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:A (Ayumi Hamasaki EP)

{{Infobox album

| name = A

| type = EP

| artist = Ayumi Hamasaki

| cover = A (Ayumi Hamasaki single - cover art).png

| border = yes

| alt = An image of Ayumi Hamasaki sitting down in a black backdrop, merging with her black dress. She features dark-red hair in a crop hairstyle, with a long piece of digitally-altered string on her hand with the song and artist title on the left.

| released = August 11, 1999

| recorded = January–July 1999

| studio = Prime Sound Studio, Studio Sound Dali, Onkio Haus (Tokyo, Japan); Soundtrack (New York City, New York)

| genre = {{hlist|Pop rock|dance}}

| length = 75:48

| label = {{hlist|Avex Trax|Avex Entertainment}}

| producer = Max Matsuura

| prev_title = A Song for ××

| prev_year = 1999

| next_title = Loveppears

| next_year = 1999

| misc = {{Singles

| name = A

| type = EP

| single1 = Monochrome

| single1date = August 11, 1999

| single2 = Too Late

| single2date = August 11, 1999

| single3 = Trauma

| single3date = August 11, 1999

| single4 = End Roll

| single4date = August 11, 1999

}}

}}

A (stylized as 15px) is an extended play (EP){{efn|group=upper-alpha|The classification of A as a single, EP, or album has been disputed. Technically, Avex Trax marketed A as a single—it served as the fifth single from Hamasaki's album Loveppears and charted on the Oricon Singles Chart. However, the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) recognized the release as an album and certified it as such. A can be further disputed as an extended play according to definitions outlined by top organisations outside of Japan; according to off-related sources such as The Official Chart Company (BPI), About.com, and Enki Village, an EP can typically include an average of four tracks but does not count remixes and alternative versions. Knowing that A is a single inside of Loveppears, it can be easily recognized as an EP-single rather than an album.{{cite news|author=Tina|url=http://www.enkivillage.com/ep-vs-lp.html|title=EP vs LP: What's the Difference?|work=Enki Village|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}{{cite news|author=Heather McDonald|url=https://www.thebalance.com/music-marketing-what-is-an-ep-2460346|title=Music Marketing: What Is an EP?|publisher=The Balance|date=June 1, 2016|accessdate=September 2, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://c0903002.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/6914-official-uk-charts-singles-chart-rules-april-2013.pdf |title=Rules for Chart Eligibility - Singles |date=April 2013 |first1=Chris |last1=Austin |first2=Lucy |last2=Blyth |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=June 20, 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002122919/http://c0903002.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/6914-official-uk-charts-singles-chart-rules-april-2013.pdf |archive-date=October 2, 2013 }}{{cite web|url=http://c0903002.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/6915-official-uk-charts-album-chart-rules-april-2013.pdf |title=Rules for Chart Eligibility - Albums |date=April 2013 |first1=Chris |last1=Austin |first2=Lucy |last2=Blyth |publisher=Official Charts Company |accessdate=June 20, 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140801042846/http://c0903002.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/6915-official-uk-charts-album-chart-rules-april-2013.pdf |archive-date=August 1, 2014 }}}} by Japanese recording artist Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Hong Kong on August 11, 1999, in 10 different editions, and through Avex Entertainment Inc. worldwide in September 2008. It additionally served as a single from her second studio album Loveppears (1999), and is her first single marketed as an EP. The 12-track EP contains four new original songs: "Monochrome", "Too Late", "Trauma", and "End Roll", and eight remixes. All songs were written by Hamasaki, while production was handled by long-time collaborator Max Matsuura.

Musically, like Loveppears, A is a pop rock album with dance music influences. Lyrically, the new songs are written from a third-person perspective, and deal with themes such as nostalgia, anxiety, and trauma. Upon release, A received favorable reviews from music critics for its individual tracks—some of which were highlighted as examples of Hamasaki's best work—and as a collection, with additional praise for the production quality of the EP versions of the original songs over that of their parent album counterparts. Some criticism was directed towards the number of remixes present on the EP.

