Next Level (Ayumi Hamasaki album)

Next Level
Studio album by Ayumi Hamasaki
Released	March 25, 2009 (2009-03-25)
Recorded	2008-2009
Genre	Electropop, Synthrock, Pop rock, Electronica, Dance Pop
Length	51:45 (CD) 72:10 (Live CD) 50:50 (DVD)
Label	Avex Trax
Producer	Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
A Complete: All Singles (2008) Next Level (2009) Rock 'n' Roll Circus (2010)
Singles from Next Level
"Days/Green" Released: December 17, 2008 "Rule/Sparkle" Released: February 25, 2009

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
allmusic	[1]

Next Level is the tenth studio album (eleventh overall) by Japanese pop singer-songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki, released by Avex Trax on March 25, 2009 in Japan. It was released as a CD only version, a CD+DVD version, and a limited edition 2CD+DVD version with the second CD containing live songs taken from her New Year's Countdown concert.^[2] Additionally, it is the first album by Hamasaki and one of the first albums in the world to be released as a USB flash drive.^[3][4] The two GB flash drive includes the 14 songs of the album in MP3 format along with their lyric data, and six music videos in MP4 format.^[4] The flash drive edition is priced at ¥6800 (approximately USD$68 at the time of release).^[3]

The album is certified Double Platinum for shipment of 500,000 copies.^[5]

Promotion

"Green," the second a-side from the first single, was used to promote Panasonic's Lumix FX-37 in 2008.^[6] The title track, "Next Level," was used in Panasonic's Lumix FX-40 commercial in 2009^[7] while "Rule," from the album's second single, is the international theme song for the film Dragonball Evolution.^[8]　Additionally, "Sparkle" is used in advertisements for the Honda Zest Spark.^[9]

At a price of 6,800 yen, the USB version is said to be a bargain, as typical USB drives typically sell for much less. The USB will be packaged in a case the same size as a normal CD case, making it easy to display in stores. Oricon will apparently include the USB drive version in its sales tracking. Hamasaki explained, "As the way we listen to music changes from day to day, I looked at things from the listener's perspective and decided to sell it this way."^[10]

Legal Issues

On May 21, 2009, it was revealed that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police are currently investigating a publicity event held in April. Hamasaki made unexpected appearances in Shibuya to promote the release of her new book and the album "Next Level", but apparently either she or her manager failed to obtain the necessary permits for the event. The PR event happened on April 7, in front of the 109 Building in Shibuya. Approximately 8,000 people gathered to see Hamasaki, resulting in temporarily blocked roads. Before her appearance at 109, she also paid unexpected visits to a few major record stores, going from store to store by car while fans followed her on foot, which led to chaotic conditions in the streets. Buses and other modes of transport were subjected to traffic delays.

Even though the events officially took place in stores, police determined that the scope of the event required a permit for the use of the roads. Because that permit was never obtained, authorities stated they plan to send the matter to the prosecutor's office for Hamasaki and her manager to be questioned.^[11][12][13]

Music videos

Aside from the singles Days/Green and Rule/Sparkle, two other music videos were made for Curtain Call and Next Level.

Next Level and Curain Call were both directed by Stanly Izumi Kim and Luis Hernandez and fillmed in Los Angeles.

The PV for Next Level featured Ayumi singing in her car while driving along an open road near the coast of a beach.

The PV for Curtain Call depicted Ayumi wearing a little black dress while barefoot. She starts off singing at a set. When the first verse is over she walks away and the production staff and crew close down the set. She walks through different sets and crew (including different seasonal themes such as rainy, autumn and winter). In the climax, she stops and behind her sparks a wall of fireworks. The curtain closes and the camera moves away from Ayumi and she is seen being attended by her hair and makeup crew. The whole video in entirety was done in one take. Originally, when she filming the black dress had a long and heavy part, but she said to her crew she wanted the heavy part to be cut off.

Track list

All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki. 

CD
No.	Title	Music	Arranger(s)	Length
1.	"Bridge to the Sky"	Yuta Nakano	Yuta Nakano	1:43
2.	"Next Level"	D.A.I	HΛL	4:30
3.	"Disco-munication" (instrumental)	CMJK	CMJK	1:32
4.	"Energize"	Yuta Nakano	CMJK	4:31
5.	"Sparkle"	Kazuhiro Hara	CMJK	4:30
6.	"Rollin'"	Yuta Nakano	CMJK	5:04
7.	"Green"	Tetsuya Yukumi	tasuku	4:49
8.	"Load of the Shugyo" (instrumental)	CMJK	CMJK	1:32
9.	"Identity"	Yuta Nakano	Yuta Nakano	4:19
10.	"Rule"	Miki Watanabe	HΛL	4:06
11.	"Love 'n' Hate"	Yuta Nakano	Yuta Nakano	3:51
12.	"Pieces of Seven" (instrumental)	HΛL	HΛL	2:31
13.	"Days"	Kunio Tago	HΛL	5:03
14.	"Curtain Call"	Kazuhiro Hara	Yuta Nakano	3:44

