Appears
"Appears" | ||||
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Single by Ayumi Hamasaki | ||||
from the album Loveppears | ||||
A-side | "Immature" | |||
Released | November 10, 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1999 | |||
Genre | Trance | |||
Length | 5:38 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) | Ayumi Hamasaki | |||
Producer(s) | Max Matsuura | |||
Ayumi Hamasaki singles chronology | ||||
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Ayumi Hamasaki German singles chronology | ||||
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Official Music Video | ||||
"Appears" on YouTube |
"Appears" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released by Avex Trax on November 10, 1999 as the sixth single from her second studio album Loveppears (1999), which was released on the same day. Alongside this, it has been released in several other territories with different release dates under her Western alias Ayu. It also served as Hamasaki's first limited edition single, limiting physical sales to 300,000 copies. The track was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura. Musically, "Appears" is a dance song written in third person perspective, and is about the third person watching what appears to be a happy and loving relationship. Upon its release, "Appears" received positive reviews from music critics. Alexey Eremenko, writing for AllMusic, selected the track as the best song from the album and her career. However, an editor from CD Journal criticized the amount of remixes on the CD single.
Commercially, the single was a success in Japan, peaking at number two on the
Background and composition
"Appears" was written by Hamasaki herself, while production was handled by longtime collaborator Max Matsuura. The song's instrumentation consists of guitar by musician Naoya Akimoto and keyboards by Japanese pop band HΛL. It was then composed together by Kazuhito Kikuchi and mixed by HΛL.[1] An alternative version of "Appears" was released as the single-edit, which was primarily composed and mixed by Kikuchi, but this edit did not appear on the final cut of Hamasaki's second studio album Loveppears (1999).[1] Musically, "Appears" is a dance song, a genre that is heavily influenced throughout the parent album.[2][3]
In a special commentary for Hamasaki's
Release
"Appears" was released by
Reception
Upon its release, "Appears" received positive reviews from
By the end of 1999, it had sold over 282,000 units in Japan, making it the 81st highest selling single of that year in that country; it was also Hamasaki's fifth addition on the Oricon Yearly Chart, just behind her singles "
Music video and promotion
An accompanying music video was directed by Wataru Takeishi.[23] The video opens with shots of New York City, and then has Hamasaki on a rooftop. Hamasaki is then singing the track with several different camera angles circulating her and the city. During the first verse, it has her in an apartment, sitting on a couch with a butterfly hair clip; this scene is used throughout the entire video. It then has three shots of her in different clothes; one with a brown leather jacket, brown wig and cowboy hat, the second with a red dress on, and the third with a black jacket and crop hair style.[23] The shot with her in the brown leather jacket, brown wig and cowboy hat then shows her on a rooftop singing the song. The final pre-chorus and chorus has her driving through New York City, and has her in a pink dress watching the snow fall; it ends with her in the red dress, holding her hands out for the snow to fall.[23] The music video was included on several DVD compilations released by Hamasaki: A Clips (2000),[24] A Complete Box Set (2004),[25] the digital release of A Clips Complete (2014),[26] and the DVD and Blu-Ray re-release edition of her 2001 compilation album A Best (2016).[27]
"Appears" has been heavily promoted on compilation albums and live performances. As of July 2016, it has been included on eight of Hamasaki's remix albums, including
Track listing and formats
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Personnel
Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of Loveppears;[1]
- Recording
- Recorded at Soundtrack Studios, New York City, New York, US.
- Credits
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Yearly chart
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Certification
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Japan (RIAJ)[21] | Gold | 290,550[40] |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
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Japan[5] | November 10, 1999 | CD single |
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Hong Kong[6] | |||
Japan[7] | January 28, 2000 | 12" vinyl | Rhythm Republic |
"Appears"/"Immature" 12" vinyl[37] | |||
March 22, 2000 | 12" vinyl | ||
United States[9] | May 27, 2001 | 12" vinyl | Avex USA |
Germany[10] | April 18, 2005 | Drizzly Records | |
Europe[11] | CD single | ||
United Kingdom[38] | 2006 | ||
Japan[39] | September 2008[B] | Digital download |
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Notes
- ^ Charted together with Hamasaki's single "Whatever" on vinyl format.[18]
- ^ There is currently insufficient evidence to determine what date Hamasaki's digital releases appeared on online retails. The closest source for iTunes Store evidence is at Jame World, whom confirmed Hamasaki's work was released worldwide on iTunes in September 2008.[41]
References
- ^ a b c d Hamasaki, Ayumi (1999). Loveppears (CD Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-11740.
