B'z
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese hard rock
duo, composed of and .
B'z has released 45 consecutive #1 singles, 24 #1 albums, and sold more than 79 million records in Japan alone. Under the recommendation of Steve Vai
, B'z became the first band from Asia
to have their handprints and signatures put up in the Hollywood's RockWalk.
, who was already a professional guitarist in band TM Network
led by Tetsuya Komuro
, had been extremely busy with various recording sessions and live performances. On 21 May 1988, Tak released his first solo album, Thousand Wave. He saw this as a finishing of a chapter as a solo guitarist, and began his search for band members. He later met vocalist Koshi Inaba
, who would later start the band with him. At the time, Japan's music scene was loaded with many new bands being created. With all the digital sounds in mainstream music, the only sounds that they felt could not be expressed and replicated were the guitar and the human voice. As a result, they decided to keep it a two-man unit. On 21 September 1988, B'z, with their first album, B’z
, and single, "Dakara Sono Te Wo Hanashite
", made their debut. Their music was very much a product of its times, with synthesizers and samplers
sharing equal time with Tak's guitar, producing an experimental sound, very different from their well-known hard rock
sound of today.
Instead of immediately performing live after a debut, as many Japanese bands were doing, B'z chose to have a clear vision of how they wanted to perform and decided to wait until they had enough material to play for at least 90 minutes. The two concentrated on recording, raising the quality of their music. Their efforts resulted in a second album, Off the Lock
, released on 21 May 1989. With this second album came their first series of live performances known better to their fans as "Live-Gym". "Live-Gym #00" started in Nagoya, continuing into Osaka
, and finishing in Tokyo
. Tickets were sold out on the day they became available. On 21 October, their first mini album, Bad Communication
was released. The title track was a blend of rock
and dance music
, and was still a classic to their "Live-Gyms." It was charted for 163 weeks on the Oricon Charts. Their first nationwide tour, B'z Live-Gym #001, finished with 16 shows around the country.
On 21 February 1990, the third album Break Through
was released. To promote it, they started a tour with 22 shows nationwide. Their single "Taiyō no Komachi Angel
", was released on 13 June and was able to peak at #1 on the Oricon Chart
. Since the release of the single, each of their singles have since debut at #1 on the Oricon charts. Wicked Beat
, their second mini album, was then released on 21 June. In contrast to the many promotional efforts for Break Through, Wicked Beat received little promotion and the duo went back to the studio and began recording. Their 4th album, Risky
was released on 7 November and went platinum. Their "Risky" tour, totaling 49 performances, also started in November. Their first music video
, Film Risky
, was recorded in New York
and London
within 4 weeks, and was released on 16 December. With a barrage of releases, 1990 came to be the busiest year for B'z.
was released on 29 May 1991. Little promotion was done for it and after releasing only two singles, B'z released their fifth album, In the Life
, on 27 November. The release of the album marked B'z shying away from their advanced digital sounds and more towards rock. Their first live video, "Just Another Life
" was out on 11 December. For promotion, B'z also embarked on their "In the Life '91–'92" tour, with 66 performances in total. The tour started in December and managed to flow into the next year. The total number of "Live-Gyms" they did during this year exceeded 100.
In the summer of 1992, the "Pleasure '92-Time" tour took place with 12 performances in 3 major cities. The arena-class tour had amazing features such as a huge lighting set, called the "Starfish", and seats that rotated 360 degrees. 28 October marked the release of their sixth album, Run
, and proved to be more hard rock oriented than the previous. On 9 December, they released a slightly different mini album Friends
. Different from Run, its concept is somewhat similar to that of a movie soundtrack.
, Shizuoka
on 31 July and 1 August. The successful event gathered 50 thousand people per day, totaling 100,000 people in the end. Following this, B'z concentrated on recording once again, this time, producing a two-disc seventh album, The 7th Blues
. The album title not only came from it being their seventh album, but also after the seventh chord
, that is frequently used in Blues
. Becoming much more "bluesier" and soulful, this album evidently shows their lean towards blues, the roots of rock music.
On 9 February 1994 the "B'z Live-Gym '94—The 9th Blues" tour started. The tour became their longest and biggest tour thus far, managing 87 performances in the year. During the tour, the album, The 7th Blues, was released on 2 March. The tour finished in Sapporo's Tsukisamu Green Dome
on 24 December. This album was a kind of "fans trap", because they made it to "clean" their fandom and just keep the rock and blues loving people with them.
, was released on 22 November. Loose was concentrated on the original concept of a two-man band. While combining rock with pop, this album is well balanced with a variety of sounds. The album sold over 3 million copies, marking it as the best seller for B'z.
The B'z Live-Gym '96 "Spirit Loose" tour, started on 15 March 1996 and held 44 performances in 21 locations. The show opened featuring a short B'z action movie, shot in Los Angeles
. A short while afterwards, B'z released their 6th mini-album titled Friends II
on 25 November. The album displayed more of an adult oriented rock.
On 29 January 1997, member Inaba's first solo album, Magma, was released. He had been recording the album since the previous year, writing all the music and lyrics. The album, which topped the charts, showcased another side of him, different from that of his usual image in B'z. In March, the dome tour "Pleasure '97 Fireball" consisted of 9 performances in 5 locations. Tickets for each dome, which have a capacity of about 30 to 50 thousand people each, were all sold out. The tour included stops at Tokyo (3 nights), Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka
, and Maebashi
, all being successful. On 19 November, their ninth full album Survive
showcased yet another new direction in sound and style.
B'z's first promotional effort for the album included performances in concert halls in Akita
, Hakodate
, Kōchi
, Shiga, and Nagasaki, before plunging into the main tour. "B'z Live-Gym '98 Survive" started on 24 January 1998. On 20 May, B'z released their first official compilation album, B'z The Best "Pleasure", which also marked their 10th year since debuting. Every song included in this album was a huge hit, and was highly acclaimed and its first shipment had sold more copies than any other Japanese artist in history. By this album, their sales in Japan surpassed 50 million records, making them the first artist to do so after Oricon started. On 6 June, the "Survive" tour had successfully ended.
At the beginning of 1999, Tak released his first solo maxi single, "The Changing" on 25 March, which was the first time he had sung on a released record. The single entered in at No. 2 its first week on the charts. On 14 April, he released the album, Knockin' "T" Around, which contains many other tracks with full vocals and also includes, the Formula-1 '99 theme song, Go Further. The album has both instrumental and vocal tracks. However, even before the release of the album, B'z had already started recording again.
, which was released on 14 July. The album's track "Giri Giri Chop
(Version 51)" was recorded by the support of Mr. Big
drummer Pat Torpey
and its bassist Billy Sheehan
. In July, another dome-class tour began starting in Sapporo. The title of the tour, B'z Live-Gym '99 "Brotherhood" included 14 performances in 7 locations. They did away with extra stage acts and concentrated on their musical performance, playing songs from the new album and many hits from the past. On 28 August and 29, they played in the Yokohama International Stadium
. B'z concert was the first ever to be held in this stadium and gathered a stunning 140,000 people in just two days. Although the second day at Yokohama experienced heavy rain, the tour ended successfully. Shortly afterward, B'z started recording again and continued to do so throughout the rest of the year without rest.
On 23 February 2000, they released the album B'z The "Mixture", which included re-mastered tracks of past songs, songs from past singles that were not the featured track, remixes, and a new song. In the middle of May, they started a rehearsal for the summer tour B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2000 -Juice-, starting a hall class venue show in Toyama
, 30 May. The tour totalled 18 shows in 10 cities, including a performance on the famous Nippon Budokan
on 20 June as a start. The recording of their single "Juice" was supported by drummer Brian Tichy
. When they released "Juice", on 12 July, the duo set a Japanese record of marking No.1 on the first week, making it their 25th #1 single in sequence. During the tour, Once Upon a Time in Yokohama ~B'z Live Gym'99 "Brotherhood"~ was released. The year of 2000 was finished with the release of the eleventh album Eleven on 6 December. B'z finished their work in 2000 with the appearance on the TV show Music Station
Special and would start the rehearsal for the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2001 -Eleven-" which kicked off on 26 February, in the following year.
and Hong Kong
and after having Live-Gym that year, they made a promotion trip for the first time there. Warmly welcomed with local fans and all the media, they continued their tour with high expectation towards the Live-Gym in August. "B'z Live-Gym 2001 -Eleven-" had 46 shows in 19 locations and 600,000 audiences all together. After the Eleven tour, B'z prepared for the first Asia tour which includes "B'z Live-Gym in Taipei 2001" on 25 August 26 and "B'z Live-Gym in Hong Kong 2001". The first B'z Asia tour was successul, with the duo finishing their activities as "B'z in 2001" by August. The two later spent rest of the year concentrating on their own solo production.
