Loveppears

Loveppears
Ayumi Hamasaki shown topless from the upper waist up, looking into the camera, with flowing brown hair covering her chest.
Studio album by Ayumi Hamasaki
Released November 10, 1999 (1999-11-10)
Recorded January–October 1999;
Prime Sound Studio, Studio Sound Dali, Onkio Haus (Tokyo, Japan); Soundtrack (New York City, New York)
Genre Dance
Length 70:47 (Disc 1)
34:06 (Disc 2)
Label Avex Trax, China Record Corporation
Producer Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
A Song for ××
(1999)		 Loveppears
(1999)		 Duty
(2000)
Singles from Loveppears
  1. "Whatever"
    Released: February 10, 1999
  2. "Love (Destiny)"
    Released: April 14, 1999
  3. "To Be"
    Released: May 12, 1999
  4. "Boys & Girls"
    Released: July 14, 1999
  5. "A"
    Released: August 11, 1999
  6. "Appears"
    Released: November 10, 1999
  7. "Kanariya (Canary)"
    Released: December 8, 1999
  8. "Fly High"
    Released: February 9, 2000

Loveppears (stylized as LOVEppears; pronounced as "Love Appears") is the second studio album by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on November 10, 1999 by Avex Trax in Japan and China Record Corporation in China. Following the success of her debut studio album A Song for ×× in January 1999, Hamasaki and Avex came to an agreement to produce and record a new album by the end of the year. Hamasaki continued writing all the songs and Max Matsuura returned as the album's primary producer.

After A Song for ×× attracted harsh reviews for its "unassuming" pop rock sound,[1] Hamasaki recruited with new producers and composers for the album, including HΛL, Dai Nagao and Naoto Suzuki. Loveppears‍'s lyrics emphasize loneliness, sorrow and love, similar to the content from her previous album. The album reviews varied by critics, many whom complimented the musical quality and dance transition, while some criticized her vocal abilities and production values.

In its first week of release, the album entered the Oricon Albums Chart at number one with over 1.2 million units. Becoming her longest charting effort with a sixty-four week duration, Loveppears remains the fortieth highest selling Japanese album and her second highest selling effort behind Duty (September 2000).[2] Hamasaki promoted the album by releasing eight singles: "Whatever", "Love (Destiny)", "To Be", "Boys & Girls", the extended play A, "Appears", "Kanariya" and "Fly High", all but the EP which were accompanied by a short music video. She performed several tracks from the album on several television appears in 1999 and 2000, and has performed songs on several concert tours and countdown live shows.

Background

Loveppears is Ayumi Hamasaki's second studio album. During the mid-1990s, Hamasaki moved to Tokyo to pursue a modelling career with the help from modelling agency SOS. After several business refused her because she was “too short”, she started a small music venture through Sun Music, a musician agency.[3] She released a hip-hop-influenced extended play Nothing from Nothing (December 1995) on Nippon Columbia, but was dropped after the release failed to make an impact in Japan.[4] While attending Horikoshi High School in Nakano, Tokyo, Hamasaki decided to leave because she refused to study as she believed the subjects were at no use to her.[3] With no job or school attendance, Hamasaki spent much of her time shopping at Shibuya boutiques and dancing at Velfarre, an Avex-owned disco club.[3][5]

At Velfarre, one of her friends introduced her to Max Matsuura. After hearing Hamasaki sing karaoke at the club, Matsuura offered her a recording deal, but Hamasaki suspected ulterior motives and turned the offer down.[3] He persisted and succeeded in recruiting her for the Avex label in the following year.[3][6] Hamasaki started vocal training in early 1997, but skipped most of her classes after finding her instructors to be too rigid and the classes dull.[3] When she confessed this to Matsuura, he sent her to New York to train her vocals under another method. During her foreign sojourn, Hamasaki frequently corresponded with Matsuura and impressed him with her style of writing. On her return to Japan, he suggested that she try writing her own lyrics.[3]

Hamasaki release her debut single "Poker Face" (April 1998).[7] The song was not a major hit and peaked at twenty on the Oricon Singles Chart.[8] Her second single "You" was released a month later and also reached twenty in Japan.[9][10] Two follow-up singles "Trust" and "Depend on You" were more successful, peaking inside the top ten on the chart and were both certified gold by the RIAJ respectively.[11][12] Her debut album A Song for xx (January 1999) was a huge success, selling over one million units in Japan and was certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[13][14][15][16]

