A Song For ××
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''A Song for ××'' (the "××" is silent) is the debut studio album by Japanese singer
Ayumi Hamasaki is a Japanese singer-songwriter and producer. Nicknamed the "Empress of Pop" on account of her influence throughout Asia, she is widely recognized for her versatile music production, songwriting, and live performances. Hamasaki is the List of ...
, released on January 1, 1999 by
Avex Trax is a record label owned by Japanese entertainment conglomerate Avex Inc. The label was launched in September 1990, and was the first label by the Group. History Two years after Max Matsuura began a career distributing studio albums from othe ...
. It was entirely written by Hamasaki herself, while the production was handled by Japanese musician
Max Matsuura , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese record producer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Avex Group, one of the largest music labels. He is known mainly for discovering and developing new artists into stars (most notab ...
. Primarily a
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
album, it features musical composition and arrangements by Yasuhiko Hoshino,
Mitsuru Igarashi is the former keyboardist and songwriter of Japanese pop group Every Little Thing. He founded the band in early 1996 with his old friend Ichirō Itō and then 18-year-old singer Kaori Mochida. He left Every Little Thing in April 2000 after ...
of Every Little Thing fame, and others. In this album, Hamasaki wrote about her confusion and uncertainty about life, expressed her expectations and hopes for the future, and expressed her gratitude to the fans who love her. Upon its release, ''A Song for ××'' garnered mixed-to-positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
, with some praising Hamasaki's commercial appeal but others deeming the record cautious and childish. The album became a commercial success, debuting atop the
Oricon Albums Chart The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon A ...
with first-week sales of over half a million copies; it topped the chart for five weeks. The album was certified Million by the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pro ...
(RIAJ) for shipments exceeding one million copies in the country. To date, the album is one of the best-selling LPs in Japanese music history and remains one of Hamasaki's highest-selling works. To promote the album, Hamasaki released five
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
, beginning by releasing " Poker Face" as the album's
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
on April 8, 1998. Entering the
Oricon Singles Chart The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard Single (music), singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track down ...
at number twenty, it became her first charting single ever. Four further singles were released: "
You In Modern English, the word "''you''" is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers. History ''You'' comes from ...
," "
Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust (law), a legal relationship in which one person holds property for another's benefit * Trust (bu ...
," " For My Dear...," and "
Depend on You "Depend on You" is the fifth single released by Ayumi Hamasaki on December 9, 1998. The single reached number nine on the weekly Oricon chart, becoming her third consecutive top-ten single in Japan. The single contains a B-side, "Two of Us", w ...
." All of them were top twenty hits in Japan, with the latter three reaching the top ten. Hamasaki promoted the album with several public appearances throughout 1998 and 1999.