While B'z started recording as soon as the year 2002 started, Tak finished his solo albums. On 27 February, two solo albums are released at the same time, Dragon From The West which consists of hard rock tunes, and Hana which includes more melodic and Asia orientated tunes. B'z finished their recording in the middle of May, and started the rehearsal in Tokyo for the Live-Gym tour soon beginning. B'z performed with Aerosmith
on the stage of FIFA World Cup
Korea/Japan Official Concert International Day, at Tokyo Stadium on 27 June.
On 3 July, right before the main tour started, a new album Green which is also the name of the tour that year was released. The tour started from Saitama Super Arena
on 8 July to the last show at Osaka Dome
on 9 September, gathering 700,000 audience all together for 14 shows in 11 cities. The live band was rounded out by bassist Billy Sheehan
and Canadian drummer Shane Gaalaas whose credits include Cosmosquad, Yngwie Malmsteen, the Michael Schenker Group
, and Uli Jon Roth. On September, after the last show at Osaka, B'z first US tour at a live house on the West Coast took place in San Diego
"Canes" on 22 September and Los Angeles "The Palace" on 24 September. The U.S, tour "Live-Gym 2002 Rock n' California Roll" was announced and sold only in the US. On 9 October, Inaba released his second solo album, Shian, five and half years after his first solo album. On 27 November, a live video A Beautiful Reel was released in addition to "B'z Live-Gym 2002 Green ~Go★Fight★Win~", which packaged everything that happened on the Green tour. The title not only focused on the Green tour but also contain a second disc including the tour "Live-Gym 2002 Rock n' California Roll". On 11 December, their first ballad compilation album The Ballads ~Love & B'z~
was released.
The year 2003 marked their 15th anniversary and the two started recording from the beginning of the year, traveling to U.S. in February for additional recording. Apart from B'z, Inaba released his solo single, "KI", on 11 June. Along with these continuous releases, the tour "B'z Live-Gym The Final Pleasure "It's Showtime!!"" started in July. The tour "Pleasure" series started since '91 would end this year. The tour kicked off 3 July at Hakodate Shimin Kaikan and finished at Nagisa-en on 21 September, which was ironically the day of their debut, having a total of 23 shows all together. As it has been 10 years since B'z had perform at Nagisa-en since their 1993 performance of "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure '93 "Jap the Ripper"", it gathered 100,000 audience for two days. Even though the shows were hit by typhoon and it rained very hard, it manage to still attract thousands of audience.
After the Nagisa-en performance, B'z flew to the U.S. The tour "B'z Live-Gym 2003 Banzai in North America" concluded with 7 shows including Las Vegas
, Los Angeles, San Francisco
, Seattle, Vancouver
. Their thirteenth album, Big Machine
, was released on 17 September. As they flew back to Japan, B'z started their third tour in 2003, "B'z Live-Gym 2003 Big Machine." It was a dome tour in 6 locations, from Saitama Super Arena to Tokyo Dome
in December. During the tour, Tak announced his solo project. As the start, he worked with the late Izumi Sakai
from Zard
for the song "Ihoujin", as well as with Mai Kuraki
for the song "Imitation Gold". Later, the compilation cover album The Hit Parade with various vocalist was released on 26 November.
Kicking off 2004, B'z went back to the studio to began recording again. On 25 February, a DVD, Typhoon No.15 ~B'z Live-Gym The Final Pleasure "It's Showtime!!" in Nagisaen~, was released. For the rest of the year, they worked mainly on their solo projects. Soon after finishing each solo tour, they began recording together again.
On 6 April 2005, B'z released their fourteenth album The Circle. For the album's recording, the duo were particularly worried about its live sound. For promotional activities, B'z started the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2005 "Circle of Rock"" that ran from April to September, totaling 27 shows in 41 locations. On 1 August, their box set The Complete B'z
was digitally released only for the Japanese iTunes Store
. House of Strings label, which Tak established a year before, released the artist's second album, Theatre of Strings, on 19 October. On 30 November, B'z The Best "Pleasure II", the third compilation album, was released, reaching one million by the end of 2005. On 28 June 2006, their fifteenth original full album Monster was released. Most of the recording took place in Los Angeles
. B'z kicked off the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2006 "Monster's Garage"" from Amami Bunka Center on 2 July, having 17 shows in all, including 5 big domes in 11 locations and 450,000 audience members all together. In the end of 2007, more precisely on 5 December, B’z released their sixteenth album, Action
. The drum parts of their two singles from Action, "Eien no Tsubasa
" and "Super Love Song
", were recorded by drummers Josh Freese
and Jeremy Colson respectively. On 19 November 2007, B'z was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk as the first Asian inductee in Sunset Boulevard
, California
, US.
versions. On April 16, 2008, the band released their forty-fifth single, "Burn -Fumetsu no Face-
", which became their forty-first consecutive #1 single.
2008 also marked the twentieth anniversary of the band. To commemorate the occasion, the "B'z 20" campaign was launched that saw two further compilation albums. B'z The Best "Ultra Pleasure" was released on 18 June 2008 and featured the greatest of the band's hits on a two-disc collection, and in chronological order, with two all-new modern recordings of older tracks. B'z The Best "Ultra Treasure" was released on 17 September 2008. Its two-disc track listing was decided by fans who were invited to vote for three of many songs at the B'z 20th Anniversary website, which featured an exclusive song on a three-disc gift bundle, as well as a re-recording and a remix.
On January 25, 2008, B'z performed only the latest of its "Showcase" series, which are generally small-venue performances of older album songs and the more obscure B-side
that are mostly unsuitable for the larger arena concerts. Following this, B'z immediately embarked on their eight month "Action
" tour that saw them perform all over Japan. Afterward, they segued into their 2008 Pleasure tour, titled "Glory Days". Throughout the month of September, B'z performed for hundreds of thousands of fans in nine performances across three cities. The special tour ended on September 21 with a concert on the 20th anniversary of their first release. This performance was later released on DVD February 25, 2009 as B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2008 -Glory Days-
.
", released on August 5, 2009 that features drummer
Chad Smith
. The non full-track ringtone downloads (Chaku Uta) of "Ichibu to Zenbu" began on July 13, 2009, and the full-track ringtone downloads (Chaku Uta Full) of the song also began on August 26, 2009. For its strong download sales in August and September on Recochoku, the song served the "Monthly Recochoku Award, Best Song Award Grand Prix" for Chaku Uta and Chaku Uta Full each for two consecutive months. On October 13, 2009, KDDI
also announced that "Ichibu to Zenbu" was awarded the "Utatomo Award" of September 2009 for the sales on "Utatomo" via au
's LISMO
. The second release was the single "My Lonely Town
". The physical CD of the single was released on October 14, 2009. Both singles are featured in the band's next studio album, entitled Magic
, released on November 18, 2009. On December 10, 2009, it was announced that their song "Ichibu to Zenbu" won the "Billboard
Japan Hot 100
of the Year 2009" award.
After the "B'z Live-Gym 2010 "Ain't No Magic" Tour", they began their solo activities each and did not release any single as a duo in 2010. Matsumoto released the album Take Your Pick
with Larry Carlton
on June 2, 2010. Inaba's solo studio album Hadou was also released on August 18, 2010, debuting at number one on the Oricon album charts. Take Your Pick won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album
at the 53rd Grammy Awards
on February 13, 2011.