Commercially, the single peaked at number one in Japan, on the Oricon Singles Chart and TBS' Count Down TV chart. It became Hamasaki's second consecutive single to sell over one million copies domestically—it is also the singer's highest-selling single—and was certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of one million units. Hamasaki did not film any music videos for the new songs, but appeared in several commercials broadcast in Japan that featured the new music. Each original song has subsequently been included on various greatest hits albums released by Hamasaki, including A Best (2001) and A Complete: All Singles (2008). "A" currently ranks as the 57th highest selling Japanese single of all time.{{cite web | url=http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-single.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127194827/http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-single.html | archive-date=2011-11-27 | title=歴代シングルランキング }}

Content and composition

A was Hamasaki's first extended play release, and was her first EP to be marketed as a single in Japan. The EP consists of four recordings: "Monochrome", "Too Late", "Trauma", and "End Roll", all written by Hamasaki herself and produced by Japanese musician and her long-time collaborator Max Matsuura.{{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=CD Single; Liner notes|work=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-30050|location=Japan}} The three songs apart from "Monochrome" were composed by Japanese musician Dai Nagao, who used the alias D.A.I., whilst the latter track was composed by Japanese band HΛL. The tracks were arranged by Naoto Suzuki and Nagao, and eventually mixed by American engineer Dave Ford; the edited versions that appeared on Hamasaki's second studio album Loveppears (1999) were re-vised and mixed by Dave Way.{{cite AV media notes |title=Loveppears|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=CD Album; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-11740|location=Japan}} Naoto played the keyboards and synthesizers in all four original tracks, whilst Jun Kajiwara, Naoki Hayashibe, both Hidetoshi Suzuki and Naoki Hayashibe, and Hayashibe played the electric guitar in "Trauma", "End Roll", "Too Late", and "Monochrome" respectively.

Musically, A was described by staff members at AllMusic as a pop rock release.{{cite news|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/monochrome-mw0000363924|title=Ayumi Hamasaki – Monochrome|publisher=AllMusic|date=August 19, 1999|accessdate=July 28, 2016}} However, like a majority of the sounds throughout the parent album, the original tracks are also inspired by dance music.{{cite news|author=CD Journal Staff|url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/loveppears/3199091028|title=Loveppears – Ayumi Hamasaki|work=CD Journal|date=November 10, 1999|accessdate=July 14, 2016|language=ja}}{{cite news|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/loveppears-mw0000372208|title=Ayumi Hamasaki – Loveppears|publisher=AllMusic|date=April 10, 2001|accessdate=July 14, 2016}}{{cite magazine | last=Takeuchi Cullen| first=Lisa| url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/ayumi_hamasaki/cover3.html |title=Empress of Pop|magazine=Time| accessdate=November 28, 2011 | page=3 | date=March 25, 2002 | url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020403135213/http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/ayumi_hamasaki/cover3.html | archive-date=April 3, 2002 }} A staff member from Japanese magazine CD Journal commented that both "Trauma" and "Too Late" were dance tunes, whilst "Monochrome" was set at a medium tempo. Lyrically, the song was written in third person perspective, a trait that is shared with the rest of the album's tracks.{{cite news|author=Hamasaki, Ayumi (interviewee)|url=http://avexnet.or.jp/ayu/en/special/aballads/index2.html|title=Special Website to A Ballads|publisher=Ayumi Hamasaki's official website|date=March 12, 2003|accessdate=July 16, 2016|archive-date=February 9, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209190143/http://avexnet.or.jp/ayu/en/special/aballads/index2.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite journal | title=Loveppears | journal=Beatfreak |date=November 1999 | volume=142|language=ja}} The review at CD Journal noted that each track included different emotions and themes; Hamasaki talked about her anxiety in "Too Late", nostalgia in "Monochrome", and "transforming" trauma into positivity in "Trauma".

