Bad Mode Explained

Bad Mode
Type:studio
Artist:Hikaru Utada
Cover:Utada Hikaru - Bad Mode.jpeg
Border:yes
Caption:Digital and standard cover
Released:January 19, 2022
Recorded:2018–2021
Length:73:36
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:One Last Kiss
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios
Next Year:2022

is the eighth Japanese-language studio album (eleventh overall) by Japanese-American singer Hikaru Utada. It is the singer's first bilingual album release, with songs recorded in both Japanese and English. The album was released on the Sony Music Japan sublabel Epic Records Japan digitally on January 19, 2022, the day of Utada's 39th birthday, and was released physically on CD and limited CD-DVD-BD format bundle on February 23. It marked her first album release in four years since Hatsukoi (2018).

Six previously released songs were confirmed for the album, including title track "Bad Mode", the Shiseido commercial theme song "Find Love", the theme song "One Last Kiss" and the Kingdom Hearts III theme song "Face My Fears".[1] The album includes collaborations with a variety of producers, including Skrillex and Poo Bear, A. G. Cook, and Sam Shepherd.[2] Describing the record's themes, MTV wrote that Bad Mode is largely about growing up, self-love, self-partnering, and acceptance". It utilizes various musical styles including pop, jazz, electronica and R&B.

Bad Mode received critical acclaim from music critics, with The Japan Times calling it a career highlight. It was named one of the best albums of the year by various music publications including Pitchfork and Slant Magazine, while "Somewhere Near Marseilles" was ranked within the top 10 on both publication's lists of Best Songs of 2022. Commercially, the album received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) within a month of its release with over 100,000 copies sold.

Background and packaging

The CD + DVD + Blu-ray release comes with the regular audio CD, five music videos ("Time", "One Last Kiss", "Pink Blood", "Kimi ni Muchū" and "Bad Mode") and the full recorded concert "Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios".[3] The concert was recorded at London's Air Studios, with bassist Jodi Milliner as the bandmaster. Sound engineer Steve Fitzmaurice worked in sound recording and mixing, and David Barnard in the video direction. Hikaru Utada's son, who is six years old at the moment of the album's release, participated in the album, having violin credits in "Bad Mode" and vocal credits in "Not in the Mood" under the name The Artist's Son. He also appears on the album cover.[4]

Composition

In contrast to her past albums, Bad Mode revolves around Utada's relationship with herself.[5] She states that most of the songs were written during the COVID-19 pandemic and containing reflections on being a mother, surviving through difficult times, and working to improve her own state of being and relationships with other people.[6]

Promotion

Despite having no tour to promote the album, Utada performed for the first time in the famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 17, 2022, being a part of the 88rising label block, singing some old hits and "Face My Fears" from Bad Mode, and a new song called "T", released after the concert ended for streaming, in the 88rising's EP Head in the Clouds Forever.[7] Due to fans request, the concert Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios was released on June 9, 2022, for streaming in Netflix and as Utada's first ever digital live album.[8]

In September 2022, Utada performed "Somewhere Near Marseilles" live at the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise zoo. An accompanying video of the performance was released exclusively to Spotify in part of their five-year anniversary celebration of the service launching in Japan.[9]

Accolades

Beats Per MinuteTop 50 Albums of 202237[10]
Gorilla vs. BearTop 50 Albums of 202219[11]
NMEThe 25 best Asian albums of 20228[12]
NPR (Lars Gotrich)Top 10 Albums of 2022Placed[13]
NPR (Sheldon Pearce)Top Albums of 2022Placed[14]
PitchforkThe 50 Best Albums of 202231[15]
The SkinnyTop Albums of 202217[16]
Slant MagazineThe 50 Best Albums of 20229[17]
Tokyo WeekenderTop 10 Best Japanese Albums of 20229[18]
Gorilla vs. BearTop 50 Songs of 2022"Somewhere Near Marseilles"5[19]
PitchforkThe 100 Best Songs of 202210[20]
Resident AdvisorThe Best Tracks of 2022Placed[21]
Slant MagazineThe 50 Best Songs of 20226[22]
The FaderThe 100 Best Songs of 202242[23]
NPRThe 100 Best Songs of 2022"Bad Mode"32[24]

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[25] 1

Monthly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[26] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[27] 26
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[28] 16

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
VariousJanuary 19, 2022[29]
February 23, 2022CD
April 27, 2022LP