In 2011, they came back as B'z with the forty-eighth single "Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo
", which is written and used as a commercial song for Pepsi NEX. They have released their eighteenth studio album C'mon
on July 27, 2011, which featured forty-ninth single "Don't Wanna Lie
". "Don't Wanna Lie" is the theme song used for Case Closed: Quarter of Silence
. In summer 2011, B'z will continue their live-gym tour with additional stops in North America: Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
duo, composed of and .
B'z has released 45 consecutive #1 singles, 24 #1 albums, and sold more than 79 million records in Japan alone. Under the recommendation of Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
, B'z became the first band from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to have their handprints and signatures put up in the Hollywood's RockWalk.
Early works: 1988–1990
Tak MatsumotoTak Matsumoto
is a Grammy Award-winning Japanese guitarist, producer, arranger, composer, singer and songwriter. In addition to guitarist and lead composer for the hard rock band B'z, he has also had a successful solo career.-Background:...
, who was already a professional guitarist in band TM Network
TM Network
TM Network is a Japanese pop/rock musical band. The members are Tetsuya Komuro , Takashi Utsunomiya and Naoto Kine...
led by Tetsuya Komuro
Tetsuya Komuro
, also known as TK, is a Japanese keyboardist, guitarist, singer, songwriter and music producer born on November 27, 1958 in Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. He is recognized as being the most successful producer in Japanese music history and introduced dance music to the Japanese mainstream...
, had been extremely busy with various recording sessions and live performances. On 21 May 1988, Tak released his first solo album, Thousand Wave. He saw this as a finishing of a chapter as a solo guitarist, and began his search for band members. He later met vocalist Koshi Inaba
Koshi Inaba
is a Japanese vocalist. His real name is . He graduated from the Faculty of Education at the Yokohama National University, and has a degree in mathematics.- Musical career :...
, who would later start the band with him. At the time, Japan's music scene was loaded with many new bands being created. With all the digital sounds in mainstream music, the only sounds that they felt could not be expressed and replicated were the guitar and the human voice. As a result, they decided to keep it a two-man unit. On 21 September 1988, B'z, with their first album, B’z
B'z (album)
B'z is the self-titled debut album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. It was released on September 21, 1988, and only reached #47 on the Japanese charts...
, and single, "Dakara Sono Te Wo Hanashite
Dakara Sono Te o Hanashite
is the debut single by B'z, released on September 21, 1989.The song has been re-recorded twice, first in English for their Bad Communication EP, then as a guitar-driven hard rock version for 2000's The Mixture. This second version is the one the band now plays live...
", made their debut. Their music was very much a product of its times, with synthesizers and samplers
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
sharing equal time with Tak's guitar, producing an experimental sound, very different from their well-known hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
sound of today.
Instead of immediately performing live after a debut, as many Japanese bands were doing, B'z chose to have a clear vision of how they wanted to perform and decided to wait until they had enough material to play for at least 90 minutes. The two concentrated on recording, raising the quality of their music. Their efforts resulted in a second album, Off the Lock
Off the Lock
Off The Lock is the 2nd studio album of the Japanese rock duo B'z.The band's first-ever "Live Gym" tour was in support of this album, and despite their being relatively new, tickets were sold out, a taste of what was to come....
, released on 21 May 1989. With this second album came their first series of live performances known better to their fans as "Live-Gym". "Live-Gym #00" started in Nagoya, continuing into Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and finishing in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Tickets were sold out on the day they became available. On 21 October, their first mini album, Bad Communication
Bad Communication
Bad Communication is the first Mini-Album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. The song was the first hit song for B'z. The album also includes the band's first two "E-Style" versions of previous hits—in this case "Out of the Rain" and "Dakara Sono Te Wo Hanashite," both from their debut album.The song...
was released. The title track was a blend of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, and was still a classic to their "Live-Gyms." It was charted for 163 weeks on the Oricon Charts. Their first nationwide tour, B'z Live-Gym #001, finished with 16 shows around the country.
On 21 February 1990, the third album Break Through
Break Through (album)
Break Through is the third studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album sold 41,700 copies in its first week and sold a total of 724,640 copies.Both Break Through and its follow-up, Risky, are considered the band's most synth-heavy albums....
was released. To promote it, they started a tour with 22 shows nationwide. Their single "Taiyō no Komachi Angel
Taiyo no Komachi Angel
is the fifth single by B'z, released on June 13, 1990. The song became the band's first single to reach #1, selling over 463,000 copies in Oricon chart and beginning a 21-year streak of every released single hitting and/or debuting at the #1 spot that remains unbroken to the present day. The single...
", was released on 13 June and was able to peak at #1 on the Oricon Chart
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
. Since the release of the single, each of their singles have since debut at #1 on the Oricon charts. Wicked Beat
Wicked Beat
Wicked Beat is the second Mini-Album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. The album sold 1,111,230 copies in total, reaching #3 at Oricon.- Track listing :#I Wanna Dance Wicked Beat Style - 4:36#Komachi-Angel Red Hot Style - 4:33...
, their second mini album, was then released on 21 June. In contrast to the many promotional efforts for Break Through, Wicked Beat received little promotion and the duo went back to the studio and began recording. Their 4th album, Risky
Risky (album)
Risky is the fourth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. "Risky" sold 314,770 copies in its first week and 1,695,900 copies in total. It is the band's first studio album to break the million mark....
was released on 7 November and went platinum. Their "Risky" tour, totaling 49 performances, also started in November. Their first music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, Film Risky
Film Risky
Film Risky is the first music video compilation by Japanese rock duo B'z. To date, it is also the only music video collection released by the band, as well as their only video offering not available on DVD.- Track listing :#Bad Communication -E.Style-...
, was recorded in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
within 4 weeks, and was released on 16 December. With a barrage of releases, 1990 came to be the busiest year for B'z.
Transitioning into hard rock music: 1991–1992
The third mini album, MarsMars (B'z album)
Mars is the third Mini-Album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. The album sold 1,730,500 copies in total, reaching #1 at Oricon.- Track listing :# - 5:03#Mars - 1:24#Loving All Night ~Octopus Style~ - 5:50#Love & Chain ~Godzilla Style~ - 5:45...
was released on 29 May 1991. Little promotion was done for it and after releasing only two singles, B'z released their fifth album, In the Life
In the Life (album)
In the Life is the fifth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album debuted with 1,043,070 copies sold and sold 2,402,970 copies in total....
, on 27 November. The release of the album marked B'z shying away from their advanced digital sounds and more towards rock. Their first live video, "Just Another Life
Just Another Life
Just Another Life is the first live VHS released by Japanese rock duo B'z. It features live footage of the band's early hits.The concert is the first official "Live Gym" release, although it would take several releases before the "Live Gym" name would be appear.- Track listing :##Lady...
" was out on 11 December. For promotion, B'z also embarked on their "In the Life '91–'92" tour, with 66 performances in total. The tour started in December and managed to flow into the next year. The total number of "Live-Gyms" they did during this year exceeded 100.
In the summer of 1992, the "Pleasure '92-Time" tour took place with 12 performances in 3 major cities. The arena-class tour had amazing features such as a huge lighting set, called the "Starfish", and seats that rotated 360 degrees. 28 October marked the release of their sixth album, Run
Run (album)
Run is the sixth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. Run debuted with 1,190,380 copies sold in its first week and over 2,196,660 copies sold in total....
, and proved to be more hard rock oriented than the previous. On 9 December, they released a slightly different mini album Friends
Friends (B'z album)
Friends is the fourth Mini-Album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. The album sold 1,355,530 copies and reached #1 at Oricon. The track "Itsuka no Merry Christmas" became extremely commercially successful, being certified by the RIAJ as being downloaded 500,000+ times as a ringtone and more than...
. Different from Run, its concept is somewhat similar to that of a movie soundtrack.
Switching to blues: 1993–1994
In the early 1993, the "Run" tour concluded after 49 performances in 21 locations. In the following year, they held an open-air concert for the first time, called "Jap the Ripper". The show took place in Bentenjima of Hamamatsu-cityHamamatsu, Shizuoka
is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. On July 1, 2005, the city merged with 11 surrounding cities and towns. It became a city designated by government ordinance on April 1, 2007.- History :...