Release

A was released by Avex Trax in Japan and Hong Kong on August 11, 1999, in 10 different editions, and through Avex Entertainment Inc. worldwide in September 2008. The EP included the four original recordings, plus four remixes, two bonus remix tracks through first press issues of the single, and an instrumental version for the original songs.{{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVTCDS-191|location=Hong Kong}} To market each original track in Japan, Avex distributed four different editions of the single by changing the compact disc colors, these being blue, green, orange, and red.Each of the single's limited edition releases are noted below on the liner notes;

  • {{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=Blue Disc; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-30050|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=Green Disc; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-30050|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=Orange Disc; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-30050|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=Red Disc; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-30050|location=Japan}} For each color, the original recordings included on the track list is shifted down one and each variation were limited to 70,000 units.{{efn|group=upper-alpha|To understand the track list changes, visit the link [https://www.discogs.com/master/view/854 here] to view the Master release of A at Discogs.com}} After the single sold over one million units in Japan, Avex Trax distributed a limited gold edition disc that was noted by the company through the liner notes as just a sticker. This edition was limited to 100,000 copies in Japan.{{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=Gold Disc; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-30050|location=Japan}}

However, after the first gold version sold over its limit, Avex published a second gold disc titled the Shining Gold CD to 150,000 copies in Japan. The disc was made of real gold, and the artwork of Hamasaki was tinted gold.{{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=Shining Gold Disc; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-30050|location=Japan}} Two promotional 12" vinyls were distributed in Japan by Rhythm Republic on October 16, 1999; the first vinyl featured a remix for both "Too Late" and "Monochrome", whilst the second vinyl included a remix for each original recording.{{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=12" vinyl; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=RR12-88131|location=Japan}}{{cite AV media notes |title=A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=1999|type=12" vinyl; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=RR12-88132|location=Japan}} The artwork was photographed by Toru Kumazawa, and features Hamasaki in a black dress in front of a black backdrop, holding onto a long piece of white string. The logo on the artwork was the first establishment of Hamasaki's logo/emblem, a staple she has used ever since.

Although the original recordings were promoted together with the EP, each of them were distributed in Japan and worldwide as individual singles. "Monochrome" was remixed by American DJ Keith Litman, and released in North America in early 2001, whilst English electronic music group The Orb remixed the track and released it in the United Kingdom by Badorb.com on July 21, 2001; the latter release was limited to 486 vinyls.{{cite AV media notes |title=Monochrome|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=12" Vinyl; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax USA|id=AVA-5|location=North America}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Monochrome|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=12" Vinyl; Liner notes|publisher=Bob|id=BOB 2|location=United Kingdom}} American duo Thunderpuss remixed the track "Trauma" and released it in North America through the offices of Avex USA in early 2001.{{cite AV media notes |title=Trauma|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=12" Vinyl; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax USA|id=AVA-3|location=North America}} "Too Late" was remixed by Soul Solution and was released in North America through Avex USA in mid-2001.{{cite AV media notes |title=Too Late|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=12" Vinyl; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax USA|id=AVA-4|location=North America}}

Critical response

Upon its release, A received favorable reviews from music critics. In a review for Loveppears at CD Journal, a staff member selected "Trauma", "Too Late", "Monochrome", and another album track titled "And Then" as the best songs. In general, the review commended Hamasaki's songwriting and her vocal delivery. However, a separate review for the A at the same publication was mixed. The review complimented the original four recordings, but criticized the amount of remixes and felt the extra editions were not "convincing" for Hamasaki's fan base.{{cite web|author=CD Journal Staff|url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/a/3199060870|title=Ayumi Hamasaki – A [EP]|work=CD Journal|date=August 11, 1999|accessdate=July 14, 2016|language=ja}} In retrospect, AllMusic's Alexey Eremenko, whom contributed to writing Hamasaki's biography on the website, selected "End Roll", "Monochrome", and "Trauma" as an examples of her best work.{{cite news|author=Eremenko, Alexey|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ayumi-hamasaki-mn0000758915/songs|title=Ayumi Hamasaki – Songs|publisher=AllMusic|date=2016|accessdate=July 27, 2016}} In 2015, Japanese website Goo.ne.jp hosted a 24-hour only poll for audiences in Japan to vote for their favorite single released by Hamasaki. As a result, A ranked at number 12, with a rating of 32.1 average percent.{{cite news|author=Erik|url=http://aramajapan.com/ranking/what-are-ayumi-hamasakis-most-popular-singles/4305/|title=What are Ayumi Hamasaki's most popular songs?|publisher=Goo.ne.jp; published through Arama Japan|date=2015|accessdate=July 27, 2016}}

