Play (Namie Amuro album)

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PLAY
PLAY cover
Studio album by Namie Amuro
Released Flag of Japan June 27, 2007
Genre J-Pop, Hip-Pop
Length 50:45
Label AVEX Trax
Producer Nao'ymt, Michico, T.Kura, Namie Amuro
Professional reviews
  • appears 5/5 stars link
  • Beyond the Sea (A+) link
  • Who's Afraid of Music (A+) link
Namie Amuro chronology
Queen of Hip-Pop
(2005)
Play
(2007)
Alternate Cover
CD + DVD Cover
CD + DVD Cover

Play is the seventh studio album by Japanese pop singer Namie Amuro, released on June 27, 2007 in Japan. The follow-up to her successful 2005 album Queen of Hip-Pop, PLAY showcases her new hip-pop genre. This also marks her first album to be released in both the CD and CD+DVD formats.PLAY is her highest selling album since 2000's Genius 2000.The album was ranked 9th on CDJapan's list of top 100 CDs of 2007.[1]

Contents

[edit] Overview

Upon its release, Play debuted at #1, and stayed at the top spot for two weeks on the Oricon Charts. When its first week was over, Play became Namie's first weekly number one album since her 2000 album Genius 2000 with a gap of 120,258 copies sold. In its first week, the album sold 250,619 copies - Namie's highest first week sales since Genius 2000.[2] In Taiwan, Play reached #1 on the G-Music J-Pop chart for the week, but debuted at #2 on the overall chart.

PLAY also peaked at #4 on the United World Chart on its first week of release.

[edit] Tie-Ups/Theme Songs

"Violet Sauce" from the lead single of the album, "White Light / Violet Sauce", was the theme song for the Japanese release of the major motion picture, Sin City.

"Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick" from the second single, "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick / Ningyo", was used in commercials for the ringtone sites Mu-Mo and Iromelo Mix DX, the former of which is endorsed by her record label.

"Baby Don't Cry" is the ending theme song for the Kansai / Fuji TV drama, "Himitsu no Hanazono". It was also used for JoySound commercials.

"Funky Town" is used for Lipton Limone commercials.

"Top Secret" is being used as the theme song for the second season of Prison Break in Japan.[citation needed]

Pink Key was the theme song of a commercial for Lipton's Chiffon Milk Tea.[3]

[edit] Track listing

[edit] CD

# Title Songwriters
1. "Hide & Seek" Nao'ymt 4:36
2. "Full Moon" Nao'ymt 3:57
3. "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick" T.Kura, Michico 3:46
4. "It's all about you" T.Kura, Michico 4:12
5. "Funky Town" T.Kura, Michico, L.L. Brothers 3:48
6. "Step With It" T.Kura, Michico, L.L. Brothers 3:47
7. "Hello" T.Kura, Michico, Angie Irons 3:42
8. "Should I Love Him?" T.Kura, Michico 4:25
9. "Top Secret" Nao'ymt 4:30
10. "Violet Sauce (Spicy)" Nao'ymt 4:01
11. "Baby Don't Cry" Nao'ymt 5:21
12. "Pink Key" Nao'ymt 4:40

[edit] DVD

# Title
1. "Hide & Seek" (PV)
2. "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick" (PV)
3. "Funky Town" (PV)
4. "Hello" (PV)
5. "Baby Don't Cry" (PV)
6. Special Movie "Amuro Namie x The World of Golden Eggs Special Collaboration Movie"

[edit] Personnel

  • Namie Amuro - vocals, background vocals
  • Hiromi - additional vocals
  • Nao'ymt - additional vocals, multiple instruments
  • Michico - additional vocals
  • Sam Salter - additional vocals
  • T.Kura - multiple instruments
  • Orito - additional vocals
  • Tiger - additional vocals
  • LL Brothers - additional vocals
  • Warner - additional vocals
  • Jun - additional vocals
  • Ring - additional vocals
  • Tomoyasu Takeuchi - guitars

[edit] Production

  • Producers - Nao'ymt, T.Kura, Namie Amuro
  • Vocal Producers - Michico, Angie Irons
  • Mixing - D.O.I., T.Kura, Yoshiaki Onishi
  • Creative Direction - Hidekazu Sato
  • Art Direction - Hidekazu Sato, Katsuhiro Shimizu
  • Design - Katsuhiro Shimizu
  • Photography - Shoji Uchida
  • Stylist - Noriko Goto

[edit] Charts

[edit] Sales Total

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Chart Peak Position First Week Sales Sales Total Chart Run
June 27, 2007 Oricon Daily Charts #1
June 27, 2007 Oricon Weekly Charts #1 (2 consecutive weeks at #1) 250,619 537,118 47*
June 27, 2007 Oricon Monthly Charts #1
June 27, 2007 Oricon Yearly Charts #15
  • re-charting on Christmas week

[edit] Physical Sales Charts

Chart Peak
position
United World Chart (Albums) #4
G-Music Combo Chart (Taiwan) #2
G-Music J-POP Chart (Taiwan) #1
HMV Asian Chart (Singapore) #1

[edit] Singles - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Single Chart Peak Position
16 November 2005 "White Light / Violet Sauce" Oricon Daily Singles Chart 5
16 November 2005 "White Light / Violet Sauce" Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 7
17 May 2006 "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick / Ningyo" Oricon Daily Singles Chart 2
17 May 2006 "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick / Ningyo" Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 2
24 January 2007 "Baby Don't Cry" Oricon Daily Singles Chart 3
24 January 2007 "Baby Don't Cry" Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 3
4 April 2007 "Funky Town" Oricon Daily Singles Chart 2
4 April 2007 "Funky Town" Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 3

[edit] RIAJ certification

"Play" has been certified double-platinum for shipments of over 500,000 by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ 2007 TOP100 Charts
  2. ^ 安室奈美恵、7年5ヵ月ぶりに首位返り咲き (Japanese). Retrieved on 2007-07-02.
  3. ^ Namie New Lipton CM Namie News Network, a blog about Namie Amuro
  4. ^ ゴールド等認定作品認定 2008年3月 (Japanese). Retrieved on 2008-05-04.