, Shizuoka
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
on 31 July and 1 August. The successful event gathered 50 thousand people per day, totaling 100,000 people in the end. Following this, B'z concentrated on recording once again, this time, producing a two-disc seventh album, The 7th Blues
The 7th Blues
The 7th Blues is the seventh album released by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on March 2, 1994.-Album information:The 7th Blues was released as a double album in March of 1994 after their successful "PLEASURE LIVE-GYM '93 - JAP THE RIPPER" tour. This album was to fully cement B'z evolution...
. The album title not only came from it being their seventh album, but also after the seventh chord
Seventh chord
A seventh chord is a chord consisting of a triad plus a note forming an interval of a seventh above the chord's root. When not otherwise specified, a "seventh chord" usually means a major triad with an added minor seventh...
, that is frequently used in Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
. Becoming much more "bluesier" and soulful, this album evidently shows their lean towards blues, the roots of rock music.
On 9 February 1994 the "B'z Live-Gym '94—The 9th Blues" tour started. The tour became their longest and biggest tour thus far, managing 87 performances in the year. During the tour, the album, The 7th Blues, was released on 2 March. The tour finished in Sapporo's Tsukisamu Green Dome
Tsukisamu Green Dome
Tsukisamu Green Dome is an indoor sporting arena located in Sapporo, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 5,000. It hosted some of the ice hockey event at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-External links:*...
on 24 December. This album was a kind of "fans trap", because they made it to "clean" their fandom and just keep the rock and blues loving people with them.
Adopting pop: 1995–1998
In the first half of 1995, B'z spent their time recording and after creating numerous demos, they held the "Pleasure '95 Buzz Stadium" tour with 12 shows in 7 cities. Their eighth album, LooseLoose (B'z album)
Loose is the eighth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album sold 1,336,150 in its first week becoming the band's highest debut for a studio album and sold over 3,003,210 copies in total, becoming the band's highest selling studio album....
, was released on 22 November. Loose was concentrated on the original concept of a two-man band. While combining rock with pop, this album is well balanced with a variety of sounds. The album sold over 3 million copies, marking it as the best seller for B'z.
The B'z Live-Gym '96 "Spirit Loose" tour, started on 15 March 1996 and held 44 performances in 21 locations. The show opened featuring a short B'z action movie, shot in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. A short while afterwards, B'z released their 6th mini-album titled Friends II
Friends II
Friends II is the fifth Mini-Album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. The album sold 1,466,650 copies and reached #1 at Oricon.- Track listing :#Friends II#Snow##Baby Moon#Sasanqua ~ fuyu no hi #Aru hiso kana koi...
on 25 November. The album displayed more of an adult oriented rock.
On 29 January 1997, member Inaba's first solo album, Magma, was released. He had been recording the album since the previous year, writing all the music and lyrics. The album, which topped the charts, showcased another side of him, different from that of his usual image in B'z. In March, the dome tour "Pleasure '97 Fireball" consisted of 9 performances in 5 locations. Tickets for each dome, which have a capacity of about 30 to 50 thousand people each, were all sold out. The tour included stops at Tokyo (3 nights), Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, and Maebashi
Maebashi, Gunma
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo, and the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi....
, all being successful. On 19 November, their ninth full album Survive
Survive (B'z album)
Survive is the ninth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album sold 1,040,160 copies in its first week, lower than their last studio album, the album still managed to sell over 1,723,030 copies.- Track listing :# Deep Kiss# # Survive...
showcased yet another new direction in sound and style.
B'z's first promotional effort for the album included performances in concert halls in Akita
Akita, Akita
is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...
, Hakodate
Hakodate, Hokkaido
is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 as a result of Convention of Kanagawa, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan...
, Kōchi
Kochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
, Shiga, and Nagasaki, before plunging into the main tour. "B'z Live-Gym '98 Survive" started on 24 January 1998. On 20 May, B'z released their first official compilation album, B'z The Best "Pleasure", which also marked their 10th year since debuting. Every song included in this album was a huge hit, and was highly acclaimed and its first shipment had sold more copies than any other Japanese artist in history. By this album, their sales in Japan surpassed 50 million records, making them the first artist to do so after Oricon started. On 6 June, the "Survive" tour had successfully ended.
On hiatus: 1998–1999
In the mid 1998, B'z entered a period of both rest and recording. Both Tak and Koshi had wanted to start on their own solo projects since the "Survive" tour, and finally got a chance to begin. During the period, on 20 September, their second best-of album, B'z The Best "Treasure" was released. After a lengthy period, on 16 December, Koshi released his first solo maxi single, "Tooku Made."At the beginning of 1999, Tak released his first solo maxi single, "The Changing" on 25 March, which was the first time he had sung on a released record. The single entered in at No. 2 its first week on the charts. On 14 April, he released the album, Knockin' "T" Around, which contains many other tracks with full vocals and also includes, the Formula-1 '99 theme song, Go Further. The album has both instrumental and vocal tracks. However, even before the release of the album, B'z had already started recording again.
Returning to the music scene: 1999–2000
B'z started off the year of 1999 by busily promoting their recent singles and their tenth album BrotherhoodBrotherhood (B'z album)
Brotherhood is the tenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on July 14, 1999. The catalogue code for this album is BMCR-7034. "Brotherhood" debuted with over 1,019,270 copies sold and sold over 1,391,850 copies...
, which was released on 14 July. The album's track "Giri Giri Chop
Giri Giri Chop
"Giri Giri Chop" is the twenty-sixth single by B'z, released on June 9, 1999. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon chart. "Giri Giri Chop" was used as the sixth opening song for Detective Conan and the song "One" was also used as the theme song for third Detective Conan movie,...
(Version 51)" was recorded by the support of Mr. Big
Mr. Big (band)
Mr. Big is an American rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin , Paul Gilbert , Billy Sheehan , and Pat Torpey ; Mr. Big also included Richie Kotzen, a reputable blues-based guitarist who replaced Gilbert in 1999...
drummer Pat Torpey
Pat Torpey
Pat Torpey is an American rock and roll drummer, known as the drummer of the hard rock band Mr. Big. He has also played for Impellitteri, The Knack, David Lee Roth Band and the Exile Social Club. He is noted by Neil Peart for composing unique rhythms such as that of "Take Cover", a rock song from...
and its bassist Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
. In July, another dome-class tour began starting in Sapporo. The title of the tour, B'z Live-Gym '99 "Brotherhood" included 14 performances in 7 locations. They did away with extra stage acts and concentrated on their musical performance, playing songs from the new album and many hits from the past. On 28 August and 29, they played in the Yokohama International Stadium
Nissan Stadium
The is a sports venue in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.The Yokohama City Office planned multi purpose about the rest place for flood by the Tsurumi River, which included the construction of the main stadium of major sport events - the 53rd National Sports Festival of Japan in Kanagawa...
. B'z concert was the first ever to be held in this stadium and gathered a stunning 140,000 people in just two days. Although the second day at Yokohama experienced heavy rain, the tour ended successfully. Shortly afterward, B'z started recording again and continued to do so throughout the rest of the year without rest.
On 23 February 2000, they released the album B'z The "Mixture", which included re-mastered tracks of past songs, songs from past singles that were not the featured track, remixes, and a new song. In the middle of May, they started a rehearsal for the summer tour B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2000 -Juice-, starting a hall class venue show in Toyama
Toyama, Toyama
is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo....
, 30 May. The tour totalled 18 shows in 10 cities, including a performance on the famous Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
on 20 June as a start. The recording of their single "Juice" was supported by drummer Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy
Brian Tichy is a drummer, guitar player, vocalist and songwriter. He is currently the drummer with Whitesnake. Previously he was the drummer for Foreigner from 2009 until 2010, when he was replaced by Jason Sutter. Tichy began playing drums at age eight and started playing guitar at age 12...
