idol, and transitioned into a leading pop artist due to her versatility across music styles and visual presentation. Due to her career reinventions and longevity, she is known as an icon across Japan and Asia. She has been referred to as the "Queen of Japanese Pop", and her influence domestically has drawn equivalent comparisons to artists such as Janet Jackson and Madonna in Western pop culture.
Queen of Hip-Pop is the seventh studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on July 13, 2005, by Avex Trax. The album's lyrical content, composing and arrangement was handled by multiple music collaborators, such as Nao'ymt, Sugi-V, Michico, Tricky Stewart, T.Kura, among many others. It is her second full-length urban contemporary record, and is made up of songs of various musical genres. Amuro uses the term "hip-pop" to describe the music on the album because it fuses pop music with other genres including R&B and hip-hop music. Three different formats were released to promote the album: a standalone CD, a limited edition Playbutton, and a digital download.
Style is the sixth studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on 10 December 2003, through Avex Trax. Her first studio album in nearly three years, Style follows her crossover into R&B and hip hop that began with the collaborative project Suite Chic in 2002. Although Amuro had dabbled with R&B beats in the past, this is her first original studio album to predominantly feature the actual genre. Style was her first album after the termination of her working relationship with longtime producer, Tetsuya Komuro, as well as her last collaboration with American record producer Dallas Austin to date.
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.
Genius 2000 is the fourth studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, released on January 26, 2000, through Avex Trax. The album was released three years after her last album, Concentration 20 (1997), and was produced by Tetsuya Komuro and Dallas Austin, marking her first collaboration with an American producer, the album spawned four singles: "I Have Never Seen", "Respect the Power of Love", "Something 'Bout the Kiss" and "Love 2000".
Concentration 20 is the third studio album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on July 24, 1997, by Avex Trax. The album's musical style is a fusion of genres including pop, dance, rock, reggae and ska. Unlike Amuro's previous effort, Sweet 19 Blues (1996), which primarily had lyrics written by Tetsuya Komuro, Concentration 20's lyrics were mostly written by Marc Panther. Komuro did, however, compose and arrange most of the album's songs and wrote the lyrics to three of them. It was Amuro's second solo album since splitting up with Super Monkey's.
Sweet 19 Blues is the second studio album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released through Avex Trax on July 22, 1996. It is Amuro's first release with the label since leaving Toshiba-EMI, as well as her first album free of material associated with her previous band, Super Monkey's. Sweet 19 Blues was executive produced by Tetsuya Komuro and features a diverse group of collaborators, including Cozy Kubo, Akio Togashi, Takahiro Maeda, M.c.A.T, and Randy Waldman.
"White Light" is a song by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released by Avex Trax in Japan on November 16, 2005, as a double A-single with "Violet Sauce". "White Light" was supposed to promote Amuro's eighth studio album Play (2007), but it was scrapped from the final track list. Instead, an alternative version of "Violet Sauce" appeared. A demo version of the song was sent to Amuro, who decided it needed a warmer tone and reworked it as a Christmas song. It was modified by Nao'ymt, the song's sole composer, producer, and writer. Musically, it's a midtempo Christmas song with lyrics about love and holiday festivities.
181920 is debut greatest hits album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. Avex Trax released it in Japan on January 28, 1998, and it was later available in a variety of formats throughout Asia. The album contains Amuro's single releases from her debut studio album Dance Tracks Vol. 1 (1995) to her third album Concentration 20 (1997), as well as three tracks from her time with Toshiba-EMI. The album also included a new song called "Dreaming I Was Dreaming," which served as the only single from the album.
"Say the Word" is the 18th single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, and her 7th vinyl record. The CD single was released on August 8, 2001, by Avex Trax. The vinyl edition was released on September 12, 2001, by Rhythm Republic. This is Amuro's first single since severing ties with her former long-time producer Tetsuya Komuro. The song is not found on any of her studio records, but was later placed on her second best album Love Enhanced Single Collection, which was released five months later. It was produced by Swedish producers Ronald Malmberg and Thomas Johansson who are best known for their work with Swedish pop group A-Teens.
