Ayumi Hamasaki releases new single ‘BYE-BYE’ on 26th anniversary of her debut! Explosive music video features ayu in school uniform!

As she celebrates the 26th anniversary of her debut, pop superstar Ayumi Hamasaki has released the brand new single ‘BYE-BYE’. ‘BYE-BYE’ was written for the NHK series ‘Minna no Uta’, broadcast in April and May.

As you’d expect from Hamasaki, the song’s immersive lyrics are dark and deep – generating tons of attention among her legions of fans. Along with the release of ‘BYE-BYE’, a music video was also released on Hamasaki’s official YouTube channel.

In a classroom in an apparently abandoned school, Hamasaki and 23 dancers perform intense choreography, especially during the chorus – and all of them, including Hamasaki, are dressed in school uniform.  As soon as this explosive video was released on April 8, social media it up with fan comments, such as “ayu looks so cute in uniform!”, “I have to learn the choreography!” and “This song is the perfect start to her 26th anniversary!”

26 years have passed since the release of Ayumi Hamasaki’s debut single ‘poker face’ on April 8, 1998. As she enters her 27th year, ayu continues to evolve – don’t miss it.

Ayumi Hamasaki Tells A Story with Latest Release!

“Nonfiction” Digital Jacket Cover

Pop Diva Ayumi Hamasaki has released her latest single “Nonfiction” back in April. The single was announced on April 8 to celebrate the 24th anniversary of Hamasaki’s debut; it is a pioneering dance track with an R&B groove, composed by Hisashi Koyama and arranged by tasuku. This powerful song leaves a deep impression, containing an intense message for all of us living in the modern age.

The eye-catching music video, which was released on the same day, features a dance space drenched in pink, as well as the swanky presidential suite of a hotel. The video switches between these two contrasting worlds, sometimes appearing inorganic, sometimes aggressively expressive. Hamasaki radiates beauty and splendor in each scene, while her dancers move around her with expertly calculated choreography. Hamasaki herself is so confident in this video that she described it in an Instagram post as “a super-luxurious masterpiece rarely seen in recent years”.

Hamasaki also held a 24th anniversary concert at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama on April 6, titled ‘ayumi hamasaki ASIA TOUR ~24th Anniversary special @PIA ARENA MM~’. At the show, Hamasaki performed her debut single ‘poker face’, as well as the song ‘from your letter’ that was included on her first album ‘A Song for ××’ but has never before been performed live, the fan favorite classic ‘SCAR’ and even the new single ‘Nonfiction’. The concert was an unforgettable document of Ayumi Hamasaki’s soul-stirring songs throughout her 24-year career so far. A DVD and Blu-ray of this performance will be released on July 1, so be sure to check it out.

It has been 24 years since the release of Ayumi Hamasaki’s debut single ‘poker face’ on April 8, 1998. This unique artist continues to push the boundaries of music, so keep your eyes on Ayumi Hamasaki.

Be sure to check out the music video below along with the track here!

Vintage Ayumi Hamasaki Remixes by Trance Pioneers Ferry Corsten, Rank 1 and Push Available to Download and Stream for the First Time

Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 -COMPLETE EDITION- Jacket Cover

The classic Cyber TRANCE series of hits by Asia’s diva Ayumi Hamasaki remixed by pioneering artists such as Armin van Buuren and Above & Beyond is back again. September saw the release of Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION-, and today, November 17, the follow-up album Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 also gets the ‘COMPLETE EDITION’ treatment, with a reissue featuring all the tracks from the 2002 release plus many additional versions, some of which are available for the very first time. The complete set is available for download and streaming now.

The 30 tracks on Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 -COMPLETE EDITION- include the Extended mix and the Push remix of “Connected”, which was produced by Ferry Corsten as an original Ayumi Hamasaki song; “Connected” hit the club charts in countries across Europe when it was released in 2002 and was featured in countless DJ sets and DJ-Mix compilations. The album also includes “Dearest”, Hamasaki’s hit theme song for the anime Inuyasha, as remixed by Dutch trance pioneers Rank 1.