. When they released "Juice", on 12 July, the duo set a Japanese record of marking No.1 on the first week, making it their 25th #1 single in sequence. During the tour, Once Upon a Time in Yokohama ~B'z Live Gym'99 "Brotherhood"~ was released. The year of 2000 was finished with the release of the eleventh album Eleven on 6 December. B'z finished their work in 2000 with the appearance on the TV show Music Station
Music Station
is a Japanese music television program. It began broadcasting on October 24, 1986 and continues to be broadcast weekly in High-definition from 8PM-9PM on tv asahi...
Special and would start the rehearsal for the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2001 -Eleven-" which kicked off on 26 February, in the following year.
Continuing into the 2000s: 2001–2007
On 26 February 2001, "B'z Live-Gym 2001 -Eleven-" kicked off at Ehime Kenmin Bunka Kaikan. Most of the shows of that tour were exclusive for the fan club members to get a ticket. After the Okinawa show on 27 June and 28, B'z departed abroad. They officially released their CDs in TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and after having Live-Gym that year, they made a promotion trip for the first time there. Warmly welcomed with local fans and all the media, they continued their tour with high expectation towards the Live-Gym in August. "B'z Live-Gym 2001 -Eleven-" had 46 shows in 19 locations and 600,000 audiences all together. After the Eleven tour, B'z prepared for the first Asia tour which includes "B'z Live-Gym in Taipei 2001" on 25 August 26 and "B'z Live-Gym in Hong Kong 2001". The first B'z Asia tour was successul, with the duo finishing their activities as "B'z in 2001" by August. The two later spent rest of the year concentrating on their own solo production.
While B'z started recording as soon as the year 2002 started, Tak finished his solo albums. On 27 February, two solo albums are released at the same time, Dragon From The West which consists of hard rock tunes, and Hana which includes more melodic and Asia orientated tunes. B'z finished their recording in the middle of May, and started the rehearsal in Tokyo for the Live-Gym tour soon beginning. B'z performed with Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
on the stage of FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
Korea/Japan Official Concert International Day, at Tokyo Stadium on 27 June.
On 3 July, right before the main tour started, a new album Green which is also the name of the tour that year was released. The tour started from Saitama Super Arena
Saitama Super Arena
is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and...
on 8 July to the last show at Osaka Dome
Osaka Dome
Osaka Dome is a baseball stadium located in Osaka, Japan. Beginning in 1997, the stadium was the home field of the Kintetsu Buffaloes. In 2005, the stadium became one of the homes of the Orix Buffaloes, a result of the merger between the Orix Blue Wave and Kintetsu Buffaloes. Prior to the Osaka...
on 9 September, gathering 700,000 audience all together for 14 shows in 11 cities. The live band was rounded out by bassist Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
and Canadian drummer Shane Gaalaas whose credits include Cosmosquad, Yngwie Malmsteen, the Michael Schenker Group
Michael Schenker Group
The Michael Schenker Group is a guitar-oriented hard rock band formed in 1979 by former Scorpions and UFO guitarist, Michael Schenker. In 1986, Schenker and vocalist Robin McAuley formed the McAuley Schenker Group, which lasted until 1992. After that, the Michael Schenker Group was reformed.The...
, and Uli Jon Roth. On September, after the last show at Osaka, B'z first US tour at a live house on the West Coast took place in San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
"Canes" on 22 September and Los Angeles "The Palace" on 24 September. The U.S, tour "Live-Gym 2002 Rock n' California Roll" was announced and sold only in the US. On 9 October, Inaba released his second solo album, Shian, five and half years after his first solo album. On 27 November, a live video A Beautiful Reel was released in addition to "B'z Live-Gym 2002 Green ~Go★Fight★Win~", which packaged everything that happened on the Green tour. The title not only focused on the Green tour but also contain a second disc including the tour "Live-Gym 2002 Rock n' California Roll". On 11 December, their first ballad compilation album The Ballads ~Love & B'z~
The Ballads ~Love & B'z~
The Ballads ~Love & B'z~ is the fifth compilation album by Japanese rock duo B'z. Similar to the albums sold before, "The Ballads ~Love & B'z~" reached 1st at Oricon, with more than 1,7 million copies sold.- Track listing :##Alone...
was released.
The year 2003 marked their 15th anniversary and the two started recording from the beginning of the year, traveling to U.S. in February for additional recording. Apart from B'z, Inaba released his solo single, "KI", on 11 June. Along with these continuous releases, the tour "B'z Live-Gym The Final Pleasure "It's Showtime!!"" started in July. The tour "Pleasure" series started since '91 would end this year. The tour kicked off 3 July at Hakodate Shimin Kaikan and finished at Nagisa-en on 21 September, which was ironically the day of their debut, having a total of 23 shows all together. As it has been 10 years since B'z had perform at Nagisa-en since their 1993 performance of "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure '93 "Jap the Ripper"", it gathered 100,000 audience for two days. Even though the shows were hit by typhoon and it rained very hard, it manage to still attract thousands of audience.
After the Nagisa-en performance, B'z flew to the U.S. The tour "B'z Live-Gym 2003 Banzai in North America" concluded with 7 shows including Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Los Angeles, San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Seattle, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Their thirteenth album, Big Machine
Big Machine (album)
Big Machine is the thirteenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on September 17, 2003. The catalogue code for this album is BMCV-8008.-Track listing:#"アラクレ" [ARAKURE] – 3:25#"野性のENERGY" [Yasei no ENERGY] – 4:39#"Wake Up, Right Now" – 3:18...
, was released on 17 September. As they flew back to Japan, B'z started their third tour in 2003, "B'z Live-Gym 2003 Big Machine." It was a dome tour in 6 locations, from Saitama Super Arena to Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
in December. During the tour, Tak announced his solo project. As the start, he worked with the late Izumi Sakai
Izumi Sakai
, born 6 February 1967 in Kurume, Japan – 27 May 2007 was a Japanese Pop singer, song writer, and member of the group Zard.- Biography :Born in Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan, Sakai grew up in Hadano, Kanagawa. Her father was a driving instructor, and she had a younger brother and younger sister...
from Zard
Zard
was a Japanese pop group. Originally a group of five members, with lead vocalist Izumi Sakai as group leader. However, Sakai was the only member who stayed on in the group while others joined and left regularly. As such, Zard and Sakai may be referred to interchangeably. Zard's work was sold under...
for the song "Ihoujin", as well as with Mai Kuraki
Mai Kuraki
is a Japanese pop and R&B singer-songwriter and producer from Funabashi, Chiba. Kuraki debuted in 1999 with the single, "Love, Day After Tomorrow". In 2000, she released her debut album, Delicious Way, which debuted at number-one and sold over 2,210,000 copies in its first week...
for the song "Imitation Gold". Later, the compilation cover album The Hit Parade with various vocalist was released on 26 November.
Kicking off 2004, B'z went back to the studio to began recording again. On 25 February, a DVD, Typhoon No.15 ~B'z Live-Gym The Final Pleasure "It's Showtime!!" in Nagisaen~, was released. For the rest of the year, they worked mainly on their solo projects. Soon after finishing each solo tour, they began recording together again.
On 6 April 2005, B'z released their fourteenth album The Circle. For the album's recording, the duo were particularly worried about its live sound. For promotional activities, B'z started the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2005 "Circle of Rock"" that ran from April to September, totaling 27 shows in 41 locations. On 1 August, their box set The Complete B'z
The Complete B'z
The Complete B'z is a digital box set from the Japanese rock group B'z that includes all of their albums up to the most recent one at the time of its release, 2005's "Ocean." It was released on August 1, 2005....
was digitally released only for the Japanese iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
. House of Strings label, which Tak established a year before, released the artist's second album, Theatre of Strings, on 19 October. On 30 November, B'z The Best "Pleasure II", the third compilation album, was released, reaching one million by the end of 2005. On 28 June 2006, their fifteenth original full album Monster was released. Most of the recording took place in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. B'z kicked off the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2006 "Monster's Garage"" from Amami Bunka Center on 2 July, having 17 shows in all, including 5 big domes in 11 locations and 450,000 audience members all together. In the end of 2007, more precisely on 5 December, B’z released their sixteenth album, Action
Action (B'z album)
Action is the sixteenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on December 5, 2007. It sold 292,687 copies in its first week, reaching #1 at Oricon....
