- Duty (album)
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Duty Studio album by Ayumi Hamasaki Released September 27, 2000 Genre Pop Length 51:45 Label Avex Trax Producer Max Matsuura Ayumi Hamasaki chronology Loveppears
(1999)Duty
(2000)A Best
(2001)Singles from Duty Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating HMV [1] Duty is the third full-length studio album by Ayumi Hamasaki, as well as being her best-selling studio album to date, with over 2.9 million copies sold. The single "Surreal," an initial pressing-only single, was released simultaneously along with the album and the DVD Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol.1. All three claimed the top position on the Oricon Weekly charts, making Ayumi Hamasaki the first person to hold the top position on all three charts. Prior to this, the most number of charts that a single artist or musical act topped was two. Duty is also Ayumi Hamasaki's highest selling studio album with sales of 2,904,420 in Japan. The album has been certified 3x Million by RIAJ. It debuted at the number-one position and held that position for four weeks, the album also stayed in the Top 30 for 20 weeks, making Hamasaki's only studio album to stay on the Top 30 for that long. Duty is the 22nd best-selling album in Japan of all times.[2]
According to the Oricon, it is also the 6th best selling Japanese album of all time in the 21st century[3]
Contents
Singles
This album features five singles, two of which were able to reach the number-one position on the Oricon charts.
The first three singles, "vogue," "Far away," and "SEASONS" were released from April to June 2000. Vogue and Far away sold over 700,000 and 500,000 copies, respectively. "SEASONS" is the most successful single of the album and one of Ayumi's best-selling singles, with over 1.3 million units sold.
"SURREAL," the fourth single, was released on the same day as Duty, and the final single, Audience, was released as a recut single a month after the album. It debuted at the number-two position and sold over 290,000 units. Unlike Hamasaki's previous singles, no music video was shot for the song.
Commercials tie-ups and themes songs
Duty was used in a commercial promoting the Takano Yuri beauty clinics.[4]
vogue was used as background music in a tv commercial promoting a lipstick for Kose Visee.[5][6]
The original version of Far away featured in three ad campaigns for the Tu-Ka cellphones.[7] The song End of the world was also used in a commercial for the brand.[8]
SEASONS was the theme song of a popular Japanese drama broadcast on Fuji TV called Tenki Yoho No Koibito (Weather Reporter Lover).[9]
Track listing
All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki.
No. Title Music Arranger(s) Length 1. "Starting Over" (instrumental) Ken Harada Ken Harada 1:36 2. "Duty" Ken Harada Naoto Suzuki,
Ken Harada5:15 3. "Vogue" Kazuhito Kikuchi Naoto Suzuki,
Kazuhito Kikuchi4:27 4. "End of the World" Yasuhiko Hoshino Naoto Suzuki 4:40 5. "Scar" Kunio Tago Naoto Suzuki 4:17 6. "Far Away" Kazuhito Kikuchi,
D.A.IHΛL 5:34 7. "Surreal" Kazuhito Kikuchi HΛL 4:42 8. "Audience" D.A.I HΛL 4:06 9. "Seasons" D.A.I Naoto Suzuki 4:15 10. "Teddy Bear" D.A.I Shingo Kobayashi 4:18 11. "Key ~Eternal Tie Version~" Kunio Tago Naoto Suzuki 3:14 12. "Girlish" Yasuhiko Hoshino Shingo Kobayashi 4:55 Credits
- "Starting Over" – 1:36
Music: Ken Harada
Arrangement: Ken Harada
Programming: Masayuki Kumahara - "Duty" – 5:15
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Ken Harada
Arrangement: Naoto Suzuki & Ken Harada
Keyboards: Naoto Suzuki
Guitar: Naoki Hayashibe
B.G. Vocal: Junko Hirotani
Programming: Takahiro Iida - "Vogue" – 4:27
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Kazuhito Kikuchi
Arrangement: Naoto Suzuki & Kazuhito Kikuchi
Keyboards: Naoto Suzuki
Guitar: Naoki Hayashibe
Programming: Takahiro Iida - "End of the World" – 4:40
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Yasuhiko Hishino
Arrangement: Naoto Suzuki
Keyboards: Naoto Suzuki
Guitar: Naoki Hayashibe
Programming: Takahiro Iida - "Scar" – 4:17
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Kunio Tago
