Girls' Generation (2011 album)

Girls' Generation
Studio album by Girls' Generation
Released June 1, 2011 (2011-06-01)
Recorded August 2010–March 2011
Genre Pop[1]
Length 41:22
Language Japanese
Label Nayutawave
Producer Lee Soo-man
Girls' Generation chronology
Hoot
(2010)Hoot2010		 Girls' Generation
(2011)		 The Boys
(2011)The Boys2011
The Boys reissue cover
Singles from Girls' Generation
  1. "Genie"
    Released: September 8, 2010
  2. "Gee"
    Released: October 20, 2010
  3. "Mr. Taxi / Run Devil Run"
    Released: April 27, 2011

Girls' Generation is the debut Japanese album by South Korean Girls' Generation, released by Nayutawave Records and Universal Music Japan on June 1, 2011. A repackaged edition of the album, The Boys, was released on December 28, 2011.

To promote the album, Girls' Generation embarked on their first Japan concert tour, The First Japan Arena Tour. Furthermore, the album is also ranked 18th on Spin magazine's Top 20 Pop Albums of 2011, and makes Girls' Generation the highest selling album and the highest annually ranked album achieved so far by a Korean group in Oricon history.

With the aid of their repackaged album, the album has officially shipped over 1 million copies as of January 11, 2012. As of June 2012, the album has been "Million"-certified by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), making the group the second Korean artist and first Korean group to earn this achievement in Japan since Korean labelmate BoA's Best of Soul in 2005.

Background and release

After releasing three singles in the Japanese market, including "Genie", "Gee", and "Mr. Taxi/Run Devil Run", Girls' Generation released their first Japanese studio album Girls' Generation on June 1, 2011.[2]

A music video for the track "Bad Girl" was released on August 11.[3] Other tracks in the album, "Mr. Taxi" and "Let It Rain", were used as the background music for various versions of Girls' Generation's CF with Lipton Tea.[4] Girls' Generation became the highest earning foreign artist in Japan for the first half of 2011.[5]

On December 28, the group released a repackaged version of the album, Re:package Album "Girls' Generation" ~The Boys~. It includes a Japanese version of their international hit "The Boys", and remixed versions of "The Great Escape", "Bad Girl", "Mr.Taxi", and a new song "Time Machine". A music video for "Time Machine" was released on March 13, 2012.[6][7]

Promotion

It was announced on March 7, 2011 that Girls' Generation would embark on their first nationwide Japan tour starting May 18, 2011 at Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, with a total of 7 stops in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka.[8] The start of the tour was postponed to May 31, 2011 because of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Due to overwhelming demand, with up to 300,000 applicants applying for tickets,[9] additional stops were added to the tour.[10] The tour was named as The First Japan Arena Tour.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Spin[11](positive)
Sputnikmusic[12]
Time Out[13]

Girls' Generation received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. James Hadfield writing for the Japan edition of Time Out were not impressed with the Japanese versions of earlier Korean singles "Genie" and "Run Devil Run", commenting that the mastering lacks the "heavily compressed punch" of the originals. Nevertheless, he lauded it as a "cohesive" album and regarded the record as an "improvement" on the group's previous Korean releases. Hadfield also labelled Girls' Generation one of the best J-pop albums.[13]

Spin's editor Chuck Eddy picked "Bad Girl" as a highlight on the album, calling it "over-the-top" and "Latin-freestyle-emoted" track.[11] Writing for the same magazine, Charles Aaron ranked Girls' Generation number 18 on Spin's list of 20 Best Pop Albums of 2011; he praised the record as a collection of "over terrifyingly sophisticated dance tracks" and chose "Run Devil Run" as a standout.[14]

Commercial performance

Pre-orders started on different e-stores. On Amazon Japan, the deluxe edition sold very well and rose quickly to No.1 on the pre-order chart while the limited edition was ranked 7th. On various Japanese album stores, Girls' Generation was the No.1 pre-ordered album with over 300,000 units expected to be shipped.[15]

The album topped the Oricon Daily Album Chart at first place on June 1 with a sales count of 74,000 copies, which made Girls' Generation the first foreign girl group ever to top the chart on the release date.[16] According to Oricon, the album sold 232,000 copies in the first week and placed first on the Oricon Weekly Album Chart, surpassing the record for first week debut album sales for a foreign artist, a record previously held by SM Entertainment labelmate BoA's Listen to My Heart.[17] One month after the album release, Oricon reported a total sales of 250,000 copies. The album placed second on the Oricon Monthly Album Chart for the month of June and became the 5th best selling album of 2011 in Japan according to the Oricon Album Rankings.

