Mai Kuraki is a Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Kuraki debuted in 1999 with the single, "Love, Day After Tomorrow". In 2000, she released her debut album, Delicious Way, which debuted at number-one and sold over 2,210,000 copies in its first week. Kuraki is one of a few female artists in Japan to have their first four studio albums to debut at top of the Oricon album chart.
Spitz are a Japanese rock band. The group was originally formed in 1987 by four art school students in Tokyo – it consists of Masamune Kusano, Tetsuya Miwa, Akihiro Tamura, and Tatsuo Sakiyama (drums).
First Love is the debut Japanese-language studio album by Japanese recording artist Utada Hikaru, released on 10 March 1999 on Toshiba-EMI. Born and raised in New York City to music-oriented parents, Utada moved to Tokyo to attend Seisen International School and American School in Japan. From there, she began writing and composing music for her debut effort. Utada, her father Teruzane Utada and producer Akira Miyake produced the album and remain her two main co-producers and composers.
Rainbow is the fifth studio album by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, released on 18 December 2002 by Avex Trax. Production of Rainbow had commenced after the release of Hamasaki's fourth studio album I Am... that January; All lyrics were written by Hamasaki, and Japanese producer Max Matsuura returned to produce the album. The album was Hamasaki's first to feature conversational English lyrics, where in her previous works she had only used single words.
Akina Nakamori is a Japanese singer and actress. She is one of the most popular and top selling artists in Japan. Akina achieved national recognition when she won the 1981 season of the talent show Star Tanjō!. Her debut single "Slow Motion" was released to moderate success, peaking at number thirty on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart. However, Akina's popularity was pushed up by the follow-up single, "Shōjo A", which peaked at number five on the Oricon chart and has sold over 390,000 copies. Her second album Variation became her first number-one on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart, staying three weeks atop. As an actress, she made her debut in 1985 with the appearance on the Japanese romance movie Ai, Tabidachi. After her extended hiatus from 2010 to 2014, Akina released two compilation album, All Time Best: Original and All Time Best: Utahime Cover, both of which were commercially successful. As of 2011, Akina has sold over 25.3 million records and was named as the third best-selling female Japanese idol singer of all-time.
"Love (Destiny)" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, serving as the second single for her second studio album, Loveppears (1999). It was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Taiwan on April 14, 1999, and through Avex Entertainment Inc. worldwide in September 2008. The track was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Three versions of the recording have been made available—a ballad version arranged by Tsunku, an edited version with vocals by Tsunku, and a dance-influenced version included on Loveppears.
"Daybreak" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist and lyricist Ayumi Hamasaki, released on March 6, 2002 as the eighth and final single on her fourth studio album I am.... Influenced by the recent events off the September 11 attacks in New York City and Washington D.C. in North America, Hamasaki sought a new inspiration for her then-forthcoming album; instead off writing songs about confusion, loneliness and love like her previous efforts, she was encouraged to engage in more peaceful and worldly themes. This resulted in several songs on I Am..., including "Daybreak".
"A Walk in the Park" is a song 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. It was written, composed and produced by Tetsuya Komuro. The song is a dance track, which features instrumentation from guitars, synthesizers, organs, keyboards and drums. "A Walk in the Park" and "Can You Celebrate?" were both theme songs for Maxell UD commercials and Whisper was used as the background music for the Maxell MD74 commercial.
Cosmos is the ninth studio album by the Japanese rock band Buck-Tick. The album was released on June 21, 1996 through Victor Entertainment. It was the group's last album released through Victor and peaked at number six on the Oricon charts. Cosmos has sold 170,000 copies. The album was digitally remastered and re-released on September 19, 2002, with two bonus tracks. It was remastered and re-released again on September 5, 2007. The song "Tight Rope" was later re-recorded as the b-side to the group's "Alice in Wonder Underground" single in 2007, and "Sane" was re-recorded in 2012 for their "Elise no Tame ni" single.
