J-pop, natively also known simply as pops, is the name for a form of popular music that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in traditional music of Japan, and significantly in 1960s pop and rock music. J-pop replaced kayōkyoku, a term for Japanese popular music from the 1920s to the 1980s in the Japanese music scene.
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.
Noriko Kamachi, known professionally as Seiko Matsuda, is a Japanese singer-songwriter, known for being one of the most popular Japanese idols of the 1980s. Since then, she has continued to release new singles and albums, go on annual summer concert tours, perform at winter dinner shows, in high-profile TV commercials and movies, and make frequent appearances on TV and radio. Her alma mater is Chuo University.
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 songs of various musical genres. Amuro uses the term "hip-pop" to describe the music on the album because it fuses pop music with other genres including R&B and hip-hop music. Three different formats were released to promote the album: a standalone CD, a limited edition Playbutton, and a digital download.
Sweet 19 Blues is the second studio album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released through Avex Trax on July 22, 1996. It is Amuro's first release with the label since leaving Toshiba-EMI, as well as her first album free of material associated with her previous band, Super Monkey's. Sweet 19 Blues was executive produced by Tetsuya Komuro and features a diverse group of collaborators, including Cozy Kubo, Akio Togashi, Takahiro Maeda, M.c.A.T, and Randy Waldman.
"Want Me, Want Me" is the 29th single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released by Avex Trax on April 6, 2005, and was the last single from her seventh studio album, Queen of Hip-Pop (2005). "Want Me, Want Me" was initially supposed to be released as an album track of Queen of Hip-Pop or a coupling song, but Amuro thought it was so good she made it a single despite the opposition of her staff. The song's lyrics were written by Michico, while its music was composed by Sugi-V. Musically, "Want Me, Want Me" is an upbeat reggae-style tune with influences of reggaeton and bhangra music. Lyrically, the song is a provocative song that explores themes of desire, sexual agency, and the pursuit of pleasure.
"Alarm" is the 26th single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released by Avex Trax on March 17, 2004, serving as the lead single to Amuro's seventh studio album Queen of Hip-Pop (2005). The song was written by Jusme and composed by Monk. The B-side "Strobe" was first planned as the main track of this single and when Amuro got the demo for "Alarm" the song was titled "Clock."
"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 overwhelming demand. The song's subject and the album in general was about the melancholic passing of another sweet year of youth, which is a particularly Japanese obsession.
"Never End" is the 17th single by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. It was released on July 12, 2000, as the lead single from her fifth studio album Break the Rules (2000). The track was made specifically for the 26th G8 summit that took place in Amuro's home prefecture Okinawa during July of that year. "Never End" was written, composed and arranged solely by her long-time producer Tetsuya Komuro. Musically, it is a pop ballad that takes influences from Okinawan music. Lyrically, the song describes distant memories, distant places, and distant emotions, indicating a longing for connection and understanding.
"Kore ga Watashi no Ikiru Michi" is the 2nd single released by the Japanese pop duo Puffy AmiYumi on October 7, 1996. It sold over 1.5 million copies and was their first #1 hit. They won "Japan Record Award for Best New Artist" in 1996.
"Ai no Tame ni." is the seventh single by Japanese recording artist Aya Ueto. It was released on February 4, 2004 as the fourth and final single from Ueto's second studio album Message. The single was released in two formats: limited and standard editions, both issued with different covers.
Thelma Aoyama is a Japanese pop and R&B singer. She is part Afro-Trinidadian and Japanese.
Original Tracks Vol. 1 is the first and only compilation album released by Super Monkey's, compiling all the singles and B-sides that had been released. The album was certified platinum by the RIAJ for 400,000 copies shipped.
Best Fiction is the third greatest hits album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on July 30, 2008, by Avex Trax and features seventeen singles released between 2002-2008, which 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" were released as digital singles.
Superfly is a Japanese rock act that debuted on April 4, 2007. Formerly a duo, the act now consists solely of lyricist and vocalist Shiho Ochi with former guitarist Kōichi Tabo still credited as the group's composer and part-time lyricist. Superfly's first two studio albums were certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan, and their first four consecutive albums all debuted at the top of the Oricon Weekly Album Charts, a first for a female recording artist in Japan in over seven years.
"Ashita, Haru ga Kitara" is a song by Japanese entertainer Takako Matsu from her debut album, Sora no Kagami (1997). It was released on March 21, 1997, through BMG Japan as her debut single. The song was written by Yūji Sakamoto and Daisuke Hinata, while Hinata produced the song. Following the wrap-up of the drama Long Vacation, she decided to give singing a try upon the suggestion of one of its directors.
"Ashita wo Yume Mite (明日を夢見て)" is the 35th single by Zard and released 9 April 2003 under B-Gram Records label. After one year, ZARD released new single. The single debuted at #4 rank first week. It charted for 8 weeks and sold over 62,000 copies.
Finally is the seventh greatest hits album by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released in a variety of formats by her label Dimension Point on November 8, 2017, and was later distributed to other markets in Asia. It is the singer's final music release upon announcing her retirement from the entertainment industry in September 2018.
"Hitomi o Tojite" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Ken Hirai, from his sixth studio album Sentimentalovers. It was released by Defstar Records as the album's second single on April 28, 2004. It is the theme song to the film Crying Out Love in the Center of the World. "Hitomi o Tojite" was the most successful song of 2004, topping the year-end Oricon Singles Chart with over 800,000 units sold. Hirai performed the song on his fourth appearance on Kōhaku Uta Gassen on December 31, 2004. "Hitomi o Tojite" was one of the eleven recipients of the Japan Gold Disc Award for Song of the Year. Although the song was considered for contention at the 46th Japan Record Awards, Hirai declined the Japan Record Award nomination.
Kimi Omou: Shunkashūtō is the first concept album by the J-pop singer and songwriter Mai Kuraki. It was released on October 10, 2018, via Northern Music.
