Eighth Wonder (AAA album)

Eighth Wonder
Studio album by AAA
Released September 18, 2013
Recorded 2012–13
Genre J-pop
Length 76:32
Language Japanese
Label Avex Trax
Producer Masato Max Matsuura
AAA chronology

777: Triple Seven
(2012)		 Eighth Wonder
(2013)		 Gold Symphony
(2014)
Singles from Eighth Wonder
  1. "Niji"
    Released: October 31, 2012
  2. "Miss you/Hohoemi No Saku Basho"
    Released: January 23, 2013
  3. "Party It Up"
    Released: March 13, 2013
  4. "Love Is In The Air"
    Released: June 26, 2013
  5. "Koi Oto to Amazora"
    Released: September 4, 2013

Eighth Wonder is the eighth studio album by Japanese music group AAA, released on September 18, 2013. The album contains five singles that were previously released —"Niji", "Miss you/Hohoemi No Saku Basho", "Party It Up", "Love Is In The Air" and "Koi Oto to Amazora"— all of which made the top 10 on the Oricon weekly singles chart.

Eighth Wonder debuted at the number one spot on the Oricon weekly album chart, selling over 46,000 copies in its first week. The album is AAA's first studio album to achieve number one on the weekly charts, and second album overall, two years after their compilation album #AAABEST.[1]

Release

Eighth Wonder is AAA's eighth album, released approximately 1 year since their previous album 777: Triple Seven. It is the first studio album by the group to contain 2 CDs. Disc 1 contains a total of 10 tracks, with only 1 track being new. Disc 2 contains a total of 6 tracks, composed of 4 new member duets, and 2 bonus tracks.[2]

Group member Chiaki Ito explained the reason behind splitting the album into 2 CDs. She cited the flow of the tracks on the first disc as being too lovely, and thus the group decided to treasure that arrangement of tracks and put the rest of the tracks on a second disc.[3]

The album was released on September 18, 2013, in five editions: a 2 CD-only edition which includes all tracks;[4] a 2 CD and DVD limited edition, which contains all tracks as well as all DVD contents;[5] a 2 CD and DVD first press limited edition which contains the same as the 2 CD and DVD limited edition, but comes with an AAA original lunch bag;[6] a Playbutton edition which is a portable media player with pre-installed music activated by pressing its buttons;[7] and a Music Card edition (in 7 designs) enabling digital download of the Disc 1's tracks which is sold only at tour venues.[8]

Promotion

Prior to release, the new songs on Eighth Wonder were being performed at the group's 2013 tour of the same title, since the opening leg in April.[9] These songs were also cut into short versions, joined in a medley as a special preview, and released on AAA's 37th single Love Is In The Air in June.[10]

The singles contained in the album were all released prior. "Niji" was released as the first single on October 31, 2012. It peaked at number three on the Oricon weekly singles chart[11] and sold over 46,400 copies in Japan. The second single "Miss you/Hohoemi no Saku Basho" was released on January 23, 2013, which peaked at number three on the weekly Oricon singles chart,[12] selling over 46,100 copies in Japan. On March 13, "Party It Up" was the third single released from the album. It peaked at number seven on the weekly Oricon singles chart[13] and sold over 34,100 copies in Japan. On June 26, the fourth single "Love Is In The Air" was released. It peaked at number three on the weekly Oricon singles chart[14] and sold over 49,200 copies in Japan. The fifth and final single "Koi Oto to Amazora" was released on September 4 and also peaked at number three on the Oricon weekly singles charts,[15] and sold over 37,700 copies in Japan.

AAA held a release event for Eighth Wonder on September 8, 2013, at Tokyo Dome City's LaQua Garden Stage in Tokyo, Japan. Members Takahiro Nishijima, Misako Uno, and Naoya Urata were there to talk about the album, and people who had preordered the album were entitled to a high five with the members.[2]

The group also held a special Niconico live streaming on September 19, to commemorate the release of the album. The stream included listening to the album's tracks and the appearance of members Mitsuhiro Hidaka, Shinjiro Atae, Shuta Sueyoshi and Chiaki Ito.[16]

