X Japan discography
X Japan in Hong Kong, 2009 |
| Releases |
| ↙Studio albums |
6 |
| ↙Live albums |
6 |
| ↙Compilation albums |
10 |
| ↙Singles |
22 |
| ↙Video albums |
22 |
| ↙Remix |
1 |
| ↙Various artists compilations |
8 |
| ↙Demos |
4 |
The discography of X Japan, a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Toshi and Yoshiki.[1] Originally named X, X Japan achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood. They started out as a power/speed metal band and later gravitated towards a progressive sound, at all times retaining an emphasis on ballads. Their sound is extremely raw, sometimes countered by the incorporation of classical style piano passages and vocal melodies. They have well-developed percussion parts and often use harmonized guitar riffs and solos.
Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label,[2] the group is widely credited as one of the pioneers of the visual kei movement.[3][4] They were known in their early years for their excessively large hairstyles, but toned these down in later years.
After sixteen years, four albums, and selling out the 55,000 seat Tokyo Dome 18 times, X Japan disbanded in 1997. The band did not perform or record any material for another 10 years. However, in 2007, the band reunited and performed live for the first time since their break-up. After performing concerts throughout Asia from 2007 to 2009, the band performed their first North American tour from September 25 to October 10, 2010.[5][6][7][8][9]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
[edit] Singles
| Title |
Release date |
Label |
Japan Oricon Chart Peak Positions
[11] |
| "I'll Kill You" |
June 15, 1985 |
Dada |
－ |
| "Orgasm" |
April 20, 1986 |
Extasy |
－ |
| "Kurenai" |
September 1, 1989 |
CBS/Sony |
5 |
| "Endless Rain" |
December 1, 1989 |
CBS/Sony |
3 |
| "Week End" |
April 21, 1990 |
CBS/Sony |
2 |
| "Silent Jealousy" |
September 11, 1991 |
Sony |
3 |
| "Standing Sex" |
October 25, 1991 |
Sony |
4 |
| "Say Anything" |
December 1, 1991 |
Sony |
3 |
| "Tears" |
November 10, 1993 |
MMG |
2 |
| "Rusty Nail" |
July 10, 1994 |
Atlantic |
1 |
| "Longing ~Togireta Melody~" |
August 1, 1995 |
Atlantic |
1 |
| "Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~" |
December 11, 1995 |
Atlantic |
5 |
| "Dahlia" |
February 2, 1996 |
Atlantic |
1 |
| "Forever Love" |
July 8, 1996 |
Atlantic |
1 |
| "Crucify My Love" |
August 26, 1996 |
Atlantic |
2 |
| "Scars" |
November 18, 1996 |
Atlantic |
15 |
| "Forever Love (Last Mix)" |
December 18, 1997 |
Polydor |
13 |
| "The Last Song" |
March 18, 1998 |
Polydor |
8 |
| "Forever Love" (re-release) |
July 22, 1998 |
Atlantic |
18 |
| "Scars" (re-release) |
July 22, 1998 |
Atlantic |
15 |
| "Forever Love" (re-release) |
July 11, 2001 |
Atlantic |
19 |
| "I.V." (iTunes Store release) |
January 23, 2008 |
Extasy |
－ |
| "Scarlet Love Song -Buddha Mix-" (iTunes Store release) |
June 8, 2011 |
Japan Music Agency |
－ |
| "Jade" |
June 28, 2011[12] |
EMI (NA & EU) |
－ |
[edit] Live albums
[edit] Remix albums
| Title |
Release date |
Label |
| Trance X |
December 4, 2002 |
Polydor |
[edit] Compilation albums
| Title |
Release date |
Label |
| X Singles |
November 21, 1993 |
Ki/oon |
| B.O.X ~Best of X~ |
March 21, 1996 |
Ki/oon |
| Ballad Collection |
December 19, 1997 |
Polydor |
| X Japan Singles ~Atlantic Years~ |
December 25, 1997 |
Atlantic |
| Special Box |
December 25, 1997 |
Atlantic |
| Single Box |
December 25, 1997 |
Atlantic |
| Star Box |
January 30, 1999 |
Sony |
| Perfect Best |
February 24, 1999 |
Atlantic |
| Best ~Fan's Selection~ |
December 19, 2001 |
Polydor |
| Complete II |
October 1, 2005 [13] |
Columbia |
[edit] Various artists compilations
| Title |
