Variety_(Mariya_Takeuchi_album)

<i>Variety</i> (Mariya Takeuchi album)

Variety (Mariya Takeuchi album)

1984 studio album by Mariya Takeuchi


Variety is the sixth studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi. It was released on 25 April 1984[1] through Moon Records. Variety is considered as Takeuchi's "comeback" album after being on hiatus since 1981,[2][3] and is the first album entirely written by her.[4] The album is produced by Takeuchi's husband, Tatsuro Yamashita.[4]

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To international audiences, Variety is known for containing "Plastic Love" which, although only seeing moderate success in Japan when it was released as a single in 1985, saw a resurgence in popularity internationally in 2017 after a remix was uploaded to YouTube.[2]

Production and release

Takeuchi's five albums released before Variety were mostly written by other songwriters which, although they featured industry stars such as Haruomi Hosono and members of Toto, left her feeling "exhausted".[2] She went on hiatus at the end of 1981 due to a sore throat, as well as to marry Yamashita in 1982.[2][5]

During her break, Yamashita left his record label, RCA Records, for the newly-founded Moon Records. Meanwhile, Takeuchi began writing some of the songs which would be included in Variety. Yamashita originally planned for Takeuchi's comeback album to be written by other songwriters, but changed his mind after listening to some of Takeuchi's work.[6] A promotional single, "Mou Ichido", was released on 10 April 1984, followed by a full release on 25 April.[1][7] The album topped the Oricon Albums Chart.[6]

A 30th Anniversary edition of the album was released on 19 November 2014. The version included a previously unreleased track, "Aka no Enamel" (赤のエナメル), both club remixes from the single release of "Plastic Love", and karaoke versions of four tracks.[8][9]

The 30th Anniversary edition of the album became available on music streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify on 3 November 2021, the same date when the 2021 vinyl reissue was released.[10]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Mariya Takeuchi

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Charts

Weekly charts

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Year-end charts

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References

  1. "アルバム・ディスコグラフィー MOON/WARNER編 (1984-現在)". Mariya Takeuchi Official Website (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. "竹内まりや 『もう一度』". Men's Non-no (in Japanese). Shueisha. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  3. (1984). Album notes for Variety by Mariya Takeuchi, vinyl back cover. Tokyo: Moon Records (MOCT-28011)
  4. "戻ってきた竹内まりや!80年代を代表する神アルバム「VARIETY」". Re:minder (in Japanese). 14 September 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  5. "シングル・ディスコグラフィー [Part 1] (1978-1989)". Mariya Takeuchi Official Website (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  6. "Variety -30th Anniversary Edition". Warner Music Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  7. "竹内まりや Official Web Site". 竹内まりや Official Web Site (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  8. "竹内まりや" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  9. "Variety(30th Anniversary Edition)" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  10. "Variety(2021 Vinyl Edition)" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  11. "年間アルバムヒットチャート 1984年". Private Life エンタメデータ&ランキング (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2023.

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