Commercial performance

Commercially, the single was a success in Japan. It debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, selling 508,940 units in its first week of sales. A is the 78th single with the highest first week sales, a record that still holds as of July 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-single-syodo.html|title=Best First Week Sales for a Single of All Time|work=Music TV Program Japan|accessdate=July 28, 2016|language=ja}} It stayed at number one of three non-consecutive weeks, and lasted 18 weeks on the top 200, one of Hamasaki's longest spanning singles on that chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/246497/products/music/45106/1/|title=A – Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=Oricon|date=August 11, 1999|accessdate=July 28, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818044105/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/246497/products/music/45106/1/|archive-date=August 18, 2012}} Likewise, it debuted at number one on the Count Down TV chart hosted by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS).{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown19990821-j.html|title=CDTV PowerWeb! Ranking Singles Chart|publisher=Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)|date=August 21, 1999|accessdate=July 28, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625014716/http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown19990821-j.html|archive-date=June 25, 2008 }} It stayed atop of the charts for two weeks, and lasted 17 weeks in the top 100.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/songdb/song4049-j.html|title=CDTV PowerWeb! Ayumi Hamasaki – A|publisher=Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)|date=August 11, 1999|accessdate=July 26, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625014716/http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/songdb/song4049-j.html|archive-date=June 25, 2008 }}

By the end of 1999, it had sold over 1,630,540 units in Japan and ranked at number three on Oricon's Annual 1999 chart. It resulted as the highest selling EP–single by any artist at the time, and was the highest selling single by a female artist.{{cite news|url=http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-2000.html|title=Oricon Yearly Chart – Singles, Albums, and DVD Releases of 1999|publisher=Music TV Program Japan|date=December 1999|accessdate=July 16, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304183127/http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-2000.html|archive-date=2012-03-04|url-status=dead}} Similarly, it ranked at number six on TBS' Annual Chart, the third highest selling single by a female artist (behind two entries by Japanese recording artist Hikaru Utada), alongside being the highest selling EP–single.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown1999total-j.html|title=CDTV PowerWeb! 1999 Annual Singles Chart|publisher=Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)|date=1999|accessdate=July 16, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603105836/http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown1999total-j.html|archive-date=June 3, 2008 }} In July 2000, the single was certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of one million units; this was her second consecutive single to sell over one million units, the first being the previous single from Loveppears "Boys & Girls".{{cite journal |title=GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年5月度 |trans-title=Gold Albums, and other certified works. May 2000 Edition |url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/2000/200007.pdf | journal=The Record |type=Bulletin |language=ja |location=Chūō, Tokyo |publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan |date=July 10, 2000 |volume=488 |page=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229020125/http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/2000/200007.pdf |archive-date=December 29, 2013 |accessdate=January 17, 2014}} As of July 2016, it is Hamasaki's highest selling physical single of her entire career on Oricon Style's data base, and is the 57th best selling single in Japan of all time; it is the ninth highest selling single by a female artist.{{cite news|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/246497/rank/single/p/3/|title=Ayumi Hamasaki Single's Ranking|publisher=Oricon|accessdate=July 16, 2016|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-single.html|title=Best Selling Singles in Japan of All Time|publisher=Music TV Program Japan|accessdate=July 28, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827183309/http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-single.html|archive-date=2010-08-27|url-status=dead}}{{efn|group=upper-alpha|There has been a dispute in which is Hamasaki's highest selling single. According to a 2015 publication through AllMusic, the author of the page identified that Hamasaki's 2007 single "Together When..." sold over 3.3 million digital units worldwide, making it her highest selling single overall.{{cite news|author=Eremenko, Alexey|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ayumi-hamasaki-mn0000758915/biography|title=Ayumi Hamasaki – Biography|publisher=AllMusic|date=2016|accessdate=June 27, 2016}} Despite the song being her highest selling single overall, it is not recognised through Oricon database as her highest selling single in Japan alone. Based on their ranking, A is her highest selling single in the category (despite it being recognised as an EP), and "Seasons" is her highest selling single without any other additional recordings.{{cite web | title=オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 |trans-title=Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' | url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp |language=ja | publisher=Oricon |url-access=subscription | accessdate=May 21, 2014}}}}