- ^ AllMusic Staff (April 10, 2001). "Ayumi Hamasaki – Loveppears". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
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has generic name (help) - ^ Takeuchi Cullen, Lisa (March 25, 2002). "Empress of Pop". Time. p. 3. Archived from the original on April 3, 2002. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
- ^ a b c Hamasaki, Ayumi (interviewee) (March 12, 2003). "Special Website to A Ballads". Ayumi Hamasaki's official website. Archived from the original on February 9, 2009. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Hamasaki, Ayumi (1999). Appears (CD Single; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-30064.
- ^ a b c Hamasaki, Ayumi (1999). Appears (CD Single; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Hong Kong: Avex Trax. AVTCDS-209.
- ^ a b c Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Appears / Whatever (12" Vinyl; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Rhythm Republic. RR12-88149.
- ^ a b Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Appears / Whatever (12" Viny;; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Rhythm Republic. RR12-88152.
- ^ a b c Hamasaki, Ayumi (2001). Appears (12" Vinyl; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. North America: Avex USA. AVA 12.
- ^ a b c Hamasaki, Ayumi (2005). Appears (12" Vinyl; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Europe: Drizzly Records. DRIZ3005-1.
- ^ a b c Hamasaki, Ayumi (2005). Appears (CD Single; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Europe: Drizzly Records. DRIZ3006-CD.
- ^ Chang, Miharu (February 25, 2003). "Keep Away Unless You've Got a Stuffy Nose!". The New Paper. Singapore Press Holdings.
- ^ Eremenko, Alexey (2016). "Ayumi Hamasaki – Songs". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- ^ CD Journal Staff (November 10, 1999). "Appears – Ayumi Hamasaki". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ Oricon Style (in Japanese). November 10, 1999. Archived from the originalon September 24, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) (in Japanese). November 20, 1999. Archived from the originalon June 16, 2006. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ "CDTV PowerWeb! Ayumi Hamasaki – Appears". Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) (in Japanese). November 20, 1999. Archived from the original on June 28, 2006. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ a b c "CDTV PowerWeb! Ayumi Hamasaki – Appears / Whatever". Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) (in Japanese). February 5, 2000. Archived from the original on September 18, 2006. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "Oricon Yearly Chart – Singles, Albums, and DVD Releases of 1999". Music TV Program Japan (in Japanese). December 1999. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "CDTV PowerWeb! 1999 Annual Singles Chart". Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) (in Japanese). 1999. Archived from the original on October 9, 2006. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "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). 482. Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan: 9. January 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
- ^ "Ayumi Hamasaki Single's Ranking". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ a b c Takeishi, Wataru (director) (November 10, 2015). "Appears / Ayumi Hamasaki (music video)". Avex Trax; published through YouTube (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2018-04-10. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). A Clips (DVD Videos; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVVD-90069.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2004). A Complete Box Set (DVD Videos; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVBD-91181~3.
- ^ "A Clip Box 1998-2011, Vol. 1 – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki". iTunes Store (New Zealand). January 1, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2016). A Best: 15th Anniversary Edition (CD + DVD + Blu-Ray; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVZD-93409/B~C.
- ^ The list below are the compilations that "Appears" has been featured in;
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVTCD-95326.
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Ayu-mi-x II Version US+EU (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-11797.
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Ayu-mi-x II Version JPN (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-11798.
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Ayu-mi-x II Version Acoustic Orchestra (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-11799.
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Ayu-mi-x II Version Non-Stop Mega Mix (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-11800~1.
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2001). Ayu Trance (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-17028.
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2001). Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix 2 (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-17027.
- Hamasaki, Ayumi (2003). RMX Works From Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix 3 (Remix Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-17381.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2001). A Best (Compilation Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-11950.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2003). A Ballads (Compilation Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-17278.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2007). A Ballads (3xCD Compilation Album; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-23676~8.
- ^ "Winter Ballad Selection – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki". iTunes Store (Japan). November 26, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2001). The Other Side Two: Junior Vasquez (Remix EP; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Rhythm Republic. RRCD-85233.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol. 2 (Live DVD; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVBD-91021.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2007). Tour of Secret (Live DVD; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVBD-91536~7.
- ^ Hamasaki, Ayumi (2012). Hotel Love Songs Tour (Live DVD; Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVBD-92029~30.
- ^ a b Hamasaki, Ayumi (2000). Appears / Immature (12" Vinyl; Liner notes). Ayumi. Japan: Avex Trax. NA.
- ^ a b Hamasaki, Ayumi (206). Appears (CD Single; Liner notes). Ayu. United Kingdom: Drizzly Records. DRIZ3006CD006.
- ^ a b "Appears – Single – by Ayumi Hamasaki". iTunes Store (Japan). November 10, 1999. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- ^ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
- ^ "Avex Artists Available at US iTunes Store". Jame World. September 5, 2008. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
External links
- "Appears" at Ayumi Hamasaki's official website. (in Japanese)
- "Appears" at Oricon Style. (in Japanese)