| First Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Hikaru Utada | ||||
| Released | March 10, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | August–December 1998 | |||
| Genre | J-pop, R&B, dance | |||
| Length | 54:37 | |||
| Label | Toshiba EMI | |||
| Producer | Akira Miyake, Teruzane Utada | |||
| Hikaru Utada chronology | ||||
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| Singles from First Love | ||||
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First Love is the award-winning debut Japanese album by Hikaru Utada, released on March 10, 1999.
First Love is the best-selling album in Japanese music history. It sold over 7.65 million copies in Japan (as estimated by Oricon),[1][2][3] or 8.53 million copies (as estimated by RIAJ[4]) in Japan alone. It is also the only record certified 8× Million (32× Platinum) by RIAJ.[5]
It sold over 2 million in its debut week,[6] and topped Oricon album chart for 6 weeks. First Love is Japan's 7th highest album in debut sales.[7]
First Love is also the best-selling album in Asian music history. It sold over 10 million copies worldwide.[8]
Contents |
All songs written and composed by Hikaru Utada, except for the line, "I see a red door and I want it painted black" from "甘いワナ ～Paint It, Black", which is from "Paint It, Black," a song written and composed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. The song "Never Let Go" features the same beat used in "Take Him Back" by Monica, and was originally used in Sting's "Shape of My Heart." Hikaru said that Monica inspired her so much with her R&B that she decided to use that beat. However, the guitar sample from "Shape of My Heart" was not included on the final credits for the album's final manufacturing press due to time constraints.
| No. | Title | Arranger | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Automatic" | Akira Nishihira, Taka & Speedy (rhythm track arrangement), Kei Kawano (additional arrangement) |
5:28 |
| 2. | "Movin' on Without You" | Shin'ichiro Murayama | 4:38 |
| 3. | "In My Room" | Shin'ichiro Murayama | 4:19 |
| 4. | "First Love" | Kei Kawano | 4:17 |
| 5. | "Sweet Trap～ Paint It, Black" (甘いワナ～ Amai Wana～) | Akira Nishihira | 5:02 |
| 6. | "time will tell" | Toshiyuki Mori, Jun Isomura |
5:27 |
| 7. | "Never Let Go" | Kei Kawano | 3:57 |
| 8. | "B&C" | Akira Nishihira, Taka & Speedy (rhythm track arrangement) |
4:20 |
| 9. | "Another Chance" | Akira Nishihira, Taka & Speedy (rhythm track arrangement) |
5:22 |
| 10. | "Interlude" | 0:17 | |
| 11. | "Give Me a Reason" | Akira Nishihira | 6:28 |
| 12. | "Automatic (Johnny Vicious Remix)" | 4:54 |
"Interlude" was produced into a song called "Kotoba ni Naranai Kimochi" on Utada's Distance album.
The album version of "B&C" (which is found on the Movin' on Without You single) has Utada's voice in auto-tune and has a "sudden car stop screech" background, all in the song's last part, making it a more "cleaner" version than the version found on the single.
The single "First Love" is released after the album's release, considered a recut single.
| Date | Title | Peak position | Weeks | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 December 1998 | 08 cm - "Automatic/Time Will Tell" | 4 | 23 | 772,080 |
| 12 cm - "Automatic/Time Will Tell" | 2 | 23 | 1,290,700 | |
| February 17, 1999 | 08 cm - "Movin' on Without You" | 5 | 12 | 346,820 |
| 12 cm - "Movin' on Without You" | 1 | 13 | 879,760 | |
| 28 April 1999 | 08 cm - "First Love" | 6 - Recut | 19 | 303,430 |
| 12 cm - "First Love" | 2 - Recut | 13 | 500,890 |
First Love - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan & Taiwan)
| Release | Chart | Peak Position | Debut Sales | Sales Total (Japan) | Worldwide Sales | Chart Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 10, 1999 | Oricon Daily Albums Chart | 1 | ||||
| Oricon Weekly Albums Chart | 1 | 2,026,870 | 7,650,215 | 10,056,000 | 84 | |
| Oricon Yearly Albums Chart | 1 |
All Japanese names are in Western order (given name before family name).
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