Equinox (JO1 album) explained

Equinox
Type:studio
Artist:JO1
Cover:Equinox normal edition cover.jpg
Caption:Normal edition cover
Released:September 20, 2023
Recorded:2022–2023
Genre:J-pop
Length:
  • 39:33 (Limited edition A)
  • 39:21 (Limited edition B)
  • 49:14 (Normal edition)
  • 48:59 (Fan Club edition)
  • 52:16 (Special edition)
Label:Lapone Entertainment
Prev Title:Kizuna
Prev Year:2022

Equinox (stylized in all caps) is the third studio album by Japanese boy band JO1. It includes songs from their previous EP releases, Midnight Sun and Tropical Night. Lapone Entertainment released the album in five editions on September 20, 2023, with "Venus" and "Radiovision" serving as the main promotional singles. It is the group's first release with unit songs and digipack packaging. Notable contributors include Sunwoo of The Boyz, Masami Kakinuma, and members of JO1.

Equinox was preceded by two promotional digital singles: "NEWSmile", the theme of the Japanese morning news show Mezamashi 8, and "Gradation", from the film , which starred member Ruki Shiroiwa. The album is also backed by an arena tour titled Beyond the Dark from August to October 2023, with an encore performance in Kyocera Dome Osaka in November. The group's first Asian tour is set to begin in four cities in the same month.

The album is JO1's second consecutive number-one album on both the Oricon and Billboard Japan charts. The album marked the first time JO1 to rank atop combined sales, physical sales and download component charts on both publications.

Background and release

On June 29, 2023, JO1 announced that their third album, Equinox, was slated to be released on September 20. The theme of the album was said to be "the moment when light and darkness completely confront each other, we break through the boundary between dreams and reality".[1] It features a total of 16 songs, with eight of them are selected songs from the group's two previous EP singles, while the rest are eight new songs, including "NEWSmile", the theme of the Japanese morning news show Mezamashi 8, and "Gradation", from the film , which starred member Ruki Shiroiwa.[2]

The album was released into four physical editions, including selected songs from JO1's two previous singles, Midnight Sun and Tropical Night, as well as two promotional singles, "RadioVision" and "Venus". The two limited editions each features 12 tracks and comes with a digipack packaging and a DVD consisting of a variety segment. Both the CD-only normal edition and the fan club edition, which comes with a folder case packaging and a photo book, feature 15 tracks.

Promotion

On September 18, 2023, JO1 headlined CDTV Live! Live! Festival 2023 at Tokyo Garden Theater. The group performed seven songs from the album, including "Venus" and "Radiovision".[3] On the album's release day, JO1 appeared on MBC Music's Show Champion, followed by M Countdown the following day. It's the first time the group has commemorated a release day outside Japan, instead of interacting with fans via a YouTube livestream.[4] On September 30, JO1 performed "Venus" at Fuji TV's Music Fair.[5] On October 20, JO1 made their debut on TV Asahi's prime time music program, Music Station, performing a medley of "Venus", "SuperCali", and "Trigger".[6] They were the second non-Johnny & Associates and LDH boy band to perform on the show following public criticism of the former's alleged influence in domestic rival groups' inability to appear on the show emerged.[6] [7]

Singles

The album's lead single, Midnight Sun, was released on October 15, 2022,[8] with "SuperCali" as the lead single, whose title is derived from the English compound word "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious".[9] The single is JO1's first to sell over 600,000 copies in its release week on the Billboard Japan chart,[10] with "SuperCali" becoming the group's first song to spend two weeks in the top six of the Japan Hot 100.[11] [12]

Tropical Night was released on April 5, 2023, becoming the group's seventh consecutive Oricon number-one single.[13] [14] The lead track, "Tiger", was performed at Hanshin Koshien Stadium to open the Hanshin Tigers vs. Hiroshima Toyo Carp match.[15] It topped Japan Hot 100 was the group's debut entry on Billboard's Hot Trending Songs.[16] [17] [18]