On December 19, 2011, Oricon reported that Girls' Generation sold over 642,054 copies in the 2011 calendar year to rank 5th place on the Oricon Yearly Album Chart.[18] This surpassed the previous record of 7th place and 569,530 copies sold by SM Entertainment labelmate TVXQ's Best Selection 2010,[19] and makes Girls' Generation the highest selling album and the highest annually ranked album achieved so far by a Korean group in Oricon history. On June 8, 2012, the RIAJ certified the album "Million" for shipping over a million copies.[20]

The album placed 5th on the Oricon Weekly CD Albums chart for the second week of January 2012,[21] and Oricon announced that it was the first time in history that an album by a Korean artist placed in the Top 10 for 17 weeks. The previous record holder was the original soundtrack for the Korean drama Winter Sonata, which remained in the Top 10 for 16 weeks.[22][23]

Editions

The album was originally released in three different editions: Deluxe Limited First Press Edition, Limited Pressing Edition, and the Regular Edition. A repackaged Edition was released later.

The album was later re-released as Re:package Album "Girls' Generation" ~The Boys~ was released in three editions: a Regular Edition with a lyrics-only booklet, a Limited Edition with a 36-page photobook, a bonus DVD featuring music videos of "Bad Girl" and "The Boys" (English Version) plus two rubber coasters and a Limited Pressing with the same photobook, bonus DVD and a case from the limited edition, but with two B2-size posters.

Singles

"Genie" is the official title for the debut in Japanese. The single was the first ever Japanese single released by Girls' Generation on September 8, 2010 in Japan. A new version of the music video was filmed to accompany the Japanese version, and the teaser was released on August 19, 2010. On August 26, 2010, the full music video was released. The song reached #5 on Oricon Charts on the releasing day. The song reached #2 on September 11, 2010.[24][25] The song was released in three editions, two CD+DVD (first press and regular), and a CD Only edition. First press CD+DVD edition includes a special photobook and a random (1 of 9) photocard. The single includes also includes the Korean version, "Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)".

Girls' Generation also had success in Japan with their second Japanese single "Gee". They took second place and were crowned the first ever overseas girl group to reach number 1 on the chart.[26] The song was ranked fifty-seventh on the Japan Hot 100 2010 year-end chart. On April 20, 2011, the girls added another accomplishment to their belt as the RIAJ (Recording Industry Association of Japan) website updated their charts showing that SNSD's Chaku Uta Full (ringtones) downloads for "Gee" went Double Platinum. The RIAJ certifies Platinum as moving 250,000 units, so Double Platinum would mean that the girls had over 500,000 downloads for "Gee".[27]

"Mr. Taxi / Run Devil Run" set a new record for Girls' Generation, being their first Japanese single to shift 100,000 units in its first week of release.[28] Before they released the physical single, they released the Japanese version of "Run Devil Run" as a digital single on January 25, 2011. The single also managed to clinch the number 1 spot on Billboard's Japan Hot 100 chart for two consecutive weeks.[29][30] "Mr. Taxi" was first performed live on May 13, 2011 on TV Asahi's Music Station.[31] On May 25, "Mr. Taxi" topped the Taiwanese music chart Gmusic.[32]

