Memorial Address

Memorial Address (stylized in sentence case) is the first extended play (EP) by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on December 17, 2003 by Avex Trax. Memorial Address is Hamasaki's longest extended play with a total of eight tracks. The album's composition and arrangement was handled by several musicians, such as Tetsuya Yukumi, Bounceback, CMJK, Dai Nagao, amongst others. Hamasaki contributed to the album as the primary and background vocalist, composer, and songwriter to every song. Three different formats were released to promote the album: a standalone CD, a CD and DVD bundle, and a digital release. It was Hamasaki's first album to be released as a CD+DVD package, a marketing strategy her label would often employ throughout her career.

Memorial Address
EP by
Ayumi Hamasaki
ReleasedDecember 17, 2003
GenreJ-pop|rock
Length38:45
LabelAvex Trax
ProducerMax Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
A Ballads
(2003)		 Memorial Address
(2003)		 My Story
(2004)
Singles from Memorial Address
  1. "&"
    Released: July 9, 2003
  2. "Forgiveness"
    Released: August 20, 2003
  3. "No Way to Say"
    Released: November 6, 2003

Upon the album's release, it was met with favourable reviews from music critics. Critics highlight individual songs for their production and composition, and commended the singles' commercial appeal. Memorial Address became Hamasaki's first extended play to reach the top spot on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart. It was certified million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of one million units in that region, making it the first extended play by a female artist to achieve this. Two singles and one EP were released from the album. Hamasaki promoted the EP on her 2003 and 2004 arena tour in Japan.

Background and composition

Memorial Address is Hamasaki's first extended play (EP).[1] It is currently her longest EP with eight tracks, tallying up to nearly 40 minutes.[1] For the album, Hamasaki's record label Avex Trax hired several Japanese musicians, such as Tetsuya Yukumi, Bounceback, CMJK, Dai Nagao, amongst others. Those producers are just some of whom worked with Hamasaki on her fourth studio album, the predecessor Rainbow (2002).[2] Memorial Address is also Hamasaki's first extended play to be composed, arranged, and produced by Japanese producers and composers.[1] She contributed to the album as the primary and background vocalist, composer, and songwriter to every song. She composed two songs with Nagao; "Hanabi: Episode II" and "Forgiveness".[1]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Ayumi Hamasaki.

CD
No.TitleMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Angel's Song"Tetsuya YukumiHΛL4:56
2."Greatful Days"BouncebackHΛL4:37
3."Because of You"BouncebackHΛL5:20
4."Ourselves"BouncebackCMJK4:31
5."Hanabi: Episode II" (lit. Fireworks: Episode II)Ayumi Hamasaki +D.A.I[Note 1]tasuku4:53
6."No Way to Say"BouncebackHΛL4:43
7."Forgiveness"Ayumi Hamasaki+D.A.ICMJK5:49
8."Memorial Address" (take 2 version)Tetsuya Yukumitasuku3:56
DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Angel's Song" (Video Clip) 
2."Greatful Days" (Video Clip) 
3."Because of You" (Video Clip) 
4."Ourselves" (Video Clip) 
5."Hanabi: Episode II" (Video Clip) 
6."No Way to Say" (Video Clip) 
7."Forgiveness" (Video Clip) 
8."Special Digest from A Museum: 30th Collection Live" 

Release history
Region Date Format Catalogue Number
Japan December 17, 2003 (2003-12-17)
CD (Copy Control CD) AVCD-17411
CD+DVD (Copy Control CD) AVCD-17410/B
Taiwan 2003 (2003)
CD (Copy Control CD) AVJCD-10180
CD+DVD AVJCD-10180/A

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Chart Peak position First Week Sales Sales total Chart run
17 December, 2003 Oricon Daily Albums Chart 1
Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 1 524,028 1,062,297 53 weeks
Oricon Monthly Albums Chart 1
Oricon Yearly Albums Chart 4
  • Total Sales: 1,062,297 (Japan)
  • Total Sales: 1,220,000 (Avex)
  • Highest selling mini-album by a female artist.
  • Only mini-album by a female artist to sell over one million units.

Singles
Date Title Peak position Weeks Sales
July 9, 2003 "&" 1 16 weeks 591,481
August 20, 2003 "forgiveness" 1 12 weeks 222,000
September 29, 2003 "No Way to Say" 1 12 weeks 371,171　

Total Single Sales: 1,184,652

Total Album and Single Sales: 2,246,949

Notes
  1. Crea is the pseudonym of Ayumi Hamasaki.

References
  1. Hamasaki, Ayumi (2003). Memorial Address (Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-17410.
  2. Hamasaki, Ayumi (2002). Rainbow (Liner notes). Ayumi Hamasaki. Japan: Avex Trax. AVCD-17239.
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