Promotional singles

The first promotional single, "NEWSmile", was released as the theme song for the morning news show Mezamashi 8, with music chosen and lyrics written by JO1 members.[2] Aside from being published digitally on July 3, the song was sold via QR codes attached to "Charming Daily Goods" (CD Goods) sold at a one-week pop-up store JO1 Mart in Shibuya, Tokyo, beginning on July 24, 2023.[19] In an interview with Natalie, Choi Shin-hwa, CEO of Lapone Entertainment, stated that it was a move for the group and company to explore different ways of releasing music.[20] "NEWSmile" debuted at number 58 on the Japan Hot 100.[21] It was performed on Fuji TV's 2023 FNS Music Festival Summer.[22]

"Radiovision" was released on August 7, 2023, as one of the album's two main promotional songs. Having been described as a "funky disco dance song", the song encourages listeners to "enjoy the memories we're currently making together".[23] It debuted in front of an audience at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on the opening day of the Beyond the Dark tour. The Korean version of the song was performed at KCON LA 2023 on August 20, and the music video was released the following day.[24] [23]

"Gradation" is the third promotional single from the album and was released on August 31, 2023, as the theme song of the film , featuring member Ruki Shiroiwa. The song was also performed for the first time at the Aichi show of Beyond the Dark tour on the same day.[25]

The last and second main promotional single, "Venus", was released on September 17, 2023, alongside its music video. Sunwoo of the South Korean boy band The Boyz participated in the production of the song.[26]

Concert tours

Beyond the Dark

Concert Tour Name:2023 JO1 2nd Arena Live Tour "Beyond the Dark"
Artist:JO1
Type:Japan
Album:Equinox
Number Of Shows:15
This Tour:Beyond the Dark (2023)
Last Tour:Kizuna (2022)
Next Tour:Beyond the Dark – Limited Edition (2023)

To promote Equinox, JO1 embarked on their second arena tour, titled Beyond the Dark.[27] They toured Tokyo, Aichi, Miyagi, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Osaka, with a total of 13 shows from August 5 to October 19, 2023.[28] JO1 debuted "Radiovision" at the first show and added more songs from the album to the setlist as the tour progressed.[29] [30] The tour was fully supported by a live band and included exclusive unit performances as well as a camera-approved encore.[29] A two-day encore concert in the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, which would be the group's first dome performance, was also announced at the first show.[27] The dome concert featured unit songs from the album and air balloons for members to greet the audience in high seats.[31] A live stream was available for the first day of the concert via Lemino and StreamPass.[32] [33] The four-month domestic tour attracted approximately 200,000 people.[31]

The set list for the October 19 show in Osaka and the November 24 show in Kyocera Dome are the following:[34] [35]

Beyond the Dark – Limited Edition

Concert Tour Name:2023 JO1 1st Asia Tour "Beyond the Dark" Limited Edition
Artist:JO1
Type:Asia
Album:Equinox
Number Of Shows:4
Last Tour:Beyond the Dark (2023)
This Tour:Beyond the Dark – Limited Edition (2023)

JO1 announced their first Asian tour at Lapone Entertainment's first joint concert, Laposta 2023, on May 31, 2023.[36] The group is set to tour Jakarta, Bangkok and Taipei in November, between Beyond the Dark tour and its encore performance in Kyocera Dome, with a Shanghai show closing the tour on December 8.[37] [38] JO1 debuted "Eyes On Me" feat. R3hab on the Jakarta show on November 1, 2023.[38] The set list also includes an acoustic version of "Bokura no Kisetsu".[39]

Commercial performance

Equinox debuted at number one on the Oricon Daily Albums Chart with 185,011 copies sold[40] and went on to become the group's second consecutive number-one album on the Oricon Combined Albums and Billboard Japan Hot Albums charts.[41] The album marked the first time JO1 to rank atop combined sales, physical sales, and download component charts on both publications,[41] [42] [43] propelling them to the top of the Billboard Japan Artist 100.[44] The album eventually sold over 263,919 copies by the end of the year and ranked fifteen on Oricon's year-end chart.

