Draft:Itsuka no Merry Christmas

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"Itsuka no Merry Christmas"
Song by B'z
from the EP Friends
LanguageJapanese
ReleasedDecember 9, 1992 (1992-12-09)
Genre
Length5:37
LabelBMG Rooms/ZEZ
Composer(s)Tak Matsumoto
Lyricist(s)Koshi Inaba
Producer(s)Tak Matsumoto

"Itsuka no Merry Christmas" (いつかのメリークリスマス, lit. "That One Merry Christmas") is a Christmas song by the Japanese rock duo B'z, from their 1992 EP Friends. Although never released as a single, the song remains one of the band's most popular and is a staple at Christmastime in Japan,[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] and as such has been covered by numerous artists. The song is rarely played live, as it's only played around Christmas.

Background[edit]

The song is the first song on the band's concept album Friends, which tells a love story in four parts. Each song is given a one-word title describing the song's place in the story, with "Itsuka no Merry Christmas" being "reminiscence". The song's lyrics depict past memories with a loved one.[6] Singer Koshi Inaba said in a 2021 interview that, due to the songs' connection, he carefully crafted the lyrics of each song. In that same interview, Inaba said that when it as released, he didn't think he could sing in that well but now feels that he can sing it better, either due to his age or his voice changing.[9]

Popularity[edit]

Since its release, it's become a very popular Christmas song. In a survey conducted by the magazine CD & DL Data asking 10,000 people ages 10-60 their top Christmas song, the song came in 4th place; the magazine also mentioned the song is popular with people aged 20-40.[10] In a Dai-Ichi Kosho survey on the most popular Christmas songs sung at karaoke ranging from January 1994 to December 15, 2012, the song was ranked first.[11] In a 2010 vote conducted by Japanese digital music service Recochoku on the best Christmas song,[12] the song ranked third; later, in a 2012 vote, the song ranked second.[13] In a 2023 survey conducted by CM Site on "masterpiece" Christmas songs, the song ranked seventh. In another 2023 survey conducted by the Netorabo Survey Team and Voice Note asking people in their 50s on their favorite Christmas song with a male vocalist, the song came in fourth.[7]

2023 survey conducted by The song has gained immense popularity as a ringtone. In 2015, Face Wonderworks, through GIGA Entertainment Melody, ranked the song as the 15th most downloaded ringtone of all time in 15 years.[14] During December 2011, the song climbed its way up RIAJ's Chaku-Uta Full ringtone chart,[a] peaking at number 7 on the week of December 27th.[17] In January 2011, the song was certified gold for Chaku-Uta Full; along with this, a rearrangement of the song, dubbed the "'Koisuru Hanikami!' Version", was certified double platinum for Chaku-Uta.[18] Later, in January 2012, the original song was then certified platinum for Chaku-Uta Full.[19]

The song is one of the band's most popular songs. When the B'z catalog became available on digital services on May 21, 2021, B'z monopolized the top 100 songs on the Japanese streaming service Awa, with "Itsuka no Merry Christmas" being number 1.[3] In a 2020 survey conducted by Line Research on peoples' favorite B'z song, the song came in second.[8]

The song has been covered by many artists both in-studio and live, including Ayumi Hamasaki,[20] Eric Martin,[21] Ken Hirai,[2] Park Jung-min,[22] and many others.

Charts[edit]

Chart (2011–2019) Peak
position
Billboard Japan Hot 100[23] 15
Top Download Songs (Billboard Japan)[24] 45