Premium Countdown 2008-2009 Live CD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Green"	4:52
2.	"Will"	6:29
3.	"End of the World"	4:43
4.	"Heartplace"	7:03
5.	"And Then"	2:25
6.	"Naturally"	3:31
7.	"Powder Snow"	4:39
8.	"Hope or Pain"	4:27
9.	"Over"	5:10
10.	"Scar"	7:01
11.	"Signal"	2:25
12.	"Hana"	1:49
13.	"Too Late"	4:10
14.	"Everywhere Nowhere"	3:40
15.	"Days"	5:05
16.	"For My Dear..."	4:41

DVD
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Days (Video Clip)"	5:20
2.	"Green (Video Clip)"	5:32
3.	"Rule (Video Clip)"	4:27
4.	"Sparkle (Video Clip)"	4:44
5.	"Next Level (Video Clip)"	4:31
6.	"Curtain Call (Video Clip)"	3:48
7.	"Days (Making Clip)"	3:54
8.	"Green (Making Clip)"	3:59
9.	"Rule (Making Clip)"	3:17
10.	"Sparkle (Making Clip)"	3:29
11.	"Next Level (Making Clip)"	4:37
12.	"Curtain Call (Making Clip)"	3:12

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Catalogue Number
Japan	March 25, 2009 (2009-03-25)	2CD+DVD Initial pressing limited edition	AVCD-23856/B
		CD+DVD	AVCD-23858/B
		CD	AVCD-23859
		USB Initial pressing limited edition Second press limited edition	AVZD-23860
Taiwan	March 27, 2009 (2009-03-27)
Hong Kong	April 3, 2009 (2009-04-03)
China	March 25, 2010 (2010-03-25)	2CD+DVD
		CD
South Korea	March 27, 2009 (2009-03-27)

Charts & Certifications

Charts Chart Peak Position Sales Total Chart Run Oricon Daily Chart 1 99,200[14] 30 weeks Oricon Weekly Chart 1 240,810[15] Oricon Monthly Chart 1 379,989[citation needed] Oricon Yearly Chart 16

Certifications Country Provider Certification Japan RIAJ 2× Platinum[16]

Singles

Date	Title	Peak position	Weeks	Sales
December 17, 2008	"Days/Green"	1	14 weeks	190,891
February 25, 2009	"Rule/Sparkle"	1	9 weeks	130,816

Physical Sales & Rank

Chart Peak position Oricon Daily Albums Chart 1 Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 1 Oricon Monthly Albums Chart 1 Oricon Yearly Albums Chart 2009 16 Billboard Japan 1 HMV J-POP Chart (Japan) 1 HMV Asian Chart (Japan) 1 Billboard Japan Top Albums 1 G-Music Combo Chart[17] (Taiwan) 2 G-Music J-POP Chart[18] (Taiwan) 1 G-Music International Chart[19] (Taiwan) 1 J-POP/K-POP Five Music Records (Taiwan)[20] 1 Soundscan Albums Chart (2CD+DVD)[21] 1 Total Singles Sales: 321,707 Total Album and Singles Sales: 701,696 Additional Photos Flash Drive on a Chain. References ^ allmusic review ^ (Japanese) "Ayumi Hamasaki official website news and information". Avex. http://avexnet.or.jp/ayu/jp/news/090212.html. Retrieved 14 February 2009.  ^ a b "Ayumi Hamasaki's new "NEXT LEVEL" released in the USB memory". Impress Watch Corporation. http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20090213/avex.htm. Retrieved 13 February 2009.  ^ a b (Japanese) "Ayu's USB album". Sponichi Annex. http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2009/02/13/04.html. Retrieved 14 February 2009. [dead link] ^ http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200903.html ^ (Japanese) "Days/Green Oricon Page". Oricon. http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/c/28284/. Retrieved 25 February 2009.  ^ (Japanese) "Ayumi Hamasaki News&Information Page". Avex Group. http://www.avexnet.or.jp/ayu/jp/news/090220a.html. Retrieved 25 February 2009.  ^ (Japanese)"Ayu to Sing the International Theme Song of Dragonball". Sankei Sports (Sankei Digital Inc.): p. 2. December 10, 2008. http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/081210/gnj0812100505015-n2.htm. Retrieved December 10, 2008. [dead link] ^ "Honda Zest Spark CM Gallery". Honda. http://www.honda.co.jp/ZESTSPARK/cmgallery/. Retrieved March 3, 2009.  ^ http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-4427 ^ http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/news/20090522-OHT1T00023.htm ^ http://www.daily.co.jp/gossip/2009/05/22/0001939186.shtml ^ http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/090522/gnd0522002-n1.htm ^ http://www.allkpop.com/index.php/full_story/tvxqs_secret_code_on_oricon_charts ^ http://www.allkpop.com/2009/03/tvxq_officially_number_2_on_oricon_weekly ^ http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200903.html ^ http://www.g-music.com.tw/GMusicBillboard0.aspx ^ http://www.g-music.com.tw/GMusicBillboard3.aspx ^ http://www.g-music.com.tw/GMusicBillboard7.aspx ^ http://www.5music.com.tw/CDTop.asp?top=2 ^ http://www.phileweb.com/ranking/cd-top20/2009/1260.html Preceded by Do You Dreams Come True? by Dreams Come True Oricon Weekly number-one album April 6, 2009 Succeeded by Do You Dreams Come True? by Dreams Come True