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[45] Track listing is based on Equinox special edition.

Musicians and vocals

Technical

Locations

Visual and designs

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[46] 1
Japanese Combined Albums (Oricon)1
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[47] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[48] 15
Japanese Combined Albums (Oricon)[49] 22
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[50] 14

Release history

Release dates and formats for Equinox! Region! Date! Label! Format! Edition! Catalog
JapanSeptember 20, 2023Lapone EntertainmentLimited AYRCS-95114
Limited BYRCS-95115
NormalYRCS-95116
Fan ClubYRCF-91018
VariousSpecial

Notes and References

  1. Web site: JO1、3rdアルバムを今秋発売！「KIZUNA」の次は「EQUINOX」 . . 19 September 2023 . ja . 29 June 2023 . 19 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230919065951/https://natalie.mu/music/news/530846 . live .
  2. Web site: JO1、3rdアルバム『EQUINOX』詳細発表&作品ビジュアル公開 グループ初となるダブルMV制作 . . 19 September 2023 . ja . 1 August 2023 . 19 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230919080451/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2289279/full/ . live .
  3. Web site: JO1『CDTVライブ!ライブ!』フェス大トリで「Venus」初披露【セットリストあり】. Oricon. ja. 23 October 2023. 19 September 2023. 23 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231023071436/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2295377/full/. live.
  4. Web site: JO1 初の韓国で迎える"カムバ"にファン期待 2日連続で『SHOW CHAMPION』『M COUNTDOWN』出演 . . 23 October 2023 . ja . 20 September 2023 . 29 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929215617/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2295512/full/ . live .
  5. Web site: Music Fair . . 23 October 2023 . ja.
  6. Web site: 「Ｍステ」に変化 初登場ＪＯ１が異例の厚遇で４曲歌唱…ＢＥ：ＦＩＲＳＴに続くボーイズグループ出演. Sports Hochi. Yahoo! News Japan. 21 October 2023. ja. 20 October 2023. October 21, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231021180913/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/e918cc81350dc8f922792c053aff1aea7d885f65. live.
  7. Web site: ＜ジャニーズ会見＞「Mステ」にDa-iCE・JO1ら出演しないのは"忖度"か 元キンプリ平野紫耀らへの対応についても東山紀之明言「必要ないと思います」. . 21 October 2023. ja. 7 September 2023. September 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230912234449/https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/3938693. live.
  8. Web site: JO1、6thシングル『MIDNIGHT SUN』10・12リリース「僕らはなんだってできる」. Oricon. 26 August 2022 . 15 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220915032948/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2247078/full/. 15 September 2022.
  9. Web site: JO1が福岡で新曲「SuperCali」初披露、地元凱旋の川尻蓮は「JAMは0を1にする力がある」と涙. Natalie. 27 September 2022. https://archive.today/20220927082549/https://natalie.mu/music/news/494733. 27 September 2022. 23 September 2022.
  10. Web site: 【ビルボード】JO1『MIDNIGHT SUN』初週60万枚でシングル・セールス首位、自己最高スタート. Billboard Japan. 18 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221018070531/https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/117768/2. 18 October 2022. 18 October 2022.
  11. Web site: 【ビルボード】米津玄師「KICK BACK」、JO1／Official髭男dism／藤井 風／Adoを抑え初登場総合首位獲得. Billboard Japan. 19 October 2022. https://archive.today/20221019094238/https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/117859/2. 19 October 2022 . 19 October 2022.
  12. Web site: 【ビルボード】Official髭男dism「Subtitle」急伸、米津玄師「KICK BACK」を抑え総合首位奪取. Billboard Japan. 30 November 2022. https://archive.today/20221130093943/https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/118108/2. 30 November 2022. 26 October 2022.
  13. Web site: JO1が7thシングル「TROPICAL NIGHT」で"燃え尽きた青春の美しさ"表現、オフラインイベントも続々 . . 24 March 2023 . ja . 15 February 2023 . March 20, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230320082113/https://natalie.mu/music/news/513011 . live .
  14. Web site: ja:週間 シングルランキング 2023年04月17日付. https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2023-04-17/. Oricon. 12 April 2023. ja. April 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230412050831/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2023-04-17/. live.
