Moon/Blossom

"Moon/Blossom"
Single by Ayumi Hamasaki
from the album Love Songs
B-side "Don't Look Back (Reggae Disco Rockers Remix)"
"Last Links (Orchestra version)"
"Meaning of Love (Piano version)"
"Microphone (The Lowbrows Remix)"
Released July 14, 2010
Format CD single, digital download
Recorded 2010
Genre Pop rock
Label Avex Trax
Writer(s) Ayumi Hamasaki (lyrics)
Yasuhiko Hoshino (music)
Producer(s) Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki singles chronology
"You Were.../Ballad"
(2009)
"Moon/Blossom"
(2010)
"Crossroad"
(2010)

"Moon/Blossom" is Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki's forty-eighth (forty-ninth overall) single, released on July 14, 2010.[1] The first song on the single "Moon" is used to promote Honda's Zest Spark Kei car while the second song "Blossom" is used to promote Zespri kiwifruit.[2]

The song "Moon" was first released as a Chaku-Uta sample for members of Ayu's official fanclub Team Ayu with the release of the album Rock 'n' Roll Circus; the announcement of the single was publicly released first on Twitter, first by Ayu's producer Max Matsuura and then relayed into the "Ayu News" Twitter account, which was officially managed by Avex Group.[3][4]

This single is her first of three singles in the "road to fiftieth (50th) single", which would be followed by Crossroad and L, and it is expected that there will be a preview for the 49th single in Chaku-Uta form, though that can only be accessible through a serial number that will be released in limited first press editions of the release, with the forty-ninth (49th) and fiftieth singles also having its own serial numbers for users to access special content, which include never-before-released pictures sent to Japanese cellphones as well as PC wallpapers, though that site is not in operation until as late as late 2010/early 2011.

A month before its release, the music video for Blossom was cancelled, and as such, the other CD/DVD version (AVCD-31892/B) was cancelled.[1] The music video for Blossom was later released on her 49th single, Crossroad.

The single is certified Gold for shipment of 100,000 copies [5]

Music video

Screenshot of the music video for Moon

A 2:56 minute clip for Moon was released on June 9, 2010 in Ayumi Hamasaki's YouTube channel. The full PV was released on July 13, 2010, a day before the single was available in stores. The video featured Ayumi singing in a European aristocratic room setting. As the video progresses a strange, black, tar-like liquid begins dropping in the room, on random furniture. The video is also inter-cut with scenes of Ayumi smiling while holding one of her pet dogs, in her second verse it shown ayumi with the black liquid falling down all over her face, near chest and going to her hands. Depicting sorrow or despair, presumably of the dog shown towards the end of the video.

The music video of Blossom was cancelled, but a music video appeared for Crossroad.

Tracklisting

All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki.

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart

Release Chart Peak Position Debut Sales Sales Total Chart Run
July 14, 2010 Oricon Daily Singles Chart 1 33,974
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 1 70,568 96,490 13 weeks
Oricon Monthly Singles Chart 6 87,558
Oricon Yearly Singles Chart 70
Preceded by
"To Be Free" by Arashi
Oricon Weekly number one single
July 26, 2010
Succeeded by
"Kokoro no Hane" by Team Dragon From AKB48
Preceded by
"Lollipop" by Kumi Koda
RIAJ Digital Track Chart number-one song
"Moon"
July 20, 2010
Succeeded by
"Ofutari Summer" by Ketsumeishi

External links

References