Recording and composition
"Boys & Girls" (1999)
Loveppears was characterized by dance tracks such as the million-selling "Boys & Girls".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The lyrics to the tracks from Loveppears are written by Hamasaki and featured an English-language phrase in "Whatever".[17] This became Hamasaki's first song to incorporate English language.[upper-alpha 1] English featured on her song "Love: Since 1999" (April 1999) and on her single "Audience" (November 2000).[18] However, "Love: Since 1999" was not written by Hamasaki and by using only "Wow" in "Whatever" and the phrase "Yes" in "Audience", it does not count in using English-language conversation like she did in her 2002 album Rainbow.[19] Like her previous effort and the following album Duty (September 2000), the lyrical themes from Loveppears are sung in third person narrative and deal with loneliness, chaos, confusion, and the burden of her responsibilities, aimed mostly towards her image as an recording artist.[1][20]

Japanese producer Max Matsuura returned as the album's primary producer; Naoto Suzuki served as the co-producer to all the album's tracks.[17] Recorded between January and October 1999, Hamasaki started rough demos at Prime Sound Studios and Studio Sound Dali in Japan by Atushi Hattori and Noriki Inada.[17] She travelled to New York City to record songs at Soundtrack Studios.[17] The tracks to Loveppears were mixed at Conway Studios in Los Angeles, California, Prime Studios and Studio Sound Dali.[17] Loveppears was mastered by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering, Studio City in Burbank, California.[17] This was Hamasaki's first musical effort to have been recorded and mastered outside Japan.[17] Musically, Loveppears is a dance album.[1][21] When conducting the release of her first remix album Ayu-mi-x (1999), Hamasaki began moving beyond the pop-rock of A Song for ×× and began to incorporate different styles including trance, dance, and orchestra.[1]

Titling and packaging

The artwork was shot by Toru Kumazawa and was shot in New York City and Los Angeles, California.[17] The cover features Hamasaki topless with a light brown wig covering her breasts.[17] All other promotion shoots were shot in black and white, showing Hamasaki sitting down holding a butterfly hair clip.[17] The cover sleeve was rotated 90 degrees clockwise, so when the booklet is open, the cover shows Hamasaki's torso and the back-side cover of the booklet has her bottom half.[17] In an interview with the Japanese magazine Beatfreak, Hamasaki explained that the title has two meanings, the visual aspects of a relationship (appears) and how people see love.[22] Hamasaki explained;[22]

“ The title Loveppears has two meanings to it, ‘thing that seems like love’ and ‘discrepancy between what we see and what's really there.’ ...Before my trip to New York for the jacket photo shoot, I looked out the window from inside the car, and there was a couple that looked SO happy, but I personally was thinking, maybe they're in the middle of a serious crisis. Or maybe they're actually talking about separating. So I thought of the meaning "seems to be" for the word "appears" and stuck it on there. We give ourselves certain outward appearances and images, trying to make it look like things are good or bad, whatever we want to show people, but really things aren't as we're showing. ”

She also commented that her songs influenced the title of the album;[22]

“ Well, while working on "A Song for XX," for example, during the sad times that I couldn't shake, I'd always be saying “I'm very sad, I can't shake this.” Quietly crying, quietly wounded, quietly mourning. But with Loveppears during sad times, I express it with furious sounds, shouting out, screaming. ”

Singles

The album's lead single "Whatever" was released on 10 February 1999.[23] The song received mixed reviews from music critics, many whom commended the song writing and composition, but criticized her vocal abilities and production standards.[24] The song reached number five on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified gold by RIAJ.[25] It was Hamasaki's highest charting single on Oricon, beating her 1998 single "Depend on You" which peaked at six.[26][27] Wataru Takeishi commissioned the music video, showing Hamasaki as an angel in a room full of water. The second single "Love (Destiny)" was released on 14 April 1999.[28] Positively received from most music critics, the song became Hamasaki's first number one on the Oricon Singles Chart and her first platinum-selling single by RIAJ.[29][30] Takeishi directed the video, which featured Hamasaki in New York City on a raining day.