  15. Web site: 虎のピッチャー豆原一成vsバッター川西拓実 JO1の元高校球児コンビ、聖地・甲子園で夢かなえる . . 10 July 2023 . ja . 21 April 2023 . April 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230423225137/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2276338/full/ . live .
  16. Web site: April 17, 2023. Billboard Japan. ja. April 12, 2023. April 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230412063922/https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2023&month=04&day=17. live.
  17. Web site: Hot Trending Songs Powered by Twitter. Billboard. 15 April 2023. 12 April 2023. August 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220824032906/https://www.billboard.com/charts/twitter-hot-trending-songs/. live.
  18. Web site: JO1新曲が全米ビルボード「Hot Trending Songs」上位にランクイン、リーダー與那城奨がコメント発表. Natalie. 13 April 2023. 14 April 2023. April 14, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230414013450/https://natalie.mu/music/news/520766. live.
  19. Web site: JO1、ニューSG『NEWSmile』リリース決定＆音楽が聴けるグッズを販売「JO1 MART」オープンへ . . 30 June 2023 . ja . 30 June 2023 . June 30, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230630085638/https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/127140/2 . live .
  20. Web site: JO1が"新しい音楽の届け方"を追求した理由 . . 13 September 2023 . ja . 24 July 2023 . August 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230807083804/https://natalie.mu/music/column/533590 . live .
  21. Web site: Japan Hot 100 July 12, 2023. Billboard Japan. ja. July 12, 2023. July 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230712050527/https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2023&month=07&day=17. live.
  22. Web site: 今夜放送『FNS歌謡祭 夏』タイムテーブル&全曲目発表. Oricon. 13 July 2023. ja. 12 July 2023. July 13, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230713075414/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2286614/full/. live.
  23. Web site: JO1の新曲「Radiovision」本日配信スタート、歌詞に「Shine A Light」「With Us」登場. Natalie. 7 August 2023. ja. 7 August 2023. August 7, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230807092756/https://natalie.mu/music/news/535922. live.
  24. Web site: E. Morales . Ivana . The 7 best moments from KCON LA 2023 . . 24 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230824004548/https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/kcon-la-2023-best-moments-3487261 . 24 August 2023 . 23 August 2023.
  25. Web site: 週間デジタルシングル（単曲）ランキング 2023年09月11日付 . . 12 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230912105755/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dis/w/2023-09-11/p/3/. 12 September 2023 . ja.
  26. Web site: THE BOYZソヌ、JO1ニューアルバム収録曲に参加 「滝沢歌舞伎」「新テニ」楽曲手がけた作詞家の名も . . 13 September 2023 . ja . 14 August 2023 . September 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230909122310/https://natalie.mu/music/news/536851 . live .
  27. Web site: JO1のツアー初日終了！声出し解禁で金城笑顔「きれいな声、もっと聴かせて？」悲願のドーム公演も発表. Natalie. 6 August 2023. ja. 6 August 2023. August 7, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230807083800/https://natalie.mu/music/news/535819. live.
  28. Web site: JO1のアリーナツアー「BEYOND THE DARK」8月より開催、全国6都市13公演. Natalie. 9 May 2023. ja. 6 May 2023. May 9, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230509005027/https://natalie.mu/music/news/523590. live.
  29. Web site: ＜ライブレポート＞JO1、初の"歓声OK"ツアー初日公演で念願のドーム公演開催を発表「JAMのおかげだよ！」 . . 13 September 2023 . ja . 7 August 2023 . August 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230810040159/https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/128512/2 . live .
  30. Web site: JO1、白岩瑠姫主演映画『夜きみ』主題歌「Gradation」初披露 サントラ盤も発売決定 . . 19 September 2023 . ja . 31 August 2023 . 31 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230831081808/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2292950/full/ . live .
  31. Web site: JO1、4カ月にわたる全国ツアー延べ20万人動員 念願のドーム公演に嬉し涙！ オフィシャルライブレポート. Usen. 26 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231126140706/https://e.usen.com/news/news-event/jo1420-la2024.html. 26 November 2023. ja.