Promotion and live performances

No music videos were shot for the tracks on A, her first major release to not feature any visuals. However, in Japan, Hamasaki appeared in commercial endorsement videos that promoted each original track from A. "Trauma" and "Monochrome" were used as the official theme songs for two commercials of JT Peach Water drinks, whilst "Too Late" was the theme song for Honda Giorno Crea, and Hal's remix of "End Roll" was featured in commercial for Morinaga. The videos for each commercial appeared on several DVD compilations released by Hamasaki: A Clips (2000),{{cite AV media notes |title=A Clips|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=DVD Videos; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVVD-90069|location=Japan}} a self-titled DVD,{{cite AV media notes |title=Ayumi Hamasaki|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=DVD Videos; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|location=Japan}} A Complete Box Set (2004),{{cite AV media notes |title=A Complete Box Set|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2004|type=DVD Videos; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVBD-91181~3|location=Japan}} and the digital release of A Clips Complete (2014).{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/nz/album/a-clip-box-1998-2011-vol-1/655484415|title=A Clip Box 1998-2011, Vol. 1 – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (New Zealand)|date=January 1, 2012|access-date=July 16, 2016}} "Trauma" and "End Roll" were included on her greatest hits compilation album A Best (2001),{{cite AV media notes |title=A Best: 15th Anniversary Edition|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2016|type=CD + DVD + Blu-Ray; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVZD-93409/B~C|location=Japan}} whilst "Monochrome" was added onto A Complete: All Singles (2008),{{cite AV media notes |title=A Ballads|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2007|type=3xCD Compilation Album; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-23676~8|location=Japan}} To promote the EP, each original recording were performed on Hamasaki's first part and second part of her 2000 concert tour in Japan.{{cite AV media notes |title=Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol. 1|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVBD-91022|location=Japan}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Ayumi Hamasaki Concert Tour 2000 Vol. 2|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2000|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVBD-91021|location=Japan}}

Track listing

{{col-begin}}

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  • Original CD single
  1. "Monochrome" – 4:29
  2. "Too Late" – 4:20
  3. "Trauma" – 4:18
  4. "End Roll" – 4:49
  5. "Monochrome" (Keith Litman's Big City Vocal Mix) – 9:35
  6. "Too Late" (Razor 'N Guido Remix) – 8:12
  7. "Trauma" (Heavy Shuffle Mix) – 6:10
  8. "End Roll" (Hal's Mix) – 4:16
  9. "Monochrome" (Instrumental) – 4:29
  10. "Too Late" (Instrumental) – 4:20
  11. "Trauma" (Instrumental) – 4:18
  12. "End Roll" (Instrumental) – 4:49
  13. "End Roll" (Neuro-mantic Mix) [Bonus track] – 5:08
  14. "Monochrome" (Dub's full Color Remix) [Bonus track] – 6:43
  • 12" vinyl (titled A NYC)
  1. "Monochrome" (Keith Litman's Big City Vocal Mix) – 9:35
  2. "Too Late" (Razor 'N Guido Remix) – 8:12