Background and development

In 1995, under
Nippon Columbia , often pronounced ''Korombia'', operating internationally as , is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as Nipponophone Co., Ltd. It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK C ...
, Hamasaki became part of a
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
unit called Ayumi featuring
Dohzi-T is a Japanese rapper, singer and songwriter who has been active since 1989. Biography Dohzi-T belonged to hip hop band "Zingi", formed in 1990. He debuted as a solo singer with the single "Shōnen A" (lit. "Boy A") on October 10, 2001. He associ ...
and DJ Bass. Magazines touted Hamasaki as "the youngest female Japanese hip-hop rapper ever." The group released a
mini-album A mini-LP or mini-album is a short record album or LP, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered full-length. It is distinct from an EP due to containing more tracks and a slightly longer running length. A mini- ...
called '' Nothing from Nothing'' in December of the same year, and did not chart at all, which led to Nippon Columbia ultimately dropping the group. After starring in a handful of poorly-reviewed films and doramas, Hamasaki then resigned herself to shopping in
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
with her friends. Her mother moved up to Tokyo around that time, and Hamasaki was once again living with her mother. One of Hamasaki's friends knew the founder of the club
Velfarre was a disco located in the Roppongi district of Tokyo, Japan. Velfarre was the self-professed "largest disco in Asia" with a capacity of 1,500 people, with three floors above ground and three floors below; owned by Tetsuya Komuro and Avex Trax. V ...
,
Avex Trax is a record label owned by Japanese entertainment conglomerate Avex Inc. The label was launched in September 1990, and was the first label by the Group. History Two years after Max Matsuura began a career distributing studio albums from othe ...
executive
Max Matsuura , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese record producer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Avex Group, one of the largest music labels. He is known mainly for discovering and developing new artists into stars (most notab ...
. Hamasaki was introduced to him at the club one night when she was in her teens. After hearing Hamasaki sing
karaoke is a type of interactive entertainment system usually offered in nightclubs and bars, where people sing along to pre-recorded accompaniment using a microphone. Its musical content is an instrumental rendition of a well-known popular song. I ...
, Matsuura told her that she was not a very good singer, but has a good voice, and told her to take singing lessons. In the summer of 1997, Hamasaki was sent to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
for vocal lessons under Mayumi Harada, a voice coach who had also trained superstars
Namie Amuro Namie Amuro ( ; ; born September 20, 1977) is a retired Japanese singer. She rose to prominence as a Japanese idol, teen idol, and transitioned into a leading Pop music, pop artist due to her versatility across music styles and visual presentatio ...
, Hitomi, and
Kaori Mochida is the lead singer of Japanese pop group Every Little Thing. Biography Mochida began her career as a child actress, appearing in magazines and TV commercials. She then became a member of the second generation of idol group The Kuro Buta All ...
before. Hamasaki enjoyed the freedom she experienced in New York; during her time there, Hamasaki wrote letters back to Matsuura in Japan, which convinced him to tell her to try writing songs for herself. According to the book '' M Aisubeki Hito ga Ite'', at the end of 1997, it was decided that Hamasaki would make her CD debut the following spring. Matsuura initially intended to form a group of three or four people and have Hamasaki as the vocalist; she refused, and ended up making her solo debut. Hamasaki herself wrote the lyrics for her debut song, and Matsuura was surprised at how well-written they were when she showed the lyrics to him. However, when she debuted, many people disliked her for her sweet way of speaking, saying that she sounded "stupid." Matsuura also suggested that she should change the way she called herself "Ayu" to " watashi"; however, he told her the strategy to "just be herself" and let her carry on as she was. Hamasaki's singles in 1998 never charted outstandingly well, but they sold well enough, and Hamasaki continued work at a furious pace, writing her own lyrics for every song on her debut. In an interview about the album's production, Hamasaki commented;