  32. Web site: JO1初のドーム公演を11月24日（金）Leminoで国内独占生配信！. PR Times. 26 November 2023. 17 November 2023. 26 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231126175312/https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000142.000113690.html. live.
  33. Web site: 2023 JO1 2nd Live Tour Beyond the Dark Rise. JO1 Official Website. 26 November 2023. 17 November 2023. 26 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231126175312/https://jo1.jp/feature/2023_livetour_beyondthedark_rise. live.
  34. Web site: JO1、大阪城ホールでアリーナツアー完走 次はアジアツアー&初のドーム公演へ . . 20 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231020071441/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2299382/full/ . 20 October 2023 . ja . 20 October 2023.
  35. Web site: JO1、大阪城ホールでアリーナツアー完走 次はアジアツアー&初のドーム公演へ . . 26 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231126140902/https://natalie.mu/music/news/550595. 26 November 2023 . ja . 26 November 2023.
  36. Web site: JO1初のアジアツアー決定！INI＆DXTEEN合同ライブの最後にうれしいサプライズ発表 . . 5 June 2023 . ja . 31 May 2023 . May 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230531133041/https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/700724 . live .
  37. Web site: JO1初のドーム公演決定、アジアツアー詳細も発表. Natalie. 6 August 2023. ja. 5 August 2023. August 7, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230807083608/https://natalie.mu/music/news/535832. live.
  38. Web site: JO1、初のアジアツアー開幕 インドネシアで「Eyes On Me(feat.R3HAB)」初披露 . . 6 November 2023 . ja . 2 November 2023 . 6 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231106011634/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2301218/full/ . live .
  39. Web site: JO1、アジアツアー台北公演も盛況 ファン200人が空港で出迎え＜ライブレポ＞ . Modelpress . 13 November 2023 . ja . 12 November 2023.
  40. Web site: デイリー アルバムランキング 2022年05月19日付. Oricon. 21 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230920170339/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/d/2023-09-19/. 20 September 2023. ja.
  41. Web site: JO1、自身初のオリコン週間音楽ランキング3冠達成【オリコンランキング】 . . 29 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929010626/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2296568/full/ . 29 September 2023 . ja . 29 September 2023.
  42. Web site: Download Albums . . 27 September 2023 . ja . 27 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927105505/https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=dlalbums . live .
  43. Web site: 【ビルボード】JO1『EQUINOX』が27.4万枚でアルバムセールス首位獲得 . . 25 September 2023 . ja . 25 September 2023 . 27 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927105545/https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/130110/2 . live .
  44. Web site: Artist 100 . . 27 September 2023 . ja . 19 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230719022751/https://billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=artist . live .
  45. Equinox. JO1. 2023. booklet. Lapone Entertainment. Japan.
  46. Web site: JO1、最新アルバムが2作連続の1位【オリコンランキング】 . . 26 September 2023 . ja . 26 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230926075607/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2296161/full/ . live .
  47. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of September 27, 2023. Billboard Japan. ja. September 27, 2023. September 27, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230927052652/https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2023&month=10&day=02. live.
  48. Web site: 【オリコン年間ランキング2023】King & Prince、「シングル」「アルバム」ともにミリオン達成で「音楽」3ジャンルで首位　YOASOBI「アイドル」が３冠. Oricon. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20231219193142/https://www.oricon.co.jp/special/66026/3/. December 19, 2023. live. December 20, 2023.
  49. Web site: オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」. Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' (Annual Combined Albums Ranking 2023). ja. Oricon. subscription. December 19, 2023.
  50. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums Year-End 2023 . . December 9, 2023 . December 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231208010748/https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums_year&year=2023 . live .

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