The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969.
The discography of Japanese-American R&B and pop singer Utada Hikaru consists of nine studio albums, three 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.
The solo discography of Ringo Sheena features seven studio albums, five compilation albums, two extended plays and twenty-three singles. These were released on the Toshiba EMI sublabel East World from 1998 to 2000, before Shiina moved to the Virgin Music sub-label. In April 2013, EMI Music Japan was absorbed into Universal Music Japan, meaning all releases since 2013 have been on the new EMI R sub-label of Universal.
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.
The discography of Mika Nakashima includes 12 studio albums, 7 compilation albums, 45 singles and 20 video albums. These have all been released through Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
"Climax Jump" is the 13th single by the Japanese group AAA, released by Avex Mode on March 21, 2007. The song was composed by Shuhei Naruse with the lyrics by Shoko Fujibayashi. The song is the first opening theme for the 2007 tokusatsu series Kamen Rider Den-O. For the release of the single, the band temporarily changed their name to AAA DEN-O Form for Den-O.
The solo discography of Japanese musician Yui consists of five studio albums, three compilation albums, twenty-one singles and five video albums. These were released on independent label Leaflet Records in 2004, followed by Sony Music Entertainment Japan sub-label Gr8! Records in 2005, Sony Records between 2005 and 2006, Sony sub-label Studioseven Recordings between 2007 and 2010, before returning to Gr8! Records in 2010.
"Ocean" is the thirty-ninth single by B'z, released on August 10, 2005. This song is one of the duo's many number-one singles in the Oricon charts, and has sold over 505,000 copies. As B-sides, the single features "Dear My Lovely Pain" and "Narifuri Kamawazu Dakishimete", which is an outtake from The Circle. "Ocean" was used as the theme of Umizaru Evolution, a Japanese television drama adaptation of the manga Umizaru.
The discography of Japanese singer Mai Kuraki consists of twelve studio albums, five compilation albums, two remix albums, nineteen video albums, and forty-six 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.
The discography of Ayaka consists of three studio albums, two compilation albums, a cover album and numerous singles, released through Warner between 2006 and 2009, and through Ayaka's independent label, A Station, from 2012 onwards.
Triangler (トライアングラー) is Maaya Sakamoto's sixteenth single. The title track was used as the opening theme for the popular mecha anime Macross Frontier and won the 2008 Animation Kobe award for best theme song. The single reached number 3 on Oricon weekly chart and so far is the best selling single of Maaya Sakamoto.
"Best Friend" is a single released by Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter Kana Nishino. It was released on February 24, 2010, by her record label SME Records. This single is also used as the new CM song for mobile phone operator NTT docomo.
Naoto Nakamura, better known by his stage name Naoto Inti Raymi, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and composer. He was born in Mie Prefecture in Japan and later grew up in Chiba Prefecture. For two years from 2001, he used his given name Naoto as his stage name. In 2001, while he was still attending Chuo University, Naoto debuted into the major music scene with his single "Growing up!!" released by Sony Music Records. Then he kept releasing the total three singles and one album before graduating from his university in 2002.
"Kimi tte" is a song by Japanese pop singer Kana Nishino. It was released as her 12th single on November 3, 2010. The song was marketed as a "heart-warming tender" mid-tempo ballad in the initial press release, also describing the lyrics as being about "scaling up passion to love."
"Mister " is a song performed by South Korean girl group Kara from their second Korean album, Revolution (2009) and their debut Japanese album, Girl's Talk (2010). It was released as their Japanese debut single on August 11, 2010. It was released in four editions, one includes a DVD, another one is CD with a 28-page photobook, and two CD only editions, first press and regular.
"Ai o Komete Hanataba o" is a song by Japanese pop-rock act Superfly. Used as Edison no Haha's theme song, "Ai o Komete Hanataba o" was released as the band's fourth single on February 27, 2008. The song was Superfly's break-through single, breaking into the Oricon physical singles chart's top 20. As of 2011, it is Superfly's most successful single, being certified as a million ringtone download, triple platinum as a cellphone download, and single platinum for digital sales.
The discography of Monkey Majik consists of twelve studio albums, five compilation albums and numerous singles and digital downloads. The band's releases were originally self-released in Sendai, after which they were signed to independent label and management Under Horse Records, and released material through there between 2004 and 2005. In 2005, Monkey Majik were signed to major label Avex Entertainment, and continue to release under the Binyl Records sub-label.
The discography of M-Flo features nine studio albums, nine compilation albums, one live album and 25 singles. These were released on Labsoul Records and Avex Group independent label Rhythm Republic in 1998, and from 1999 onwards released through Rhythm Zone.
The discography of Verbal consists of 1 studio album released under Rhythm Zone, plus many featured singles and album tracks. Verbal is occasionally credited as L Universe, L12, Toss&Turn and The Funky President.
The discography of Tokyo Jihen consists of five studio albums, three compilation albums, one regular release extended play and three vinyl exclusive extended plays and 13 video releases, released through Toshiba EMI, EMI Music Japan and Universal between 2004 and 2013.