. The drum parts of their two singles from Action, "Eien no Tsubasa
Eien no Tsubasa
"Eien no Tsubasa" is the forty-third single by B'z, released on May 9, 2007. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon charts.- Track listing :# - 5:11# - 4:49-References:* - External links :* *...
" and "Super Love Song
Super Love Song
"Super Love Song" is the forty-fourth single by B'z, released on October 3, 2007. The song peaked at number one on the Oricon Charts, and is B'z 40th consecutive number one single, with 180,650 sales. The following week it dropped to #3...
", were recorded by drummers Josh Freese
Josh Freese
Josh Freese is an American session drummer and songwriter. He is a permanent member of A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, and Devo, having formerly played drums for Nine Inch Nails from late 2005 until late 2008, and for Guns N' Roses from mid-1998 to 2001. Freese has appeared on close to 300 records....
and Jeremy Colson respectively. On 19 November 2007, B'z was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk as the first Asian inductee in Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, US.
B'z 20th Anniversary: 2008
In February 2008, B'z released a DVD titled B'z Live in Nanba. The show was recorded in 2006 and was also broadcast online. The concert featured songs from The Circle and Monster eras, along with a number of older hits as well as several EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
versions. On April 16, 2008, the band released their forty-fifth single, "Burn -Fumetsu no Face-
Burn -Fumetsu no Face-
"Burn: Fumetsu no Face" is the forty-fifth single by B'z, released on April 16, 2008. The song was used in a commercial for the Kose Esprique Precious company...
", which became their forty-first consecutive #1 single.
2008 also marked the twentieth anniversary of the band. To commemorate the occasion, the "B'z 20" campaign was launched that saw two further compilation albums. B'z The Best "Ultra Pleasure" was released on 18 June 2008 and featured the greatest of the band's hits on a two-disc collection, and in chronological order, with two all-new modern recordings of older tracks. B'z The Best "Ultra Treasure" was released on 17 September 2008. Its two-disc track listing was decided by fans who were invited to vote for three of many songs at the B'z 20th Anniversary website, which featured an exclusive song on a three-disc gift bundle, as well as a re-recording and a remix.
On January 25, 2008, B'z performed only the latest of its "Showcase" series, which are generally small-venue performances of older album songs and the more obscure B-side
B-Sides
B-Sides is an iTunes-exclusive album from the Coventry Trio The Enemy, consisting of ten songs that were B-sides to the single releases from their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns.-Track list:#Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation...
that are mostly unsuitable for the larger arena concerts. Following this, B'z immediately embarked on their eight month "Action
Action (B'z album)
Action is the sixteenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on December 5, 2007. It sold 292,687 copies in its first week, reaching #1 at Oricon....
" tour that saw them perform all over Japan. Afterward, they segued into their 2008 Pleasure tour, titled "Glory Days". Throughout the month of September, B'z performed for hundreds of thousands of fans in nine performances across three cities. The special tour ended on September 21 with a concert on the 20th anniversary of their first release. This performance was later released on DVD February 25, 2009 as B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2008 -Glory Days-
B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2008 -Glory Days-
B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2008 -Glory Days- is the nineteenth live DVD released by Japanese rock duo B'z, on February 25, 2009.-Track listing:# BAD COMMUNICATION# ultra soul# Hadashi no Megami# BLOWIN'# Negai# Konya Tsuki no Mieru Oka ni...
.
Further music careers as a band and solo works: 2009–present
Following their massive tour in 2008, B'z returned to the studio to record new material. Their first release of the year was a Double A-side single, "Ichibu to Zenbu/DiveIchibu to Zenbu/Dive
is the forty-sixth single by B'z, released on August 5, 2009 as a double A-side. This is one of the many number-one singles by B'z at Oricon charts. Chad Smith, from Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Juan Alderete, from The Mars Volta, guest appeared on this single on the drums and the bass guitar,...
", released on August 5, 2009 that features drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Chad Smith
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...
. The non full-track ringtone downloads (Chaku Uta) of "Ichibu to Zenbu" began on July 13, 2009, and the full-track ringtone downloads (Chaku Uta Full) of the song also began on August 26, 2009. For its strong download sales in August and September on Recochoku, the song served the "Monthly Recochoku Award, Best Song Award Grand Prix" for Chaku Uta and Chaku Uta Full each for two consecutive months. On October 13, 2009, KDDI
KDDI
is a Japanese telecommunications operator formed in October 2000 through the merger of DDI Corp., KDD Corp., and IDO Corp. It has its headquarters in the Garden Air Tower in Iidabashi, Chiyoda, Tokyo....
also announced that "Ichibu to Zenbu" was awarded the "Utatomo Award" of September 2009 for the sales on "Utatomo" via au
Au (mobile phone operator)
, or au by KDDI, is a mobile phone brand in Japan marketed by KDDI Corporation in the main islands of Japan and Okinawa Cellular in Okinawa.-Naming:...
's LISMO
LISMO
LISMO is an online music service provided by au, a Japanese mobile phone brand run by KDDI, a Japanese telecommunication company. This service uses a mobile phone as a music player. This service was introduced on January 19, 2006, and the service began operating at the end of January in Japan. The...
. The second release was the single "My Lonely Town
My Lonely Town
"My Lonely Town" is the forty-seventh single by B'z, released on October 14, 2009. The single features an original song and a ballad version of the previous single as b-sides...
". The physical CD of the single was released on October 14, 2009. Both singles are featured in the band's next studio album, entitled Magic
Magic (B'z album)
-Charts:- Singles :- Singles :"Ichibu to Zenbu/Dive" is a Double A-Side single, but Japan Hot 100 includes only "Ichibu to Zenbu".-External links:*...
, released on November 18, 2009. On December 10, 2009, it was announced that their song "Ichibu to Zenbu" won the "Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Japan Hot 100
Japan Hot 100
The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com ....
of the Year 2009" award.
After the "B'z Live-Gym 2010 "Ain't No Magic" Tour", they began their solo activities each and did not release any single as a duo in 2010. Matsumoto released the album Take Your Pick
Take Your Pick (album)
Take Your Pick is an instrumental studio album by Larry Carlton and Tak Matsumoto, released by Vermillion Records on June 2, 2010 in Japan. The album debuted at number 2 on the Japanese Oricon weekly album charts...
with Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton is an American jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop, and rock guitarist and singer. He has divided his recording time between solo recordings and session appearances with various well-known bands...
on June 2, 2010. Inaba's solo studio album Hadou was also released on August 18, 2010, debuting at number one on the Oricon album charts. Take Your Pick won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality instrumental albums in the pop music genre...
at the 53rd Grammy Awards
53rd Grammy Awards
The 53rd annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights prior to the telecast on February 11. Nominations were...
on February 13, 2011.
In 2011, they came back as B'z with the forty-eighth single "Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo
Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo
is the song and forty-eighth single by Japanese hard rock band, B'z, released on April 13, 2011. It was the first single from their 2011 album, C'mon. The song is written and used for a commercial song of Pepsi NEX. Also the song was first performed on Music Station "Three Hours Special" on April...
", which is written and used as a commercial song for Pepsi NEX. They have released their eighteenth studio album C'mon
C'mon (B'z album)
C'mon is the eighteenth studio album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. It was released on July 27, 2011.It debuted at the #1 spot on the Japanese Oricon music charts, and by the end of its first week of sales, the album had sold 272,000 copies....
on July 27, 2011, which featured forty-ninth single "Don't Wanna Lie
Don't Wanna Lie
"Don't Wanna Lie" is the 49th single for the Japanese rock duo B'z, and the second single to be released from their 2011 album C'mon. It was released on June 1, 2011. The song debuted at #1 on the Oricon chart, with first week sales of 160,000 copies. It is their 45th consecutive number one single,...
". "Don't Wanna Lie" is the theme song used for Case Closed: Quarter of Silence
Case Closed: Quarter of Silence
is the 15th film installment of the manga and anime series Detective Conan. The film was released on April 16, 2011. This film celebrates the fifteenth anniversary of the anime...
