Hideaki Tokunaga

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Hideaki Tokunaga
Birth name Tokunaga Hideaki (德永 英明)
Born (1961-02-27) February 27, 1961
Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan
Genres Pop, kayōkyoku
Occupations Singer, songwriter
Years active 1986–present
Labels Bandai 1986–1997
King Records (Japan) 1998–2001
A&M Records 2002–present
Website www.tokunagaandtonys.com

Hideaki Tokunaga (德永 英明 Tokunaga Hideaki, born February 27, 1961 in Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture) is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter and actor.

Although Tokunaga failed to pass the test of Star Tanjō! in 1982, he debuted as a recording singer in 1986. After he released hit songs such as "Yume o Shinjite" (the first ending theme of the anime series Dragon Warrior: Legend of the Hero Abel) and "Kowarekake no Radio" in 1990, his single "Wednesday Moon" reached No. 1 on Oricon weekly charts in 1991. He was also known for Vocalist album series, comprising his covers of female songs. Vocalist, Vocalist 2, Vocalist 3 and Vocalist 4 were released in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 respectively.

Tokunaga is the first male artist to have at least one album to reach the number-one position on the Japanese Oricon weekly charts for four decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s).[1]

Tokunaga also composed other singers' songs such as KinKi Kids' "Eien Ni" (from their 2007 album Phi).

Career

Tokunaga took part in the Japanese television program Star Tanjō! in 1982.[2] The program produced many Japanese stars such as Momoe Yamaguchi, Pink Lady and Akina Nakamori. However, Akiko Matsumoto passed the test at that time, while Tokunaga and Minako Honda were rejected.[3]

On January 21, 1986, Tokunaga debuted with the album Girl and the single "Rainy Blue". In 1987, his third studio album Birds reached the number-one position on the Japanese Oricon charts. In the early 1990s, he became well known in the Philippines when the song "Saigo no Iiwake" (from his 1989 album Realize) was covered in Tagalog as "Ikaw Pa Rin" by an unlikely singer, a non-Tagalog-speaking, fellow Japanese Ted Ito.[4] However, his 1991 album Revolution had been his last number-one album until 2007.

Tokunaga began to release Vocalist album series, in which he covered many Japanese songs of female singers. On September 14, 2005, he released the album Vocalist, the first work of the series. The album included his cover versions of Miyuki Nakajima's 1975 song "Jidai" and Momoe Yamaguchi's 1977 song "Cosmos". The album was certified Million by RIAJ for shipment of 1,000,000 copies.[5]

On August 30, 2006, Tokunaga released the album Vocalist 2. The album included his cover versions of Akina Nakamori's 1982 song "Second Love" and Mika Nakashima's 2003 song "Yuki no Hana". The album was certified Triple Platinum by RIAJ for shipment of 750,000 copies.[6]

On August 15, 2007, Tokunaga released the album Vocalist 3. The album included his cover versions of Akiko Kobayashi's 1985 song "Koi ni Ochite (Fall in Love)" and Every Little Thing's 1998 song "Time Goes By". His cover version of Namie Amuro's 1997 song "Can You Celebrate?" was the final track of the album, but there was also a first press limited edition which included a bonus track, his cover version of Naomi Chiaki's 1972 song "Kassai". Vocalist 3 reached the number-one position on the Oricon weekly album charts, making it his first number-one album in 15 years 10 months.[7] Vocalist 3 topped the Oricon weekly album charts for two weeks. The album was certified Million by RIAJ for shipment of 1,000,000 copies.[8]

On November 1, 2007, Tokunaga also covered Noriko Awaya's "Farewell Blues" (別れのブルース Wakare no Burūsu) at the Tokyo International Forum as a part of Ryoichi Hattori's 100th Anniversary Concert.[9]

On May 6, 2009, Tokunaga released his studio album We All. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Oricon weekly album charts. With the album, he became the first solo male artist who debuted in 1980s to have at least one studio album to top the Oricon weekly charts for three decades (1980s, 1990s and 2000s).[10]

Tokunaga released the single "Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" on March 31, 2010. It was his cover version of Teresa Teng's 1986 song and its B-sides were his cover versions of Seiko Matsuda's 1982 song "Akai Sweet Pea" and Juju's 2009 song "Yasashisa de Afureru yōni." Those songs were included by the album Vocalist 4, released on April 20, 2010. The album included his cover version of Hikaru Utada's 1999 song "First Love." Vocalist 4 debuted at No. 1 on the Oricon weekly charts. Because of the album, he became the first male artist to have at least one album to top the Oricon weekly charts for four decades.[1]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Girl (1986)[11]
  • Radio (1986)
  • Birds (1987)
  • Dear (1988)
  • Realize (1989)
  • Justice (1990)
  • Revolution (1991)
  • Nostalgia (1993)
  • The Sun Boy (1995)
  • Bless (1997)
  • Honesto (1999)
  • Remind (2000)
  • Love, Please (2002)
  • My Life (2004)
  • We All (2009)
  • Statement (2013)

Cover albums

  • Vocalist (2005)
  • Vocalist 2 (2006)
  • Vocalist 3 (2007)
  • Vocalist 4 (2010)
  • Vocalist Vintage (2012)

Live albums

  • Hideaki Tokunaga Live (1990)
  • Live 1994 (1994)

Compilation albums

  • Intro (1987)
  • Intro II (1992)
  • Ballade of Ballade (1997)
  • Single Collection (1986–1991) (1998)
  • Single Collection (1992–1997) (1998)
  • Intro III (2001)
  • Shining Forever~ Self-Cover Best (2003)
  • Beautiful Ballade (2006)
  • Singles Best (2008)
  • Singles B-side Best (2008)
  • Singles Best Box (2009)
  • Vocalist & Ballade Best (2011)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 (Japanese) "男性アーティスト初！ 徳永英明が80年代から4年代連続首位". Oricon. 2010-04-27. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  2. ↑ (Japanese) "10月12日（木）の音楽番組情報". TV Life Music. 2006-10-12. Retrieved 2010-04-21. 
  3. ↑ (Japanese) "【83年9月25日】スタ誕が１２年の歴史に幕…阿久悠氏「幻想ではなかった」". Sports Nippon. 2009-09-25. Retrieved 2010-04-21. 
  4. ↑ Ted Ito @ Last.fm
  5. ↑ (Japanese) "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2010年5月". RIAJ. Retrieved 2010-06-11. 
  6. ↑ (Japanese) "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2008年3月". RIAJ. Retrieved 2009-10-14. 
  7. ↑ (Japanese) "徳永英明、カバーシリーズ総売上史上初の100万枚突破！" [Hideaki Tokunaga sold over one million copies for the first time as series of cover albums!]. Oricon. 2007-09-04. Retrieved 2009-02-11. 
  8. ↑ (Japanese) "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2008年4月". RIAJ. Retrieved 2009-10-14. 
  9. ↑ (Japanese) "Great covers at the 100th Anniversary of Ryoichi Hattori". natalie. 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2009-02-11. 
  10. ↑ (Japanese) "徳永英明、オリジナルアルバムで17年ぶりに首位獲得". Oricon. 2009-05-12. Retrieved 2010-04-21. 
  11. ↑ Hideaki Tokunaga Official Site - Discography

External links

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