Arrangement: Naoto Suzuki
Keyboards: Naoto Suzuki
Guitar: Naoki Hayashibe
B.G. Vocal: Junko Hirotani
Programming: Takahiro Iida - "Far Away" – 5:34
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Kazuhito Kikuchi & DAI
Arrangement: HAL
Keyboards: HAL
Guitar: Naoya Akimoto
B.G. Vocal: Junko Hirotani
Programming: HAL
Mixed by Atsushi Hattori - "Surreal" – 4:42
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Kazuhito Kikuchi
Arrangement: HAL
Keyboards: HAL
Guitar: Naoya Akimoto
Programming: HAL - "Audience" – 4:06
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: DAI
Arrangement: HAL
Keyboards: HAL
Guitar: Naoya Akimoto
Programming: HAL - "Seasons" – 4:15
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: DAI
Arrangement: Naoto Suzuki
Keyboards: Naoto Suzuki
Guitar: Naoki Hayashibe
B.G. Vocal: Junko Hirotani
Programming: Takahiro Iida - "Teddy Bear" – 4:18
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: DAI
Arrangement: Shingo Kobayashi
Acoustic Piano: Shingo Kobayashi
Keyboards: Shingo Kobayashi
Synthesizer Operator: Keishi Urata - "Key ~eternal tie ver.~" – 3:14
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Kunio Tago
Arrangement: Naoto Suzuki
Keyboards: Naoto Suzuki
Guitar: Naoki Hayashibe
B.G. Vocal: Junko Hirotani
Programming: Takahiro Iida - "Girlish" – 4:55
Words: Ayumi Hamasaki
Music: Yasuhiko Hoshino
Arrangement: Shingo Kobayashi
Keyboards: Shingo Kobayashi
Wurlitzer: Yoshihiro Tomonari
Drums: Kaoru Abe
Electric Guitar: Nozomi Furukawa
Acoustic Guitar: Nozomi Furukawa
Bass: Enrique
Guitar: Yoshio Nomura
Synthesizer Operator: Keishi Urata
Release history
Region Date Format Catalogue Number Japan November 27, 2000 CD AVCD-11837 Taiwan Hong Kong China 2001 - Initial pressing
CD - SCD-534
Cassette December 25, 2005 - Second Press
CD Charts
- Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)
Release Chart Peak position First Week Sales Sales total Chart run September 27, 2000 Oricon Daily Album Chart 1 Oricon Weekly Album Chart 1 1,682,760 2,904,420 27 weeks Oricon Monthly Album Chart 1 Oricon Yearly Album Chart 2 - Total Sales: 2,904,420 (Japan)
- Total Sales: 3,000,000 (Avex)
Singles
Date Title Peak position Weeks Sales April 26, 2000 "Vogue" 3 17 weeks 767,660 May 17, 2000 "Far Away" 2 13 weeks 510,460 June 7, 2000 "Seasons" 1 21 weeks 1,367,400 September 27, 2000 "Surreal (500,000 Limited Copies)" 1 7 weeks 417,210 November 1, 2000 "Audience (300,000 Limited Copies) & (re-cut single)" 2 8 weeks 292,950 Total Single Sales: 3,355,680
Total Album and Single Sales: 6,260,100
References
Studio albums A Song for ×× · Loveppears · Duty · I Am... · Rainbow · My Story · (Miss)understood · Secret · Guilty · Next Level · Rock 'n' Roll Circus · Love SongsEPs Compilations Remixes Ayu-mi-x · Ayu-ro Mix · Ayu-mi-x II Jpn · Ayu-mi-x II US+EU · Ayu-mi-x II Orch. · Ayu-mi-x II Mix · Ayu-mi-x III Mix · Ayu-mi-x III Orch. · Ayu-ro Mix 2 · Ayu Trance · Ayu-mi-x 4 Mix · Ayu-mi-x 4 Orch. · Ayu Trance 2 · Ayu-mi-x 5 Mix · Ayu Trance 3 · Ayu-ro Mix 3 · My Story Classical · Ayu-mi-x 6: Gold · Ayu-mi-x 6: Silver · Ayu-mi-x 7 Version House · Ayu-mi-x 7 Version Acoustic Orchestra · Ayu-mi-x 7 Presents Ayu Trance 4 · Ayu-mi-x 7 Presents Ayu-ro Mix 4 · Ayu-mi-x 7 Limited Complete Box SetConcert Tours 2000 Tour (Vol.1 · Vol.2) · 2001 Dome Tour · 2002 Arena Tour · 2002 Statium Tour · Limited TA Live Tour · 2003-4 Arena Tour · My Story Tour · (Miss)understood Tour · Tour of Secret · 10th Aniversary Tour · Next Level Tour · Rock’n'Roll Circus Tour FinalCountdown Lives 2000-2001 A · 2001-2002 A · 2002-2003 A · 2004-2005 A · 2005-2006 A · 2006-2007 A · 2007-2008 Anniversary · Premium 2008-2009 A · 2009-2010 A: Future Classics · 2010-2011 A: Do It AgainDVDs A Film for ×× · A Clips · A Clips Vol.2 · Ayumi Hamasaki Complete Live Box A · Complete Clip Box · Distance Love · Tsuki ni ShizumuFilmography Twins Teacher · Battle Spirits Ryūko no Ken · Sumomo mo Momo · Miseinen · Like Grains of Sand · Gakko IISee also Categories:- 2000 albums
- Ayumi Hamasaki albums
- Avex Group albums
- "Starting Over" – 1:36
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