Super Eurobeat

SUPER EUROBEAT Vol.162 Cover Art - © Avex Trax, Japan.

Super Eurobeat (Japanese: スーパー ユーロビート, Hepburn: Sūpā Yūrobīto, abbreviated SEB) is a CD compilation series of Eurobeat music in Japan. The series itself is one of the longest running in the entire world. It has been running for over twenty years and currently consists of 242 volumes (not counting the many "Super Eurobeat presents" albums). Originally, Time Records, Flea Records and Discomagic were some of the record labels that appeared on the original Super Eurobeat albums. The series began as a Beat Freak release. After eight albums, the series was changed over to Avex and A-Beat C joined in. The first 10 volumes of Super Eurobeat are mostly Italo disco, which is quite different from the modern Eurobeat. The slower beats and serious 80's tone make this music stand out from the rest.[1]

The term "Super Eurobeat" is sometimes misunderstood and misused outside Japan as a music genre (which is synonymous to the Eurobeat genre used in Japanese market).

Release information

After Super Eurobeat had transferred to Avex Trax, the CDs themselves were released at a constant rate for the most part, save a few instances where two CDs came out the same day and that Super Eurobeat was not produced for a good portion of a year. In 1994, the original 8 Super Eurobeat albums were also re-released under Avex Trax. The pattern of Super Eurobeat albums were usually 2-3 regular albums, a nonstop album, 2-3 albums, a nonstop album, 2-3 albums, and a large compilation album (usually a request countdown). Since Super Eurobeat Vol. 30, these compilation albums generally fall on every tenth album. Early regular albums contained 13 extended tracks, while starting from Vol. 64, the albums contain 18 CD-edit tracks.

Since the 150s, with the exception of volume 165 (which was a megamix), every SEB became a normal 18 track release with every 10th album being a compilation album with an extra DVD usually containing ParaPara. 150 was an Anniversary mix with Disc 1 being the History of Eurobeat and Disc 2 being the History of J-Euro (this is out of the ordinary), and 160 was a request countdown (like the other tenth albums of the 100s are). This pattern discontinued with the release of 187, in which it returned to the old 13 extended track format.

Number of tracks in each volume, excluding non-stop albums and bonus discs:

The songs are CD-Edits (also called "SEB Edit" in Japan, and "Radio edit" overseas) in Vol. 64 - 186, but extended versions in other releases.

Active Super Eurobeat labels

Asia Records/Boom Boom Beat was active during the 161-169 but had a blackout from volume 170 to 185 where only older tracks in extended format got released.

Defunct Super Eurobeat labels

It should be noted that even if A-Beat-C tracks are being released on Vol.221 to 226, those tracks are old and unreleased tracks from before 2009. No new tracks are being produced under those labels and this is why it is still considered defunct.

Highlights from Super Eurobeat history

Super Eurobeat presents

Besides the main compilation series, albums with different themes are also released with the "Super Eurobeat" name. Also, in November 2008, albums focused on specific artists such as Dave Rodgers, Go2, Domino and Niko were released on worldwide iTunes. These are called the "Super Eurobeat presents" compilations. They include:

Ayu-ro Mix (1, 2, 3)
Euro Every Little Thing
Euro Global
Euro "Dream" Land
Hyper Euro MAX
J-Euro Best
J-Euro Non-Stop Best

The albums are currently missing from the iTunes Store and it is unknown whether or not they will return.

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Avex Trax, J-EURO (in Japanese)
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