Singularity (Lead album)

Singularity (stylized as SINGULARITY) is the ninth studio album released by the Japanese hip hop group Lead, released on March 18, 2020, nearly two years after their previous album, Milestone. It debuted at No. 12 on the Oricon charts, becoming their first in eight years not to debut in the top ten.

Singularity
Studio album by
Lead
ReleasedMarch 18, 2020
Recorded2019-2020
GenreHip hop, pop, R&B, dance
LabelPony Canyon
CD (PCCA-4903)
CD+DVD (PCCA-04901)
2CD+Booklet (PCCA-04902)
Lead chronology
Milestone
(2018)		 Singularity
(2020)		 Joy Joy Home Mix
(2020)
Singles from Singularity
  1. "Be the Naked"
    Released: January 30, 2019
  2. "Summer Vacation"
    Released: July 24, 2019
  3. "Hide and Seek/Sunset Refrain"
    Released: February 17, 2020

The album included their singles Be the Naked, Summer Vacation and Hide and Seek/Sunset Refrain.

Singularity was released in three separate editions; a CD only version, a 2CD edition that contained a special booklet, and a CD+DVD edition, which housed music videos for not only the videos from the singles, but the previously unreleased video for "Hide and Seek".

Information

Singularity is the ninth studio album released by the Japanese hip-hop group Lead, released two years after their previous studio album Milestone. The album debuted on the Oricon Albums Charts at No. 12, breaking their string of top ten album releases, which began in 2012 with their studio album Now or Never.[1][2] By the second day, it had dropped to the No. 20 spot.[3]

The album was released in three separate editions: a standard CD containing thirteen musical tracks;[4] a type A CD+DVD edition, which housed music videos for all the videos from the singles, along with the previously unreleased "Hide and Seek";[5] and a type B 2CD edition that contained thirteen tracks on the first disc, a special radio show hosted by the group, a remix of "Summer Vacation", a live version of "Say Good-bye Say Hello" and a special booklet.[6] All editions were also given first press limited editions, which included tickets to the group's upcoming live event, Leaders Party 17! ~Breakthrough~.

As a special promotion, when buyers pre-ordered the album at various CD shops nationwide, they could receive a clear file folder. The company also collaborated with Amazon Japan for several promotions, including a DECA jacket with the pattern of either the A or B special edition.[7][8] At each venue for their fan club tour Leaders Party 17! ~Breakthrough~ (stylized as Leaders Party 17! ~BREAKTHROUGH~), which was held in April 2020, those who purchased a CD, DVD or Blu-ray received a Singularity-themed poster.[9]

Promotional activities

Prior to the album's release, the group had released three singles: Be the Naked, Summer Vacation and Hide and Seek/Sunset Refrain.

Be the Naked was the thirtieth single released by Lead, and was their first single of 2019. It debuted in the top ten on the Oricon Singles Charts at No. 7 and climbed to the No. 6 spot by the third day.[10][11] It was released in four formats: a standard CD, two CD+DVD editions, and a CD+booklet edition. The CD only version housed the title track and two coupling tracks, while the other editions carried the title track and one of two coupling tracks. Summer Vacation was their thirty-fifth single and debuted at No. 6 on the Oricon Singles Charts, becoming their fourteenth consecutive single to chart in the top ten.[12] It came in four formats: a standard CD, two CD+DVD editions, and a CD+booklet edition. The CD only version carried three songs: the title track "Summer Vacation", and the two coupling tracks "Paradise City" and "Anthem".[13] As with their previous single, each edition harbored the main track and one of two b-sides.

Hide and Seek/Sunset Refrain was their thirty-second single, and final single before their album Singularity. The single continued their streak of top-charting singles, and peaked at No. 3 on the Oricon Singles Charts.[14] The single was released in four formats: a standard CD, two CD+DVD editions, and a CD+booklet edition. The standard CD housed the title tracks and the coupling track "Midnight Free Way",[15] while the CD+DVD editions only contained the two a-sides.[16][17] The CD+booklet, however, featured the two title tracks, along with their corresponding instrumentals.[18]

As a special promotion, when buyers pre-ordered the album at various CD shops nationwide, they could receive a clear file folder. The company also collaborated with Amazon Japan where buyers would receive a DECA jacket with the pattern of either the A or B special edition cover. At each venue for their fan club tour Leaders Party 17! ~Breakthrough~, which will be held in April 2020, those who purchase a music CD or DVD/Blu-ray will receive a Singularity-themed poster.