Writing and composition

''A Song for ××'' was produced by Japanese musician and businessman
Max Matsuura , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese record producer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of Avex Group, one of the largest music labels. He is known mainly for discovering and developing new artists into stars (most notab ...
. For the album, Hamasaki's record label
Avex Trax is a record label owned by Japanese entertainment conglomerate Avex Inc. The label was launched in September 1990, and was the first label by the Group. History Two years after Max Matsuura began a career distributing studio albums from othe ...
hired several Japanese musicians, Yasuhiko Hoshino,
Mitsuru Igarashi is the former keyboardist and songwriter of Japanese pop group Every Little Thing. He founded the band in early 1996 with his old friend Ichirō Itō and then 18-year-old singer Kaori Mochida. He left Every Little Thing in April 2000 after ...
,
Kazuhito Kikuchi is a Japanese composer. From 2001 to 2005 he was a member of the J-pop duo Breath. He has been one of the main song composers for Ayumi Hamasaki and has also written songs for Kumi Koda, Every Little Thing, Ami Suzuki and others. He won the B ...
, among others to work on the album. ''A Song for ××'' is primarily a
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
record with influences of
rock ballads A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Ballads ...
. The album was recorded in several recording studios across
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
and
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
throughout 1998. The final product was
mastered Mastering is a form of audio post production which is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device called a master recording, the source from which all copies will be ...
by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering,
Studio City Studio City is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 19 ...
. ''A Song for ××'' is based on the concept of the flow of Hamasaki's own time (from childhood to the present to the future), which is clearly expressed in the lyrics. "Prologue" is an
instrumental An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through Semantic change, semantic widening, a broader sense of the word s ...
that lasts for one minute and 25 seconds. "A Song for ××," the album's titular song, is a meaningful song that was named to avoid giving a fixed impression. The lyrics for "A Song for ××" were written by Hamasaki when she was looking back on her childhood, and the themes are the doubts, anxieties, and feelings that she had at that time; this song can be seen as a rebellion against her mother, who she says never showed her any maternal behavior. "Hana" has an
idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a human-made object that is venerated or worshipped for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a devotional image of a deity or saint used during puja ...
-like melody and a glamorous, showy arrangement; the lyrics depict the change from childhood to adulthood. The songs "Friend" and "Friend II" are connected like a first and second part. "Friend" was recorded before her debut song “ Poker Face,” so it was the first time for Hamasaki to do everything. "Poker Face" has the "catchy" sound of standard pop songs. "Wishing" is a
ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
tune with an
acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
rhythm. "
You In Modern English, the word "''you''" is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers. History ''You'' comes from ...
" is a standard pop song. During the recording process for "You," Hamasaki was ill, and it was very difficult to record the vocals. "As If..." is a medium-tempo pop tune with an intro
piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
solo that expresses the fragile feelings of a young girl; the song is about the feelings of a girl at a delicate stage when she is trying to reach adulthood but still cannot let go of her childhood. "Powder Snow" is a mid-tempo tune with lyrics that appeal to sorrow and carries a simple AOR-style melody. Hamasaki wrote "Powder Snow" in an attempt to break her image of writing energetic and positive songs; so she wanted to convey that she does not think being positive is a good thing and that being negative is bad or uncool, as well as that it is necessary to think and worry by yourself sometimes. "
Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust (law), a legal relationship in which one person holds property for another's benefit * Trust (bu ...
" is a light
pop song Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Street, eds, '' The Cambridge Companion to Pop and Rock'' (Cambridge: Cambridg ...
with a "gentle" and "calming" melody. "Trust," which is alleged to have been dedicated to producer Matsuura, at first glance seems like a song for a lover, however, Hamasaki mentions the
red thread of fate The red thread of fate (), also referred to as the red thread of marriage, and other variants, is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese mythology. It is commonly thought of as an invisible red cord around the finger of those that are des ...
in the song for Matsuura. "
Depend on You "Depend on You" is the fifth single released by Ayumi Hamasaki on December 9, 1998. The single reached number nine on the weekly Oricon chart, becoming her third consecutive top-ten single in Japan. The single contains a B-side, "Two of Us", w ...
" blends Naoki Hayashibe's
guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
and Akihiko Homma's keyboards. "Signal" is a
dance pop Dance-pop is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developi ...
tune that makes use of a sense of urgency and speed through a surging arrangement; the song is filled with Hamasaki's strong desire to keep moving forward. "From Your Letter" is an R&B-influenced slow-jam. " For My Dear..." is a
power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Balla ...
that has lyrics and a melody expressing her fleeting feelings of being torn between her beliefs and loneliness. The album's closing track, "Present," is a way of expressing her gratitude to her fans. During the developmental process for ''A Song for ××'' there was talk of making “Present” a
secret track In the field of Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, Compact Cassette, audio cassette, LP rec ...
.


Release and packaging

''A Song for ××'' was released in Japan and Greater China on January 1, 1999, through Avex Trax and the China Record Corporation. It was originally scheduled to be released on December 26, 1998, but was postponed and released on January 1 of the following year; however, it was actually in stores from December 26, 1998. The album included the sixteen tracks and was issued in a slightly oversized
jewel case Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical discs. Most packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage. Jewel case A ...
to accommodate the thickness of the booklet. The album artwork, which was photographed by Toru Kumazawa, is a
monochromatic A monochrome or monochromatic image, object or palette is composed of one color (or values of one color). Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale (typically digital) or black-and-white (typically analog). In physics, mon ...
close up of Hamasaki's face while wearing a white winter coat. During an interview with Japanese magazine Beatfreak in January 1999, Hamasaki explained the album title in full detail;