. In summer 2011, B'z will continue their live-gym tour with additional stops in North America: Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Studio albums
- 1988: B'zB'z (album)B'z is the self-titled debut album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. It was released on September 21, 1988, and only reached #47 on the Japanese charts...
- 1989: Off the LockOff the LockOff The Lock is the 2nd studio album of the Japanese rock duo B'z.The band's first-ever "Live Gym" tour was in support of this album, and despite their being relatively new, tickets were sold out, a taste of what was to come....
- 1990: Break ThroughBreak Through (album)Break Through is the third studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album sold 41,700 copies in its first week and sold a total of 724,640 copies.Both Break Through and its follow-up, Risky, are considered the band's most synth-heavy albums....
- 1990: RiskyRisky (album)Risky is the fourth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. "Risky" sold 314,770 copies in its first week and 1,695,900 copies in total. It is the band's first studio album to break the million mark....
- 1991: In The LifeIn the Life (album)In the Life is the fifth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album debuted with 1,043,070 copies sold and sold 2,402,970 copies in total....
- 1992: RunRun (album)Run is the sixth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. Run debuted with 1,190,380 copies sold in its first week and over 2,196,660 copies sold in total....
- 1994: The 7th BluesThe 7th BluesThe 7th Blues is the seventh album released by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on March 2, 1994.-Album information:The 7th Blues was released as a double album in March of 1994 after their successful "PLEASURE LIVE-GYM '93 - JAP THE RIPPER" tour. This album was to fully cement B'z evolution...
- 1995: LooseLoose (B'z album)Loose is the eighth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album sold 1,336,150 in its first week becoming the band's highest debut for a studio album and sold over 3,003,210 copies in total, becoming the band's highest selling studio album....
- 1997: SurviveSurvive (B'z album)Survive is the ninth studio album by Japanese rock band B'z. The album sold 1,040,160 copies in its first week, lower than their last studio album, the album still managed to sell over 1,723,030 copies.- Track listing :# Deep Kiss# # Survive...
- 1999: BrotherhoodBrotherhood (B'z album)Brotherhood is the tenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on July 14, 1999. The catalogue code for this album is BMCR-7034. "Brotherhood" debuted with over 1,019,270 copies sold and sold over 1,391,850 copies...
- 2000: Eleven
- 2002: Green
- 2003: Big MachineBig Machine (album)Big Machine is the thirteenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on September 17, 2003. The catalogue code for this album is BMCV-8008.-Track listing:#"アラクレ" [ARAKURE] – 3:25#"野性のENERGY" [Yasei no ENERGY] – 4:39#"Wake Up, Right Now" – 3:18...
- 2005: The Circle
- 2006: Monster
- 2007: ActionAction (B'z album)Action is the sixteenth album by Japanese hard rock band B'z, released on December 5, 2007. It sold 292,687 copies in its first week, reaching #1 at Oricon....
- 2009: MagicMagic (B'z album)-Charts:- Singles :- Singles :"Ichibu to Zenbu/Dive" is a Double A-Side single, but Japan Hot 100 includes only "Ichibu to Zenbu".-External links:*...
- 2011: C'monC'mon (B'z album)C'mon is the eighteenth studio album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. It was released on July 27, 2011.It debuted at the #1 spot on the Japanese Oricon music charts, and by the end of its first week of sales, the album had sold 272,000 copies....
Live-Gym (concert tours)
- Live-Gym #00 (1989)
- Live-Gym #001 "Off the Lock" (1989)
- Live-Gym "Bad Club-Gym" (1989)
- Live-Gym "Break Through" (1990)
- Live-Gym '90~'91 "Risky"
- Live-Gym "Pleasure '91"
- Live-Gym '91~'92 "In the Life"
- Live-Gym Pleasure '92 "Time"
- Live-Gym '93 "Run"
- Live-Gym Pleasure '93 "Jap the Ripper"
- Live-Gym '94 "The 9th Blues" Part 1
- Live-Gym '94 "The 9th Blues" Part 2
- Live-Gym Pleasure '95 "Buzz!!"
- Live-Gym '96 "Spirit Loose"
- Live-Gym Pleasure '97 "Fireball"
- Live-Gym '98 "Survive"
- Live-Gym '99 "Brotherhood"
- Live-Gym Pleasure 2000 "Juice"
- Live-Gym 2001 "Eleven"
- Live-Gym in TaipeiTaipeiTaipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
2001 / Live-Gym in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
2001 - Live-Gym 2002 "Green ~Go★Fight★Win~"
- Live-Gym 2002 "Rock n' California Roll"
- 22 September – Canes Bar & Grill: CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
- 24 September – The Palace: California
- 22 September – Canes Bar & Grill: California
- Live-Gym 2003 The Final Pleasure "It's Showtime!!"
- Live-Gym 2003 Banzai in North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
- 12 October – House of BluesHouse of BluesHouse of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
: Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its... - 14 October – House of Blues: Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
- 15 October – House of Blues: Los Angeles, California
- 18 October – The Fillmore: San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
- 19 October – The Fillmore: San Francisco, California
- 21 October – Showbox: Seattle, Washington
- 23 October – Commodore Ballroom: VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- 12 October – House of Blues
- Live-Gym 2003 "Big Machine"
- Live-Gym 2005 "Circle of Rock"
- Live-Gym 2006 "Monster's Garage"
- B'z Showcase 2007
- The showcase 2007 is an unofficial tour they made this year. They visited a few cities (3 to 5) and played to small audiences. They played a lot of their old songs. Many of them were rarely played live including their new English song, that was released with Burnout Dominator's soundtrack, "Friction".
- Live-Gym 2008 "Action" – Nagasaki Brick Hall
- Live-Gym Pleasure 2008 -Glory Days-
- Live-Gym 2010 "Ain't No Magic"
B'z covers by other musicians
- Eric Suen covered "Easy Come, Easy Go!" as the theme for the 2000 Taiwanese drama, Huai Yu Gong Zhu (懷玉公主). The title of the cover is "Wei Feng Shi Ke" (威風時刻).
- Priscilla ChanPriscilla ChanPriscilla Chan Wai-han is a female Cantopop singer in Hong Kong.-Background:Chan has a younger brother and sister. Her father is a retired senior officer of Hong Kong Immigration Service. She attended Marymount Secondary School in Happy Valley, Hong Kong...
has created a CantoneseCantoneseCantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
version of "Native Dance" called "放鬆三分鐘". - For her second major label single, Aya KamikiAya Kamikiis a Japanese singer-songwriter. Her style ranges from pop, rock to rhythm and blues. She currently resides in Osaka, and is currently signed with Tokyo-based AVEX recording label. She speaks moderate Chinese, and because of this, she has a notable fanbase in China.-Biography:Kamiki learned to play...
has covered "Pierrot", the B-side of "Yuruginaimono HitotsuYuruginaimono Hitotsu"Yuruginaimono Hitotsu" is the forty-first single by B'z, released on April 12, 2006. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon charts. The B-side "Pierrot" was also featured on the album Monster and it has been covered by Aya Kamiki....
". - Aya KamikiAya Kamikiis a Japanese singer-songwriter. Her style ranges from pop, rock to rhythm and blues. She currently resides in Osaka, and is currently signed with Tokyo-based AVEX recording label. She speaks moderate Chinese, and because of this, she has a notable fanbase in China.-Biography:Kamiki learned to play...
has also covered "Love PhantomLove Phantom"Love Phantom" is the eighteenth single by B'z, released on October 11, 1995. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon chart. The song was used as ending theme for The X-Files during the height of its popularity in Japan. The single sold over 950,000 copies within one week. It sold...
" and "Juice" in several of her live performances. - A cover of "Atsuki Kodō no Hate" (熱き鼓動の果て) appeared as a stage theme in the Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
rhythm game Osu! Tatakae! OuendanOsu! Tatakae! Ouendan, sometimes referred to as simply Ouendan, is a rhythm video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in 2005, for release only in Japan...
. The performance is credited to Tetsushi Kimura.