Track listing

CD
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Mr. Taxi"STYSTY, Scott Mann, Chad Royce, Paolo Prudencio, Allison Veltz3:33
2."Genie" (Japanese version)Kanata Nakamura, Yoo Young-jinFridolin Nordso Schjoldan, Nermin Harambasic, Robin Jensen, Ronny Svendsen, Anne Judith Wik, Yoo Young-jin3:42
3."You-aholic"STYSTY, Lindy Robbins, E.Kidd Bogart, Greg Ogan, Spencer Nezey3:29
4."Run Devil Run" (Japanese version)Kanata Nakamura, Hong Ji-YuAlex James, Michael Busbee, Kalle Engström3:21
5."Bad Girl"HiroHiro, Jörgen Elofsson, Jesper Jakobson, Lauren Dyson3:44
6."Beautiful Stranger"HiroHiro, Leah Haywood, Daniel James, Carl Sturken, Evan Rogers2:42
7."I'm in Love with the Hero"Kanata NakamuraLeah Haywood, Daniel James, Kevin Christopher Ross, Bret Carlson Puchir2:48
8."Let It Rain"HiroHiro, Love, Habolin3:40
9."Gee" (Japanese version)Kanata Nakamura, E-TribeE-Tribe3:21
10."The Great Escape"STYSTY, Andre Merritt, E.Kidd Bogart, Greg Ogan, Spencer Nezey3:49
11."Hoot" (Japanese version)Kanata Nakamura, John Hyunkyu LeeAlex James, Lars Halvor Jensen, Martin Michael Larsson3:17
12."Born to Be a Lady"Kanata NakamuraLeah Haywood, Daniel James, Shelly Peiken3:56
Total length:41:22

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[33] 1
Japanese Top Albums (Billboard)[34] 1
Taiwan (G-Music)[35] 1
Chart (2012) Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[36] 2
Japanese Top Albums (Billboard)[37]
Reissue The Boys		 5
South Korea (Gaon)[38]
Reissue The Boys		 62

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[39] 5
Japanese Top Albums (Billboard)[40] 3
Chart (2012) Position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[41] 25
Japanese Top Albums (Billboard)[42] 89
Japanese Top Albums (Billboard)[42]
Reissue The Boys		 65
South Korea (Gaon)[43]
Reissue The Boys		 95

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Japan (RIAJ)[44] Million 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format Edition Distributor Ref.
Japan June 1, 2011 CD Standard Nayutawave Records [45]
CD + DVD [46]
Digital download [47]
South Korea July 13, 2011 CD S.M. Entertainment [48]
Japan December 28, 2011 Reissue (titled The Boys) Nayutawave Records [49]
CD + DVD [50]

