[Utada Hikaru] Volume XLVIII: The Return of the Queen

Polyrhythm · #1 15th April 2013, 03:28 AM

Keep talkin.

Spoiler:

Utada Hikaru is a Japanese American singer/songwriter who by the age of 15 had already risen to the top of Japan's music industry. Born on January 19, 1983, Utada was exposed the music industry at an early age by her parents who were both musicians. The recording studio was often like a second home to her because of the long hours she had to spend there due to her parents' work. Growing up, Utada lived in both Tokyo and New York. These aspects of her early life would later influence her musical compositions.

At age 12, Utada made her first professional recording as part of the musical project, U3. Soon after, she made a series of releases under the name Cubic U. In 1998, Utada moved to Tokyo to attend the American School in Japan, from which she later graduated. During her time in Tokyo, Utada was still writing and recording for Toshiba EMI. On December 9, 1998, Utada Hikaru released her debut Japanese single, Automatic/Time Will Tell. She became an instant hit. The single sold over 2 million copies and was followed by the million selling single, Movin' on Without You.

On March 10, 1999, Utada Hikaru released her debut album, First Love. First Love sold over 7 million copies in Japan alone and over 10 million copies worldwide making it the best selling album in Japanese music history. A re-cut single from the album, also titled First Love, was released and reached #2 on the Oricon charts. By age 16 Utada Hikaru was already a household name in Japan.

In 2001, 2 years after her massive debut success, Utada returned with her sophomore album, Distance. There was controversy concerning the album as it was to be released on the same day as Hamasaki Ayumi's first best album, A-Best. Hamasaki, then the top selling idol in Japan, was forced by her label Avex Trax to deliberately release her best album on the same day as Distance. Both artists denied that there was a rivalry. On March 28, 2001, Distance was released. In the album's first week of sales, it took the #1 spot. In the second week, Hamasaki's A-Best topped the charts. In the end, Distance became the best selling album of 2001 and the #4 best selling album in Japanese history.

In 2002, Utada released DEEP RIVER, another #1 selling album featuring the theme song of the popular video game Kingdom Hearts, Hikari. The album became the #8 best selling album in Japanese history. She also surprised the Japanese public by marrying her long time music video director, Kiriya Kazuaki, 15 years her senior. Following the success of the album, Utada took a break from the Japanese music scene, only releasing the single COLORS in 2003 and her first best album, Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL. 1 in 2004. The compilation became the best selling album of 2004.

In 2004, Utada once again shocked the public by announcing that she was to debut in the United States. On July 3, 2004, she released the single Easy Breezy. Fans were shocked to see the shy singer in the promotional video, poolside and in a bikini. On September 8, Utada released her debut English album, EXODUS (released under the name Utada and not Utada Hikaru). Though the album only sold 55,000 copies in the U.S, it sold over a million copies in Japan. Utada also noted that the development of EXODUS influenced the sound of her later releases.

In 2006, Utada Hikaru returned with her fourth Japanese album, ULTRA BLUE, which featured the Kingdom Hearts II theme song, Passion. Though the album reached #1 on the Oricon charts and became the #7 album of the year, it also became her first album to sell less than a million copies, selling about 900,000 copies. To promote the album, Utada embarked on a nationwide tour titled "UTADA UNITED 2006".

In 2007, Utada released the single Flavor of Life, an insert song for the popular dorama, Hana Yori Dango 2. The single became the most downloaded ringtone in Japanese music history with over 5.5 million copies sold. In addition, the single sold over 670,000 physical copies, becoming the #2 best selling single of the year. On March 19, 2008, Utada Hikaru released the album HEART STATION, her fifth consecutive album to reach #1 on the charts. The album sold over a million copies, becoming the #5 best selling album of 2008 as well as the most downloaded album of the year (with 15 million full downloads).

In 2009, Utada once again returned in the US music scene with the album, This Is The One. The album reached #69 on the US Billboard Top 200 Charts. This made Utada only the 7th Japanese artist to accomplish this and the first one in 23 years. The album was also a digital success, reaching #2 on the iTunes pop albums chart as well as #18 overall (the first Japanese artist to accomplish this). In Japan, the album reached #3 on the Oricon album charts and topped the foreign album charts at #1 for 5 consecutive weeks. By the end of 2009, Utada was named the most influential artist of the decade by Tokyo Times. In early 2010, Utada held her first US Tour, Utada In The Flesh, which included 2 dates in London.

In August 2010, Utada Hikaru announced that she was taking a break from music. She will release Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL. 2 on November 24, 2010 with 5 new songs.

Spoiler:

*Numbers reflect peak positions on the Oricon Weekly Album/Singles Charts. Info provided by Jpop Stop Wiki.

