Pokémon 2.B.A. Master Explained
Pokémon 2.B.A. Master: Music From the Hit TV Series is the first soundtrack album released for the English localization of the Pokémon anime. It was released by Koch Records on June 29, 1999. The "Pokémon Theme" song was released as a single.
Production
In an interview with producer John Loeffler, it was revealed that it took three and a half weeks to produce the album.[1]
Reception
Pokémon 2.B.A. Master was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 18, 1999 for selling 500,000 copies.[2] As of May 2003, the album has sold over three million copies worldwide.[3]
In popular culture
- Shortened versions of the songs "2.B.A. Master," "Double Trouble (Team Rocket)," "My Best Friends," "Together Forever," "Viridian City," and "What Kind of Pokémon Are You?" are played in the "Pikachu's Jukebox" segment during the show's first two seasons.
- Instrumental versions of the album's songs make up the soundtrack to the 2000 video game Pokémon Puzzle League.[4]
- Various songs from the album were used in the musical Pokémon Live!
- Comedian and video producer Brian David Gilbert created and performed a rewritten and extended Pokérap, including a vast majority of Pokémon from every generation that had been released at the time. He described this theatrical piece as a "Gesamtkunstwerk".
Personnel
- Larry Alexander – engineer, mixing
- Joe Barbaria – engineer
- Andre Betts – rap vocals (3)
- Maddie Blaustein – lead vocals (9)
- Sheila Brody – lead vocals (6)
- Sharon Bryant – background vocals (4, 6, 9-11, 13)
- Bruce Buchanan – engineer, mixing
- Larry Campbell – guitar (13)
- Elaine Caswell – background vocals (3, 6, 10, 11)
- Vivian Cherry – background vocals (3)
- Dennis Collins – background vocals (13)
- Louis Cortelezzi – background vocals (1, 8, 9, 12), soprano saxophone (13), arranger (9)
- Ken Cummings – background vocals (1, 6, 8, 10-12), arranger (6, 10, 11)
- Babi Floyd – lead vocals (13)
- Ray Greene – lead and background vocals (5)
- Norman Grossfeld – executive producer for 4Kids Productions
- J. P. Hartmann – lead vocals (10)
- Neil Jason – background vocals and arranger (3)
- Premananda Johannes – congas (8)
- Alfred R. Kahn – executive producer
- Curtis King – background vocals (8, 9)
- Yvette Laboy – lead vocals (11)
- Marti Lebow – lead vocals (7)
- Ted Lewis – lead vocals (9)
- Rachael Lillis – lead vocals (9)
- Frank Lloyd – background vocals (3)
- John Loeffler – producer for Rave Music, lead vocals (13), background vocals (1, 4, 8, 12, 13)
- Kati Mac – background vocals (1, 4)
- Eleanor Matera – production coordinator
- Bob Mayo – guitar (9)
- John McCurry – electric guitar (3)
- Cindy Mizelle – background vocals (13)
- Jason Paige – lead vocals (1, 3), background vocals (1)
- Vicki Sue Robinson – lead and background vocals (8)
- David Rolfe – guitar (1)
- Paul Rowan – Pro-Tools editing, assistant engineer
- Rick Rowe (Media Force) – mastering
- Larry Saltzman – guitar (1, 4, 7-9)
- Julian Schwartz – Pro-Tools editing, assistant engineer
- Glen Sherman – guitar (6, 10, 11)
- John Siegler – arranger (1, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13)
- Paul Special – engineer
- Eric Stuart – lead vocals (9)
- Joshua Tyler – lead vocals (4)
- Erika Velázquez – background vocals (2)
- Jake Velázquez – background vocals (2)
- Russell Velázquez – lead vocals and arranger (2), rap vocals (4), background vocals (4, 6, 8-11)
- Michael Whalen – background vocals and arranger (5)
- James "D Train" Williams – lead vocals (12), background vocals (12, 13)
- Darcell Wilson – background vocals (5)
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Notes and References
- News: Rys. Dan. Can't Regret Them All: The Story of the Very Lucrative 'Pokemon Theme'. August 1, 2016. August 1, 2016.
- Web site: Recording Industry Association of America . RIAA . June 4, 2024.
- Web site: Catherine. Olson. Koch Increases Its Kids Product. 44. May 10, 2003. June 5, 2019.
- Web site: Max . Josh . March 2, 2011 . Pokemon Puzzle League . Nintendo World Report . NINWR, LLC . https://web.archive.org/web/20230907075840/https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/extralife/25528/pokemon-puzzle-league . September 7, 2023 . live . March 26, 2024.
- Web site: ARIA Top Albums Chart: SOUNDTRACK - POKÉMON - 2 B. A. MASTER (ALBUM) 12/12/1999. australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. August 1, 2016.
- Web site: Austrian Top Albums Chart: SOUNDTRACK - POKÉMON - SCHNAPP' SIE DIR ALLE! (ALBUM) 12/12/1999. austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. August 1, 2016.
- Web site: Dutch Top Albums Chart: SOUNDTRACK - POKÉMON - SCHNAPP' SIE DIR ALLE! (ALBUM) 12/12/1999. dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. August 1, 2016.
- Web site: RIANZ Top Albums Chart: SOUNDTRACK - POKÉMON - 2 B. A. MASTER (ALBUM) 12/12/1999. charts.nz. Hung Medien. August 1, 2016.
- Pokemon: 2.B.A. Master - Original Soundtrack. Billboard. August 1, 2016.
- 1999: The Year in Music. YE-93. . Prometheus Global Media. December 25, 1999. December 10, 2011.
- 2000: The Year in Music. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 112. 53. YE–74, 78. December 20, 2000. October 20, 2013.
