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These are the Oricon number one albums of 2001, per the Oricon Albums Chart.
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These are the Oricon number one albums of 2001, per the Oricon Albums Chart.
| † | Indicates best-selling album of 2001 |
| Issue Date | Album | Sales | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Period -the Best Selection- | 166,400 | Luna Sea |
| January 15 | Very Best | 261,400 | V6 |
| January 22 | The Greatest Hits | 351,260 | Love Psychedelico |
| January 29 | 274,320 | ||
| February 5 | Arashi No.1: Arashi wa Arashi o Yobu! | 267,220 | Arashi |
| February 12 | Best! Morning Musume 1 | 1,218,990 | Morning Musume. |
| February 19 | Warp | 502,470 | Judy and Mary |
| February 26 | Toki no Tsubasa | 231,850 | Zard |
| March 5 | New World | 201,310 | Do As Infinity |
| March 12 | Da Best of Da Pump | 688,390 | Da Pump |
| March 19 | Insomnia | 441,470 | Chihiro Onitsuka |
| March 26 | Clicked Singles Best 13 | 802,530 | L'Arc-en-Ciel |
| April 2 | Smap Vest | 1,005,080 | SMAP |
| April 9 | Distance † | 3,002,720 | Hikaru Utada |
| April 16 | A Best | 510,160 | Ayumi Hamasaki |
| April 23 | Distance† | 294,340 | Hikaru Utada |
| April 30 | Together! -Tanpopo, Petit, Mini, Yuko- | 314,420 | Various Artists |
| May 7 | Marvelous | 881,150 | Misia |
| May 14 | 340,590 | ||
| May 21 | Colorless | 201,160 | Shela |
| May 28 | Looking Back 2 | 120,490 | Kazumasa Oda |
| June 4 | The Great Escape: Complete Best | 374,620 | Judy and Mary |
| June 11 | Fun for Fan | 242,330 | Ami Suzuki |
| June 18 | Love Notes | 502,040 | The Gospellers |
| June 25 | 261,720 | ||
| July 2 | Natsufuku | 380,370 | Aiko |
| July 9 | 252,540 | ||
| July 16 | Perfect Crime | 800,210 | Mai Kuraki |
| July 23 | Mr. Children 1992–1995 | 1,201,730 | Mr. Children |
| July 30 | 234,600 | ||
| August 6 | E Album | 400,480 | KinKi Kids |
| August 13 | Volume 6 | 120,140 | V6 |
| August 20 | qamS | 230,230 | SMAP |
| August 27 | Glitter | 70,260 | Mariah Carey |
| September 3 | Bon Appetit! | 501,530 | Mariya Takeuchi |
| September 10 | 348,730 | ||
| September 17 | Best + Ura Best + Mihappyōkyokushū | 264,870 | Cocco |
| September 24 | 87,890 | ||
| October 1 | Deep Forest | 301,580 | Do As Infinity |
| October 8 | Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix 2 | 201,030 | Ayumi Hamasaki |
| October 15 | Sugarless | 101,950 | Shikao Suga |
| October 22 | Woman 2 | 59,030 | Various Artists |
| October 29 | 64,870 | ||
| November 5 | Greatest Hits: Chapter One | 311,320 | Backstreet Boys |
| November 12 | Candlize | 401,090 | Hitomi Yaida |
| November 19 | The Way We Are | 1,143,310 | Chemistry |
| November 26 | Sweet, Bitter Sweet Yuming Ballad Best | 411,030 | Yumi Matsutoya |
| December 3 | 210,170 | ||
| December 10 | One Love | 451,050 | Glay |
| December 17 | Monkey Girl Odyssey | 200,210 | Dreams Come True |
| December 24 | Singles | 190,210 | My Little Lover |
| December 31 | 1st Message | 191,810 | W-inds |
Hikaru Utada, also known mononymously as Utada, is a Japanese and American singer, songwriter, and producer. She is considered to be one of the most influential and best-selling musical artists in Japan.
First Love is the debut Japanese-language studio album by Japanese-American recording artist Hikaru Utada, released on March 10, 1999, by Toshiba-EMI.
Distance is the third studio album by Japanese singer Hikaru Utada. Toshiba EMI released it on March 28, 2001, making it her second release with the label. Utada wrote and co-produced the majority of the album, alongside previous collaborators Akira Miyake and her father Teruzane Utada, as well as new collaborations with American producers Rodney Jerkins and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Distance, like its predecessor First Love (1999), is influenced by pop music and R&B, with additional hip-hop, rock, reggae, and techno influences from Western music.
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.
"Hikari" is a song recorded by Japanese–American recording artist Hikaru Utada for her fourth studio and third Japanese language album, Deep River (2002). It premiered on March 20, 2002, as the third single from the album in Japan. It was written and composed by Utada, whilst production and arrangement was handled by Utada, her father Teruzane Utada, and long-time collaborator Miyake Akira. The single, and a remix by Russell McNamara, was used as the official Japanese theme song for the 2002 action role-playing video game Kingdom Hearts, and appeared on its original soundtrack respectively. Musically, "Hikari" is a pop folk song. Lyrically, it is about mysteries in life and human activities.
"Traveling" is a song recorded by Japanese–American recording artist Hikaru Utada. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio and third Japanese language album, Deep River (2002). The track was written and composed by Utada, whilst production was handled by Utada, her father Teruzane Utada, and long-time collaborator Akira Miyake. Musically, "Traveling" is a dance-pop song, influenced by house music. Lyrically, it discusses human activities and dreams.