Japanese Discography

Spoiler:

US Discography (as Utada)

Spoiler:

*All info provided by Jpop Stop Wiki

[1999] (Yusen Awards) Top Award "Special Prize"
[1999] (Yusen Awards) Top Award "Best New Artist"
[1999] (Record Awards) Best Album (First Love)
[1999] (Record Awards) Best Song (Automatic)
[2000] (Golden Disc) The Triple Crown
[2000] (Golden Disc) Artist of the Year
[2000] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (Automatic, Movin' on without you, Addicted To You)
[2000] (Golden Disc) Pop Album of the Year (First Love)
[2000] (Golden Disc) Music Video of the Year (SINGLE CLIP COLLECTION VOL.1)
[2000] (World Music Awards) Best-Selling Japanese Artist
[2000] (JASRAC) Gold Award (Automatic)
[2000] (JASRAC) Silver Award (time will tell)
[2001] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (Wait & See ~Risk~, For You / Time Limit)
[2001] MTV Japan Viewer's Choice Video (Can You Keep a Secret?)
[2002] SSTV Best Art Direction Video (Traveling)
[2002] SSTV Best Female Video (Traveling)
[2002] SSTV Best Video of the Year (Traveling)
[2002] SSTV Best Music Video (Traveling)
[2002] MTV Japan Best R&B Artist
[2002] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (Can You Keep A Secret?)
[2002] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (Traveling)
[2002] (Golden Disc) Pop Album of the Year (Distance)
[2002] (JASRAC) Silver Award (Can You Keep A Secret?)
[2003] (World Music Awards) Best-Selling Japanese Artist
[2003] J-WAVE Best Female Artist
[2003] SSTV Best Female Video (SAKURA Drops)
[2003] MTV JAPAN Best Female Video (SAKURA Drops)
[2003] (Golden Disc) The Triple Crown
[2003] (Golden Disc) Artist of the Year
[2003] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (Hikari)
[2003] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (SAKURA Drops)
[2003] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (COLORS)
[2003] (Golden Disc) Rock & Pop Album of the Year (Deep River)
[2003] (Golden Disc) Music Video of the Year (Traveling)
[2003] JASRAC Silver Award (Traveling)
[2003] JASRAC Silver Award (Foreign Production) (Hikari)
[2004] AMD Award for Best Music Composer (UH LIVE STREAMING 20 Dai wa Ikeike!)
[2004] (World Music Awards) Best-Selling Japanese Artist
[2004] Ranked #1 on Oricon's Top Ten Favorite Artists poll
[2005] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (Dareka no Negai ga Kanau Koro)
[2005] (Golden Disc) Rock & Pop Album of the Year (Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL. 1)
[2005] (Golden Disc) International Rock & Pop Album of the Year (Exodus)
[2005] (Golden Disc) Music Video of the Year (Utada Hikaru in Budokan 2004 'Hikaru no 5')
[2006] (Golden Disc) Song of the Year (Be My Last)
[2007] (Golden Disc) Rock & Pop Album of the Year (ULTRA BLUE)
[2007] (Golden Disc) 10 Best Albums (ULTRA BLUE)
[2007] (Golden Disc) Million Sales Album Artist Card (ULTRA BLUE)
[2007] Ranked #1 on Oricon's Top Ten Favorite Artists poll
[2008] (Golden Disc) Single of the Year (Flavor Of Life)
[2008] (Golden Disc) PC Download Song of the Year (Flavor Of Life)
[2008] (Golden Disc) Best 10 Singles (Flavor of Life)
[2008] (Golden Disc) Best 5 Chaku-Uta Songs (Flavor of Life-Ballad Version)
[2008] (Golden Disc) Best 5 Chaku-Uta Full Songs (Flavor of Life-Ballad Version-)
[2008] (Golden Disc) Best 5 Chaku-Uta Full Songs (Flavor of Life)
[2008] (Golden Disc) Best 5 PC Download Songs (Beautiful World)
[2008] (Golden Disc) Best 5 PC Download Songs (Flavor of Life)
[2008] Best Monthly Airplay Record at Japanese Radio (Heart Station)
[2008] Radio Television Hong Kong 19th International Pop Poll Awards - Top Japanese Gold Song (Beautiful World)
[2008] Radio Television Hong Kong 19th International Pop Poll Awards - Top Japanese Artist
[2008] MTV Japan Best Video from a Film (Beautiful World, from Neon Genesis Evangelion)
[2008] Ranked #1 on Oricon's Top Ten Favorite Artists poll
[2009] (Golden Disc) Best 5 Chaku-Uta Songs (Prisoner of Love)
[2009] (Golden Disc) Best 5 Chaku-Uta Full Songs (Prisoner of Love)
[2008] (Golden Disc) Best 5 PC Download Songs (Prisoner of Love)
[2009] (Golden Disc) Best 5 Albums (HEART STATION)
[2009] The 1st CD Shop First Prize Award Best CD Album (HEART STATION)
[2009] Jasrac Award 2009 10 Best Interactive Songs (Prisoner of Love)
[2009] Named the most influential artist of the decade (2000-2010) by Japan Times
[2010] Ranked #7 on Oricon's Top Ten Favorite Artists poll