Ayumi Hamasaki performing the limited-edition single "Fly High" on her Ayumi Hamasaki Asia Tour 2008: 10th Anniversary

The third single "To Be" was released on 12 May 1999.[31] Positively received from music critics, it reached number four on the Oricon Singles Chart and received a gold certification by RIAJ.[32][33] Takeishi directed the video, showing kaleidoscope effects and Hamasaki in different coloured outfits and wigs. The fourth single "Boys & Girls" was released on 14 July 1999.[34] Highlighted by music critics as an album stand out, the song reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart and became her first single to sell over one million units.[35][36] Takeishi directed the video, showing Hamasaki dancing in a room with different lighting effects.

Hamasaki commenced an extended play A on 11 August 1999; the EP consisted the songs "Monochrome", "Too Late", "End Roll" and "Trauma".[37] With the songs being highlighted as album stand out tracks, A became Hamasaki's best selling single and EP; it reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified million by RIAJ.[upper-alpha 2][upper-alpha 3][38][39]

Hamasaki commenced three limited-edition singles; the first was "Appears", released on the same day as Loveppears.[40] It reached number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified gold by RIAJ.[41][42] Takeisi directed the video, featuring Hamasaki walking through New York City. The seventh single "Kanariya" was released on 19 December 1999, and was her last single in the 1990s era.[43] Used as a hidden track on the album, it reached number one and was certified gold by RIAJ.[44][45] Takeishi directed the video, featuring Hamasaki in a scientist laboratory. The eighth and final single, "Fly High" was released on 28 February 2000, her first offering inside the new millennium.[46] Positively received from music critics, the song reached number three on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified gold by RIAJ.[47] Takeishi directed the video, which featured Hamasaki performing the song in a club.

Release and promotion
"You (Aggressive Mix)" by Ayumi Hamasaki
Remixed by Bratt Sinclaire, this was a track that featured on many of Hamasaki's electronic remix albums.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Loveppears was released on 10 November 1999 by Avex Trax.[17] It was released in China by Avex and the China Record Shanghai Corporation (CRSC).[48] The CD format came with two discs; the first disc featured the original album tracks, while the second disc featured five megamix tracks and enhanced content that featured commercial videos, magazine articles, and thirty-second MP3 formats for all her songs.[17] The promotional photography, directed by Shinichi Hara and photographed by Toru Kumazawa, features Hamasaki topless and posing in front of a New York window building; Hamasaki is wearing a light brown wig.[17] Hara has been Hamasaki's creative director for promotional work and began collaborating with her in 1998. His final work was directing the sleeve for Hamasaki's 2009 single "Sunrise/Sunset (Love Is All)".[49][50] Avex originally commissioned an alternative cover for the album, which had Hamasaki standing full frontal with dark skin. The idea was later scrapped but a cropped version was used as the cover for her single "Appears".[51]

Several tracks from Loveppears were released on remixed compilations during 1999 and 2000. The first was her February 2000 Eurobeat compilation Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix.[52] It reached number two on Oricon and was certified triple platinum by RIAJ; it is her highest-selling remix album and one of the best-selling remix albums of all time, her only worldwide recognition.[53][54] A four album series were released to support Loveppears. The first three series; the Japanese remix album Ayu-mi-x II Version JPN,[55] the American and European remix album ayu-mi-x II Version US+EU[56] and the acoustic orchestral Ayu-mi-x II Version Acoustic Orchestra were released on 8 March 2000.[57] The albums peaked at six, two and two respectively, and were certified gold by RIAJ.[58] The final album, Ayu-mi-x II Version Non-Stop Mega Mix, reached number six and was certified platinum by RIAJ.[58][59]

To promote Loveppears, Hamasaki performed on several tours and concert shows; the first was her Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol. 1. She promoted the album on her Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol. 2, Ayumi Hamasaki Stadium Tour 2002 A and Ayumi Hamasaki Arena Tour 2003–2004 A, and her music videos for "Whatever", "Love (Destiny)", "To Be", "Boys & Girls", "Appears", "Kanariya", "Fly High" and other album promotional footage were featured on her 2004 video box set Ayumi Hamasaki Complete Clip Box A. Her dome tours in Japan attributed to her being one of few "top-drawer" Japanese artists to hold a concert at the Tokyo Dome.[60]

Critical and commercial reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Geocities.co.jp[24]
HMV[61]

