B'z is a Japanese rock duo, consisting of guitarist, composer and producer Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto and vocalist and lyricist Koshi Inaba, known for their energetic hard rock tracks and pop rock ballads. B'z is one of the best-selling music artists in the world and the best-selling in their native Japan, having released 49 consecutive No. 1 singles, 25 No. 1 albums, 3 No. 1 EPs on the Oricon music charts and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
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.
Koshi Inaba is a Japanese vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. He is best known as the singer and lyricist of the rock duo B'z, the best-selling music act in their native Japan. He has also had a successful solo career, with both the five studio albums and five singles topping the Japanese music charts. In 2009, Inaba collaborated with Slash on single "Sahara". In 2017, Inaba released a collaborative album, Chubby Groove, with Stevie Salas under the name "Inaba/Salas".
Jet CD is the third studio album by Japanese pop rock duo Puffy, released in March 31, 1998 through Epic/Sony Records. It features five hit singles that they released around 1996-98, including three of which topped the Japanese Oricon charts.
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.
"Asia no Junshin" is a song recorded by the Japanese pop rock duo Puffy, released in May 1996 as their debut single. It was produced and composed by Tamio Okuda, with lyrics written by Yōsui Inoue.
"Pink Spider" is the ninth single by Japanese musician hide, the second to bear the hide with Spread Beaver name, released on May 13, 1998, eleven days after his death. It debuted at number 1 on the Japanese Oricon weekly charts and was the 11th best-selling single of the year, being certified Million by the RIAJ. It was also named "Song of the Year" at the 13th Japan Gold Disc Awards.
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.
Shine is the sixth album by Japanese rock band Luna Sea, released on July 23, 1998. It reached number one on the Oricon chart and is the band's highest selling studio album; selling over 1 million copies and being certified Million by the RIAJ. It was also named "Rock Album of the Year" at the 13th Japan Gold Disc Awards.
Greeeen is a Japanese pop rock/hip hop/breakbeat vocal group from Kōriyama in Fukushima Prefecture, comprising the all-male four members Hide, Navi, Kuni, and Soh. They made their debut with Universal Music in 2007. Their logo image is of a mouthful of teeth, and the four Es indicate the number of members. The sound production is handled by Hide's older brother JIN, a former guitarist of Pay money To my Pain. According to their website at Universal Music Japan, their catch phrase is "Rock 'n' Breakbeats with Four Microphones".
Shōso Strip (勝訴ストリップ), also known as Winning Strip, is the second studio album by Japanese singer and songwriter Ringo Sheena, released on March 31, 2000, by Toshiba EMI. The limited edition version includes a special booklet and case. The album debuted at #1 and has sold over 2,332,000 copies. It was certified two million copies by the RIAJ. In September 2007, Rolling Stone Japan rated the album at number 89 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time".
Summer Tour 2007 Final Time: Kotoba no Chikara is a DVD release of Japanese boy band Arashi. It was released on April 16, 2008 by their record label J Storm. Summer Tour 2007 Final Time: Kotoba no Chikara documented Arashi's summer concert at Tokyo Dome in correspondence with their Time album.
Delicious Way is the debut album by Japanese recording artist Mai Kuraki. It was released by Giza Studio and Giza Inc. in Japan on June 28, 2000. The album was entirely co-written by Kuraki herself, with the help of Michael Africk and Yoko Blaqstone in some tracks, while production was handled by Kanonji. The album's background and development started in mid-to-late 1999 after her American debut single "Baby I Like", where East West Records and Giza Studio sent her back to Japan. To promote the album, four singles were released; "Love, Day After Tomorrow", "Stay by My Side", "Secret of My Heart", and "Never Gonna Give You Up".
Maximum Groove is the third studio album by Japanese dance unit, MAX. It was released on December 2, 1998 by record label, avex trax. It is their second album to peak at the #1 position on the Oricon Weekly Album Charts and has since been certified a million seller by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. It is one of two albums by the group to chart in Oricon's 1999 Year-End album chart along with their first greatest hits compilation, Maximum Collection (1999). It charted at #27. The album was supported by their MAX Live Contact 1999 ~Sunny Holiday~ concert tour.
Jewels is a compilation album by the British rock band Queen, released on 28 January 2004. The album was released only in Japan on CD. It's a Japan only 24 bit digitally remastered compilation CD featuring extensive liner notes in Japanese and obi-strip.
Take Your Pick is an album by jazz guitarist Larry Carlton and Tak Matsumoto that was released by Vermillion on June 2, 2010 in Japan. The album debuted at number 2 on the Japanese Oricon weekly album charts. The album won an award for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 53rd Grammy Awards. It also won the "Jazz Album of the Year" award at 25th Japan Gold Disc Awards.
Japonism is the fourteenth studio album of the Japanese idol group Arashi. The album was released on October 21, 2015 under their record label J Storm in three editions: a first press/limited edition, a Yoitoko limited edition, and a regular edition. The first press edition comes with an 84-page photo lyrics booklet and bonus DVD with the music video and making-of for the album's lead track, "Kokoro no Sora". The Yoitoko limited edition comes with a 32-page lyrics booklet, and the regular edition comes with a 36-page lyrics booklet. The album sold over 820,000 copies in its first week and topped the Oricon charts for two consecutive weeks. With more than 1,000,000 copies sold, the album was certified for Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). On December 23, 2015, Oricon ranked Japonism as the best-selling album of 2015 in Japan. On February 27, 2016, Japonism was awarded Album of the Year in the 2016 Japan Gold Disc Awards.
Japanese rock band One Ok Rock has released nine studio albums, two EPs, 22 singles, eight video albums, six cover versions, and 32 music videos. One Ok Rock was formed in Tokyo, Japan in 2005, currently consists of Takahiro Moriuchi (vocals), Toru Yamashita (guitar/leader), Ryota Kohama (bass), and Tomoya Kanki (drums). One Ok Rock have sold more than 3 million records worldwide.