Since Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 was originally released on CD as a non-stop mix, the various tracks have never been made available individually for download or streaming, so this release has been long awaited by fans. Also, just like September’s reissue of the previous album in the series, this compilation features versions of tracks that were previously only available as promotional 12-inch vinyl or limited to certain territories, as well as versions that have never been released anywhere in the world until now.

Following the reissue of the first Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION- album, the official Twitter account of Japanese dance music brand Cyber TRANCE posted a photo taken way back on September 30, 2001, when British trance group Above & Beyond were performing at an ayu trance release party at renowned Tokyo mega-club velfarre; the photo captures the moment the three young artists were joined on stage by Hamasaki herself, making a surprise guest appearance. This rare memento of a special moment in Japanese and British trance music history reignited the excitement of fans around the world.

Whether you are from the generation that experienced the thrill of ‘ayu trance’ the first time around, or a dance-music fan of the post-EDM generation, now’s your chance to check out these timeless trance masterpieces here!

Classic Ayumi Hamasaki Trance Remixes by Armin van Buuren, Above & Beyond and Ferry Corsten Re-released on ‘COMPLETE EDITION’

Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION- Jacket Cover

Released on September 27, 2001, Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance was an album of hit songs by Asia’s top diva, Ayumi Hamasaki, remixed by several of the world’s top trance producers, from Armin van Buuren to Above & Beyond. The album was a huge success, selling some 700,000 physical copies.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of this landmark album, a new enhanced edition titled Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance -COMPLETE EDITION- was released in September 2021, including not only the original masterpiece remixes that took countries around Europe by storm, but also some previously unreleased songs. A reissue of the follow-up album, Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 -COMPLETE EDITION-, will follow on November 17.

The remixes on the original album were created by reigning trance megastars such as Armin van Buuren, a Dutch national treasure and dance music leader who has performed for the king of the Netherlands and has topped the No.1 DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll a record five times; Above & Beyond, the two-time Grammy nominated British trance act who have ranked at No.4 in the same DJ Mag poll and who have regularly sold out stadium and arena tours in the United States; and Dutch trance legend Ferry Corsten, a pivotal figure in the global trance movement of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

At the time, it was the first such album to feature remixes of a single artist by so many top DJs and producers, and Hamasaki became the first Japanese artist to reach No.11 in the British club chart, No.2 in the German club chart, and so on, making waves in the European club scene.

Hamasaki’s tracks released under the name “Ayu” (sometimes stylized “AYU”) such as M” (Above & Beyond Typhoon Dub)”, “appears (Armin van Buuren's Rising Star remix)” and ‘Depend On You (Svenson & Gielen Club mix)” were played at festivals featuring big-name DJs, and tracks were included on numerous mix CDs including Ministry Of Sound’s revered “The Annual” series, making Ayu a major presence in the European trance scene.

Now, this epoch-making album has returned, with 48 tracks including the original 14 songs, plus alternative versions that were only available on promotional 12-inch vinyl releases or in limited territories, and even some versions that have never been released until now. The sudden re-release of this classic trance album prompted an overwhelmingly positive response from Ayu fans around the world, with a torrent of comments such as “This ayu trance re-release is too awesome”, “This unexpected reissue is a shock – I’m delighted” and “One of the best remix albums in history!”

And now, following the success of the re-release, it has been announced that the follow-up album Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 will also get the enhanced treatment, set for release on Wednesday, November 17 as Cyber TRANCE presents ayu trance 2 -COMPLETE EDITION-.

Be sure to check out the amazing YouTube channel below with the remix of “Hanabi” below!

Ayumi Hamasaki Brings Out the Monster in Latest Music Video!

“23rd Monster” Digital Jacket Cover

Music icon Ayumi Hamasaki released the music video for her track “23rd Monster” on her YouTube channel. Originally released on her 23rd debut anniversary back in April, the track is available across all music streaming platforms. "23rd Monster" is a rock number that sings a powerful stance of "deciding your own path". In the music video, in a ruined scene, Hamasaki performs aggressively with many dancers dressed as monsters and sings with a keen eye. 

Be sure to check out the music video in question along with the streaming link for “23rd Monster” here!