Loveppears received mixed reviews from music critics. A reviewer from Geocities.co.jp awarded the album four stars out of ten, and highlighted "Fly High" and "P.S. II" as album stand outs.[24] They commended Hamasaki's songwriting and the albums, but were critical towards the album's lack of innovation and Hamasaki's “thin” and “harsh” vocal abilities.[24] An editorial review from HMV was positive, awarding it five stars out of five.[61] The reviewer commended the album's production and praised Hamasaki's vocal and song writing ability, finding the lyrical content as "personal."[61] For the 2000 Annual Japan Gold Disc Awards, Hamasaki won Artist of the Year, Loveppears was awarded Pop Album of the Year and the EP A was awarded Song(s) of the Year.[62] Alexey Eremenko from Allmusic highlighted "Appears", "Boys & Girls", "End Roll", "Fly High", "Monochrome", "To Be" and "Trauma" as album and career stand out tracks.[63]

Loveppears entered at number one on the Oricon Albums Chart with over 1.2 million units sold in its first week.[64] The album stayed at number one for four non-consecutive weeks.[64] Loveppears stayed in the chart for sixty-four weeks, having beating her previous album A Song for xx in being her longest charting effort on any Oricon chart; A Song for xx stayed in the Oricon chart for sixty-two weeks.[64] On the annual 1999 and 2000 Oricon Yearly Albums Chart, it peaked at fifteen and fourteen respectively.[64][65] Selling over 2.5 million units, Loveppears was certified double million in January 2000 by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of two million units.[42]

Legacy

Loveppears is Hamasaki's third best selling effort behind Duty and A Best according to Oricon, and is her second best selling studio album behind Duty.[66] Loveppears remains the fortieth best selling Japanese album of all time, which makes it her second highest album out of six entries.[2][14] Loveppears is the thirty-fourth album to have the highest debut sales in its first week, with a total of 1.201 million units. This is her fourth highest first week sales, just behind A Best (2.8 million units), I Am... (1.7 million units), and Duty (1.6 million units) and was proceeded by Rainbow (1.01 million units), A Complete: All Singles (538,876 units), A Best 2: White Edition (475,284 units), A Best 2: Black Edition (470,057 units) and Guilty (432,113 units).[67] Loveppears has spawned one best selling EP and one best selling single: A (1.6 million units) and "Boys & Girls" (1.03 million units).[68] They are both recognized for being one of the highest first week sales, with A at seventy-nine (508,940 units) and "Boys & Girls" at 202 (261,750 units).[69]

During the starting period of her career, Hamasaki adopted the "girl next door" image and was very restrained in trying different styles both musically and fashion-wise. But after she adapted a more sexualized image for Loveppears, where she was partial nude for the cover, it echoed onto the covers for I Am..., Rainbow, and Party Queen (2012) for which she has generated controversy.[70] The era of Loveppears boosted Hamasaki's popularity as not just a recording artist and songwriter, but a model for several commercial endorsements. Alexey Eremenko from Allmusic commented “The follow-up Loveppears (1999) nearly doubled this figure and topped the charts as well, its success boosted by ad contracts that Hamasaki has raked in ever since as a spokesman, beginning with the Asian cosmetics juggernaut Kose (later she also worked for the likes of Honda and Panasonic).”[4][71][72][73] In retrospect, although Hamasaki initially supported the exploitation of her popularity for commercial purposes, saying that it was "necessary that [she is] viewed as a product",[74] she eventually opposed Avex's decision to market her as a "product rather than a person".[75]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki. 

CD1
No. TitleMusicArranger(s) Length
1. "Introduction"  HΛLHΛL 1:09
2. "Fly High"  D.A.IHΛL 4:07
3. "Trauma"  D.A.INaoto Suzuki,
D.A.I		 4:17
4. "And Then"  Yasuhiko HoshinoKeisuke Kikuchi 4:14
5. "Immature" (Album Version)Kazuhito KikuchiHΛL 4:44
6. "Boys & Girls"  D.A.INaoto Suzuki,
D.A.I		 3:54
7. "To Be"  D.A.INaoto Suzuki,
D.A.I		 5:18
8. "End Roll"  D.A.INaoto Suzuki,
D.A.I		 4:49
9. "P.S II"  Hideaki KuwabaraAkimitsu Honma 4:48
10. "Whatever" ("Dub's 1999 Remix")Kazuhito KikuchiIzumi "DMX" Miyazaki 7:20
11. "Too Late"  D.A.INaoto Suzuki,
D.A.I		 4:25
12. "Appears" (Album Version)Kazuhito KikuchiHΛL 5:38
13. "Monochrome"  HΛLNaoto Suzuki,
D.A.I		 4:21
14. "Interlude"  Naoto SuzukiNaoto Suzuki 0:55
15. "Love: Refrain" (reincarnation of the song Love: Destiny)TsunkuNaoto Suzuki 5:21
16. "Who..."  Kazuhito KikuchiNaoto Suzuki 5:35
17. "Kanariya" (secret track)Yasuhiko HoshinoCPM-Marvin 3:52
CD2
No. Title Length
1. "Ayu's Euro Mega-Mix" (Y&Co. Mix) 9:48
2. "Ayu's House Mega-Mix" (N.S House Mix) 9:58
3. "A Song for ××" (Millennium Mix) 4:46
4. "Powder Snow" (Acoustic Orchestra Version) 5:03
5. "Friend II" (Make My Mad Mix) 4:31

