I am...

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For the album by the rapper Nas, see I Am....

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I am...

Studio album by Ayumi Hamasaki
Released	January 1, 2002
Recorded	2000-2001
Genre	J-pop
Length	70:53
Label	AVEX Trax
Producer(s)	?
J-fan Jpop link HMV link
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
A BEST (2001)	I am... (2002)	RAINBOW (2002)

I am... is the fifth full-length album by famous J-pop singer, Ayumi Hamasaki. It is not focused on the usual writings of Hamasaki, as it is based more on faith and hope rather than loneliness and sadness. The album was released on January 1, 2002.

The liner notes depict Hamasaki, dressed in an outfit of leaves, wandering through a sunny desert from dawn until dusk. A dove travels alongside her in each picture.

[edit] Singles

The first single off the album, "M", was the first song that Ayumi Hamasaki both composed and wrote the lyrics to. It sold more than a million copies, and is considered one of Ayumi Hamasaki's best works. Though the rock edges have shown since the album Duty, the single marked Ayumi Hamasaki's departure from pop. "M" was used in a cell phone commercial featuring the singer herself.

The third single, "Endless sorrow" was rearranged and the last part of the lyrics were resung to better reflect Ayumi Hamasaki's own emotions.

The fourth single, "Dearest," was used as the 3rd ending theme for the anime series InuYasha. The last track on the single is "Dearest (Acoustic Piano Version,)" for which she sung the vocals again to match the instrumentation. "no more words" was used as the ending theme for the first InuYasha movie.

"a song is born" was a part of avex trax's SongNation nonprofit project to raise funds for the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The single release of this song was a duet between Ayumi Hamasaki and KEIKO of Globe. The song was composed by the legendary producer Tetsuya Komuro, but unlike the other two single releases "the meaning of peace" (a duet between BoA and Kumi Koda) and "lovin' it" (a duet between Amuro Namie and VERBAL of m-flo), the lyrics were penned by Ayumi Hamasaki. The version featured on this album is a solo and the version featured on globe releases is KEIKO's solo.

The last single, "Daybreak", was a recut single (limited 300,000 copies), and it was dramatically remixed by HΛL for single release.

"Connected" was released as a single in Germany by the popular trance artist System F. Later, it received its own music video for the release of CYBER TRANCE presents ayu-trance 2. Connected peaked at #18 on Germany's MTV Dance Charts.

[edit] Track listing

"I am..." – 5:31
"Opening Run" – 0:57
"Connected" – 3:21
"Unite!" – 5:00
"Evolution" – 4:42
"Naturally" – 4:18
"Never Ever" – 4:41
"Still Alone" – 5:57
"Daybreak" – 4:49
"Taskinlude" – 1:20
"M" – 4:29
"A Song is Born" – 6:17
"Dearest" – 5:33
"No More Words" – 5:47
"Endless Sorrow" ~gone with the wind ver.~ – 8:17
"Flower Garden" (hidden track) – 2:38

[edit] Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release	Chart	Peak Position	Sales Total	Chart Run
1 January 2002	Oricon Daily Albums Chart	#1
1 January 2002	Oricon Weekly Albums Chart	#1	2,308,112	25 weeks
1 January 2002	Oricon Yearly Albums Chart	#2

Date	Title	Peak Position	Weeks
13 December, 2000	M	#1	18
31 January, 2001	evolution	#1	17
7 March, 2001	NEVER EVER	#1	12
16 May, 2001	Endless sorrow	#1	11
11 July, 2001	UNITE!	#1	10
27 September, 2001	Dearest	#1	17
12 December, 2001	a song is born	#1	10
1 January, 2002	I am...	#1	22
6 March, 2002	Daybreak	#2	9