Singles

Hamasaki released her major-label debut single " Poker Face" on April 8, 1998. It became Hamasaki's first single to chart, peaking at number twenty on the
Oricon Singles Chart The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard Single (music), singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track down ...
. The following single, "
You In Modern English, the word "''you''" is the second-person pronoun. It is grammatically plural, and was historically used only for the dative case, but in most modern dialects is used for all cases and numbers. History ''You'' comes from ...
," was released on June 10, 1998. It also peaked at number twenty on the weekly singles chart. "
Trust Trust often refers to: * Trust (social science), confidence in or dependence on a person or quality It may also refer to: Business and law * Trust (law), a legal relationship in which one person holds property for another's benefit * Trust (bu ...
" was released as the album's third single on August 5, 1998. It peaked at number nine in Japan, becoming Hamasaki's first single to crack the top ten. "Trust" also became her first single to receive a Gold certification from the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pro ...
(RIAJ) for selling over 100,000 copies in the region. The album's fourth single, " For My Dear...," was released on October 7, 1998. It became her second consecutive single to peak at number nine in Japan. The final single to be released from ''A Song for ××'' was "
Depend on You "Depend on You" is the fifth single released by Ayumi Hamasaki on December 9, 1998. The single reached number nine on the weekly Oricon chart, becoming her third consecutive top-ten single in Japan. The single contains a B-side, "Two of Us", w ...
" on December 9, 1998. It became her highest-charting single to that point, peaking at number six, and received a Gold certification from the RIAJ.


Reception

''A Song for ××'' received mixed-to-positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. Neil Z. Yeung of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
gave the album three and a half stars out of five, praising the compositions and Hamasaki's potential in the tracks. At the end of the review he stated: "The innocence and tentative confidence of a budding artist are still present on these tracks -- something that would give way months later on her bold breakthrough Loveppears -- making A Song for XX a crucial entry point that hinted at exciting things to come." Wang Yng of
MTV Asia MTV was a pan-Asian music pay television channel that was launched on 5 May 1995 as a standalone pay television service. The channel was owned by Paramount Networks EMEAA. History Pre-launch The first incarnation of MTV Asia was launched on ...
awarded the album a score of eight out of ten, stating: "Great songs and Hamasaki's capable singing make this album a good buy. And it's no wonder that she is being touted by music critics as one of the more prominent J-pop singers to watch out for in the near future." ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' member Barry Walters scathingly described the
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
sound in ''A Song for ××'' as "cautious" and "unassuming." A reviewer from ''CDJournal'' commented: "Her appeal can be summed up in one word: the transience that comes through in her songs, even if they feel a little childish. Her first album, packed with hits, is sure to sell like hot cakes, but whether listeners find her transience endearing or annoying is up to them." Commercially, ''A Song for ××'' became a success. Despite previous single sales of around 100,000 copies, Hamasaki's debut album achieved first week sales of 548,210 copies and debuted at number one. It topped the
Oricon Albums Chart The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon A ...
for five noncensecutive weeks, a remarkable feat for a debut album. Its high first week sales were partly due to its debut sales being the first and second week sales combined (
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
only has 51 weeks instead of 52). By the end of 1999, the album was ranked at number 16 on the Oricon Yearly Albums Chart with 1,408,930 copies sold. The album stayed in the top ten for eight consecutive weeks, and in the Oricon Top 300 chart for 62 weeks. The
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pro ...
(RIAJ) certified the album Million for selling over one million copies in Japan. ''A Song for ××'' is Hamasaki's sixth best-selling album based on Oricon Style's database. To date, it has sold over 1.452 million copies, making it the 143rd best-selling album of all time in the country. It is also the 94th best-selling album in Japan in the
1990s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American jets fly over burning oil fields in the 1991 Gulf War; the Oslo Accords on 13 September 1993; the World ...
decade.