CoriKaru · #2 15th April 2013, 03:50 AM

At first I was like "Da Fuq" with that title, but it is kind of different, not obvious, and has some weight to it. Even if you don't know what that number is.

And just reading anything with "The Return Of....." when referencing Utada gets me excited so I will let this title pass with no resistance.

chocopockymaster · #3 15th April 2013, 05:23 AM

What a wonderfully informative first post.

RikkuK · #4 15th April 2013, 05:43 AM

Farts on this thread title.

NintendoHTF1242 · #5 15th April 2013, 06:13 AM

Utada the Queen

TeamAyu2004 · #6 15th April 2013, 09:07 AM

is she coming back?

***koumori*** · #7 15th April 2013, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

is she coming back?

There's no official word on a comeback, no. I can tell this thread title will be a bit confusing at first.

I hope we hear something this year on if she has any plans to continue her hiatus or not...I'd love another one-off single, at least.

@Polyrhythm: If you could at least link the last thread in the first post, that'd be good. The last first post was excellent.

bluegie · #8 15th April 2013, 11:42 AM

I love how Polyrhythm did for the first post.. LOL.

Man I really hope she'll release something new this year...

emi♡ · #9 15th April 2013, 01:14 PM

at least we have sakura nagashi.

KremlinChaos · #10 15th April 2013, 01:32 PM

I was just listening to her discography the other day and it made me miss her so much

.

Polyrhythm · #11 15th April 2013, 06:18 PM

No point in making the first post informative....nothing's really happening anyway. Recycled.

CoriKaru · #12 15th April 2013, 07:17 PM

Quote:

[2009] Named the most influential artist of the decade (2000-2010) by Japan Times

I actually forgot about this. Shame on me.

Delicious n Bold · #13 16th April 2013, 04:51 AM

Does anyone here think that hikki's career 'truly began' with deep river?
dont get me wrong, i love the 1st 4 songs of first love + time will tell and the first three songs of distance + time limit.
but, you know, once she starts sounding like she's taken drugs, everything gets better.

CoriKaru · #14 16th April 2013, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

.......once she starts sounding like she's taken drugs, everything gets better.

Cite some examples. I'm intrigued.

Zahara · #15 16th April 2013, 05:26 AM

I think when it came to experimenting the sound and lyrics, she definitely grew for that album. Even her image changed.

I know hikki drinks like a fish, but I don't know about drugs. It would make a lot of sense if she was a pot head lol.

Delicious n Bold · #16 16th April 2013, 05:29 AM

I may have gone too far with my simile
But... Stuff like Sakura drops and colours.
Her music became 'fuller', more substance. Deep river onward fills you up. TITO is arguable I think.

RikkuK · #17 16th April 2013, 05:50 AM

I feel like all these convos are just rehashed crap that people keep poking at to keep this thread alive to distract from the fact UTADA HIKARU does not seem to be interested in the Music Industry any longer.

Delicious n Bold · #18 16th April 2013, 06:17 AM

Did they make her make Sakura Nagashi at gunpoint? XD

"MAKE MUSIC OR THE BEAR GETS IT NEXT!"

emi♡ · #19 16th April 2013, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RikkuK

I feel like all these convos are just rehashed crap that people keep poking at to keep this thread alive to distract from the fact UTADA HIKARU does not seem to be interested in the Music Industry any longer.

who cares what she's interested in. I want to talk about her. Why don't you go sit in the koda thread or something.

Anyways. A lot of people have kind of a meh debut album. Exception of very few.

Honestly, I don't even think First Love is in my media player. ...Oh no, there it is. It's just not in my playlist. The songs are too R&B raw for me these days.

The interesting thing about hikki for me though, is that I felt that she progressed well with every album. Even the style changed, she still had quality. That's nice.

TITO is...on it's own.

hayasaki · #20 16th April 2013, 07:29 AM

I know it sounds meh, but my love for hikki grew more when she started
creating those epic ethereal songs! I feel
like in heaven when I first heard Take 5.