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[25] Platinum 250,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[26]
'Koisuru Hanikami!' Version 		Double Platinum 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The song ranked number 30 in the week of December 13 and number 8 in the week of December 20.[15][16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "B'zの名曲「いつかのメリークリスマス」テレビで12年ぶり披露 『CDTV』特番". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  2. ^ a b "【ライヴレポート】平井堅、クリスマス・イヴに15周年ツアーのファイナル公演を開催「こんなに喜びを感じるものはありません」". BARKS (in Japanese). 2013-12-25. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. ^ a b Muteki Dead Snake (2021-05-30). "結局、B'zって何が凄いの？ プロの目線で解説する、他のバンドとの「決定的な違い」". J-CAST ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  4. ^ Hikaru, Hirai Farao (2020-11-18). "アルバムのコンセプト×ジャケットの最高の組み合わせである～B'z『FRIENDS』～平井"ファラオ"光（馬鹿よ貴方は）連載". 耳マン (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  5. ^ "B'z、50万人動員ツアー〈LIVE-GYM 2011 -C'mon-〉を映像作品化 - TOWER RECORDS ONLINE". tower.jp. 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  6. ^ a b "クリスマスソング名曲洋楽・邦楽ランキング【2023年】". ランキングー！ (in Japanese). 2023-12-14. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  7. ^ a b Tanaka, Hiroki (2023-12-05). "【50代が選ぶ】男性ボーカルの「クリスマスソング」人気ランキング！ 2位は「クリスマスキャロルの頃には」「ラスト・クリスマス」、1位は？【2023年最新調査結果】 | 音楽 ねとらぼ調査隊". ねとらぼ調査隊 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  8. ^ a b "「LOVE PHANTOM」は5位！ 「B'zの好きな曲ランキング」1位は？【サブスク解禁】（1/3） | エンタメ ねとらぼ調査隊". ねとらぼ調査隊 (in Japanese). 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  9. ^ "「ロックごっこ」の延長を、まだずっとやってるだけーー走り続けて33年、稲葉浩志が語るB'z、そしてコロナ禍の葛藤（Yahoo!ニュース オリジナル 特集）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  10. ^ "1万人が選ぶ「クリスマスソング」といえば？…上位2位は切ないクリスマス". エンタメRBB (in Japanese). 2014-11-19. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  11. ^ "カラオケで歌われたクリスマスソングBEST10". 日本テレビ (in Japanese). 2012-12-24. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  12. ^ "ケータイユーザーが選ぶ「BESTクリスマスソングランキング」". BARKS (in Japanese). 2010-11-12. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  13. ^ "レコチョクが『定番！クリスマスソングランキング』を発表！1位は、山下達郎「クリスマス・イブ」に決定！". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 2012-11-30. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  14. ^ "スマホ時代に着信メロディ復活元年 GIGAエンタメロディ「着信メロディ15年間ランキング」発表 歴代No.1アーティストはEXILE". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES (in Japanese). 2015-01-20. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  15. ^ "12/13付「着うたフル」レコ協チャートを公表". Musicman (in Japanese). 2011-12-16. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  16. ^ "12/20付「着うたフル」レコ協チャートを公表". Musicman (in Japanese). 2011-12-22. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  17. ^ "レコード協会調べ | 2011年12月21日～2011年12月27日 | ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞". RIAJ (in Japanese). 2011-12-27. Archived from the original on 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  18. ^ a b "GOLD DISC 2011年1月度". The Record (in Japanese). 616: 14. 2011-03-10 – via RIAJ.
  19. ^ a b "GOLD DISC 2012年1月度". The Record (in Japanese). 628: 14. 2012-03-10 – via RIAJ.
  20. ^ "浜崎あゆみから「最高のクリスマスプレゼント」 無観客YouTube配信で見せた「復活の糸口」". J-CAST ニュース (in Japanese). 2020-12-25. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  21. ^ "エリック・マーティン、『MR. VOCALIST X'MAS』の聴きどころ". BARKS (in Japanese). 2009-11-08. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  22. ^ "【公演レポ】パク・ジョンミン（SS501）、幻想的なチャペルでのクリスマスコンサートでクリスマスソングをファンと大合唱＆未発表曲も初披露". wowKorea（ワウコリア） (in Japanese). 2018-01-09. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  23. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 2011/12/28". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  24. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Download Songs 2019/12/25". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  25. ^ "Japanese digital ringtone certifications – B'z – いつかのメリークリスマス" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  26. ^ "Japanese digital ringtone certifications – B'z – いつかのメリークリスマス ～「恋するハニカミ！」バージョン～" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
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