We Are X (soundtrack)

We Are X is the 2017 soundtrack album to the documentary film We Are X, containing a compilation of songs by Japanese heavy metal band X Japan. It was released on March 3, 2017 by Sony Music's Legacy Recordings. In the first week of the release of the album it reached No. 4 in Japan's Oricon Albums Chart.[1] It also reached No. 1 in the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart, No. 3 in the UK Soundtrack Albums Chart and No. 27 in the main UK Albums Chart,[2] making it their first appearance on the UK chart.[3]

We Are X
Soundtrack album by X Japan
Released	March 3, 2017
Genre	Heavy metal, symphonic metal
Length	78:41
Label	Sony Music's Legacy Recordings

Overview

Tracks 1 and 14 are new songs exclusive to this soundtrack album.[4] The Japan-exclusive Blu-spec CD version of the album includes two additional songs.[5]

On December 13, 2016, it was announced that "La Venus" was one of 91 songs in contention for nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for the 89th Academy Awards.[6]

On March 3, 2017, an album signing took place at HMV in Oxford Street, London. Over 1,000 people attended the signing resulting in the street having to be closed for the duration of the event.[7] All the copies of the physical copies of the album available at the signing were sold in the event. According to store staff, this was the first time there was a sell-out of all physical copies at such a signing.[8]

Reception

Japako Music gave We Are X a rating of 4 out 5 stars, saying that: "Overall, this soundtrack has a very distinctive sound that anyone who loves rock or heavy metal music will love and enjoy. For anyone who is interested in Japanese music and trends in music, this is an important soundtrack and one that, having reached 4th on Oricon Albums Chart and 1st on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart, will have a long-lasting effect on Japanese rock and metal."[9]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"La Venus" (acoustic version)	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	4:40
2.	"Kurenai" (from The Last Live)	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	5:38
3.	"Forever Love"	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	8:38
4.	"A Piano String in Es Dur"		Yoshiki	1:51
5.	"Dahlia"	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	7:58
6.	"Crucify My Love"	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	4:32
7.	"Xclamation"		hide and Taiji	3:54
8.	"Standing Sex" (from X Japan Returns)	Miyuki Igarashi	Yoshiki	4:45
9.	"Tears"	Hitomi Shiratori and Yoshiki	Yoshiki	7:12
10.	"Longing / Setsubo-no-yoru"		Yoshiki	5:12
11.	"Art of Life (3rd Movement)"	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	4:39
12.	"Endless Rain" (from The Last Live)	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	7:06
13.	"X" (from The Last Live)	Hitomi Shiratori	Yoshiki	6:35
14.	"Without You" (Unplugged)	Yoshiki	Yoshiki	6:01

Japanese edition bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
15.	"Rusty Nail" (from Dahlia Tour Final ~Mubou na Yoru~)
16.	"Forever Love" (from The Last Live)

Charts

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[10]	4
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[11]	99
South Korean International Albums (Gaon)[12]	11
UK Albums (OCC)[13]	27
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[14]	1
UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC)[15]	3

References

1. 週間　CDアルバムランキング 2017年03月06日付. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
2. Osmond, Andrew (March 11, 2017). "We Are X Soundtrack Charting in UK". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
3. "X Japan". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
4. "Latest News". We Are X. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
5. ""WE ARE X (Movie)" Original Soundtrack [Blu-spec CD2]". CD Japan. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
6. "91 original songs vie for 2016 Oscar". Oscars. December 13, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
7. Simons, Roxy (March 18, 2017). "X Japan Signing Closes Part Of Oxford Street". MyM. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
8. Benjamin, Jeff (March 10, 2017). "Inside X Japan's long-awaited Wembley Arena concert". Fuse. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
9. Tariq (March 13, 2017). "X Japan - We Are X". Japako Music. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
10. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2017-03-09" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
11. "South Korea Gaon Album Chart". On the page, select "2017-03-09" to obtain the corresponding chart. Gaon Chart Retrieved March 12, 2017.
12. "South Korea Gaon International Album Chart". On the page, select "2017-03-09", then "국외", to obtain the corresponding chart. Gaon Chart Retrieved March 12, 2017.
13. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
14. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
15. "Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2017.