| Moon/Blossom | |
| Cover: | Moonblossomcddvdcov.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Ayumi Hamasaki |
| Album: | Love Songs |
| Recorded: | 2010 |
| Genre: | Pop rock |
| Label: | Avex Trax |
| Producer: | Max Matsuura |
| Prev Title: | You Were.../Ballad |
| Prev Year: | 2009 |
| Next Title: | Crossroad |
| Next Year: | 2010 |
"Moon/Blossom" is Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki's forty-eighth (forty-ninth overall) single, released on July 14, 2010.[1] The first song on the single "Moon" is used to promote Honda's Zest Spark Kei car while the second song "Blossom" is used to promote Zespri kiwifruit.[2]
The song "Moon" was first released as a Chaku-Uta sample for members of Ayu's official fanclub Team Ayu with the release of the album Rock 'n' Roll Circus; the announcement of the single was publicly released first on Twitter, first by Ayu's producer Max Matsuura and then relayed into the "Ayu News" Twitter account, which was officially managed by Avex Group.[3] [4]
This single is her first of three singles in the "road to fiftieth (50th) single", which would be followed by Crossroad and L, and it is expected that there will be a preview for the 49th single in Chaku-Uta form, though that can only be accessible through a serial number that will be released in limited first press editions of the release, with the forty-ninth (49th) and fiftieth singles also having its own serial numbers for users to access special content, which include never-before-released pictures sent to Japanese cellphones as well as PC wallpapers, though that site is not in operation until as late as late 2010/early 2011.
A month before its release, the music video for Blossom was cancelled, and as such, the other CD/DVD version (AVCD-31892/B) was cancelled.[1] The music video for Blossom was later released on her 49th single, Crossroad.
The single is certified Gold for shipment of 100,000 copies.[5]
A 2:56 minute clip for Moon was released on June 9, 2010 in Ayumi Hamasaki's YouTube channel. The full PV was released on July 13, 2010, a day before the single was available in stores. The video featured Ayumi singing in a European aristocratic room setting. As the video progresses a strange, black, tar-like liquid begins dropping in the room, on random furniture. The video is also inter-cut with scenes of Ayumi smiling while holding one of her pet dogs, in her second verse it shown ayumi with the black liquid falling down all over her face, near chest and going to her hands. Depicting sorrow or despair, presumably of the dog shown towards the end of the video.
The music video of Blossom was cancelled, but a music video appeared for Crossroad.
All lyrics written by Ayumi Hamasaki.
| Release | Chart | Peak Position | Debut Sales | Sales Total | Chart Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 14, 2010 | Oricon Daily Singles Chart | 1 | 33,974 | ||
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart | 1 | 70,568 | 96,490 | 13 weeks | |
| Oricon Monthly Singles Chart | 6 | 87,558 | |||
| Oricon Yearly Singles Chart | 70 |