Charts: "Heart Station" makes it five straight number ones for Utada

Tokyograph News · 03-27-2008, 05:37 AM

Hikaru Utada's album "HEART STATION" has sold 480,000 copies and is ranked #1, making it her 5th straight #1 original album since her debut. This ties her with The Checkers, Hikaru Genji, and KinKi Kids for the third-longest streak, behind BoA (6) and Ayumi Hamasaki (8). Including her singles collection in 2004, this is her 6th consecutive chart-topper. The album also set the record for initial week sales in 2008, surpassing the 421,000 copies sold by Kumi Koda's "Kingdom."

In Oricon's singles rankings, Namie Amuro's single "60s 70s 80s" held the #1 spot at 38,000 copies. In an extremely rare occurrence, the single debuted at #2 last week only to jump to #1 this week. This comes as the result of a strong promotional campaign, as well as low sales from competing artists. This is her 10th #1 single, with the last one being 1998's "I HAVE NEVER SEEN." It also marks her 14th straight year with a top 10 ranking.

THE ALFEE's "Lifetime Love" was the #2 single, selling 32,000 copies. It has been 16 years since the group entered the Top 3, and the song became their 41st consecutive Top 10 single, tying B'z for second place behind SMAP (42). "Lifetime Love" is the theme to the TBS drama series "Mikon Roku Shimai 2," while its coupling song, "Wonderful Days," is the image song of the 2008 Osaka International Ladies Marathon.

Also in the Top 10 singles were Project.R, Mai Kuraki, and actress Manami Konishi. "Sunny Day" is Konishi's singing debut, released under the alias of Kazue Fujiki, the character she plays in the movie "Sweet Rain: Shinigami no Seido." The song sold close to 10,000 copies to obtain the #10 ranking. The last actress to make the Top 10 with her singing debut under a different name was Masami Nagasawa with the single "Sailor Fuku to Kikanju."

Meanwhile, four new albums besides Utada's "HEART STATION" entered the Top 10, released separately by KREVA, Shoko Nakagawa, FLOW, and Hiroshi Tamaki. Nakagawa's entry was the biggest news of the bunch, as "Big Bang!!!" is her first original album.

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03-27-2008, 05:37 AM	#1
Tokyograph News Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 11	Charts: "Heart Station" makes it five straight number ones for Utada Hikaru Utada's album "HEART STATION" has sold 480,000 copies and is ranked #1, making it her 5th straight #1 original album since her debut. This ties her with The Checkers, Hikaru Genji, and KinKi Kids for the third-longest streak, behind BoA (6) and Ayumi Hamasaki (8). Including her singles collection in 2004, this is her 6th consecutive chart-topper. The album also set the record for initial week sales in 2008, surpassing the 421,000 copies sold by Kumi Koda's "Kingdom." In Oricon's singles rankings, Namie Amuro's single "60s 70s 80s" held the #1 spot at 38,000 copies. In an extremely rare occurrence, the single debuted at #2 last week only to jump to #1 this week. This comes as the result of a strong promotional campaign, as well as low sales from competing artists. This is her 10th #1 single, with the last one being 1998's "I HAVE NEVER SEEN." It also marks her 14th straight year with a top 10 ranking. THE ALFEE's "Lifetime Love" was the #2 single, selling 32,000 copies. It has been 16 years since the group entered the Top 3, and the song became their 41st consecutive Top 10 single, tying B'z for second place behind SMAP (42). "Lifetime Love" is the theme to the TBS drama series "Mikon Roku Shimai 2," while its coupling song, "Wonderful Days," is the image song of the 2008 Osaka International Ladies Marathon. Also in the Top 10 singles were Project.R, Mai Kuraki, and actress Manami Konishi. "Sunny Day" is Konishi's singing debut, released under the alias of Kazue Fujiki, the character she plays in the movie "Sweet Rain: Shinigami no Seido." The song sold close to 10,000 copies to obtain the #10 ranking. The last actress to make the Top 10 with her singing debut under a different name was Masami Nagasawa with the single "Sailor Fuku to Kikanju." Meanwhile, four new albums besides Utada's "HEART STATION" entered the Top 10, released separately by KREVA, Shoko Nakagawa, FLOW, and Hiroshi Tamaki. Nakagawa's entry was the biggest news of the bunch, as "Big Bang!!!" is her first original album. Link to article