Personnel

The following people are credited on the album:[17]

Managerial

  • Tatsuyan Ikeda – marketing
  • Kentaro Furusawa – marketing
  • Yasuhiro Yamamoto – marketing
  • Akiiro Terada – marketing

Performance credits

Visuals and imagery

  • Toru Kumazawa – photography
  • Koji Matsumoto – glam team
  • Tadamasa Tagami – glam team
  • Gina – assistant photography
  • CHIKA – glam team
  • TARO – glam team
  • Kananko Miura – glam team
  • Shinichi Hara – art direction
  • Michiho Ogasawara – design
  • Toshikazu Sakawa – creative co-ordination

Instruments

  • Jun Kujiwara – guitar
  • Masayoshi Furukawa – guitar
  • Naoki Harashibe – guitar
  • Hal – keyboards, synthesizers
  • Naoya Akimoto – guitar
  • Hidetoshi Suzukie – guitar
  • Naoto Suzuki – keyboards, synthesizers

Technical and production

  • Hal – mixing, arrangement, composer
  • Naoto Suzuki – mixing, arrangement, composer, additional production
  • Max Matsuura - producer, additional production
  • Eddy Schreyer - mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Charts (1999) Peak
position
scope="row" Japanese Albums (Oricon)[76] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1999) Position
Japan Yearly Chart (Oricon)[77] 15
Chart (2000) Position
Japan Yearly Chart (Oricon)[78] 14

