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 hip-hop and R&B songs as well as one power ballad. The term "Hip-Pop" has been coined to the describe the music on the album because of her image as a pop music icon and her transition to R&B and hip-hop music. Three different formats were released to promote the album: a standalone CD, a limited edition Playbutton, and digital download.
"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".
Play is the eighth studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on June 27, 2007, by Avex Trax and was available in 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 a R&B-influenced record with elements of pop music, rock, dance-pop, and hip-hop. Lyrically, the record explore themes of love, frustration, and relationships.
60s 70s 80s is a triple A-side single by Japanese singer Namie Amuro from her third greatest hits album, Best Fiction (2008). It was released on March 12, 2008, through Avex Trax and consists of the songs "New Look", "Rock Steady", and "What a Feeling", each sampling from a specific decade in music, hence the title.
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.
"Wild" is a song by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro from her ninth studio album Past<Future (2009). The song was released as the album's lead single on March 18, 2009, featuring the b-side "Dr." "Wild" was written and produced by Michio and T. Kura, while the latter track was written and produced by long-time collaborator Nao'ymt. The songs are electropop tracks, which features instrumentation from synthesizers and keyboards. "Wild" and "Dr." appeared as the advertising theme songs for Coca-Cola Zero and a Vidal Sassoon commercial.
Checkmate! is a collaboration album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro, featuring a collection of her collaborations with other musicians released between 2003 and 2011, as well as four new collaborations. The album was released on April 27, 2011, about one month after its original release date, due to 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
"Sit! Stay! Wait! Down! / Love Story" is an extended play by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro from her tenth studio album and debut bilingual album Uncontrolled (2012). The EP contains the songs "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" and "Love Story" from the parent album and two new tracks "Higher" and "Arigatou". The EP was produced by Michico, T. Kura, Miriam Nervo, Olivia Nervo, T-SK, Tesung Kim, and Nao'ymt, and is divided into two dance-pop songs and two pop ballads.
Uncontrolled is the 10th studio album by Japanese pop and R&B musician Namie Amuro, released on June 27, 2012. The album was released before her 20th anniversary concerts — one in Okinawa in September, and seven across Japan in November and December 2012. The album consists mostly of songs sung in Japanese, however this was the first album of Amuro's to feature several songs sung entirely in English. The album met favorable reception by music critics, and was nominated the Album of the Year by the Asia Association Music Awards.
Feel is the eleventh studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on July 10, 2013 in both physical and digital formats, and it is her first studio release through Dimension Point, a sub-division of Amuro's label Avex Trax. Feel, like its predecessor Uncontrolled (2013), features a diverse range of producers and songwriters from outside of Japan, including collaborations with Zedd, Dsign Music, Anthony Maniscalco, and Steven Lee.
Ballada is the sixth compilation by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released by Dimension Point on June 4, 2014 in three physical formats, and for digital consumption. It works as a concept album that compiles ballads released during her time with Avex Trax, including three re-worked tracks. Additionally, the album features its only single "Tsuki". Upon its release, Ballada received positive reviews from music critics, most whom praised Amuro's maturity and vocals, alongside the re-worked tracks.
"Contrail" is a song by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, taken from her eleventh studio and second Japanese–English bilingual album Feel (2013). The singer was approached by the Tokyo Broadcasting System team to record the official theme song for their television series Flying Public Relations Office, which resulted into the process of "Contrail". The track was written, composed, arranged and produced entirely by long-time collaborator Nao'ymt, and recorded at Daimonion Studios in Shibuya, Tokyo. Musically, "Contrail" is a dance number that includes instrumentation of synthesizers, keyboards and a drum machine. A self-empowerment anthem, the title derives from the literal term, and is delivered as a metaphor for confidence and hope.
Genic is the twelfth and final studio album and final bilingual (English–Japanese) album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on June 10, 2015 in three physical formats, and for digital consumption; additionally, it serves as the singer's final studio record since her retirement announcement for September 2018. The album was handled by Western producers, including David Guetta, Bardur Haberg, Joacim "Twin" Persson, Sophie, amongst others. Stylistically, Genic divides its sound between electronic dance music and R&B, and focuses on themes of self-empowerment, having fun, glamour and fashion.
"Brighter Day" is a song by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. Released as a single on November 12, 2014 by Amuro's label Dimension Point through Avex Trax, the release contained the B-sides "Sweet Kisses", and "Still Lovin' You". It received mixed reviews from music critics; many commended Amuro's vocal abilities while some criticized the song's composition and production. Charted as a single on the Japanese Oricon Singles Chart, it reached number eight, becoming her lowest chart single since "Alarm" which peaked at eleven. The title track was certified platinum by Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for digital sales of 250,000 and all three tracks charted on the Japan Hot 100.
"Go Round" is a song by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro from her tenth studio album Uncontrolled (2012). It was released as a double a-side single with another album track "Yeah-Oh" and was served as the fourth single on March 21, 2012 by Avex Trax. "Go Round" was written by Aili, produced by T-Sk and co-composed by Tesung Kim and Australian duo Nervo. With a cover sleeve, photographed by Takaki Kumada, showing Amuro in front of a blurry window pane, "Go Round" was recorded both in English and Japanese language and is a dance-pop song.
"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.
"Dr." is a song by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, taken as the only A-side single from her ninth studio album Past<Future (2009). The track was written, composed, arranged and produced entirely by long-time collaborator Nao'ymt, and recorded at Azabu-O Studios in Minato, Tokyo. Musically, "Dr." is a dance number that is influenced by modern club music, and also samples an orchestral section from the musical piece "Boléro", composed by French conductor Maurice Ravel. Lyrically, it is a love song that uses the titular term to metaphorically describe Amuro's lover.