Covers by B'z
- "This Love" by Maroon 5Maroon 5Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
. - "Oh! DarlingOh! Darling"Oh! Darling" is a song by The Beatles composed by Paul McCartney and appearing as the fourth song on the album, Abbey Road, in 1969. Its working title was "Oh! Darling "...
" and "Let It BeLet It Be (song)"Let It Be" is a song by The Beatles, released in March 1970 as a single, and as the title track of their album Let It Be. It was written by Paul McCartney, but credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was their final single before McCartney announced his departure from the band...
" by The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. - "Train Kept A-Rollin'Train Kept A-Rollin'"Train Kept A-Rollin" is a song written by Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, and Lois Mann. Bradshaw first recorded the song as a jump blues in 1951—his best known recording. After a rock and roll version of the song was recorded and released by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio in 1956, numerous...
" by Tiny BradshawTiny BradshawMyron C. Bradshaw was an American jazz and rhythm and blues bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer from Youngstown, Ohio.-Early years:...
(with AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
)
Featured songs
- During the height of The X-FilesThe X-FilesThe X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
popularity in Japan, the B'z single "Love PhantomLove Phantom"Love Phantom" is the eighteenth single by B'z, released on October 11, 1995. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon chart. The song was used as ending theme for The X-Files during the height of its popularity in Japan. The single sold over 950,000 copies within one week. It sold...
" was used as the closing credits theme song. - Their song "Devil", an English cover of their song "Tokyo Devil", was produced for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan2002 FIFA World CupThe 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
. - Their song "Atsuki Kodou no Hate" appears in the arcade drumming game Taiko no Tatsujin 4Taiko no Tatsujinis a series of rhythm games created by Namco. The series has seen releases for the arcade, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, iOS, Advanced Pico Beena, and mobile phones....
, and recently in the Nintendo DS rhythm game Osu! Tatakae! OuendanOsu! Tatakae! Ouendan, sometimes referred to as simply Ouendan, is a rhythm video game developed by iNiS and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in 2005, for release only in Japan...
. - Their song "Bad CommunicationBad CommunicationBad Communication is the first Mini-Album for the Japanese rock duo B'z. The song was the first hit song for B'z. The album also includes the band's first two "E-Style" versions of previous hits—in this case "Out of the Rain" and "Dakara Sono Te Wo Hanashite," both from their debut album.The song...
" appears in the Game Boy Color rhythm game beatmania GB GotchaMIX2Beatmaniais a rhythm video game developed and distributed by Japanese game developer Konami and first released in 1997. It contributed largely to the boom of music games in 1998, and the series expanded not only with arcade sequels, but also moved to home consoles and other portable devices, achieving a...
. - Their song "Kon'ya Tsuki no Mieru Oka ni" was used in the 2000 TV drama Beautiful Life.
- Their song "Ocean" was used in the 2005 TV drama of the Umizaru Evolution project.
- Their song "Liar! Liar!Liar! Liar!"Liar! Liar!" is the twenty-third single by B'z, released on October 8, 1997. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon chart."Liar! Liar!" was featured on the PlayStation 2 music video game GuitarFreaks...
" appears in the arcade and PlayStation 2 rhythm game GitaDora! GuitarFreaks 4th Mix & DrumMania 3rd Mix. - Their song "ultra soulUltra Soul"Ultra Soul" is the thirty-first single by B'z, released on March 14, 2001. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon charts. As B-Sides, the single features Rock Man and Suima-Yo 2001!!, a remix of the song Suima-Yo!!, previously released on the album Survive...
" appears in the arcade drumming game Taiko no Tatsujin 2Taiko no Tatsujinis a series of rhythm games created by Namco. The series has seen releases for the arcade, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, iOS, Advanced Pico Beena, and mobile phones....
. - Their English song "Friction" is featured on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable game Burnout Dominator. This marked their debut on an official United States property. It is also included in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game Burnout ParadiseBurnout ParadiseBurnout Paradise is the seventh game in the Burnout racing video game series. It was developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in January 2008 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and on February 5, 2009 for Microsoft Windows...
. - Several B'z songs were used in the Detective Conan anime series.
- "Giri Giri ChopGiri Giri Chop"Giri Giri Chop" is the twenty-sixth single by B'z, released on June 9, 1999. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon chart. "Giri Giri Chop" was used as the sixth opening song for Detective Conan and the song "One" was also used as the theme song for third Detective Conan movie,...
" (TV series OP from Ep. 143–167) - "Shoudou" (TV series OP from Ep. 425–437)
- "One" (Movie #3 ED)
- "Everlasting" (Movie #6 ED)
- "Yuruginaimono HitotsuYuruginaimono Hitotsu"Yuruginaimono Hitotsu" is the forty-first single by B'z, released on April 12, 2006. This song is one of B'z many number-one singles in Oricon charts. The B-side "Pierrot" was also featured on the album Monster and it has been covered by Aya Kamiki....
" (Movie #10 ED) - "Don't Wanna LieDon't Wanna Lie"Don't Wanna Lie" is the 49th single for the Japanese rock duo B'z, and the second single to be released from their 2011 album C'mon. It was released on June 1, 2011. The song debuted at #1 on the Oricon chart, with first week sales of 160,000 copies. It is their 45th consecutive number one single,...
" (Movie #15 ED & TV Series OP from Ep. 613 to 626) - "Pilgrim" (TV series ED from Ep. 627 and 628)
- Koshi Inaba's song "Overture", was an ending theme for Detective Conan (episodes 300-306)
- "Giri Giri Chop
- "Roots" by B'z was also used as the ending theme to the four-part Black JackBlack JackBlack Jack or Blackjack may refer to:- Games and cards :* Blackjack, the gambling game* Black Jack , also known as Switch, a name given to some variations of Crazy Eights in United Kingdom* The black Jack playing card- Products :...
OVA series to promote the then newest TV series. Tak Matsumoto also did a guitar-lead instrumental as the opening. - "Lonely Stars" by B'z was used in the ending credits in the movie, The Legend of which is part of the Fist of the North StarFist of the North Staris a Japanese manga series written by Buronson and drawn by Tetsuo Hara that was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1983 to 1988, spanning 245 chapters, which were initially collected in a 27-volume tankōbon edition by Shueisha...
anime series. - "Ore to Omae no Atarashii Kisetsu" (オレとオマエの新しい季節) is currently used as the ending theme to the Japanese dub of The OC.
- The song "Mienai Chikara ~Invisible one~" was the first ending theme to the anime Hell Teacher NubeHell Teacher Nubeis a horror-comedy manga created by the collaborative efforts of writer and artist Takeshi Okano in Shueisha's manga anthology book Weekly Shōnen Jump. The series ran for 276 chapters from Issue 38, 1993 through Issue 24, 1999...
. - The song "Ichibu to Zenbu" was used as the theme song for the Fuji TV 2009 drama Buzzer BeatBuzzer Beatis a Fuji TV Japanese television drama, which stars Yamashita Tomohisa, Keiko Kitagawa, and Aibu Saki.The series primarily focuses on two characters, Naoki Kamiya , a professional basketball player, and Riko Shirakawa , an aspiring violinist...
starring Yamashita Tomohisa and Keiko KitagawaKeiko Kitagawais a Japanese actress and former model. She was an exclusive model for the Japanese Seventeen magazine from late 2003 to mid 2006, and left modeling when she left the magazine. Her first acting role was Sailor Mars in the Sailor Moon live action show Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon , and after her role...
. - The songs "Signal" and "Utsukushiki Sekai" were used as the opening theme and the ending theme respectively for the 2002 female-oriented dating sim video game Tokimeki Memorial Girl's SideTokimeki Memorial Girl's Sideis a female-oriented dating sim video game released by Konami for the PlayStation 2 game console on June 20, 2002. It was also rereleased with enhancements for the Nintendo DS as Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side: 1st Love on February 15, 2007...
.
See also
- List of 50 Best Selling Artists of All-Time in Japan
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of records of Japan
External links
- B'z Official Website
- B'z 20th Anniversary Special Website
- Off the Lock B'z news in English, lyrics translations.