X Japan is a Japanese rock band from Chiba, formed in 1982 by drummer and pianist Yoshiki and lead vocalist Toshi. Starting as a predominantly power/speed metal band with heavy symphonic elements, they later gravitated towards a progressive sound with an emphasis on ballads. Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of visual kei, a movement among Japanese musicians comparable to Western glam.
Glay is a Japanese rock band formed in Hakodate in 1988. The core four members, vocalist Teru, guitarists Takuro and Hisashi, and bassist Jiro, have been together since 1992. Primarily composing songs in the rock and pop genres, they have also arranged songs using elements from a variety of other genres, including progressive rock, punk, gothic rock, electronic, R&B, folk, gospel, reggae, and ska. Originally a visual kei band, the group slowly shifted to less dramatic attire through the years. With five million copies sold, Glay's 1997 compilation album Review is the fifth best-selling album of all time in Japan. Their July 1999 concert "Expo '99" at Makuhari Messe was attended by 200,000 people, making it the largest-ticketed concert ever held by a single act at the time. As of 2008, Glay had sold an estimated 51 million records; 28 million singles and 23 million albums, making them one of the top ten best-selling artists of all time in Japan.
Hideto Matsumoto, known professionally as hide, was a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band X Japan from 1987 to 1997 and a solo artist from 1993 onward. He also formed the United States-based rock supergroup Zilch in 1996.
Yoshiki Hayashi, known as Yoshiki, is a Japanese musician, songwriter, composer, record producer, film director, and fashion designer. He is best known as the leader of the visual kei rock bands X Japan and the Last Rockstars, for which he is the drummer, pianist, and main songwriter. He has been described by Billboard as a "musical innovator" and named "one of the most influential composers in Japanese history" by Consequence. Yoshiki's solo career includes several classical studio albums and collaborations with artists such as George Martin, Bono, will.i.am, St. Vincent, the Chainsmokers, Skrillex, Ellie Goulding, Stan Lee, Roger Taylor and Brian May of Queen, Gene Simmons and KISS, Nicole Scherzinger, and Sarah Brightman.
Hiroshi Morie, known exclusively by his stage name Heath, was a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. He was best known as bass guitarist of the rock band X Japan from 1992 to 1997, and again from 2007 until his death in 2023.
Toshimitsu Deyama, known exclusively by his stage name Toshi, is a Japanese singer and songwriter who is the lead vocalist and a co-founder of the rock band X Japan, who rose to prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s and is credited as founders of the visual kei movement. Toshi began an extensive solo career in 1992 before leaving X Japan at the end of 1997. Toshi laments he was "brainwashed" by a group called Home of Heart, whose leader would control his musical output for the next 12 years. In 2007, X Japan reunited and began a world tour. Toshi severed ties with Home of Heart in January 2010 and renewed his solo career. His distinctive, impassioned tenor vocals have been compared to those of Steve Perry. In January 2018, he began to use the stage name Ryugen Toshi.
Art of Life is the fourth studio album by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, released on August 25, 1993, by Atlantic Records. The album consists solely of the 29-minute-long orchestrated title track, which was written and composed by Yoshiki entirely in English and recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It topped the Oricon chart and has sold over 600,000 copies. The album is the band's first after changing their name from simply "X" and the first to feature bassist Heath.
Dahlia is the fifth studio album by Japanese rock band X Japan, released on November 4, 1996, by Atlantic Records. It is the band's last album before breaking up the following year, and the last to feature new work by guitarist hide, due to his death two years later. The album is composed largely of ballads, with only a few tracks retaining the band's heavier musical traits seen on previous releases. It topped the Oricon chart and stayed on the chart for only 15 weeks, but managed to sell over half a million copies. Seven, nearly all, of the album's songs were released as singles, most of which also topped the singles chart and sold well.
Jealousy is the third studio album by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, then known as simply X. The album was released on July 1, 1991, by Sony, as the band's second major label release. Jealousy is the band's best-selling album, having sold more than one million copies, it topped the Oricon chart and stayed on the chart for 50 weeks. The album's singles would also reach the top three on the chart. It is their last album under the name "X", before changing to "X Japan", and the last to feature Taiji on bass, who would be replaced by Heath.
"Kurenai" is a song by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan, written by Yoshiki. One of the band's oldest songs, they have been performing "Kurenai" since 1985, and several versions have been released, most significantly as their major-label debut single on September 1, 1989.
"Longing" is a ballad by Japanese rock band X Japan and written by Yoshiki. The song has been released in several versions, most notably in two different single variations. The first, "Longing ~Togireta Melody~", was released as their eleventh single on August 1, 1995 and reached the number 1 spot on the Oricon chart. The second, "Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~", is their twelfth released on December 11, 1995 and reached number 5.
"I.V." is a song by Japanese rock band X Japan, released on January 23, 2008, as a digital download. It was the group's first new material since "The Last Song," released almost a decade earlier in 1998. "I.V." is the main theme for the American film Saw IV, which was released on October 26, 2007.
"The Last Song" is an X Japan single released on March 18, 1998, shortly after the band's breakup in late 1997.
Complete II is a box set released October 1, 2005. On ten CDs and nine DVDs it collects all studio and live albums, and all DVDs that X Japan released after changing their name from X, along with two DVDs containing previously unreleased and rare material from the band's earlier career. It reached number 92 on the Oricon chart.
The Last Live Video is a live DVD/VHS released by X Japan on March 29, 2002. It contains the band's last concert performance, before their reunion in 2007, recorded at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, 1997. The Last Live was also released on a three CD set of the same name.
Aoi Yoru is an X Japan live DVD released on July 25, 2007. It contains the band's performance at the Tokyo Dome on December 30, 1994. A DVD containing the concert from the following night was released on the same day, along with a limited edition, containing both concerts and additional material.
Shiroi Yoru is an X Japan live DVD released on July 25, 2007. It contains the band's performance at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, 1994. A DVD containing the concert from the previous night was released on the same day, along with a limited edition, containing both concerts and additional material.
Aoi Yoru Shiroi Yoru Complete Edition is an X Japan box set released on July 25, 2007 as a limited edition. It collects the Aoi Yoru and Shiroi Yoru concert DVDs released separately on the same day, along with a DVD of an interview with Yoshiki and a CD version of the "Longing ~Togireta Melody~" demo tape, which was originally distributed at the concerts on December 30 and 31, 1994. It ranked number one in music DVD sales and number 14 in overall DVD sales the week it was released.
Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome is a live VHS/DVD released by X Japan on September 24, 2003. It claims to contain the band's "Art of Life" performance on December 31, 1993, at the Tokyo Dome as part of the two-day concert series X Japan Returns. But this name is misleading as it really is an edited mix of both nights. Most of the video was filmed on December 31, but the piano solo part was filmed on December 30. This is the same version that appeared on Art of Life Live five years earlier. Some parts of Toshi's vocals were touched up by studio software to make up for the apparent faults at both live concerts.
X Japan Returns 1993.12.31 is an X Japan live DVD, released on February 29, 2008. It contains the band's performance at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, 1993. A DVD containing the concert from the previous night was released on the same day, along with a limited edition containing both concerts and additional material. This performance of "Art of Life" was previously released on the Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome DVD.