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 8th Studio Album BAD MODE Available Digitally on January 19 and CD Releasing February 23 . December 9, 2021 . Hikaru Utada Official Website . Sony Music Labels Inc. . December 8, 2021.
  2. Web site: Hikaru Utada Will Release 8th Studio Album Bad Mode Wednesday, January 19 From Milan Records . January 11, 2022 . . January 13, 2022.
  3. Web site: Utada Hikaru Releases Information on Their New Album . December 8, 2021 . December 8, 2021.
  4. Stern . Bradley . January 19, 2022 . Hikaru Utada Returns, With 'Bad Mode' & A Better Sense of Self . January 19, 2022 . . en-US.
  5. Web site: Utada Hikaru Twitter Account. May 5, 2021 . . June 16, 2022.
  6. Web site: Russel. Erica. January 19, 2022. Hikaru Utada Looks Into The Mirror . https://web.archive.org/web/20220119214326/http://www.mtv.com/news/3183667/hikaru-utada-interview-bad-mode/. dead. January 19, 2022. June 16, 2022. MTV. en-US.
  7. April 26, 2022 . Hikaru Utada Makes Festival Debut at Coachella With 88rising: Interview & Recap . June 16, 2022 . . en-US.
  8. June 10, 2022 . "Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios" Coming to Netflix on June 9" . June 16, 2022 . . en-US.
  9. Web site: September 16, 2022 . "「Somewhere Near Marseilles ―マルセイユ辺りー -LIVE at Sea Paradise」 Spotify 「Go Stream」パフォーマンスビデオ として自身初の縦型映像作品本日公開". October 13, 2022 . Hikaru Utada Official Website . JA.
  10. Web site: Hakimian . Rob . McMullen . Chase . Sentz . Tim . Pickard . Joshua . Wohlmacher . John . Finlayson . Ray . Amen . John . Kohner . Kyle . Early . J. T. . 2022-12-15 . BPM's Top 50 Albums of 2022 . 2022-12-15 . Beats Per Minute . en-US.
  11. Web site: Chris . 2022-12-01 . gorilla vs. bear's albums of 2022 . 2022-12-10 . Gorilla vs. Bear . en.
  12. Web site: 2022-12-23 . The 25 best Asian albums of 2022 . 2023-12-31 . NME . en.
  13. Web site: Gotrich . Lars . NPR Music 2022 Staff Picks: Lars Gotrich . NPR . 22 December 2022 . en . 21 December 2022.
  14. News: Pearce . Sheldon . 2022-12-09 . Sheldon Pearce's Top 20 Albums of 2022 . en . NPR . 2022-12-11.
  15. Web site: 2022-12-06 . The 50 Best Albums of 2022 . 2022-12-10 . Pitchfork . en-US.
  16. Web site: 2022-12-08 . The Skinny's Top Ten Albums of 2022 . 2022-12-10 . The Skinny . en.
  17. Web site: 2022-12-07 . The 50 Best Albums of 2022 . 2022-12-10 . Slant Magazine . en-US.
  18. Web site: Kahan . Kim . 2022-12-28 . Top 10 Best Albums From Japan Released in 2022 . 2023-12-31 . Tokyo Weekender .
  19. Web site: Chris . 2022-12-04 . gorilla vs. bear's songs of 2022 . 2022-12-10 . Gorilla vs. Bear . en.
  20. Web site: 2022-12-05 . The 100 Best Songs of 2022 . 2022-12-10 . Pitchfork . en-US.
  21. Web site: The Best Tracks of 2022 · Feature ⟋ RA . 2022-12-28 . Resident Advisor . en.
  22. Web site: 2022-12-06 . The 50 Best Songs of 2022 . 2022-12-10 . Slant Magazine . en-US.
  23. Web site: 2022-12-15 . The 100 best songs of 2022 . 2022-12-31 . The Fader . en-US.
  24. News: 2022-12-15 . The 100 Best Songs Of 2022 . en . NPR . 2022-12-15.
  25. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums Chart . March 2, 2022 . Billboard Japan. ja. March 30, 2022.
  26. Web site: Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-02 . . December 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220309043717/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/2022-02/ . March 9, 2022.
  27. Web site: Oricon Top 100 Albums: 2022 . . December 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221222005734/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/y/2022/p/3/ . December 22, 2022.
  28. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums Year-End 2022 . . December 9, 2022.
  29. Web site: BADモード . Hikaru Utada Official Website . Sony Music Labels Inc. . December 12, 2021 . ja . January 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220112050857/https://www.utadahikaru.jp/music/album/title_21.html . dead .