Song |
Release date |
Label |
| Heavy Metal Force III |
"Break the Darkness" |
November 7, 1985[14] |
Explosion |
| Skull Thrash Zone Volume I |
"Stab Me in the Back", "No Connexion" |
March 7, 1987[14] |
Victor |
| History of Extasy 15th Anniversary |
"Vanishing Love", "Kurenai", "Unfinished" |
June 21, 2000 |
Extasy |
| Fun Greatest Hits of '90s |
"Endless Rain" |
March 1, 2006 |
BMG |
| Climax ~Dramatic Songs~ |
"Say Anything" |
August 22, 2007[15] |
Sony |
| Piano Days ~Kimi to Kiita Love Song~ |
"Say Anything" |
October 24, 2007[16] |
Sony |
| Global Metal Soundtrack |
"X (Live)" |
July 24, 2008 |
Universal |
| Climax J-Rock History |
"Kurenai" |
December 22, 2010[17] |
Sony |
[edit] VHS / LD / DVD
| Title |
VHS release date |
LD release date |
DVD release date |
Label |
Japan Oricon DVD Chart Peak Positions
[18] |
| Xclamation |
August 1987 |
－ |
－ |
－ |
－ |
| Xclamation |
1988 |
－ |
－ |
－ |
－ |
| Thanx |
March 16, 1989 |
－ |
－ |
CBS/Sony |
－ |
| Blue Blood Tour Bakuhatsu Sunzen Gig |
June 1, 1989 |
June 1, 1989 |
September 5, 2001 |
Ki/oon |
－ |
| Shigeki! Visual Shock Vol. 2 |
December 31, 1989 |
December 31, 1989 |
September 5, 2001 |
Ki/oon |
－ |
| Celebration Visual Shock Vol. 2.5 |
September 1, 1990 |
September 1, 1990 |
September 5, 2001 |
Ki/oon |
－ |
| Shigeki 2 ~Yume no Nakadakeni Ikite~ Visual Shock Vol. 3 |
September 30, 1991 |
September 30, 1991 |
September 5, 2001 |
Ki/oon |
－ |
| Say Anything ~X Ballad Collection~ Visual Shock Vol. 3.5 |
December 21, 1991 |
December 21, 1991 |
September 5, 2001 |
Ki/oon |
－ |
| On the Verge of Destruction 1992.1.7 Tokyo Dome Live Visual Shock Vol. 4 |
November 1, 1992 |
November 1, 1992 |
September 5, 2001 |
Ki/oon |
－ |
| X Clips |
January 1, 1995 |
January 1, 1995 |
July 5, 2000 |
Ki/oon |
36 |
| Dahlia the Video Visual Shock #5 Part I |
January 1, 1997 |
－ |
－ |
Atlantic |
－ |
| Dahlia the Video Visual Shock #5 Part II |
March 5, 1997 |
－ |
－ |
Atlantic |
－ |
| Dahlia Tour Final 1996 |
October 29, 1997 |
－ |
December 4, 2002 |
Atlantic |
58 |
| X Japan Clips II |
October 24, 2001 |
－ |
October 24, 2001 |
Atlantic |
12 |
| The Last Live Video |
March 29, 2002 |
－ |
March 29, 2002 |
Atlantic |
7 |
| Dahlia the Video Visual Shock #5 Part I & Part II |
－ |
－ |
December 4, 2002 |
Atlantic |
82 |
| Art of Life 1993.12.31 Tokyo Dome |
September 24, 2003 |
－ |
September 24, 2003 |
Atlantic |
9 |
| Aoi Yoru |
－ |
－ |
July 25, 2007 |
Geneon |
50 |
| Shiroi Yoru |
－ |
－ |
July 25, 2007 |
Geneon |
49 |
| Aoi Yoru Shiroi Yoru Complete Edition |
－ |
－ |
July 25, 2007 |
Geneon |
14 |
| X Japan Returns 1993.12.30 |
－ |
－ |
February 29, 2008 |
Geneon |
30 |
| X Japan Returns 1993.12.31 |
－ |
－ |
February 29, 2008 |
Geneon |
43 |
| X Japan Returns Complete Edition |
－ |
－ |
February 29, 2008 |
Geneon |
8 |
| X Visual Shock DVD Box 1989-1992 |
－ |
－ |
July 23, 2008 |
Ki/oon |
33 |
| X Japan Showcase in L.A. Premium Prototype |
－ |
－ |
September 6, 2010 |
Japan Music Agency |
－ |
| The Last Live Complete Edition |
－ |
－ |
October 26, 2011 |
Geneon |
3 |
| Dahlia Tour Final (reissue) |
－ |
－ |
December 21, 2011 |
Geneon |
11 |
| Title |
Release date |
Note |
| "I'll Kill You" |
1984 |
| "Live" |
June 1985 |
Same material as "Endless Dream" but different track order. |
| "Endless Dream" |
June 1985 |
Same material as "Live" but different track order. |
| "Longing ~Togireta Melody~" |
December 30/31, 1994,
July 25, 2007 |
Originally distributed on cassette at both the "Aoi Yoru" and "Shiroi Yoru" concerts. Released on CD in the Aoi Yoru Shiroi Yoru Complete Edition DVD boxset. |
[edit] Unreleased songs
- "Born to Be Free"
- First performed while recording its music video at Club Nokia in Los Angeles on July 1, 2010.
