The Best Bang!! Explained

The Best Bang!!
Type:greatest
Artist:Masaharu Fukuyama
Cover:FukuyamabestbangCD.jpg
Recorded:1990–2010
Genre:Rock
Length:3:39:11
4:07:32 (limited edition)
Language:Japanese
Label:Universal
Producer:Masaharu Fukuyama
Prev Title:Zankyō
Prev Year:2009
Next Title:Human
Next Year:2014

The Best Bang!! (stylized as THE BEST BANG!!) is Japanese rock singer-songwriter Masaharu Fukuyama's fourth compilation album, released on November 17, 2010.[1] The tribute album was also released separately in territories outside Japan.

Background and development

The compilation is a collection to celebrate Fukuyama's 20th anniversary since his debut as a musician in 1990. The album features material from 1990 through to 2010, spanning two record labels. Fukuyama personally chose the songs to appear on the album.

The compilation also featured new songs, such as the singles "Hatsukoi" and "Hotaru/Shōnen," and a single for the song "Kokoro Color (A Song for the Wonderful Year)" featuring three completely unpublished songs.[1] On the limited edition CD+DVD version of the album, six instrumental compositions were added to the third disc,[1] including the unpublished "Denderaryūba," which was performed at Fukuyama's 20th anniversary We're Bros. tour.[3]

Three versions of the album were released: a CD+DVD limited edition version,[4] a version limited to 15,000 copies that came with a special towel[5] and a regular version.[3] The DVD featured eight songs' music videos, including "Kokoro Color (A Song for the Wonderful Year)."[1]

Cover artwork

The cover artwork to the regular and special goods version of the album features a collage of 44 different pictures of Fukuyama, from infancy through to 2010. The CD+DVD version, however, features a photo taken in 1988 at 19, before Fukuyama's debut as a singer. The reverse side of the album features a 2010 recreation of the photo, with Fukuyama at age 41.

Chart reception

The album debuted on its first day at number one on Oricons albums charts, debuting at number one for the week, with 381,000 copies sold. This became his 8th number one album, and was the highest sales for a solo vocalist in Japan for 2010, as well as the highest sales for an album by a male soloist in five years, since Ken Hirai's Ken Hirai 10th Anniversary Complete Single Collection '95—'05 "Utabaka". Despite being released in November, The Best Bang!! was the 9th best sold album in 2010 in Japan. The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) have certified the album as double platinum for a shipment of more than 500,000 copies.

The additional single "Kokoro Color (A Song for the Wonderful Year)" was released digitally as a full-length cellphone download a week before the album on November 10. The song was promoted heavily on radio for two weeks, peaking at number 7 on Billboard Japan Hot 100.[6] The song reached number 13 on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart.[7]

Track listing

All versions of the album

All songs written and composed by Masaharu Fukuyama, except "Tsuioku no Ame no Naka" which features additional music written with Hideo Sano, "Peach!!" which features music co-written with Motohiro Tomita and "Ishikure no Pride" which features lyrics by Sion.

Chart rankings

Chart
(2010)
Peak
position
Oricon daily albums[8] 1
Oricon weekly albums[9] 1
Oricon monthly albums[10] 2
Oricon yearly albums[11] 9

Sales and certifications

Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[12] 662,000<--661,570-->
RIAJ physical shipping certification[13] Triple platinum (750,000+)

Release history

RegionDateFormatDistributing Label
JapanCD, digital downloadUniversal Music Japan
[14] Rental CD
Taiwan[15] CDUniversal Taiwan
Hong Kong[16] CDUniversal Hong Kong
South Korea[17] CDSony Music Korea
Thailand[18] CDUniversal
JapanAsia Limited Bang!

CD, digital download

Universal Music Japan

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [CD] 「THE BEST BANG!!」-ASIA LIMITED BANG!!- [完全生産限定盤] / 福山雅治 ]. Neowing . Japanese . April 6, 2011 . April 6, 2011].
  2. Web site: [CD] THE BEST BANG!! [DVD付初回限定盤] / 福山雅治 |work=Neowing | language=Japanese | accessdate=December 29, 2010}} The compilation was an all-time greatest hits album, featuring Fukuyama's songs from both his time with record labels BMG Japan and Universal Music Japan.

    The album was released in other Asian territories in March and April 2011. The album was re-released in Japan in April with an added disc, titled the Asia Limited Bang!! version, featuring , a tribute album performed by South Korean musicians, sung in Korean.[1]

    .
  3. Web site: http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/4055216/s/ . ja:THE BEST BANG!!【通常盤:3CD+シングルCD】 . JBook . Japanese . December 29, 2010.
  4. Web site: http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/4055216/s/ . ja:THE BEST BANG!!【初回限定盤:3CD(Best Inst集6曲収録)+シングルCD+DVD】 . JBook . Japanese . December 29, 2010.
  5. Web site: http://www.jbook.co.jp/p/p.aspx/4055217/s/ . ja:THE BEST BANG!!【15万枚限定生産盤:3CD+シングルCD+特製グッズ(スペシャル・タオル)】 . JBook . Japanese . December 29, 2010.
  6. Web site: Japan Billboard Hot 100 . Billboard Japan . November 10, 2010 . November 10, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101122212055/http://www.billboard-japan.com/system/jp_charts/hot100 . dead . November 22, 2010.
  7. Web site: レコード協会調べ 2010年11月10日~2010年11月16日<略称:レコ協チャート(「着うたフル(R)」)>|trans-title=Record Association Analysis: November 10, 2010 – November 16, 2010 (Abbreviated: RIAJ Chart ('Full-length Cellphone Downloads') . November 19, 2010 . . December 29, 2010 . Japanese.
  8. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/82197/ . ja:福山雅治、ベストアルバムが初日首位 . Masaharu Fukuyama, greatest hits album ranks number one for first day . . November 18, 2010 . Japanese . December 29, 2010.
  9. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/82298/full/ . ja:福山雅治、今年ソロ最高&男性ソロ5年ぶりの初週30万枚突破 . Masaharu Fukuyama, first week sales of over 300,000 copies, highest for a soloist this year and for a male soloist in five years . . November 28, 2010 . Japanese . December 29, 2010.
  10. Web site: アルバム 月間ランキング-ORICON STYLE ランキング . . Album Monthly Ranking – Oricon Style Ranking . Japanese . December 10, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101226153624/http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/ . live . December 26, 2010.
  11. Web site: アルバム 年間ランキング-ORICON STYLE ランキング . Album Yearly Ranking – Oricon Style Ranking . . Japanese . December 20, 2010 . December 20, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101228070701/http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/y/ . live . December 28, 2010.
  12. 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" . . May 17, 2011. (subscription only)
  13. Web site: ja:ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2010年12月 . Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (December 2010) . http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/201012.html . . Japanese . January 14, 2011 . January 14, 2011.
  14. Web site: Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL.2 . Tsutaya . December 29, 2010.
  15. Web site: THE BEST BANG!! (Taiwan Version) . Yesasia . April 6, 2011.
  16. Web site: J-Pop – The Best Bang! (Masaharu Fukuyama) . Play Asia . April 6, 2011.
  17. Web site: The Best Bang ! (3CD) (Korea Version) . Yesasia . April 6, 2011.
  18. Web site: Masaharu Fukuyama: The Best Bang (3CD) . Boomerang Shop . April 13, 2011.