"Can You Keep a Secret?" is the seventh single by Japanese recording artist Hikaru Utada. It was released on February 16, 2001, by Toshiba EMI and serves as the last single from her sophomore album Distance (2001). The song was written and composed entirely by Utada herself. It was the ending theme song for the dorama called Hero (2001), in which Utada had her acting debut, appearing in a cameo as a waitress, and starring Takuya Kimura.
"Wait & See (Risk)" is a song recorded by Japanese–American singer Hikaru Utada for her third studio and second Japanese language album, Distance (2001). It was released on April 19, 2000 as the second single from the album in Japan. It was written and composed by Utada, whilst production and arrangement was handled by Utada and American duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. The single also included the two B-side tracks, "Hayatochiri" and "Fly Me to the Moon ", with the former song appearing on the parent album. Musically, "Wait & See (Risk)" is an R&B song, influenced by dance-pop and rock.
"Addicted to You" is a song by Japanese-American recording artist Hikaru Utada from her second studio album Distance (2001). It was released as the album's lead single on November 10, 1999, by EMI Music Japan. "Addicted to You" was written by Utada and produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis; this is Utada's first collaboration with American producers and composers. The single artwork was shot by American photographer Richard Avedon and features two black-and-white figures of Utada. Musically, "Addicted to You" is an R&B song.
"Movin' On Without You" is the second single by Japanese–American singer and producer Hikaru Utada. It serves as the second single from her debut studio album First Love (1999). The song was the first song that Utada had written and composed by herself. "Movin' On Without You" was incepted while Utada was attending high school in Tokyo, Japan, during 1997. Utada, who received a recording contract by Toshiba-EMI, had written an English-language version of the song, which remains unreleased to this day.
Ultra Blue is the sixth album by Japanese–American singer Hikaru Utada, released on June 14, 2006, by EMI Music Japan. It is the first original Japanese language album under Hikaru Utada's name in four years since her third album Deep River (2002). Ultra Blue contains thirteen songs, including six singles released between 2003 and 2006. While the arrangements for her album Deep River were done collaboratively, all but one of the songs on Ultra Blue were written, composed, and arranged solely by Utada, who also did the programming herself. In this album, the R&B elements that have been present since her debut are further diminished, and the majority of the songs have an electronic flavor with an emphasis on synth sounds.
"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."
"Flavor of Life" is Hikaru Utada's 18th Japanese single. The physical single was officially released on February 28, 2007.
"Beautiful World" is a song by Japanese American musician Hikaru Utada. It served as the theme song for Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, the 2007 film reboot of the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. It was released as a double A-side single on August 29, 2007 along with her song "Kiss & Cry", which had been released digitally three months earlier. The song was written and co-produced by Utada, while Akira Miyake and the singer's father Teruzane Utada served as producers. In 2009, a remix of the song, "Beautiful World " served as the theme song of the second film in the series, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance.
"Kiss & Cry" is a song recorded by Japanese American recording artist Hikaru Utada for her seventh studio and fifth Japanese album, Heart Station (2007). It was written, composed, and arranged by Utada, whilst production was handled by Utada, her father Teruzane Utada, and Akira Miyake. The single premiered on May 31, 2007 as the third single from the album in Japan. It was re-released as a double A-side single with "Beautiful World", which also appeared on the parent album on August 29 in Japan, and digitally worldwide. Musically, "Kiss & Cry" is an R&B song, influenced by pop and hip-hop music. Lyrically, it discusses both Utada's upbringing and social beliefs between both Western and oriental regions.
Heart Station is the seventh studio and fifth Japanese-language album by Japanese–American recording artist Hikaru Utada. It was released on March 19, 2008, by EMI Music in Japan, and globally on March 26, 2008. It is Utada's eighth consecutive studio album to be fully written and produced by her, with the help of her father Teruzane Utada and long-time collaborator Miyake Akira through the production. Recorded between 2006 and 2008, it was worked on whilst she was recording her ninth studio and second English-language studio album, This Is the One (2009). With the album artwork photographed by Japanese photographer Mitsuo, Heart Station was released in two formats: a physical CD, and as a digital download.
Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2 is Japanese pop singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada's second compilation album, released on November 24, 2010, by EMI Music Japan, the same day as her Universal-released English language compilation album, Utada the Best. The album includes two discs, with the first being a 13-track greatest hits album spanning 2004–2009, while the second is an extended play featuring new material. Along with Utada the Best, this remained Utada's last album release for six years, until 2016's Fantôme, due to an announced hiatus. Several of the new songs achieved commercial success, with "Goodbye Happiness" reaching number one on Billboard's Japan Hot 100 chart, and "Can't Wait 'Til Christmas" reaching number one on the Recording Industry Association of Japan's digital track chart. Both songs have been certified by the association as gold records for full-length cellphone downloads.
Fantôme is the sixth Japanese studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada. Although Utada announced an indefinite hiatus from the public eye in August 2010, she continued writing and composing material with her father, Teruzane Utada, and long-term collaborator, Akira Miyake. Musically, Fantôme contains a collection of tracks that utilizes acoustic and stripped-down instrumentations, alongside influences of pop, electronic, and R&B music. The lyrical content delves into themes of grief, sadness, love, and death—mostly influenced by the death of her mother, her second marriage, and the birth of her son in 2015.