- "Feel Me Tonight"
- Lyrics by Yoshiki, music by Hally.
- "Install"
- Also known as "Feels Damage".
- "Only Way"
- Lyrics by Jun and Toshi, music by Jun.
- "Right Now"
- "Tuneup Baby"
- "Without You"
- Originally an orchestrated instrumental piece written by Yoshiki and released on his 2005 album Eternal Melody II. Only performed by X Japan on March 28-30 at their 2008 Tokyo Dome reunion concerts and at the hide memorial summit on May 3, 2008.
- Gekitotsu!! – Color, January 1988
- "Kurenai (Original Japanese Version)", June 1988, Extasy
- Released with Rockin' f magazine. Contrary to the title it includes both Japanese and English lyrics. This version does not appear anywhere else.
- Bosutsu! VOS No.9, November 5, 1988
- VHS that came with a magazine. Live clips of X from September 4, 1988 are shown and Yoshiki is interviewed.
- Unrivaled is Extasy ~ Extasy Summit '91 at Nippon Budokan, February 21, 1992, Extasy
- Live recordings of a 1991 Extasy Summit, held by Extasy Records. Also features Tokyo Yankees, Virus, Luna Sea and several others.
- Minna ga Mumei-Datta, Dakedo... Muteki-Datta ~ Extasy Summit 1992, May 10, 1993, Extasy
- Live recordings of the October 31, 1992 Extasy Summit, held by Extasy Records. X does not perform together, but the members do perform with other acts. Also features Luna Sea, Deep, Media Youth, The Zolge, Tokyo Yankees, Screaming Mad George and Psychosis, Gilles de Rais, Zi:Kill and several others.
- X Japan Virtual Shock 001 for the Sega Saturn, October 20, 1995[19]
- Global Metal, June 20, 2008
- Various live clips of X are shown and Yoshiki is interviewed.
[edit] References
- ^ Seida, Linda. "X Japan biography at Allmusic". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p320432. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- ^ Yang, Jeff; Can, Dina; Hong, Terry (1997). Eastern Standard Time. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. 264. ISBN 0-395-76341-X.
- ^ Minnie, Chi. "X Japan Best review". Asia Pacific Arts Online Magazine. http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=7936. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Strauss, Neil (18 June 1998). "The Pop Life: End of a Life, End of an Era". N.Y. Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00EFD7103DF93BA25755C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- ^ Conner, Thomas (8 August 2010). "Japanese import scaled down for U.S.". Chicago Sun-Times. http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/conner/2570618,x-japan-080810.article. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
- ^ Grossman, Dana (11 October 2010). "X Japan throws massive party in NY’s Roseland Ballroom". Consequence of Sound. http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/10/11/x-japan-throws-massive-party-in-nys-roseland-ballroom-910/. Retrieved 2010-10-19.
- ^ "X Japan Reunites for New Single, Tour". blabbermouth.net. 4 June 2007. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=73874. Retrieved 2007-08-06.
- ^ "X JAPAN Heading Towards Their First American Tour in October". www.musicjapanplus.jp. 9 July 2010. http://www.musicjapanplus.jp/news/1/5024/x-japan-heading-towards-their-first-american-tour-in-october-yoshiki-this-is-a-restart-in-various-meanings/. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ "X Japan Set To Invade America with First-Ever U.S. Tour". herfitzpr.com. 16 August 2010. http://www.herfitzpr.com/http___web.me.com_herfitz_Site_Welcome.html/X_Japan_First_US_Tour_PR.html. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ "X JAPANのアルバム売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). oricon.co.jp. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/26180/ranking/cd_album. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
- ^ "X JAPANのシングル売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). oricon.co.jp. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/26180/ranking/cd_single/. Retrieved 2011-08-31.
- ^ "X Japan Releases first U.S. Single 'Jade' on June 28 - Los Angeles News - West Coast Sound:". blogs.laweekly.com. http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2011/06/x_japan_jade.php.
- ^ "X JAPAN COMPLETE II". japan-discoveries.com. http://japan-discoveries.com/index.php?main_page=product_music_info&cPath=1_62&products_id=436.
- ^ a b "List of Japanese heavy metal samplers". japanesemetal.gooside.com. http://japanesemetal.gooside.com/index_page/collection/collection_4_va_omnibus.htm.
- ^ "Climax ~Dramatic Songs~". cdjapan.co.jp. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=MHCL-1145.
- ^ "Piano Days ~Kimi to Kiita Love Song~". play-asia.com. http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-od-49-en-70-28i1.html.
- ^ "Climax J-rock History". cdjapan.co.jp. http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=MHCL-1837.
- ^ "X JAPANのDVD売り上げランキング" (in Japanese). oricon.co.jp. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/26180/ranking/dvd/. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
- ^ "X Japan Virtual Shock 001 information". gamefaqs.com. http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/saturn/data/574474.html.
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