Play (Namie Amuro album)
Encyclopedia
Play is the eighth studio album by Japanese pop singer Namie Amuro
, released on June 27, 2007 in Japan
. The follow-up to her successful 2005 album Queen of Hip-Pop
, Play showcases her new hip-pop genre. This also marks her first album to be released in both the CD and CD+DVD formats. PLAY is her highest selling album since 2000's Genius 2000
. The album was ranked 9th on CDJapan's list of top 100 CDs of 2007.
with a gap of 120,258 copies sold. In its first week, the album sold 250,619 copies - Namie's highest first week sales since Genius 2000
. In Taiwan, Play reached #1 on the G-Music J-Pop chart for the week, but debuted at #2 on the overall chart.
.
"Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick" was used in commercials for the ringtone sites Mu-Mo and Iromelo Mix DX, the former of which is endorsed by her record label.
"Baby Don't Cry
" is the ending theme song for the Kansai / Fuji TV drama, "Himitsu no Hanazono". It was also used for JoySound commercials.
"Funky Town
" is used for Lipton
Limone
commercials.
"Top Secret" is being used as the theme song for the second season of Prison Break
in Japan.
"Pink Key" was the theme song of a commercial for Lipton
's Chiffon Milk Tea.
Total Single Sales: 444,081
Total Album and Single Sales: 985,033
Namie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
, released on June 27, 2007 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The follow-up to her successful 2005 album Queen of Hip-Pop
Queen of Hip-Pop
Queen of Hip-Pop is Namie Amuro's seventh original studio album. It was released on July 13, 2005 after four singles and was her most commercially successful effort in five years before Play was released.- Origin of the title :...
, Play showcases her new hip-pop genre. This also marks her first album to be released in both the CD and CD+DVD formats. PLAY is her highest selling album since 2000's Genius 2000
GENIUS 2000
Genius 2000 is Namie Amuro's fourth original studio album produced by Tetsuya Komuro and Dallas Austin.- Overview :This album was released three years after her last album, Concentration 20 and two years after her return from maternity leave to the entertainment industry...
. The album was ranked 9th on CDJapan's list of top 100 CDs of 2007.
Overview
Upon its release, Play debuted at #1, and stayed at the top spot for two weeks on the Oricon Charts. When its first week was over, Play became Namie's first weekly number one album since her 2000 album Genius 2000GENIUS 2000
Genius 2000 is Namie Amuro's fourth original studio album produced by Tetsuya Komuro and Dallas Austin.- Overview :This album was released three years after her last album, Concentration 20 and two years after her return from maternity leave to the entertainment industry...
with a gap of 120,258 copies sold. In its first week, the album sold 250,619 copies - Namie's highest first week sales since Genius 2000
GENIUS 2000
Genius 2000 is Namie Amuro's fourth original studio album produced by Tetsuya Komuro and Dallas Austin.- Overview :This album was released three years after her last album, Concentration 20 and two years after her return from maternity leave to the entertainment industry...
. In Taiwan, Play reached #1 on the G-Music J-Pop chart for the week, but debuted at #2 on the overall chart.
Tie-Ins/Theme Songs
"Violet Sauce" from the lead single of the album, "White Light/Violet Sauce", was the theme song for the Japanese release of the major motion picture, Sin CitySin City (film)
Sin City, also known as Frank Miller's Sin City, is a 2005 crime thriller film written, produced and directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez...
.
"Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick" was used in commercials for the ringtone sites Mu-Mo and Iromelo Mix DX, the former of which is endorsed by her record label.
"Baby Don't Cry
Baby Don't Cry (Namie Amuro song)
"Baby Don't Cry" is a song by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, released on January 24, 2007 under Avex Trax, eight months after her last single "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick/Ningyo".-Overview:...
" is the ending theme song for the Kansai / Fuji TV drama, "Himitsu no Hanazono". It was also used for JoySound commercials.
"Funky Town
Funky Town (Namie Amuro song)
"Funky Town" is Namie Amuro's 32nd solo single under the Avex Trax label. It was be released in CD and CD&DVD formats on April 4, 2007, three months after the release of her previous single "Baby Don't Cry"....
" is used for Lipton
Lipton
Lipton is a brand of tea currently owned by Unilever.-History of Lipton Tea:Lipton was created at the end of the 19th century by a grocer, Sir Thomas Lipton, in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1893, he established the Thomas J. Lipton Co., a tea packing company with its headquarters and factory in Hobo ken,...
Limone
Limone
-Communes in Italy:*Limone Piemonte, in the province of Cuneo*Limone sul Garda, in the province of Brescia...
commercials.
"Top Secret" is being used as the theme song for the second season of Prison Break
Prison Break
Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
in Japan.
"Pink Key" was the theme song of a commercial for Lipton
Lipton
Lipton is a brand of tea currently owned by Unilever.-History of Lipton Tea:Lipton was created at the end of the 19th century by a grocer, Sir Thomas Lipton, in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1893, he established the Thomas J. Lipton Co., a tea packing company with its headquarters and factory in Hobo ken,...
's Chiffon Milk Tea.
Track listing
Personnel
- Namie AmuroNamie Amurois a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
- vocals, background vocals - Hiromi - additional vocals
- Nao'ymt - additional vocals, multiple instruments
- Michico - additional vocals
- Sam Salter - additional vocals
- T.Kura - multiple instruments
- Orito - additional vocals
- Tiger - additional vocals
- LL Brothers - additional vocals
- Warner - additional vocals
- Jun - additional vocals
- Ring - additional vocals
- Tomoyasu Takeuchi - guitars
Production
- Producers - Nao'ymt, T.Kura, Namie Amuro
- Vocal Producers - Michico, Angie Irons
- Mixing - D.O.I., T.Kura, Yoshiaki Onishi
- Creative Direction - Hidekazu Sato
- Art Direction - Hidekazu Sato, Katsuhiro Shimizu
- Design - Katsuhiro Shimizu
- Photography - Shoji Uchida
- Stylist - Noriko Goto
Oricon chart
| Released | Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... Chart |
Peak | Debut Sales | Sales Total | Chart Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 27, 2007 | Daily Albums Chart | 1 | 250,619 | 540,952+ | 53 weeks |
| Weekly Albums Chart | 1 | ||||
| Monthly Albums Chart | 1 | ||||
| Monthly Albums Chart | 15 |
- re-charting on Christmas week
Physical Sales Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| G-Music Combo Chart (Taiwan) | 2 |
| G-Music J-POP Chart (Taiwan) | 1 |
| HMV Asian Chart (Singapore) | 1 |
Singles - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)
| Release | Single | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 November 2005 | "White Light / Violet Sauce" | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 5 |
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 7 | ||
| 17 May 2006 | "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick/Ningyo" | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 2 |
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 2 | ||
| 24 January 2007 | "Baby Don't Cry" | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 3 |
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 3 | ||
| 4 April 2007 | "Funky Town" | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 2 |
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 3 |
Total Single Sales: 444,081
Total Album and Single Sales: 985,033