References

  1. ↑ Jeremy Ferwerda (October 1, 2011). "Girls' Generation – Girls' Generation". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  2. ↑ 소녀시대, 日 오리콘 기록 행진 끝없네 … 첫 앨범 일간 1위 기염 (in Korean). The Korea Times. June 1, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  3. ↑ "소녀시대 폭주족 변신 ‘bad girl’…"블랙소시보다 더 강렬!"" (in Korean). The Dong-a Ilbo. August 11, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  4. ↑ "あなたの好みはキュート?　クール?　少女時代が〈リプトン〉新CMに登場" (in Japanese). Tower Records. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  5. ↑ "【オリコン上半期】少女時代、海外歌手1位の26億円　K-POP勢が大躍進" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  6. ↑ 소녀시대 일본 첫 정규앨범과 리패키지 앨범 국내 발매 (in Korean). Korea Economic Daily. February 9, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  7. ↑ 윤아 웨딩드레스 입고 눈물 뚝뚝 ‘여신미모 여전’ (in Korean). Newsen. March 13, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Shoujo Jidai to release original Japanese single "MR. TAXI" + Arena Tour". Tokyohive. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  9. ↑ 곽민구. 너도 나도 "소녀시대 보자"…日투어 30만명 폭주. Economy Today News (in Korean). Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  10. ↑ 少女時代、ジャパン・ツアーの日程を変更&埼玉と広島公演を追加 (in Japanese). Tower Records. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  11. 1 2 Eddy, Chuck (November 1, 2011). "K-pop". Spin. Spin Media. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  12. ↑ Jeremy Ferwerda (October 1, 2011). "Girls' Generation – Girls' Generation". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  13. 1 2 Hadfield, James (June 15, 2011). "AKB48, 'Kono ni Ita Koto' / Girls' Generation, 'Girls' Generation'". Time Out. Time Out Group. Archived from the original on June 18, 2011.
  14. ↑ Aaron, Charles (December 22, 2011). "Spin's 20 Best Pop Albums of 2011". Spin. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  15. ↑ 소녀시대 日 첫앨범 출하량 50만장↑ ‘대히트 예고’. Newsen (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  16. ↑ 少女時代、オリジナルアルバムで初の週間1位を狙う (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
  17. ↑ 少女時代、海外歌手歴代1位 1stアルバム初週売上23.2万 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  18. ↑ "2011年オリコン年間CD＆DVDランキングを大発表！』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック" (in Japanese). Oricon. December 19, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
  19. ↑ "年間ランキング特集『2010年、ヒットしたシングル、アルバム、DVDは？』-ORICON STYLE ミュージック月" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  20. ↑ 一般社団法人 日本レコード協会｜各種統計 (in Japanese). RIAJ. June 8, 2012. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Weekly rankings CD album January 15, 2012 Jan 09, 2012" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Oricon Music News" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  23. ↑ "Girls’ Generation’s First Japanese Album Breaks Record" (in Japanese). Soshified. Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  24. ↑ (in Korean) 소녀시대 오리콘 주간 4위 ‘해외 女가수 데뷔 최고성적 역사 썼다’ (Girls 4 on the Oricon Weekly ' best international female sexual history of a singer wrote Newsen. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  25. ↑ K-POPガールズ本命・少女時代、日本デビュー作が歴代最高記録 ニュース-ORICON STYLE. Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved on October 30, 2011.
  26. ↑ position. On October 26, 2010 it was announced that their Japanese 2nd single "Gee" reached #1 on the Oricon Daily chart, making them the first non-Japanese Asian girl 1026&rankKbn=50 "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue October 26, 2010" Check |url= value (help) (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  27. ↑ SNSD’s ‘Gee’ goes double platinum in Japan
  28. ↑ チャン・グンソク、海外歌手史上初のデビュー作初登場首位 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  29. ↑ 少女時代 話題の新曲が首位獲得！ (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  30. ↑ "少女時代の「MR.TAXI」が、2週連続1位を記録！" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  31. ↑ "少女時代、5月13日放送予定の〈Mステ〉で"MR.TAXI"をTV初披露" (in Japanese). Tower Records. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  32. ↑ 백지은. 소녀시대, '미스터 택시'로 대만 음반차트 1위 '올킬'. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  33. ↑ "Oricon Weekly Album Rankings: Week of June 13, 2011" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Top Albums: Week of June 13, 2011". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  35. ↑ "G-Music: Week 25, 2011" (in Chinese). G-Music. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011.
  36. ↑ "Oricon Weekly Album Ratings: Week of January 9, 2012" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Top Albums: Week of January 23, 2012". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  38. ↑ "Album Chart – Week 16 of 2012" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Special: Year-End 2011" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Top Albums Year End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 6, 2012.
  41. ↑ "Special: Year-End 2012" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on March 13, 2014.
  42. 1 2 "Year End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 3, 2015.
  43. ↑ "2012 Chart". Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on October 24, 2013.
  44. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – Girls' Generation (Shojo Shidai) – Girls' Generation" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved May 13, 2015. Select 2011年12月 on the drop-down menu
  45. ↑ "Girls' Generation Discography" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  46. ↑ "Girls' Generation [+DVD] [CD]" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Girls' Generation – Girls' Generation" (in Japanese). iTunes Store JP. Apple Inc. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Girls' Generation: Music" (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Re:package Album 'GIRLS’ GENERATION'~The Boys~ [CD]" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Re:package Album 'GIRLS’ GENERATION'~The Boys~ [+DVD] [CD]" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved May 22, 2015.

Promotional music videos for the album:

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