In an effort to aid in promotion, on March 22, a live broadcast was launched on LINE LIVE, where the group talked about the album.[19]

Track listing
Disc 1
No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Regularity://" Akira KagimotoAkira Kagimoto1:42
2."Singularity" (シンギュラリティ)Saeki Yuusuke • Shinya Tanuichi (rap)HiDE KawadaHIKARI • MoonChild • HIROMI4:29
3."Be the Naked"Saeki Yuusuke • Shinya Tanuichi (rap)Coach & SendoObi Mhondera • Kyler Niko • Coach & Sendo4:05
4."Depend On Me"Yuki TsujimuraErik Lidbom • Yuki TsujimuraErik Lidbom3:50
5."Summer Vacation"shungo.Ryo 'LEFTY' MiyataFredrik "Figge" Boström • Ryo 'LEFTY' Miyata • Lars Säfsund3:51
6."Seasons"Housei Shiramizu • tossyHousei Shiramizu • tossytossy4:09
7."Milk Tea"7chi子♪ • Shinya Tanuichi (rap)Albin Nordqvist • Eric NgAlbin Nordqvist3:17
8."Just Love You ~Seishun Hakusho~" (青春白書)Akira KagimotoAkira Kagimoto • Ryota Kikuchi (piano)Akira Kagimoto4:42
9."Magic Magic Magic"Yuki TsujimuraVictor Sagfors • Yuki TsujimuraVictor Sagfors4:03
10."Sunset Refrain"shungo.KID STORM • MUSOH • SLIPKIDKID STORM3:04
11."Anthem"Akira Kagimoto • Shinya Tanuichi (rap)Akira KagimotoAkira Kagimoto3:59
12."Ride On Music"Akira Kagimoto • Shinya Tanuichi (rap)Akira Kagimoto • Nobuyuki Nishikawa (guitar)Akira Kagimoto3:24
13."Hide and Seek"Akira Kagimoto • Shinya Tanuichi (rap)MASAT • Drew Ryan ScottMASAT3:00
Total length:47:35
Disc 2
No.TitleLength
1.""Thursday Boys' Association" SP ~Singularity Radio~" (木曜日の男子会)39:35
2."Summer Vacation" (Lingering Summer Heat Remix) (remixed by Akira))4:12
3."Say Good-bye Say Hello" (Lead Upturn 2019 ~Sync~ Live ver.)5:45
Total length:49:32
DVD
No.TitleDirector(s)Length
1."Be the Naked" (Music Video)Takuya Tada4:07
2."Summer Vacation" (Music Video)Takuya Tada2:57
3."Sunset Refrain" (Music Video)Yoshiharu Seri (SEP)3:57
4."Hide and Seek" (Music Video)Takuya Tada3:07
5."Hide and Seek" (Behind the Music Video)Minoru Kieda 
6."Singularity" (Behind the Jacket Shooting)Minoru Kieda 
7."Lead Quick Workout (you can work with training)" (一緒にできるトレーニング付き)Minoru Kieda 

Special release events

9th album "Singularity" Launch Events[20]

  1. January 25, 2020: Tower Records Nagoya PARCO
  2. January 26, 2020: Tower Records Kobe Store
  3. February 1, 2020: Tower Records Sendai PARCO
  4. February 2, 2020: Music Plaza Indo
  5. February 19, 2020: Tower Records Shibuya (Autograph／Photo Session)
  6. February 20, 2020: Tower Records Shinjuku Store (Autograph Session)
  7. March 18, 2020: Tokyo -Cancelled-
  8. March 20, 2020: Osaka -Cancelled-
  9. March 21, 2020: Aichi -Cancelled-
  10. March 22, 2020: Tokyo -Cancelled-
  11. May 3, 2020: Leaders Exclusive Event (Photo Session)

Cancellations

On February 19, 2020, through Lead's official Twitter account, Pony Canyon put out a notice that several of the scheduled live events had been postponed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All events between March 18 and March 22 were cancelled indefinitely.[21]

Personnel

Credits are adapted from album's liner notes[22]

