Break the Rules (album)

Break the Rules is the fifth studio album by Namie Amuro. It is her second album of 2000, coming only 11 months after her previous album Genius 2000, and is her final album to date with producer Tetsuya Komuro. Due to the small space in time between the release of this album and her last album, only two singles precede it.

Break the Rules
Studio album by Namie Amuro
Released	20 December 2000
Studio	Baybridge Studio, DARP Studios, Guillaume Tell, Larrabee Sound Studio, Ocean Way Recording, On Air Azabu Studio, Stanley House, TK Disc Studios, TK's Malibu Studio, Woodland Studios
Genre	Pop[1]
Length	63:03
Label	Avex Trax
Producer	Dallas Austin, Ricciano Lumpkins, Tetsuya Komuro
Namie Amuro chronology
Genius 2000 (2000) Break the Rules (2000) Love Enhanced Single Collection (2002)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Overview

Break the Rules is her second album to feature songs written and produced by American music producer, Dallas Austin. His role in this album, however, is much smaller than the last. For Genius 2000, Austin produced half of the album; with this album he only produced four songs. The majority of the tracks features compositions from Amuro's main producer, Tetsuya Komuro.

First editions of the album came in special packaging. The booklet was presented as a foldout poster featuring Amuro looking out of an airplane window. It also came with a foldout card of photos depicting Namie in different locations around America, mostly New York City, New York and Los Angeles, California. The album was housed in a transparent slip case with the phrase "break the rules" in pink running diagonally across the front and back of it.

The songs "Think of Me" and "No More Tears" were released as a double a-side single shortly after the release of the album. A video was made for "Think of Me" in New York during photo sessions for the album artwork. No video was made for "No More Tears." Previous songs that appear on the album have all been slightly modified. These songs include "Never End," "Please Smile Again," and "Cross Over." "Cross Over" features a rap verse from Poppa L.Q. Unique among Amuro albums is that it features her first attempt at singing a song entirely in English on the track, "Looking for You".

The album was certified Platinum by the RIAJ.[2]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Arranger(s)	Length
1.	"Rule 8AM"			Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	0:30
2.	"No More Tears"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	5:45
3.	"Better Days"	Gary White Japanese translation: Junko Kudo	Dallas Austin, Ricciano Lumpkins	Dallas Austin, Ricciano Lumpkins Mix Engineer: Alvin Speights	4:22
4.	"Break the Rules"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	4:01
5.	"Looking for You"	Tetsuya Komuro English translation: Zhana	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	4:37
6.	"Please Smile Again"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	4:43
7.	"Never Shoulda"	Dallas Austin, Jasper Cameron Japanese translation: Junko Kudo	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin Mix Engineer: Alvin Speights	4:21
8.	"Cross Over (feat. Poppa L.Q.)"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	5:02
9.	"Girlfriend"	Dallas Austin, Debra Killings Japanese translation: Junko Kudo	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin Mix Engineer: Kevin Davis	4:13
10.	"Never End"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	6:26
11.	"Think of Me"	Dallas Austin Japanese translation: Junko Kudo	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin Mix Engineer: Kevin Davis	4:46
12.	"Rule 8PM"			Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	0:33
13.	"HimAWArI"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro Mix Engineer: Chris Puram	4:45
14.	"No More Tears Remix"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Mix: Dave Darlington Remix & Reproduction: Junior Vasquez Additional Production: Gomi	8:59

Personnel

• Namie Amuro – vocals, background vocals
• Poppa L.Q. – vocals
• Terry Bradford – background vocals
• Alex Brown – background vocals
• Andy Caine – background vocals
• Jennifer Carr – background vocals
• Debra Killings – background vocals
• Maxayn Lewis – background vocals
• Oleatha "Butta" Richie – background vocals
• Juliet Roberts – background vocals
• Will Wheaton Jr. – background vocals
• Ken Kimura – guitar
• Tetsuya Komuro – acoustic piano, keyboards, synthesizer
• Kazuhiro Matsuo – acoustic guitar

Production

• Producers – Dallas Austin, Ricciano Lumpkins, Tetsuya Komuro
• Arrangement – Dallas Austin, Tetsuya Komuro
• Mixing – Dave Darlington, Kevin "KD" Davis, Chris Puram, Alvin Seights
• Midi & Sound Design – Rick Sheppard
• Vocal Direction – Kenji Sano
• Remixing – Junior Vasquez (No More Tears Remix)
• Photography – Shoji Uchida
• Art Direction – Tycoon Graphics

Charts

Album - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release	Chart	Peak position	Sales total
20 December 2000	Oricon Daily Albums Chart	1
	Oricon Weekly Albums Chart	2	334,520

Singles - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release	Single	Chart	Peak position
12 July 2000	"Never End"	Oricon Daily Singles Chart	2
		Oricon Weekly Singles Chart	2
4 October 2000	"Please Smile Again"	Oricon Daily Singles Chart	2
		Oricon Weekly Singles Chart	2
24 January 2001	"Think of Me" / "No More Tears"	Oricon Daily Singles Chart	5
		Oricon Weekly Singles Chart	7

Total Single Sales: 969,940

Total Album and Single Sales: 1,304,460

References

1. Ted Mills. Break the Rules at AllMusic. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
2. "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年12月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. December 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan. 495: 8. February 10, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.