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Japan (RIAJ)[79] 2× Million 2,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Japan November 10, 1999 CD Avex Trax [17]
China Avex Trax, China Record Corporation [48]
Japan April 10, 2001[upper-alpha 4] Digital download Avex Trax Universal [80]
United States [81]
United Kingdom [82]
Australia [83]
New Zealand [84]
Switzerland [85]
Spain [86]
Austria [87]
Ireland [88]
Canada [89]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The exclamation "Wow" is commonly used in the English-language and French-language. Technically, "Wow" is spoken and written in an English format and has been listed in the 1913 Webster Dictionary, so it proves that "Whatever" is her first song to use an English-language word.
  2. ↑ "A" received a 4× Platinum certification for 1,600,000 copies, however the 4× Platinum threshold was depreciated in 2003.
  3. ↑ Hamasaki's 1999 EP A was identified by Oricon as a single, so it was listed as her best-selling single. However, because A alongside her 2002 EP H, 2003 EP &, and 2012 EP's Love and Again all featured more than four original tracks, it is classified as an EP. Furthermore, her 2000 single "Seasons" was released solely with remixes and classifies it as a single than an EP, which leads to making "Seasons" her highest selling single and A her highest selling EP.
  4. ↑ The date Loveppears was digitally released online was April 10, 2001, but it was not served as the optional release on the iTunes store, which was launched on April 28, 2003. The links below are citations for its digital release, and the date April 10, 2001 is provided.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Walters, Barry (March 5, 2002). "Turning (Japanese) Point". The Village Voice. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
  2. 1 2 "Corner Ranking Album - RIAJ". Music TV Program. Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Takeuchi Cullen, Lisa (March 25, 2002). "Empress of Pop". Time. p. 3. Archived from the original on April 3, 2002. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
  4. 1 2 True, Chris. "Ayumi Hamasaki". Allmusic. Retrieved April 17, 2008.
  5. ↑ Shikano, Atsushi (February 20, 2001). "Interview with Ayumi Hamasaki". Rockin'on Japan (in Japanese).
  6. ↑ Belfiore, Michael. "Ayumi Hamasaki Biography". Musicianguide.com. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  7. ↑ Poker Face (Mini-CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. April 8, 1998. AVDD-20228.
  8. ↑ "Oricon.co.jp - AYUMI HAMASAKI - POKER FACE [CD]". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  9. ↑ You (Mini-CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. May 1998. AVDD-20239.
  10. ↑ "Oricon.co.jp - AYUMI HAMASAKI - You [CD]". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on April 29, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  11. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1998年9月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. September 1998 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 468: 9. 10 November 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 24, 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年1月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. January 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 472: 9. 10 March 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Siege Mentality". South China Morning Post (Hong Kong, China: SCMP Group). May 13, 2002. p. 1.
  14. 1 2 "You Can't Top This". Straits Times (Singapore: Singapore Press Holdings). Reuters. November 25, 1999.
  15. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年3月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. March 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 474: 9. May 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  16. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年2月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. February 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 473: 9. April 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Loveppears (Album liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. November 10, 1999. AVCD-11740.
  18. ↑ Duty (Album liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. September 27, 2000. AVCD-11837.
  19. ↑ Takeuchi Cullen, Lisa (March 25, 2002). "Empress of Pop". Time. p. 4. Archived from the original on March 22, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Loveppears". Beatfreak (in Japanese) 142. November 1999.
  21. ↑ "HMV Review - LOVEppears by Ayumi Hamasaki". HMV. January 9, 2002. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  22. 1 2 3 Unknown author (November 1999). "Ayumi Hamasaki exclusive interview". Beatfreak.
  23. ↑ Whatever (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. February 1999. AVDD-20291.
  24. 1 2 3 4 "Music review site Source of the Music - Ayumi Hamasaki". Geocities.jp. Published by Yahoo! Music. 16 April 2015.
  25. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - Release - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  26. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - Whatever - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  27. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年2月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. February 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 473: 9. 10 April 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  28. ↑ Love ~Destiny~ (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 14 April 1999.
  29. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - Love (Destiny) - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  30. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年5月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. May 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 476: 9. July 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  31. ↑ TO BE (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 12 May 1999. AVCD-30218.
  32. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年1月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. January 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 484: 8. March 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - To Be - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 29 August 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  34. ↑ Boys & Girls (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 14 July 1999. AVCD-30049.
  35. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年8月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. August 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 479: 9. October 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 2, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - Boys & Girls - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  37. ↑ A (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 11 August 1999. AVCD-30050.
  38. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年5月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. May 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 488: 8. July 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - A - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  40. ↑ Appears (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 10 November 1999. AVCD-30064.
  41. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - Appears - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  42. 1 2 "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年11月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. November 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 482: 9. January 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  43. ↑ Kanariya (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 19 December 1999. AVCD-30067.
  44. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年12月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. December 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 483: 8. February 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  45. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - Kanariya - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  46. ↑ Appears (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 10 November 1999. AVCD-30066.
  47. ↑ "Ayumi Hamasaki - Fly High - ORICON MUSIC style". Oricon (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  48. 1 2 Loveppears (Album liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 10 November 1999. AVTCD-95292/B, SCD-779.
  49. ↑ A Song for xx (Album liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 1998. AVCD-11691.
  50. ↑ Sunrise/Sunset (Love is All) (Album liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 2009. AVCD-31719.
  51. ↑ Appears (CD single). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. 1999. AVCD-30064.
  52. ↑ Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix (Remix compilation). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. February 2000. AVCD-11793.
  53. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年4月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. April 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 487: 8. June 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  54. ↑ "浜崎あゆみ-ORICON STYLE ミュージック<!". ORICON. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  55. ↑ Ayu-Mi-x II Version JPN (Remix compilation). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. March 2000. AVCD-11798.
  56. ↑ Ayu-Mi-x II Version US+EU (Remix compilation). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. March 2000. AVCD-11797.
  57. ↑ Ayu-Mi-x II Version Acoustic Orchestral (Remix compilation). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. March 2000. AVCD-11799.
  58. 1 2 "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年3月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. March 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese) (Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan) 486: 8. May 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  59. ↑ Ayu-Mi-x II Version Non-Stop Mega Mix (Remix compilation). Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex Trax. March 2000. AVCD-11800.
  60. ↑ "Rain to Perform at Prestigious Tokyo Dome". Chosun Ilbo (Chosun Ilbo Co). April 19, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
  61. 1 2 3 "Duty [CD]". HMV.co.jp. 1 June 2015.
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  68. ↑ "Corner Ranking Single - RIAJ". Music TV Program. Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
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