Play (Namie Amuro album)

Play is the eighth studio album by Japanese pop singer Namie Amuro, released on June 27, 2007 in Japan. The follow-up to her successful 2005 album Queen of Hip-Pop, Play showcases her new hip-pop genre. It marks her first album to be released in both the CD and CD+DVD formats. Play is her highest selling album since 2000's Genius 2000. The album was ranked 9th on CDJapan's list of top 100 CDs of 2007.[1]

Play
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 27, 2007
Genre
Length50:45
LabelAvex Trax
ProducerNao'ymt, T.Kura, Namie Amuro
Namie Amuro chronology
Queen of Hip-Pop
(2005)
Play
(2007)
Best Fiction
(2008)
Alternative cover
CD + DVD Cover
Singles from Play
  1. "Violet Sauce"
    Released: November 16, 2005
  2. "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick"
    Released: May 17, 2006
  3. "Baby Don't Cry"
    Released: January 24, 2007
  4. "Funky Town"
    Released: April 4, 2007
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link

Overview

Upon its release, Play debuted at #1 and stayed at the top spot for two weeks on the Oricon Charts. When its first week was over, Play became Namie's first weekly number one album since her 2000 album Genius 2000 with a gap of 120,258 copies sold. In its first week, the album sold 250,619 copies — Namie's highest first week sales since Genius 2000.[2] In Taiwan, Play reached #1 on the G-Music J-Pop chart for the week and debuted at #2 on the overall chart.

Tie-ins/theme songs

  • "Violet Sauce" from the lead single of the album, "White Light/Violet Sauce", was the theme song for the Japanese release of the major motion picture Sin City.
  • "Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick" was used in commercials for the ringtone sites Mu-Mo and Iromelo Mix DX, the former of which is endorsed by her record label.
  • "Baby Don't Cry" is the ending theme song for the Kansai/Fuji TV drama, Himitsu no Hanazono. It was also used for JoySound commercials.
  • "Funky Town" is used for Lipton Limone commercials.
  • "Top Secret" is being used as the theme song for the second season of Prison Break in Japan.
  • "Pink Key" was the theme song of a commercial for Lipton's Chiffon Milk Tea.[3]

Track listing

CD
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Hide and Seek"Nao'ymtNao'ymtNao'ymt4:36
2."Full Moon"Nao'ymtNao'ymtNao'ymt3:57
3."Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick"MichicoT.Kura, MichicoT.Kura3:46
4."It's all about you"MichicoT.Kura, MichicoT.Kura4:12
5."Funky Town"MichicoT.Kura, Michico, L.L. BrothersT.Kura3:48
6."Step With It"Michico, L.L. BrothersT.Kura, Michico, L.L. BrothersT.Kura3:47
7."Hello"Angie Irons, MichicoAngie Irons, T.KuraT.Kura3:42
8."Should I Love Him?"MichicoT.Kura, MichicoT.Kura4:25
9."Top Secret"Nao'ymtNao'ymtNao'ymt4:30
10."Violet Sauce (Spicy)"Nao'ymtNao'ymtNao'ymt4:01
11."Baby Don't Cry"Nao'ymtNao'ymtNao'ymt5:21
12."Pink Key"Nao'ymtNao'ymtNao'ymt4:40
DVD
No.TitleDirector(s)Length
1."Hide and Seek" (Music video)Kensuke Kawamura4:36
2."Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick" (Music video)Shinji Muto3:49
3."Funky Town" (Music video)Masaaki Uchino3:44
4."Hello" (Music video)Kensuke Kawamura3:40
5."Baby Don't Cry" (Music video)Shinji Muto5:26
DVD: Special Movie
No.TitleLength
6."Amuro Namie x The World of Golden Eggs Special Collaboration Movie" (Gushi-Ken Band feat. Namie Amuro)7:18

Personnel

  • Namie Amuro - vocals, background vocals
  • Hiromi - additional vocals
  • Nao'ymt - additional vocals, multiple instruments
  • Michico - additional vocals
  • Sam Salter - additional vocals
  • T.Kura - multiple instruments
  • Orito - additional vocals
  • Tiger - additional vocals
  • LL Brothers - additional vocals
  • Warner - additional vocals
  • Jun - additional vocals
  • Ring - additional vocals
  • Tomoyasu Takeuchi - guitars

Production

  • Producers - Nao'ymt, T.Kura, Namie Amuro
  • Vocal Producers - Michico, Angie Irons
  • Mixing - D.O.I., T.Kura, Yoshiaki Onishi
  • Creative Direction - Hidekazu Sato
  • Art Direction - Hidekazu Sato, Katsuhiro Shimizu
  • Design - Katsuhiro Shimizu
  • Photography - Shoji Uchida
  • Stylist - Noriko Goto

Charts

Sales total

Oricon

Released Oricon Chart Peak Debut sales Sales total
June 27, 2007 Daily Albums Chart 1 250,619 540,952+
Weekly Albums Chart 1
Monthly Albums Chart 1
Yearly Albums Chart 15
  • re-charting on Christmas week

Physical sales charts

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