Versus is the third, and second full-length album, by Japanese rock band Mr. Children released on September 1, 1993. The album debuted on the Japanese Oricon music charts at #3 and sold 802,140 copies during its run on the chart. Just like the previous two albums, Versus contains only one single released on July 1, 1993, titled "Replay" with another album track "And I close to you" also being included in Mr. Children's fourth single "Cross Road". Versus also marked the first time use of Takeshi Kobayashi as a writer and composer for Mr. Children.
Kind of Love is the first long-play record by Japanese rock band Mr. Children The album was issued in December 1992, only 7 months after the release of their debut EP entitled Everything. It has commonly been regarded as the band's second studio album.
Game is the debut studio album by Japanese girl group Perfume. It was released on April 16, 2008 by Tokuma Japan Communications. Game marks Perfume's first studio album to be fully produced by Japanese producer and Capsule member Yasutaka Nakata, while Perfume contributes to the album as the lead and background vocalists.
Fairy Tale is the third studio album by Japanese recording artist Mai Kuraki. It was released on October 23, 2002 under Giza Studio label.
"Feel So Right" is MAX's 22nd single on the Avex Trax label and was released on December 5, 2001. The title track was used as the ending theme to anime series, Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002. MAX performed the song on their fifth appearance on NHK singing contest, Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
3 Splash is an EP by Japanese recording artist and songwriter Kumi Koda. It was released on 8 July 2009, by Kumi's record label, Rhythm Zone. Her fourth extended play consists of three recordings; "Lick Me", "Ecstasy" and "Hashire!", with three additional interludes. It was released in two different formats: stand-alone CD, and a CD+DVD bundle - the latter bundle was re-released with a pink-transparent CD holder. The three artworks for the EP depicts Kumi posing with the title of the work superimposed over her. The CD+DVD bundle artwork features her holding a basketball, this artwork was also used for the digital release of the EP.
"Always Love" is a song by Japanese pop group, MAX. It was released as their 19th single and was used as the ending theme to the NTV program, Sports Max. It is the last of five singles leading up to their fourth original studio album, Emotional History (2001). The song was written by Hiromi Mori who has worked with MAX on their singles, "Shinin'on-Shinin'love and "Love Impact." It was composed by T2ya and is his first production with the group.
La La La Love Thang is the ninth studio album of Japanese singer Toshinobu Kubota, released on December 2, 1996. The album has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. It was also successful in international music markets and yielded two singles: "Niji No Grand Slam" and "La La La Love Song". Kubota then embarked on his first international concert tour in 1996, which he titled the Oyeees! Tour. A live album, Toshinobu Kubota Concert Tour '96: Oyeees!, was released which featured footage from the tour. As of February 2012, La La La Love Thang has sold over 840,000 copies worldwide.
"You Were..." is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki, taken from her tenth studio album, Rock 'n' Roll Circus (2010). It was written by Hamasaki with production being done by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. The song premiered on December 29, 2009 as the album's second a-side single with the album track, "Ballad". Four formats were released for the single; a CD format, a CD and DVD bundle, a limited edition box set, and a digital download. The first three artworks feature Hamasaki laying in snow, whilst the limited edition box set has a long-shot of Hamasaki in a dress.
Free is Mao Abe's first album, released on January 21, 2009. It entered the Japanese Oricon album charts at #17, and was in the top 300 for 10 weeks. The album was released in two versions: a regular version and a CD+DVD version only on sale for a limit period of time.
New Morning is the eleventh studio album by Japanese singer Misia. The album was released by Ariola Japan on April 2, 2014, the same day as the 77th and final date of Misia's nationwide Hoshizora no Live VII: 15th Celebration concert tour, at the Bunkamura Orchard Hall, which was broadcast live on YouTube. The album yielded the singles "Shiawase o Forever" and "Boku wa Pegasus Kimi wa Polaris". The lead track "Hope & Dreams" was released as a promotional single for the album.