Promotion

The song "Poker Face" was used as the opening theme of a Japanese TV show called '' Count Down TV''. "You" was used as the commercial song for Chiba Vision Focus Dailies, as well as the ending theme for
TV Tokyo JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.Asayan ''Asayan'', originally known as was a talent search variety show that aired on TV Tokyo from 1995 to 2002. Some idols that were originally discovered through Asayan auditions produced by Tsunku, formed groups that worked under the umbrella group ...
''. "Trust" was used as the commercial song for
Kao Corporation is a Japanese global chemical and cosmetics company headquartered in Nihonbashi-Kayabacho, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan. History Kao was established in 1882 by Tomiro Nagase as a manufacturer of domestic toiletry soap. Until 1954, they were known a ...
's "Sofina Au Bleu Jufilia." "For My Dear" was used as the commercial song for Morinaga & Co. "Meringue Chocolat." "Depend on You" was the ending theme for TBS' ''Count Down TV'' in December 1998, as well as the
theme song Theme music is a musical composition which is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...
for the
Atlus is a Japanese video game developer, video game publisher, publisher, Arcade game, arcade manufacturer and distribution company based in Tokyo. A subsidiary of Sega, the company is known for the ''Megami Tensei'', ''Persona (series), Persona'' ...
PlayStation is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
game '' Thousand Arms''. The non-single tracks "A Song for ××" and "Hana" were used as radio singles to promote the album. Hamasaki appeared at an event for her first album ''A Song for ××'' in front of Shibuya 109 on December 26, 1998. On December 28, 1998, Hamasaki appeared as a guest personality on
Nippon Broadcasting System , or JOLF, is a Japanese radio station based in Yurakucho, Chiyoda ward, Tokyo, headquartered near the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is also the main company of the Nippon Broadcasting Group. Nippon Broadcasting System is a subsidiary of Fu ...
's radio program ''
All Night Nippon is a Japanese radio program broadcast by Nippon Broadcasting System and other radio stations. DJs The day of the week below are for the evening preceding in Japan, i.e. day in UTC. * Mondays – Thursdays, 13:00 UTC – 15:00 UTC wi ...
'', competing against
Tomomi Kahara (formerly Tomomi Kahala) born on August 17, 1974 in Tokyo), is a Japanese pop singer. She is famous for working with Tetsuya Komuro who gave her much success in the 1990s, which led to her deep dip in popularity after 1999, the year in which ...
, who was then produced by
Tetsuya Komuro is a Japanese musician, songwriter and record producer. He is recognized as the most successful producer in Japanese music history and has introduced contemporary electronic dance music to the Japanese mainstream. He was also a former owner of t ...
and had great success as his girlfriend. Since her debut as a singer, she has dared to present a contrasting character, singing songs about loneliness in a high-pitched voice and showing a foolish side to her personality, which became a hot topic among high school girls, but many of them said she looked very similar to Kahara. So, she turned this strategy around and, before the show aired, launched the catchphrase "Ayumi Hamasaki is not stupid," and aired promotional material on television. During the show, people who disliked Hamasaki called in to talk to her, but she made them sympathize with her and make them cry, and the response was so great that the message board on her official website was jammed the next day. Several tracks from ''A Song for ××'' were featured on remix albums during 1999 and 2000. The first was '' Ayu-mi-x'' on May 17, 1999. The second was her February 2000
Eurobeat Eurobeat refers to two styles of dance music that originated in Europe: one is a British variant of Italian Eurodisco-influencedAng, Ien & Morley, David (2005). "Cultural Studies: Volume 3, Issue 2". ''Routledge''. pgs. 171, 173, 170. . "Eurorec ...
compilation ''
Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix ''Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix'' is the second remix album by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki. The album was released on February 16, 2000, and became the second highest selling remix album in Japan of 2000, with 700,000 copies sold. The alb ...
''. Hamasaki then performed several tracks from ''A Song for ××'' on concert tours, including '' Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol. 1'' and '' Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol. 2''. The music videos to "Poker Face," "You," "Trust," "For My Dear...," "Depend on You" and other album promotional footage were featured on her 2004 video
box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...
'' Ayumi Hamasaki Complete Clip Box A''.


Track listing


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Decade-end charts


All-time chart


Certification and sales


Release history


References


Notes


Citations

{{DEFAULTSORT:Song for Xx, A Ayumi Hamasaki albums 1999 debut albums Avex Group albums 1990s Japanese-language albums