| 181920 | ||||
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| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | January 28, 1998 | |||
| Genre | Pop,dance-pop | |||
| Label | Avex Trax | |||
| Producer |
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| Namie Amuro chronology | ||||
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| Singles from 181920 | ||||
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181920 is the debutgreatest hits album by Japanese singerNamie Amuro.Avex Trax released it in Japan on January 28, 1998, and it was later available in avariety of formats throughout Asia. The album contains Amuro'ssingle releases from her debutstudio albumDance Tracks Vol. 1 (1995) to her third albumConcentration 20 (1997), as well as three tracks from her time withToshiba-EMI. The album also included a new song called "Dreaming I Was Dreaming," which served as the onlysingle from the album.
Music critics gave the album181920 favorable reviews, praising its overall sound but finding the material insufficient. TheJapan Gold Disc Awards also recognised the album as Pop Album of the Year that same year. Commercially, the album was a huge success in Japan, reaching number one on theOricon Albums Chart and being certified double million by theRecording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for sales of more than two million copies. After the album's campaign concluded, Amuro took a brief hiatus for maternity reasons.
181920 is Amuro's debut greatest hits album as a solo artist.[a] The album contains Amuro's single releases from her debut studio album,Dance Tracks Vol. 1 (1995), to her third album,Concentration 20 (1997).[b] The album also features three songs from her time with Toshiba-EMI: "Try Me (Watashi o Shinjite)", "Taiyou no Season", and "Stop the Music".[5] These three songs were recorded with the Japanese girl group Super Monkeys and released on the compilationOriginal Tracks Vol. 1 (1996).[1] However, each song was completely reworked and recorded specifically for Amuro onDance Tracks Vol. 1.[2]
181920 features 12 tracks, including "high-energyelectro-pop songs" and twoballads, "Can You Celebrate?" and "Dreaming I Was Dreaming," the latter being a new track for the album.[6] Stylistically, the album focuses on variousdance-oriented sounds, includingeurobeat ("Try Me (Watashi o Shinjite)", "Chase the Chance"), standarddance-pop ("Body Feels Exit", "You're My Sunshine", "How to Be a Girl", "Stop the Music"), and ballad-inspired tracks ("Sweet 19 Blues", "Can You Celebrate?", "Dreaming I Was Dreaming").[7]
Avex Trax first released181920 in Japan on January 28, 1998, and later distributed in Hong Kong and Taiwan the same year.[5] On July 1, aVHS andlaserdisc format titled181920 Films (1998) was released, containing most of themusic videos from the album.[8]The standard album was re-issued in Taiwan on September 29.[5] In 2004, the album was re-released in all three territories, with aDVD album format and additional DVD disc that contained themusic videos from181920 Films.[9] In 2012, the original format was re-issued to commemorate Amuro's 20th career anniversary in the entertainment business.[10]
"Dreaming I Was Dreaming" is the album's only single. It was released a year earlier, on November 27, 1997, as amini CD, and served as the commercial theme for Ginza Jewellery in Japan.[11][12] It features a sample ofT. Rex's "Liquid Generation" song.[5] Commercially, it was a success in Japan, reaching number one on theOricon Singles Chart and received double platinum certification from theRecording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of over 800,000 units.[13][14]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [6] |
Music critics complimented181920. Ted Mills ofAllMusic gave the album three and a half stars.[6] Mills questioned the timing of its release, believing it was "premature to have a singles collection out so soon" and unusual given that it coincided with the rise of other Japanese singers, particularlyAyumi Hamasaki.[6] Nonetheless, Mills stated that the material was "superior," but that it was a "short summation of the sound that changedJ-Pop, circa 1996."[6] In addition, the album won Pop Album of the Year at theJapan Gold Disc Awards in 1998.[15]
Commercially, the album was a massive success in Japan. It debuted at number one on theOricon Albums Chart, selling 857,100 units in its first week of release.[16] It remained at number one for a second week, selling an additional 326,270 copies.[17] The album spent 35 weeks on the charts and was the eleventh best-selling album of the year.[18][19] Since its release, 1,693,465 copies have been sold in the region.[20] It was certified double million by the RIAJ for exceeding sales of two million units.[21] According toOricon Style,181920 is Amuro's fifth best-selling album overall.[22] It is also the 74th best-selling album in Japan for the1990s decade.[23]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Body Feels Exit" | 4:22 |
| 2. | "Try Me (Watashi wo Shinjite)" | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Chase the Chance" | 4:31 |
| 4. | "Taiyou no Season" | 3:30 |
| 5. | "You're My Sunshine" | 5:46 |
| 6. | "How to Be a Girl" | 4:26 |
| 7. | "Sweet 19 Blues" | 5:36 |
| 8. | "Dreaming I Was Dreaming" | 5:10 |
| 9. | "Stop the Music" | 3:37 |
| 10. | "A Walk in the Park" | 5:38 |
| 11. | "Don't Wanna Cry" | 5:39 |
| 12. | "Can You Celebrate?" | 6:21 |
| Total length: | 58:33 | |
| No. | Title | Director(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Opening" | ||
| 2. | "Body Feels Exit" (Music video) | Masashi Muto | |
| 3. | "Chase the Chance" (Music video) | Norihiro Akita | |
| 4. | "Don't Wanna Cry" (Music video) | Norihiro Akita | |
| 5. | "You're My Sunshine" (Music video) | Shuichi Tan | |
| 6. | "A Walk In The Park" (Music video) | Masashi Muto | |
| 7. | "Can You Celebrate?" (Music video) | Wataru Takeishi | |
| 8. | "How to Be a Girl" (Music video) | Masashi Muto | |
| 9. | "Dreaming I Was Dreaming" (Music video) | Masashi Muto |
Credits adapted from theliner notes of181920.[5]
Musicians
Production
Imagery
Management
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
All-time chart[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Japan (RIAJ)[21] | 2× Million | 1,693,465[20] |
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | January 28, 1998 | CD | Avex Trax | [5] |
| Hong Kong | 1998 | [5] | ||
| Taiwan | [5] | |||
| Japan | January 28, 2004 |
| [9] | |
| Hong Kong | CD+DVD | [9] | ||
| Taiwan | [9] | |||
| Japan | 2012 | CD | [10] | |
| Various | N/A | [26] |
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Compilation albums | |
| Live albums | |
| Concerts | |
| Video | |
| Video game | |
| Related articles | |