Musicians
  • Keita Furuya - vocals
  • Akira Kagimoto - vocals
  • Shinya Tanuichi - vocals
Production
  • Naotaka Yamaguchi - producer
  • Shigeru Kawai - director
  • Daisuke Nishizawa - director
  • Hajime Kodama - vocal direction
  • Yoshihiro Kinoshita - coordination
  • Yukihito Sakakibara - music producer
  • Takashi Kasuga - supervisor
  • T. Taira - executive producer
  • Takashi Tsuboi - audio and recording
  • Yoko Abe - products coordinator
  • Nobuaki Iijima - art direction
  • Misa Tsukagoshi - design
  • Susumu Miyawaki - photographer
  • Yuya Murata - stylist
  • Shunsuke Takata - hair and make-up

Charts
Billboard Japan chart performance for Singularity
Release Chart Peak position Chart run Total sales
March 18, 2020 Billboard Japan 15 1 5,855[23]
Oricon chart performance for Singularity
Release Chart Peak position Chart run Total sales
March 18, 2020 Oricon Daily Albums Chart 12 2
March 18, 2020 Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 17 2 5,196[24]
Sales chart performance for singles from Singularity
Date Title Peak position Sales
January 30, 2019 Be the Naked 6 20,628 copies
July 24, 2019 Summer Vacation 6 23,243 copies[25]
February 19, 2020 Hide and Seek/Sunset Refrain 3 17,777 copies[26]

References
  1. "デイリー　アルバムランキング2020年03月17日付". Oricon. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  2. "Leadの売上ランキング". Oricon. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  3. "デイリー　アルバムランキング2020年03月18日付". Oricon. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  4. "SINGULARITY (Normal Edition)(Japan Version)". YesAsia. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  5. "SINGULARITY [Type A](ALBUM+DVD)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)". YesAsia. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  6. "SINGULARITY [Type B](ALBUM+BOOKLET)(First Press Limited Edition)(Japan Version)". YesAsia. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  7. "【Amazon.co.jp限定】SINGULARITY 初回限定盤B [2CD+スペシャルブックレット](デカジャケット付)". Amazon Japan. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  8. "【Amazon.co.jp限定】SINGULARITY 初回限定盤A [CD+DVD](デカジャケット付) CD+DVD". Amazon Japan. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  9. "【予約特典絵柄公開】通算9作目となるオリジナル・アルバム「SINGULARITY」3/18発売決定！". Lead Official. February 18, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  10. "オリコンデイリー　シングルランキング2019年01月29日付". Oricon. January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  11. "オリコンデイリー　シングルランキング2019年01月31日付". Oricon. January 29, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  12. "デイリー　シングルランキング 2019年07月23日付". Oricon. July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  13. "Summer Vacation [Regular Edition]". CDJapan. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  14. "週間シングルランキング2020年03月02日付（2020年02月17日～2020年02月23日）". Oricon. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  15. "リード / HIDE and SEEK / サンセット・リフレイン - 楽天市場". Rakuten. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  16. "Lead (JP) リード / H I D E and S E E K / サンセット・リフレイン 【初回限定盤A】 【CD Maxi】". Rakuten. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  17. "Lead (JP) リード / H I D E and S E E K / サンセット・リフレイン 【初回限定盤B】 【CD Maxi】". Rakuten. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  18. "Lead (JP) リード / H I D E and S E E K / サンセット・リフレイン 【初回限定盤C】(+スペシャルブックレット) 【CD Maxi】". Rakuten. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
  19. "3/22(日) 「SINGULARITY」発売記念生放送 #先導的特異点 LINE LIVE配信決定！". LINE. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  20. "New Album「SINGULARITY」発売記念イベント". Lead Official News. February 19, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  21. "【スタッフより】2月22日～3月22日CD発売記念イベントの開催中止および延期のお知らせ". Ameba. February 21, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  22. Singularity (booklet). Lead. Japan: Pony Canyon. 2020. p. 22.CS1 maint: others (link)
  23. "Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales / Charts / Billboard JAPAN". Billboard Japan. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  24. 週間 CDアルバムランキング 2020年03月30日付 [Weekly CD Album Ranking on March 30, 2020] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  25. "週間シングルランキング2019年08月05日付". WorkEve (in Japanese). Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  26. "月間　シングルランキング2020年02月度". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved March 13, 2020.
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