Track listing

Disc 1[2]
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Eighth Wonder (Album Version)"  Kenn Kato, Mitsuhiro HidakaDaisuke Suzuki 6:00
2. "Party It Up"  Musoh, HidakaGwen, Stephen McNair 3:53
3. "I Know You Know"  Bounceback, Hayato Kimura, DJ Another, HidakaDJ Another 3:52
4. "Alive"  Chie Sawaguchi, HidakaGwen, Stephen McNair 4:52
5. "Love Is In The Air"  Musoh, HidakaStar Guitar, Musoh 4:35
6. "Koi Oto to Amazora (with Intro) (恋音と雨空 (with Intro))"  Yosuke Okamura, HidakaOkamura 5:28
7. "Miss you"  Musoh, HidakaSizk from Star Guitar, Musoh 4:53
8. "Hohoemi no Saku Basho (ほほえみの咲く場所)"  Yusuke Toriumi, HidakaTetsuya Komuro 4:17
9. "Good day"  Leonn, HidakaKazuhito Kikuchi 5:32
10. "Niji (虹)"  GreeeenGreeeen 4:56
Disc 2
No. TitleLyricsMusic Length
1. "Memory Lane" (Naoya Urata & Shinjiro Atae duet)Kenji KabashimaKabashima, Kosekibeatz 5:06
2. "Trap" (Misako Uno & Chiaki Ito duet)Kamikaoru, HidakaBounceback 3:23
3. "Believe" (Mitsuhiro Hidaka & Shuta Sueyoshi duet)Miss-art, HidakaSizk, Miss-art 4:37
4. "Drama" (Takahiro Nishijima & Misako Uno duet)HidakaSizk, Musoh 4:31
5. "Eighth Wonder (Wonder Land Remix)" (bonus track)Kato, HidakaSuzuki 5:21
6. "Koi Oto to Amazora (Acoustic Version) (恋音と雨空 (Acoustic Version))" (bonus track)Okamura, HidakaOkamura 5:16

Charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 1[17]
Billboard Japan Top Albums 1[18]

References

  1. ↑ "【オリコン】AAA、オリジナルアルバム初首位" (in Japanese). Oricon. September 24, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "AAA 8th ALBUM 『Eighth Wonder』 SPECIAL WEBSITE" (in Japanese). Avex Marketing. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  3. ↑ "ＡＡＡからのお知らせＳＰ④「伊藤さん」". AAA no Kizuna Gasshuku. Season 2 (in Japanese). 2013-09-06. 1:24 minutes in. TV Asahi and YouTube.
  4. ↑ "Amazon.co.jp： Eighth Wonder (ALBUM2枚組): 音楽" (in Japanese). Amazon Japan. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Amazon.co.jp： Eighth Wonder (ALBUM2枚組+DVD): 音楽" (in Japanese). Amazon Japan. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Amazon.co.jp： Eighth Wonder (初回生産限定) (ALBUM2枚組+DVD+オリジナルランチバッグ): 音楽" (in Japanese). Amazon Japan. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  7. ↑ "デビュー8周年AAAが放つ8thアルバム「Eighth Wonder」" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  8. ↑ "AAA TOUR 2013 Eighth Wonder会場限定で、9/18(水)発売 ALBUM「Eighth Wonder」ミュージックカード（全7形態）販売決定！" (in Japanese). Avex Marketing. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  9. ↑ "AAA、大阪城ホールでデビュー8周年" (in Japanese). Barks News. September 16, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  10. ↑ "AAA、新作「Love Is In The Air」PVにハイジブランコ登場" (in Japanese). Natalie.mu. June 26, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  11. ↑ "2012年10月29日～2012年11月04日のCDシングル週間ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. November 12, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  12. ↑ "2013年01月21日～2013年01月27日のCDシングル週間ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. February 4, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  13. ↑ "2013年03月11日～2013年03月17日のCDシングル週間ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. March 25, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  14. ↑ "2013年06月24日～2013年06月30日のCDシングル週間ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. July 8, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  15. ↑ "2013年09月02日～2013年09月08日のCDシングル週間ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. September 16, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  16. ↑ "AAA生出演『Eighth Wonder』発売記念特番‐ニコニコインフォ" (in Japanese). Niconico Info. September 13, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  17. ↑ "2013年09月16日～2013年09月22日のCDアルバム週間ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Billboard Japan Top Albums Charts Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Retrieved September 25, 2013.