Maps of Music

First Love (1999)

Where the lyrics of First Love take you, and where it was really made.

Recorded by a singer aged 14 to 15, this Japanese-language debut went on to become the best-selling album of all time in Japan.

Key places

A Tokyo studio used for recording (1999)

Recording site Studio TERRA — Studio TERRA is listed as a studio where tracks for the album were recorded. The album's tracks were recorded in studios across New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

A Tokyo studio used for recording (1999)

Recording site Studio Z'd — Studio Z'd is listed as a studio where tracks for the album were recorded. The album's tracks were recorded in studios across New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

A Tokyo studio used for recording (1999)

Recording site ON AIR Azabu Studio — ON AIR Azabu Studio is listed as a studio where tracks for the album were recorded. The album's tracks were recorded in studios across New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

A Tokyo studio used for recording (1999)

Recording site Burnish Stone Recording Studios — Burnish Stone Recording Studios is listed as a studio where tracks for the album were recorded. The album's tracks were recorded in studios across New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

A New York studio used for recording (1999)

Recording site MSR Studios — Quad Recording Studios is listed as a studio where tracks for the album were recorded. The album's tracks were recorded in studios across New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• First Love is the debut Japanese-language studio album (second overall) by Hikaru Utada
• Released on March 10, 1999 under the Eastworld name
• An R&B and dance-pop album centred on love and relationships
• Written and recorded over about one year, when Utada was 14 to 15
• Entered the Oricon Albums Chart at number one in its first week
• Shipped over 8.7 million copies in Japan and 18 million worldwide (as of 2014)

Background

• Utada was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, and started singing at a very young age
• Earlier, Utada was a member of the family act U3 with their mother Keiko Fuji and father Teruzane Utada
• U3 debuted with Star in 1993 and hoped to break into America
• In 1996 the group was re-branded as Cubic U, an R&B project focused on Hikaru
• Cubic U released the English-language album Precious in 1998 on Toshiba EMI
• Utada moved to Tokyo in early 1997 to attend Seisen International School and American School in Japan
• While still studying, Utada signed as a solo artist with Toshiba EMI
• The EMI head offices asked whether Utada could write Japanese songs instead of English lyrics
• Utada wanted to be a singer-songwriter rather than a Japanese idol, and refused talent agency contact at the start
• Father Teruzane managed Utada's work and also produced and composed
• Aaliyah's album Age Ain't Nothing but a Number sparked Utada's interest in rhythm and blues

Recording

• Recording took place only on weekends because of Utada's studies
• An arranger was consulted first to create the sound
• Melodies and lyrics were written while playing loops of the tracks
• Teruzane Utada and Akira Miyake were the primary producers alongside Hikaru
• Tracks were recorded in studios across New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo
• Ted Jensen mixed the tracks at Sterling Sound Studios in New York

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born January 19, 1983 in New York City to Japanese parents; mother Keiko Fuji was an enka singer, father Teruzane Utada a record producer.
• Began writing songs at age 10 and moved to Tokyo at age 11; performed as Cubic U from 1996.
• Signed with Toshiba-EMI; English debut album Precious (1998) under Cubic U.

Members

• Solo artist, known mononymously as Utada; later performed under the name Hikaru Utada.

Career

• Japanese debut First Love (1999), Japan's best-selling album of all time.
• Distance (2001) sold three million copies in its first week; Deep River (2002) followed.
• Exodus (2004) marked an English-language push in North America under the name Utada.
• Returned to Japan with Ultra Blue (2006) and Heart Station (2008); This Is the One (2009) followed.
• Long hiatus after 2010 Wild Life tour; returned with Fantôme (2016) and Hatsukoi (2018).
• Wrote theme songs for the Kingdom Hearts series, including Face My Fears with Skrillex.
• Bad Mode (2022) was the first bilingual album; Science Fiction (2024) celebrated 25 years since debut.
• Over 40 million records sold; came out as non-binary in 2021.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• CDJournal: Utada's singing voice and musical style felt very heartfelt
• Tower Records: described the album as an epoch-making work that played a pioneering role in changing the concept of popular music in Japan
• Music critic Yoichi Shibuya: different from anything Japanese pop had produced until then, with very high quality and international appeal
• Yoichi Shibuya: said he felt the DNA of Japanese pop music had changed
• Music Magazine's Yumiko Kakoi: said Utada had made the best parts of R&B and songs her own
• Music Magazine's Tomoo Yamaguchi: said nothing in her music or singing ability was obnoxious

Reappraisal

• OKMusic's Tomoyuki Hokari (2016): praised the seamless use of words that made the most of Utada's bilingualism
• In September 2007, Rolling Stone Japan ranked First Love No.99 on its list of the 100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time

Records

• Oricon Albums Chart: number one, 2,026,870 units in the first week
• Sold over five million copies in March and April 1999
• Cumulative sales reached 5.239 million by May 10, 1999, making it the best-selling album of all time in Japan
• Reached six million copies on May 31, 1999, the first album in Oricon history to do so
• Passed seven million copies by August 16, 1999
• Named the best-performing album of 1999 in Japan by Oricon, with 7,365,830 copies by fiscal year end
• Over 8.7 million shipped in Japan and 18 million worldwide by 2014
• Certified octuple million by the RIAJ, the only album or physical record to receive that certification
• Sold 500,000 copies in Taiwan
• Stayed at number one for six nonconsecutive weeks

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Ted Jensen, an American producer and mixer, mixed the tracks at Sterling Sound Studios in New York.
• Utada's fascination with rhythm and blues began with Aaliyah's album Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, which Utada described as their rhythm and blues roots.
• EMI's head offices asked Utada to write Japanese songs rather than English lyrics.
• The album was reissued in 2014 for its 15th anniversary as a special edition featuring two additional discs and a bonus live DVD.
• Utada's father Teruzane managed their work and also produced and composed it while the album was made.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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