Mai Kuraki is a Japanese pop and R&B singer, songwriter and record producer. After releasing her US debut single "Baby I Like" in 1999, Kuraki signed with Giza Studio and released her Japanese debut single "Love, Day After Tomorrow" in 1999. In 2000, she released her debut album, Delicious Way, which debuted at number-one and sold over 2.2 million copies in its first week. The album has spawned four top-three singles, "Love, Day After Tomorrow", "Stay by My Side", "Secret of My Heart", and "Never Gonna Give You Up". Eventually, the album sold over 3.5 million copies nationwide and became the best-selling album in Japan in 2000, and has been the ninth best-selling album in Japan of all-time.
First Love is the debut Japanese-language studio album by Japanese-American recording artist Hikaru Utada, released on March 10, 1999, by Toshiba-EMI.
Toshinobu "Toshi" Kubota is a Japanese singer, songwriter, musician, music producer, and radio personality. He has produced six million-seller records and thirty-three Top 40 singles during his career. Kubota is currently part of Sony Music Japan. In addition, he has composed and written songs for many singers including Hiromi Iwasaki, Misia, Toshinori Yonekura, Kyōko Koizumi, and many other recording artists.
Rikako Kakiuchi, professionally known by her stage name, Rina Aiuchi and formerly known as R, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, businesswoman, fashion model, and YouTuber. Born in Higashiōsaka, Japan, she won the first season of the audition Super Starlight Contest, winning a recording contract with Giza Studio. Her eurobeat-sounding debut album, Be Happy (2001) was certified gold in Japan and spawned a top-five single, "Koi wa Thrill, Shock, Suspense", which served as the theme song to the Japanese anime television series Case Closed. Aiuchi's second album Power of Words became her best-selling album, selling over 419,000 copies nationwide and certificated platinum in Japan.
Crystal Kay Williams is a Japanese-American singer, songwriter, actress and radio host.
Speed was a Japanese female vocal/dance group comprising Hiroko Shimabukuro, Eriko Imai, Takako Uehara and Hitoe Arakaki. All four members are former students of the Okinawa Actors School which also trained popular artists Namie Amuro and MAX.
I'm Your Girl is the debut studio album by South Korean girl group S.E.S., released by SM Entertainment on November 1, 1997. It spawned two singles: "('Cause) I'm Your Girl", which was promoted shortly after the release of the album, and "Oh, My Love", which was released in March 1998. Commercially, I'm Your Girl sold approximately 650,000 copies.
"Yume wo Kasanete" is a song by South Korean girl group S.E.S., originally released in Japan under VAP on February 21, 1999. In South Korea, it was released as "Just in Love" under SM Entertainment on July 11, 2001. "Just in Love" served as the lead single for the group's Korean compilation album Surprise (2001).
Reach Out is the debut Japanese album by South Korean girl group S.E.S., released under VAP on March 10, 1999. The album spawned the singles "Meguriau Sekai" and "Yume wo Kasanete". Commercially, the album peaked at number 50 on the Oricon Albums Chart and sold over 10,000 copies.
Love is the third Korean studio album by S.E.S., released in October 29, 1999, by SM Entertainment. It sold 760,475 copies and became the second best-selling Korean girl group album at the time, only behind The Pearl Sisters' My Dear (1968). The lead single of the same name was promoted along with another single "Twilight Zone".
Be Ever Wonderful is the third Japanese studio album by S.E.S. It was released on May 24, 2000, under VAP. The album peaked at number 93 on the Oricon Albums Chart and sold over 2,700 copies in Japan.
Here & There – S.E.S. Singles Collection is a compilation album in Japanese released in 2001 by S.E.S. under the record label VAP.
T.O.P. is the second Korean studio album by South Korean boy band Shinhwa. It was released on April 15, 1999, by SM Entertainment. The album title T.O.P. stands for Twinkling Of Paradise. The album spawned two singles: the title track "T.O.P. ", which incorporated elements of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake", and "Yo!". The album saw greater levels of success in comparison to their debut album Resolver (1998), selling over 377,000 copies in 1999. Both of its singles ranked atop the music program charts for multiple weeks.
The Face is the sixth Japanese studio album by South Korean recording artist BoA. It was released through Avex Trax on February 27, 2008. The full album contains a total of fifteen tracks and was released in three versions; a regular CD, CD and DVD bundle, and a limited first press edition. Recorded in Japanese with minor phrases in English, The Face is a pop album containing influences from electropop. BoA assumed greater creative control over the record in comparison to her previous releases.
Ken Hirai is a Japanese R&B and pop singer. Since his debut, Hirai has worked as a model, actor, composer, lyricist, singer, and brand ambassador.
S.E.S. was a South Korean girl group formed in 1997 by SM Entertainment, featuring three members: Bada, Eugene, and Shoo. Their debut album I'm Your Girl sold 650,000 copies, becoming the third best-selling album by a female group in South Korea. Their follow-up albums, Sea & Eugene & Shoo in 1998, Love in 1999 and A Letter from Greenland in 2000 also became best-sellers.
The discography of Japanese R&B singer Toshinobu Kubota consists of nineteen studio albums, ten compilation albums, two tribute albums, and over seventy singles. In 1985, Kubota signed with Sony Japan and began producing and writing songs for many of label's singers and groups. Under the label, Kubota released his first single, "Shitsui no Downtown" in June 1986, followed by "Time Shower ni Utarete" in December. Both songs were well received by radio, placing fifty-three and thirty-five on the Oricon Singles Chart. In September 1986, his debut album, Shake It Paradise, peaked at number twenty-two and remained on the Oricon Albums Chart for seven consecutive weeks. Shake It Paradise became certified million. The following year in 1987, Kubota's second studio album, Groovin', debuted at number thirty-three and was certified million. In February 1988, Kubota released "You Were Mine", which debuted at number two. In September 1988, Kubota released his third album, Such A Funky Thang!. The album peaked at number one and was certified million. The album also spawned the top-charted single "Dance If You Want It", which peaked at number three. In 1989, Kubota released his compilation album, The Baddest. The album also peaked at number one and was certified million.
Time is the sixth Japanese studio album by South Korean pop duo Tohoshinki, released by Avex Trax on March 6, 2013. The record was released in four physical versions, each with a theme cover – Version A (Past), a CD+DVD version with music videos; Version B (Present), another CD+DVD version with off-shot movies and live performances; Version C (Future), a CD only version with two bonus tracks; and Version D, a Bigeast fan club limited edition. Musically, Time is primarily an electropop album, with dubstep, electronic dance music, and R&B influences.
With is the eighth Japanese studio album by South Korean pop duo Tohoshinki, released by Avex Trax on December 17, 2014. The record was released in four physical versions – Version A, a CD+DVD version with music videos and live performances; Version B, another CD+DVD version with off-shot movies; Version C, a CD only version with two bonus tracks; and Version D, a fan club limited edition with a CD-Extra. Recording and writing for the album roughly began in the summer of 2013. With is described to be an album composed of nostalgic dance-pop songs that are influenced by disco and jazz, accompanied by marching drumbeats. Its lyrical content explores the general concept of love and friendship.
"Power of the Paradise" is the 50th single by Japanese boy band Arashi. It was released on September 14, 2016 under their record label J Storm. "Power of the Paradise" was used as the theme song for NTV's news coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics, which featured member Sho Sakurai as the main newscaster. The single sold over 420,000 copies in its first week and topped the weekly Oricon Singles Chart. The single was certified Double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). "Power of the Paradise" was the 10th best-selling single of the year in Japan.
