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.
Break the Rules is the fifth studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, released on December 20, 2000, through Avex Trax. It was released only 11 months after her previous album Genius 2000 (2000), and was her final album to date with her long-time producer Tetsuya Komuro, the album generally receive positive reviews by the critics, it was the shortlisted the Asia Association Music Prize Award.
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 July 24, 1997, by Avex Trax. The album's genre is a fusion of styles including pop, dance, rock, reggae and ska. Unlike Amuro's previous effort, Sweet 19 Blues, 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 Namie's second solo album since splitting up with Super Monkey's.
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. Sweet 19 Blues is considered her debut solo album since it was released after her spilt with Super Monkey's.
"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.
"Girl Talk" is a song by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. Avex Trax released it on digital and physical formats on October 14, 2004, and it is the third single from Amuro's seventh studio album, Queen of Hip-Pop (2005). It was also released as a double A-side with "The Speed Star", though the latter did not appear on the parent album. "Girl Talk" was written and produced by T.Kura and Michico, and is a dance song with R&B and pop influences that, like its parent album, transitions from Amuro's original dance sound to a more mature yet transatlantic sound.
"How to Be a Girl" is the tenth single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on May 21, 1997, through Avex Trax. It was used as the Bristol-Myers Sea Breeze commercial song, which was used for four commercials. The style of the song is similar to that of her single "a walk in the park," which has an evident electronic sound in the vein of her producer Tetsuya Komuro's group globe. Lyrics were even written by Marc Panther, who is another member of the group. This was the final single from her third studio album Concentration 20 (1997), which was released two months later. The single is a follow-up to "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?", which became her biggest hit.
"Wishing on the Same Star" is the second and final single by American singer-songwriter Keedy. Written by Diane Warren, the single was released in 1991 by Arista Records. It peaked at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100; a second push was made to American pop stations in 1992, but it failed to chart. The single was released in Japan as "Itsumo Futari de".
"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. "Say the word" was used as the commercial song for KOSÉ Cosmetics Luminous line of lipstick. 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 with influences of gospel and classical music. "Can You Celebrate" is history's best-selling single by a female Japanese soloist, with sales of 2,296,200 copies. Additionally, it is ranked as the 14th best selling single of all time in the history of the Oricon Singles Chart.
"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 popular demand. The song's subject and the album 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".
"Don't Wanna Cry" is a song by Japanese singer and record producer Namie Amuro released on the Avex Trax label, as her third single for her debut solo album Sweet 19 Blues (1996), It is her second consecutive million-selling single as well as her second consecutive number-one single. In December, the single took home the "Grand Prix Award" from the 38th Annual Japan Record Awards. 19 years old at the time, she is the youngest artist to have been awarded the grand prize.
"I Have Never Seen" is the 12th single by Japanese singer Namie Amuro, it was released by Avex Trax on December 23, 1998. 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" was a commercial success, becoming her ninth number one single, and was her last until 2008's "60s 70s 80s". The single was certified double platinum by the RIAJ for 800,000 copies shipped to stores. Maki Goto sang this song for an audition before becoming a part of Morning Musume.
Never End is the 17th single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, released on July 12, 2000, as the lead single from her 5th studio album Break the Rules. The track was made specifically for the G8 Summit that took place in Amuro's home prefecture Okinawa during July of that year. The single reached #2 on the Oricon Singles Chart and charted for 14 weeks, becoming Amuro's 16th consecutive top 10 solo single. "Never End" was Amuro's last CD single to premiere with over 100,000 copies in sales until "60s 70s 80s" in 2008.
Best Fiction is the greatest hits album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. Avex Trax released it in a variety of formats on July 30, 2008, and it has since been distributed in several Asian countries. It is Amuro's third compilation album, and features seventeen singles released in the 2000s. The compilation also included five new songs, three of which were released as a triple A-side single called "60s 70s 80s". Furthermore, the album tracks "Do Me More" and "Sexy Girl" experienced success in the Japanese market.
"Dear Diary" is a song by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, released as a double A-side single with her track "Fighter". It was released on October 26, 2016 via Dimension Point and Avex Trax as Amuro's seventh consecutive non-album single, and is the theme song to the Japanese drama–horror film, Death Note: Light Up the New World (2016). It was distributed with "Dear Diary" in two physical formats—standard CD and CD/DVD bundle. "Dear Diary" was written, composed and produced by Matthew Tishler, Felicia Barton, Aaron Benward, and frequent collaborator Tiger. Musically, the recording is a pop ballad that lyrically focuses on the films title and recurring theme; furthermore, it delves into themes of empowerment and rising from pain and sorrow.
"Fighter" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Namie Amuro, released as a double A-side single with "Dear Diary". It was released on October 26, 2016 via Dimension Point and Avex Trax in two CD formats, and a DVD package; a digital release was made available for consumption on November 16. The single serves as the insert song to the Japanese drama–horror film Death Note: Light Up the New World, and the theme song to its accompanying spin-off series Death Note: New Generation (2016). "Fighter" was written, composed and produced by Japanese vocalist Emyli, with additional production credits to Reason.
Finally is the seventh and final compilation album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on November 8, 2017, by Dimension Point in three physical formats, alongside limited edition goods. Additionally, Finally is also Amuro's final musical release before she retired from the music industry on September 16, 2018.