"Can You Celebrate?" is the ninth single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. Serving as the second single from her third studio album Concentration 20, it was released on February 19, 1997, by Avex Trax. Its lyrics and composition was handled solely by Tetsuya Komuro. Musically, "Can You Celebrate?" is a power ballad that incorporates gospel and classical music. Lyrically, the song express a longing for a deep and lasting love, asking if the listener can celebrate and kiss the singer.
"A Walk in the Park" is the eighth single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro from her third studio album Concentration 20 (1997). The song was released as the album's lead single on November 27, 1996, by Avex Trax. It was written, composed and produced by Tetsuya Komuro. The song is an electronic rock track, which features instrumentation from guitars, synthesizers, organs, keyboards and drums. Lyrically, it explores themes of loneliness, longing, and the desire for connection.
"Sweet 19 Blues" is the seventh single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was composed, written and arranged by Tetsuya Komuro for her debut album of the same name. A month after its release, her label Avex Trax released the song as a recut single due to overwhelming demand. The song's subject and the album in general was about the melancholic passing of another sweet year of youth, which is a particularly Japanese obsession.
"You're My Sunshine" is the sixth single by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on June 5, 1996, by Avex Trax and was produced by Tetsuya Komuro. The song was the image song for the Bristol-Myers Squibb "Sea Breeze '96" commercial in which she appeared. The version used in the initial commercial had a different tempo and tune from the CD package version. The following year, 1997, she was used for the second consecutive year in a "Sea Breeze" commercial, this time using her hit song "How to Be a Girl".
"Chase the Chance" is the fourth single by Japanese singer Namie Amuro from her second studio album, Sweet 19 Blues (1996). It was released as the album's second single on December 4, 1995, through Avex Trax.
"I Have Never Seen" is the twelfth single by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released by Avex Trax on December 23, 1998, as the lead single to her fourth studio album Genius 2000 (2000). The song was written and composed solely by Tetsuya Komuro. It was the first single released after Amuro's return from her yearlong maternity leave, and was released approximately one week before her well-publicized official comeback at the 49th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen. "I Have Never Seen" is a melancholic power ballad, the lyrics of which describe experiencing things regular people have never experienced.
"Never End" is the 17th single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on July 12, 2000, as the lead single from her fifth studio album Break the Rules (2000). The track was made specifically for the 26th G8 summit that took place in Amuro's home prefecture Okinawa during July of that year. "Never End" was written, composed and arranged solely by her long-time producer Tetsuya Komuro. Musically, it is a pop ballad that takes influences from Okinawan music. Lyrically, the song describes distant memories, distant places, and distant emotions, indicating a longing for connection and understanding.
"Respect the Power of Love" is the 13th single from Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. The song was released on March 17, 1999, by Avex Trax. It is her second single to be released after her hiatus and taken from her fourth studio album Genius 2000 (2000). "Respect the Power of Love" was solely written composed and arranged by her long-time producer Tetsuya Komuro The pop-, R&B-, and dance-influenced track incorporates traces of gospel in its bridge and crescendo. Lyrically, the female protagonist sings about the sensibilities that she saw with her own eyes and within her reach.
"Something ‘Bout the Kiss" is a song by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on September 1, 1999 by Avex Trax, and serves as the third single from her fourth studio album Genius 2000 (2000). Furthermore, all physical and digital formats included an additional B-side called "You Are the One", which appears on the parent album. "Something 'Bout the Kiss" was written by Lysette Titi, Chan Hai, and its producer Dallas Austin. Musically, it is a midtempo contemporary R&B track with a melancholic melody.
Play is the eighth studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on June 27, 2007, by Avex Trax and was made available in both physical and digital formats. Following the success of her previous album, Queen of Hip-Pop (2005), Amuro enlisted long-time collaborators Nao'ymt and T. Kura to produce the album. Play, like its predecessor, is an urban contemporary record with elements of pop music, rock and dance-pop. Lyrically, the record explores themes of love, frustration, and relationships.