{{col-2}}

  • Digital download{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/jp/album/a/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Japan)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
  1. "Monochrome" – 4:29
  2. "Too Late" – 4:20
  3. "Trauma" – 4:18
  4. "End Roll" – 4:49
  5. "Monochrome" (Keith Litman's Big City Vocal Mix) – 9:35
  6. "Too Late" (Razor 'N Guido Remix) – 8:12
  7. "Trauma" (Heavy Shuffle Mix) – 6:10
  8. "End Roll" (Hal's Mix) – 4:16
  9. "Monochrome" (Instrumental) – 4:29
  10. "Too Late" (Instrumental) – 4:20
  11. "Trauma" (Instrumental) – 4:18
  12. "End Roll" (Instrumental) – 4:49
  13. "End Roll" (Neuro-mantic Mix) [Bonus track] – 5:08
  14. "Monochrome" (Dub's full Color Remix) [Bonus track] – 6:43
  • 12" vinyl (titled A TYO)
  1. "Monochrome" (Keith Litman's Big City Vocal Mix) – 9:35
  2. "Too Late" (Razor 'N Guido Remix) – 8:12
  3. "Trauma" (Heavy Shuffle Mix) – 6:10
  4. "End Roll" (Hal's Mix) – 4:16

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Personnel

Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of A;

;Recording

  • Recorded at Prime Sound Studio, Studio Sound Dali, Onkio Haus, Tokyo, Japan in 1999.

;Credits

  • Ayumi Hamasaki – vocals, songwriting, background vocals
  • Max Matsuura – production
  • Dai Nagao – composing, programming, mastering
  • HΛL – composing, synthesizers, keyboards
  • Naoto Suzuki – sound producing
  • Jun Kajiwara – electric guitar
  • Naoki Hayashibe – electric guitar
  • Hidetoshi Suzuki – electric guitar
  • Dave Ford – mixing
  • Dave Way – mixing

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Chart (1999)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Japan Weekly Chart (Oricon)

| style="text-align:center;"|1

scope="row"|Japan Weekly Count Down TV Chart (TBS)

| style="text-align:center;"|1

{{col-2}}

=Yearly chart=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Chart (1999)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Japan (Oricon)

| style="text-align:center;"|3

scope="row"|Japan Count Down TV (TBS)

| style="text-align:center;"|6

{{col-end}}

Certifications and sales

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|type=album|award=Million|certref=|salesamount=1,630,540|salesref=|certyear=2000}}

{{Table end}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format

!scope="col"|Label

scope="row"|Japan

|rowspan="2"|August 11, 1999

|CD single + colored editions

|{{hlist|Avex Trax|Avex Entertainment Inc.}}

scope="row"|Hong Kong

|CD single

|Avex Trax

scope="row" rowspan="3"|Japan

|rowspan="2"|October 16, 2000

|12" vinyl (titled NYC)

|rowspan="2"|Rhythm Republic

12" vinyl (titled TYO)
rowspan="11"|Digital download

|rowspan="11"|September 2008{{efn|group=upper-alpha|There is currently insufficient evidence to determine what date Hamasaki's digital releases appeared on online retails. The closest source for iTunes Store evidence is at Jame World, whom confirmed Hamasaki's work was released worldwide on iTunes in September 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.jame-world.com/us/news-32267-avex-artists-available-at-us-itunes-store.html|title=Avex Artists Available at US iTunes Store|publisher=Jame World|date=September 5, 2008|accessdate=April 1, 2016}}}}

|rowspan="11"|Avex Entertainment Inc.

scope="row"|Australia{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Australia)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
scope="row"|New Zealand{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/nz/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (New Zealand)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
scope="row"|United Kingdom{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (United Kingdom)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
scope="row"|Ireland{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/ie/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Ireland)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
scope="row"|Germany{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/de/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Germany)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
scope="row"|Spain{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/es/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Spain)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
scope="row"|France{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/fr/album/fly-high/76110604|title=Fly High – Single – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (France)|date=February 9, 2000|access-date=July 27, 2016}}
scope="row"|Italy{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/it/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Italy)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}
scope="row"|Taiwan{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/tw/album/998778365|title=A – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Taiwan)|date=August 11, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2016}}

See also

Notes

{{notelist-ua|2}}

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

  • [http://www.avex.jp/ayu/discography/detail.php?id=1003297 A] at Ayumi Hamasaki's official website. {{in lang|ja}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20120818044105/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/246497/products/music/45106/1/ A] at Oricon. {{in lang|ja}}

{{Ayumi Hamasaki}}

{{Ayumi Hamasaki singles}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Ayumi Hamasaki EPs

Category:1999 EPs

Category:Oricon Weekly number-one singles