Loveppears

Loveppears (stylized as LOVEppears) is the second studio album by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on November 10, 1999, by Avex Trax, ten months after her debut album, A Song for xx (1999). It was additionally distributed in a variety of formats and on different dates throughout Asia. Loveppears was written entirely by Hamasaki, produced by Max Matsuura, and includes collaborations with composers such as Hal, Dai Nagao, D.A.I, Yasuhiko Hoshino, and Kazuhito Kikuchi, among others. Musically, it is a departure from her previous record and incorporates more electronic and dance sounds with elements of trance, house, J-pop, and rock. Lyrically, it explores themes of love, frustration with life, loneliness, and individualism. Music critics gave Loveppears positive reviews, with some praising its dance-oriented nature, its production style, and highlighting certain tracks on the record. Some publications regarded it as one of Hamasaki's best records to date. Commercially, it peaked at number one in Japan and was certified double million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for exceeding two million copies sold. Since its release, it has sold over 2.5 million units in the region, making it one of the best-selling records in Japanese history. The album produced eight singles, all of which were commercially successful; "Love (Destiny)" became the singer's first number-one single in the region, while "A" remains her best-selling release to date. To promote the album, Hamasaki appeared in several commercials and campaigns, becoming a brand staple in the Japanese market. Several remix albums featuring many Loveppears songs were released, including Super Eurobeat Presents Ayu-ro Mix (2000), which is one of the best-selling remix albums to date. Hamasaki later embarked on two nationwide concert tours in Japan, which were later released on DVD and VHS. To commemorate the album's release, a 20th Anniversary repackage...